The Power of Believing in Yourself: D is Determination , F is Focus

It is not easy being a girl in sub-Saharan Africa. A myriad of challenges come into your path and if you are not focused, you either give up because of the problems around you or you rise up and soar to your dreams. An African girls child is at risk of  being withdraw from school to take up care roles, being passed over and your brother being allowed to go to school because both you and your brother have passes but available school fees dictates that only one person can proceed to high school, being sent out to work as a house help in order to supplement the meagre family labour, being waylaid by the boda boda rider on your way to school, suffering from self-esteem issues because you don’t have pads but still have to go to school . Sometimes you have to till the land before going to school and walking barefoot to school is not out of the ordinary. Additionally, you can be taken away from your parents, promised to be taken to school only to end up as a caretaker for your aunt’s or uncle’s children. Sometimes you are questioned, why are you working so hard and yet there are no jobs in this country?

From a tender age , my mama instilled in me the virtue of hard work and believing in myself. She used to tell me you can be anything you want to be when you focus. Words have a powerful meaning.

Before starting school, I used to admire pupils in school uniform and could stand on a schools fence watching children play at break time. I discovered my love for books from a young age and would consume novels as if it was food. This desire to read helped me gain a lot of self-confidence, I was also able to virtually travel to many countries, thanks to the novels I read, I still read novels to date , although not as many as I would have loved to.

I believe that parents have a great influence on children, whatever you plant in them is what they are likely to become. If you plant fear and failure in your children, that is the path they may take, but if you plant confidence and a Can Do attitude, they will go wherever they want. I have come to nurture so many young people, instilling in them the same confidence that my mama instilled in me. It is possible to be what you want to be without connection, yes you can make it by pure hard work.When you focus , you will occupy all those spaces you have often admired from afar.

Mariah Carey’s song Make it Happen always echoes  in my head

               If you believe in yourself enough                    And know what you want                 You're gonna make it happen

      Yes, be determined, be focused and you will make it happen.