The Dream of a 15-year old boy

I decided to share this amazing blog post by Allan Munyao, it’s inspiring! Read on =)

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” Mine is a story of a 15 year old boy in 2006, who was literally day dreaming in a history class one fine afternoon. A dream whose reality has come to pass, and a dream whose future can only be brighter. Deep in the Lukenya Hills, was the harbor of a teenage boy by the name Allan Munyao. A boy whose journey was a long and treacherous one. But that’s a story for another day. Nevertheless, in 2006, the dream to be a lawyer was born. How? I’m still to make the substance of it up to date. This was a dream so rooted in my soul that only a few people knew, not even my father knew about it. I remember day dreaming that I would one day become a lawyer. To, me the future could only be brighter and my limit could only be stars, not even the sky as the old English adage alludes to. Many assumed and believed that I’d become a doctor like my father as is tradition in homes where the father is a doctor. Others assumed that I’d be a journalist due to my exploits in the journalism club, both in written word and in oratory skills as well. But only I knew and beloved the beauty of my dreams and Jeremiah 29:11 in the Bible was the anchor on which I based my unwavering faith in relation to my law dream. Fast forward to 2008, the year when I was finishing my secondary education and I told my father I wanted to be a lawyer hence study law in university. The only way to describe his reaction is by alluding to cartoons, where their jaws literally fall to the ground. Same as my grandfather and my father’s friends and sisters as well, they all thought I would be going to medicine school. This prompted a bet between me and my father. Should I get below 72 points I’d do medicine, should I get 72 points and above I’ll do law. Again I repeat Jeremiah 29:11… In February 2009, I received my results and I had scored above 72 points. My happiness knew no bounds since this was a staggering confirmation of my dream to do law. October 2009, marked my entry into University of Nairobi, school of law. A journey that has been an interesting one. From studying with a broken leg for a whole year; representing Kenya in Netherlands in an MUN; engaging myself in diplomacy stuff… The story is endless… The very dream that was born in 2006 is being realized in 2013. The journey isn’t over yet, but this is a milestone. Finishing law school and finishing on a high isn’t an easy feat. Law school isn’t for the faint hearted… It requires hard-work, great dedication and commitment. Any lawyer can testify to that. The road is a long and unwinding one, but I’m enjoying and I do plan to enjoy every bit of this journey. Diplomacy and public international law are the areas that have become dear to me in law. These are the areas that I seek on grounding my law career on. It’s a tough one, but the beauty of my dream is one that makes me believe in it and once again the promise in Jeremiah 29:11. In conclusion, the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. My future is now as I dreamed of it in 2006. I now dream of a bigger future for myself. God has seen me through since the birth of this dream of being a lawyer and He will indeed bring it unto completion at His own appointed time. My father has ensured that I have indeed gone through law school without any fees balance and he’s supported me all through together with my sisters. The other 5 members of B6 Incorporated, since 2nd year of law school, we’ve built each other and encouraged each other despite our diverse dreams. And many others of whom I’ve not mentioned here since your numerous of you for me to mention all of you here. Many of you have built me and continue walking with me in this journey. If you’re reading this you’re one of the key pillars to me as well. This isn’t the end of a journey, but the beginning of a great journey ahead of me… 🙂 Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans that I have for you, declares The Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God bless!

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION; A PROBLEM THAN A SOLUTION

Yesterday I had the opportunity to interact with one of the most respectable people in the legal profession, Dr. Kariuki Muigua. He is a great man judging from his achievements and opinions, I most certainly wonder why he doesn’t have a Nobel peace prize as he’s dedication to mediation mechanisms and ADRs is commendable. It was all in all an inspiring interaction especially to a first year law student as he took us down his journey to being the lawyer he is today. One of the key moments though was when I actually locked horns with him on the question of affirmative action. He himself detests the whole idea infact he insists that he believes in competence. The echoes of that particular conversation rang back and forth in my mind as the realisation that affirmative action was actually more of a problem sunk in.

Let’s just look at practical examples, when you go to a grocery shop, don’t you select the best looking tomatoes regardless of the reason why the bad looking ones are from poor farmers or poor environments?

If we keep assuring students in Turkana that all they need is to get 300 marks to go to a national school when will they ever surpass that target? When we tell women that there are special seats for them in government when will they ever realize that all sexes are equal?

Let’s talk about education first. A Pokot class eight pupil with 301marks is at par with a Nairobi class eight pupil with 420 marks, isn’t this total absurdity!!! Before you are quick to judge, let’s look at how it’s argued. Oh Nairobi has better facilities; Pokot has harsh conditions; Nairobi has more teachers, blah blah. That’s all the government says every year during schools selection, using affirmative action as a hideout for it’s pathetic, I repeat pathetic incompetence. How is that student supposed to compete adequately in the so called national schools populated by kids who passed with flying colours, isn’t that subjecting him/her esteem to inferiority? While at the same time locking the potential of a bright kid by exposing him to where he doesn’t deserve to be in. It almost sounds like punishment for being smart. How is affirmative action rather positive discrimination supposed to be a solution when it highly suggests that certain regions have a lower potential; wouldn’t you call this the poisoning of young mind-sets with abilities to do the unimaginable. That community/society will never step a notch higher because their mind-sets have been synchronised to think that success only comes through ‘favours’’.

Women, women, women. They are probably the most visible victims of this creature called affirmative action. The most memorable debate motions from my early school years was “Girls are better than boys’’, and our teachers strived at every chance to convince us that both sexes are equal. I personally was convicted to their reasoning and grew up knowing no sex was superior than the other. But as events unfolded, my conviction became dimmer; indeed the male species superseded the female counterparts. Special seats in almost every authority, compulsory presence of female representatives in every institution, let’s just look at it black and white. In simple terms, the ONLY way you women out there can be leaders is when you are favoured. It’s obviously something most ladies will not be delighted to hear; but that’s exactly what the law tells us, that’s what the conduct of women groups preach on. This then means that we have to compromise standards, compromise competence under the umbrella of affirmative action as the rain drops of third world pressures hit us harder. Is it really worth the trouble?

I believe there is a much better alternative to Affirmative Action which is EMPOWERMENT.

Let governments, let organizations, let institutions empower the otherwise disadvantaged or marginalized groups through development; e.g. providing entrepreneurial opportunities, building better schools, better social amenities in general. In clear terms, raise their standards to give them a fair opportunity to compete the so called ‘’advantaged groups’’. Only then can we have small successful nations within our states, only then can we have a garden of an equal sex perception, only then can tribal attachments have more benefit than detriments and finally only then can we create a better story than Singapore, Malaysia, you mention it .

Be The Best You Can Ever Be, Dare To Dream

Young Minds For Exceptional Performance

“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.”
-Barack Obama

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou

“The Little Infinities That Create Bigger Possibilities”

Have you ever been in these scenarios? There is that someone in your life who barely cares about you yet you still try to strike a conversation almost all the time. There is that boy/girl who isn’t really cute yet you find yourself thinking about them all day. There is that sitcom you detest so much yet you find yourself watching it most times. Or you’ve been in a relationship where you’ve reaped each others hearts yet you still find comfort in one another all the time. Well, I think Ive been in all those situations.
When very tiny pieces of gold are found on a certain surface, it could lead to a whole operation of drilling the ground there. It’s the little things in our life that push us towards something or someone. It’s those little infinities that create a bigger opportunity for us to accomplish great things. I’ve once liked a girl just for the kind of smile she gives when I talk to her.A rock is not a rock, if the little particles of sand were not glued together by natural means. See, that small experience we get in our day-to-day living is what makes us the best Dad and Mum the next years to come. Just that attention she gives you when you tell her your problems is probably what will make you take her to the altar. Just that happy face you make to everyone you talk to maybe what makes them forget the problems in their lives.

I know this sounds like blackmail but maybe those little things you think you shouldn’t do in the office is what guarantees your promotion. well there is this girl i really like but honestly I’m not sure if it’s the same on the other side. So i just try to make this big smile when she comes by, greet her with such great enthusiasm, address her like queen,oh my ♥. Am I crazy? Maybe that’s what you think, but everyday i do that it gives me that little hope that one day she may like me too.

People all over the world spend time and money for very big things to prove love, loyalty, friendship and commitments and yet make no difference. Why? Because life at times needs little things to create bigger impressions and expressions. Sending a card or flowers could be worth more to someone than sending them that very expensive wine. Little things give a wide scope of expressing ourselves in a beautiful way because it’s not common. It’s all about being true, I mean, little things given by a big heart are more worth than big things given for just an impression. Yesterday I was at the junction mall for an impromptu meet up with my best friend, and there i was very broke especially after what i had been through during the day. We are standing at Subway then i blurt out ”I’ll be so broke after this”. She convinced me it wasn’t really worth it at that time and we just bought snickers and yoghurt (she used hers to decorate my face though). It didn’t make a difference to our friendship.
It’s really the little things that shed light on our paths for bigger things. Those windows in the house are able to light a whole room, so will the little things we do to people make a big difference in their lives. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE BIG.

SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION

I slept quite early yesterday despite having my ACCA exams upcoming in a weeks time, well I was to attend a meeting for an organization i founded on youth entrepreneurship. Well i have a very weird waking up early habit, I think i should share it, it could be  a psychological or health problem, i really have no clue. See if I want to wake up at 6am, i have to set my first alarm two hours before and many others for an interval of like 20 minutes. You may suggest i use the most annoying ringtone but I’ll end up snoozing it, you may also suggest i use my favorite song but it well end up being a lullaby for a perfect sleep.
Well I was able to wake up early, but I was glued to my bed trying to find someone online and talk to, looking at the ceiling and fantasizing my own things, point is I lacked inspiration to get off my sleeping zone. The moment I thought about the success of my organization changing young lives across Africa, I just couldn’t help it but spring out of bed. See many business executives are early birds because they are always inspired to making their companies better by the day, sole traders are on the streets as early because they are inspired to improve their livelihood. You have to search for inspiration that will wake you up everyday. It doesn’t have to be a company, it could even be the little things such as trimming flowers outside your house for a start. Be inspired to do something different that you barely do, something that makes a difference in your life or someone else’s life. That one thing is better than having done nothing. Is there something that will make you wake up early and put a smile on your face tomorrow? Search for it, Find your every day inspiration, after-all it’s our obligation to make a better world every single day. Tomorrow is never a guarantee

Push Me Till I Realize My Value.

I’ve always lacked words to describe this scenario but she did it. Makes so much sense =) Re-blogged because it’s also what Alex thinks.

My Views Exactly

” Everyone’s pushes…it’s part of life I guess? But I realized the ones you push away sometimes don’t come back or don’t fight back. It’s sad once you think about it. But that means they didn’t really care enough to stick around anyway… ”

Some other girl.

There might be some truth to that statement. Might. I think it’s wrong logic.

True, people push others away, not everybody though. And the ones being pushed away? Well they don’t just let themselves be pushed away, they try to stay but do you think they don’t get tired of trying?

They care enough to stick around and endure with whatever you are putting them through. They hurt though. Tonnes. And then the light bulb goes off. “Why stick around anymore when all I’m doing is hurting? I deserve better.” And with that, they’re off.

You just pushed them to the point where…

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The ‘lost’ LOYALTY

I’m lying on my bed trying to cram lines for some musical play I’m acting in with my white earphones plugged into my ears. My attention is completely disrupted by this new ‘loyal’ song by Chris Brown that has everyone talking about loyalty. This whole buzz gets me thinking, when did we lose our loyalty? We are not loyal to our lovers, we are not loyal to education, we are not loyal to morality, we are not loyal even to our dreams and ambitions. See loyalty demands a strong feeling of support or allegiance, it demands commitment and passion for whatever cause. And if indeed we really need that positive shift in our lives, then sir/madam you need a prescription of loyalty. I must admit I have failed loyalty one too many times, but have i learnt from the experiences? Well honestly never! But today I’ve got to build a sparkle of loyalty in my life especially to my dreams and ambitions. Do I want to be a successful youngtrepreneur? Yes since i was young. Am i doing anything to make it happen? Yes, with my fantasies. See, that’s the problem with many young people, our loyalty is in thin air originating from our tool of speaking. Loyalty isn’t making promises to your girlfriend while screwing another out of sight but maturing up and staying true to her. Loyalty isn’t talking about this ‘multimillion’ business idea you have but sitting up and building it. Loyalty Isn’t about talking to people how generous you are but giving that one coin to that homeless street kid. Loyalty doesn’t require you telling the world of being the next greatest lawyer yet you have never been fair to anyone. If we really are to talk about loyalty then let’s bold commitment and allegiance. What I’ve learnt from my teenage years is that loyalty is a virtue of faithfulness and happiness is always the result of our loyalty to the achievement of our values. Let’s be loyal with ourselves, let’s cloud our judgements with loyalty, be loyal to our friendships, partnerships and relationships. After-all what is trust without loyalty.

“Those who appreciate the price of betrayal through experience, honor the value of LOYALTY by practice, in business and in life.” ~Annie Armen

Because that’s what Alex thinks

Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/loyalty.html#HXfOZddhHTB5Zl8g.99

Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/loyalty.html#HXfOZddhHTB5Zl8g.99

Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/loyalty.html#HXfOZddhHTB5Zl8g.99

Change the Culture, Change the Game

“The first step – especially for young people with energy and drive and talent, but not money – the first step to controlling your world is to control your culture. To model and demonstrate the kind of world you demand to live in. To write the books. Make the music. Shoot the films. Paint the art.”
Young people are constantly about positive change, perhaps its the notion we have that it’s the key to a blissful life. What is change? See, what young people don’t seem to realize is that culture is everything about change. You change the culture, you transform the habits. HIV/AIDS is not killing us, it is the stigma attached to it. We have to turn around our every day habits to create the positive change we so admire. Are you going to complain of the in-capacities of your government yet you barely complete your class assignments? It is how you do the little things that determines how you will do the  bigger things. So many a times have I taken breaks in my life to evaluate myself and change how i live my life yet i end up in the same place. I’m I stupid? I believe not. I failed to realize that i had to change my negative attitudes, my beliefs maybe, my bad habits to have that turn around in my life. Let’s look at how we do things as a community. Yeah, it’s world environment day, and all green organizations are out in the streets and media rallying people to plant trees. We then plant 10 million trees, But then what? A hundred million trees will be cut before the next world environment day. Is that a difference or negligence? The positive habits we want to see and embrace have to define our everyday living to make a difference. A whole turn over of how we do things as young people is what is going to be the game-changer of our lives. Our every day experiences will determine our culture, it will form the basis of our beliefs, our attitudes, which then determine our actions. Our collective experiences is what will drive the change wave across this Africa continent we adore so much. Let us live the Change experience to make a difference. If at all you want to live the life you wanna live, change the culture of which you do things. We’ve got one life to live, and we have an obligation to live it best. Change the CULTURE to change the GAME.