Our Moon is a non-governmental organisation based in the United Kingdom whose core mandate is to help bright students in Zambia to attain tertiary education in the United Kingdom. To make this possible, the organisation sponsors children from selected schools and organisations to study A-levels (Sciences and Mathematics) from Hillcrest in Livingstone.
Moreover, the organisation launched an Ambassadors program aimed at educating youths in various skills ranging from leadership skills, writing styles and skills, culture, identity, education and moral upstanding. Amongst all the applicants, we were privileged to attend the launching of the program as representatives of youths from Bwafwano.
The program was a life changing set up both mentally and spiritually. Among the topics of discussion, education was the core subject. Under education we looked at ways in which education has played a role in transforming people’s lives with the emphasis on education being the best equalizer. Considering our education system, we analysed the effectiveness of our syllabus in the view of attaining scholarships. It was brought to light that there was much to be done in our education system including the introduction of productive skill.
Looking at culture, it was discussed that we as the citizens and youths of this country needed to take up interest in the practices of our culture. Furthermore, it was discussed that we needed to take pride in our country’s traditional practices and brand it through various forms of social media thereby attracting tourist in our country.
On writing styles and skills, we took time to read through different samples of writing skills and styles written by different people from different walks of life. The emphasis was really based on learning how to write different forms of writings. We also learnt poetry as a form of writing. On the writing style, it was brought to light we needed to consider the content of the writing and the people we were targeting. It was sorted that after the end of the training, each ambassador would be required to blogs on different platforms of social media as a way of putting to use the various skills we had learnt.
Furthermore, we looked at identity as an African continent. What would be the best ways to take up our fore-fathers vision of our African community? We looked different ways of transforming Africa’s economies from dependency to self-sustaining. We also discussed the roles the youths need to play in seeing a successful Africa. Spearheading the motion was the fact that the youths needed to take part and interests in policy making.
In a nut shell, it is our responsibility as youths to be involved in each and every factor hindering development in various communities. We need to participate in the policy making process so that we ensure the system does not only benefit a few but as a community at large. We also need to familiarise and be acquainted with various skills and policies so we can educate the grassroots and enlighten their perceptions in matters affecting them in their walks of life.
Being honoured as the first ambassadors to grace the launch of the program, we were conferred with the responsibility of identifying youths in the community and educating them only various topics we learnt.