adminTerence ‘BaTasho’ Mapuka Cool Lifestyle Correspondent
October 11 was International Day of the Girl Child. The theme encouraged the progress of girls, giving them a platform to make a difference not just in their own lives but in the community as well.The current standing is that many girls in the developing world suffer gender-based violence, are denied proper education, are forced into early marriages and suffer many other practices of discrimination.What has been seen to change all these practices has been education. An educated girl can participate in shaping a better future.The same education can help the boy child stop the continuation of such practices.
When teens are educated they increase their knowledge and understanding.The understanding allows one to look and question certain practices; why do we do what we do? Can this be changed and work better for everyone?The knowledge you have will give you enough confidence to say I can participate in making things better. There are now many stories of teens inventing things that help develop our communities.
Such skills can help you earn a living for yourself early.Girls who are educated do not get married young; this helps deal with the problem of early marriages. They also ensure that their own children are educated and that already means transforming the future generation.
That is just how powerful education is.Education allows you to set your eyes on the prize. You can only get to the top if you live by a certain set of principles. You should have a vision, set a life mission and goals that will help you achieve. After all you are the CEO of your own life.
What really is education?
When you hear about education the first thing that usually comes to mind is going through school. However for one to be educated school has to go through you.It is what you allow yourself to learn that determines how educated you become. If you do not learn you just end up taking what is always happening as the standard. It is this thinking that allows certain practices to continue even when they are harmful. Your mindset determines the extent to which you can achieve.
Henry Ford said “If you think you can, if you think you can’t, either way you are right!” It only takes you thinking that you can do it for you to be successful and likewise thinking that you cannot for you to be a failure.Our world today has a lot of problems that need solution.
They include energy, pollution, unemployment and the challenges facing girls as mentioned above. In each of us there is a solution we already have to make this world a better place.
Education is there to help you realize what solution you already have in you. If you pay attention you can quickly realise that you can solve a certain problem and before you know it, you are fulfilling your purpose. Without education you tend to be ignorant and that ignorance does not allow you to identify the solution within you.
What is going to help you on your quest to be educated is your mindset.Your mindset controls your attitude towards education and everything else. Train your mind to be positive, to be able to accommodate the things you learn.
That helps you become educated and transform the practices that continue to discriminate others. We strive for a better world!
◆ Terence is with zwTEENS an organisation which deals with teens and issues affecting them. You can reach Terence on 0772101601, WhatsApp 0772128170, [email protected].
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