Written by: Ben Hayford

Joining the Move the World team built me up in so many different ways. My love for kids and their development coupled with my passion for community development made me fall in love with the mission and vision of the Move the World team.

I grew up in a compound house where all my extended family members live together in one compound. We play and do our things together as one big family. We share our challenges as a family and solve them as a family. Nobody lacks anything and nobody goes hungry. I fondly remember there was a time my parents travelled leaving me and my siblings behind. Being the first child, I was supposed to take care of my siblings and I had no clue of that. My big cousin came around and took care of us for 3 good days. Those moments were one of my best childhood times.

Move the World even though a non for profit organisation operates like a family. With MTW, every one counts and everybody is accepted no matter your background. The exposure MTW gave me is that of a transcultural adversity. The ability of people with different cultural background to live in harmony and learn from each other. People of different color and race working toward one particular goal with the sole vision of community and human development. This has really serve as a springboard for me to do the little that I can to support my community.

Being an enthusiast and an advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the GetGlobal program has really enlightened me more on the SDGs and how vital it is to promote and educate people on them.
The GetGlobal program is set to educate children on the first six SDGs within the Medie community, a city located in Ghana. This is the first of it kind in Ghana and I am so glad to be a part.

As a result of this program I was able to educate my immediate family on the SDGs hitherto was not so much interested in it because they have not really seen its impact in their lives. They appreciated the need to think globally and act locally in the attaining the SDGs.
They realized that, for us to achieve at least the first six SDGs, every action they take counts and therefore as a matter of urgency all hands must be on deck in our quest to achieve global peace and tranquillity.

My heartfelt appreciation goes to the Move The World team for granting me such a platform and an opportunity to to realise my dreams and impact people lives.

#GetGlobal #SDGs #MoveTheWorld #Communitydevelopment #worldpeace #UnitedNations #AfricaUnion #Africa #Sustainability #globaleducation #thinkgloballyandactlocally

After all the workshops and briefings, one thing which was very clear in my mind moving forward as a Get Global facilitator, was a change agent.

I have been here before as a teacher, but this journey I was going to embark on was a totally different one. Not because of shorter contract hours or for any other reason, but because of the package to be delivered.

Fast forward now, the impact has been tremendous. I am now a very responsible individual. As a change agent, I understand I have to walk and practice what I speak and teach. My values changed a lot for the better.

I now see myself as a role model for these young ones. I have learnt to align my values, beliefs, actions and thoughts for the better, because some younger ones look up to me for inspiration.

Volunteering over 5 years with organizations engaging, interacting and facilitating sessions in deprived communities on rights and education issues were as a result of being involved in capacity building workshops, conferences, advocacies and campaigns.

Most of these opportunities come in the form of direct and indirect engagements, trainings and facilitation with adults and young girls between the age-range of 15 – 18 years using participatory methods such as focused group discussions etc.

At MTW, I was introduced and trained to facilitate through experiential learning process. Its key framework on personal development has allowed me to make self-awareness and personal responsibility a priority.

Through MTW Get Global sessions, my knowledge on the SDGs has improved as I am challenged each time to research and plan ahead before running or taking up a session on an SDG.

In the realms of global and community citizenship techniques, feedback and reflection sessions especially from the core team after each session prepares me to be an active global citizen. It helps me analyse issues and believe that amidst challenges, there’s a silver lining.

For example, I once had a difficult experience with a school I was facilitating a GG programme. Where things looked blur because the school’s collaboration was weak, the professional support by the team led to massive improvement and my exposure to this challenge strengthened me more.

Being a change maker highlights different causes and effect but with the right tools, you will sail through.

Have a good read and stay immersed for the next episode of my personal impact with MTW

Biba?

Written by : Margaret Osei

It’s not just about what we can do but the measures to put in place to do what we can’t do.
– The schools that has neither facilities and enough teachers must be provided for.
– The fear that teachers are called on the table to make decisions but are not really aware how to get there.
– Parents are broken to see their wards stay home for so long.
Our fear is that, there is a lot of different information that scares the world.

SDG 4 strongly talks about Quality Education and if/when our wards get back to school, a lot needs to be done by providing all the necessary measures.

It’s time to face our fear and that is when our decision makers (leaders) needs sit to make better decisions to curb the deadly pandemic.
To confront our challenges and create new life for the world.

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#leadersmustact #decisionnow #provideresources #qualityeducation #allcitizenswork

Written by Ben Hayford

Fathers, A shoulder to lean on –
Happy Father’s Day

On this special occasion where the entire planet is celebrating fathers everywhere, the Move the World Team would like wish all fathers a happy and a joyous father’s day. Our success so far as an organisation could not have been this big without the support and guidance of our fathers and father figures.

As an organisation which is so much interested in the wellbeing of humanity, it is one of core mandate to promote gender equality at all angles. We strongly believe that even as we promote and encourage women empowerment, we will not leave our men behind. We believe that both male and female are supposed to be treated fairly and equally without any discrimination or biases. As stipulated by Julia Gillard, a former Australian Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party, the Chair of Global Institute of Women’s Leadership ‘Gender equality is not a women’s issue – it’s good for men too’ .

I therefore call for a balance in the issue of gender across the world. On this note I wish all fathers a Happy Father’s Day.

“To eliminate hunger, everyone must be involved” – Bono

Human Rights Based Approach highlights elements as such Empowerment, Solidarity and Campaign. Empowerment comes in different forms; education, training, livelihoods/skills amongst others.

I quote: “Give a person a fish and you feed them a day. Teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime ” Lao Tzu

Move the World as part of its rich programme, inculcates these in it’s sessions that is to encourage the practice of gardening to feed generations.

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) seeks to eliminate all forms of hunger and malnutrition, especially amongst children. To help achieve this, we all have to be involved.

During Zero Hunger sessions, children are empowered through education, activities such as the Lines of Communication, True or False and Project Grow a Bean. These encourage skills acquisition in these young ones in order to make efficient use of available resources such as using coconut shells in making small gardens in their homes and thus to harvest organic foods. They are also instilled with quality personal and leadership skills by caring for their plants and to see their crops grow as well as teaching others in their communities on sustainable livelihoods.

During a session in one of our partner schools on Gender Equality, the students debated vehemently among themselves as to who should do what and who should not do what. It was disappointing hearing some statements being made by our future leaders. Some children were of the view that girls are responsible for household chores. There were many questions in mind. Then I realized who I was, a Change Maker!

As a change maker, it was a wakeup call when the late Kofi Annan, 7th United Nations Secretary-General said “Knowledge is power, information is liberating; education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”

This was an opportunity to take these young ones from their homes to travel the bigger world and wake the reality up in them. Timely, well planned and well taught through programmes such as the Get Global Programme liberate the minds from some old fashioned ideologies.

Children are generally influenced by what they see and hear. This goes a long way in forming the lifestyles of individuals. The 8th United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, once said “Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, girls and boys”.

For us to develop as a society, as a nation, it is our collective effort not to discriminate against gender.

“A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty.” – Charles Rangel

The aim of this goal is targeted achieving a state where youth have access to early pre-primary education, universal primary and secondary education, being equipped with relevant skills necessary for decent work and education that leads to sustainable development.

Interesting Facts To Note

Enrolment in primary education in developing countries has reached 91 per cent but 57 million primary age children remain out of school.

617 million youth worldwide lack basic mathematics and literacy skills

103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 percent of them are women.

Progress Made So Far

Over the past decade, major progress was made towards increasing access to education and school enrollment rates at all levels, particularly for girls. The total enrolment rate in developing regions reached 91 percent in 2015, and the worldwide number of children out of school has dropped by almost half.

MTW’s Involvement In Achieving Goal 4

During the Quality Education session, MTW through its Get Global Programme help participants have a broader sense of their communities, the offers they have for them and how they form apart of it. Of course, being a Global Citizen requires having an understanding of the SDG(s) and how education progresses them all.

Youth through specific innovative activities like the Human Hand-knot, What-Do-You-Know (Power of Education), Reading Buddy, Musical Chair, Passport Exercise and the Talking World Pillow help to develop youth in areas such as teamwork, active listening, mentoring, personal responsibility, creativity and self awareness!

The feedback gathered from not just the youth but also the teachers and the school authorities communicates that the inclusion of the program in their curriculum is helping their students enjoy lessons better and increase participatory engagements even in class.

State of Goal 4 During COVID19

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, a majority of countries announced the temporary closure of schools, impacting more than 91 per cent of students worldwide. By April 2020, close to 1.6 billion children and youth were out of school. And nearly 369 million children who rely on school meals needed to look to other sources for daily nutrition.

What You Can Be Done To Achieve Goal 4

The goal is to transmit not only the basics, but also the skills and values to make our societies more equitable, resilient, and inclusive.

Implementing this ambitious vision of education will require new and broader partnerships.

Education has to receive higher billing, nationally and globally. New emerging-economy donors such as, the private sector, foundations, and philanthropists – must be mobilized.

A massive global push is required to address the plight of children and young people in conflict-affected countries

On a personal note, supporting institutions like MTW through donations and expertise to keep a program such as the Get Global running is considered highly vital. Nonetheless, getting others involve even at your community is essential as well. You can help raise funds and organise events and workshops to better educate your community and even your network about the essence of quality education and ways they can contribute.

In conclusion

Education is the key that will allow many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved. Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education can help equip locals with the tools required to develop innovative solutions to the world’s greatest problems.

Reference links:

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/poverty

https://www.icde.org/sustainable-development-goal-4

https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-4-quality-education.html

Written by Hawa Tasala Gariba

We speak and we act it out.
Sustainable development GOAL 6 speaks about CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION. The MTW engages the students it works with and some members of the community it works in to do a clean up exercise in the community to help reduce rubbish in the communities that gets washed into the water bodies by rain which ends up giving us several diseases. Community members have come to understand this and so they no longer litter around, instead they drop the plastic waste into the dustbin or they take it to the recycling companies. Students are made to pledge that they will practice what they’ve learnt in their houses and wherever they find themselves.

I have personally learnt from this that, The water sachet we throw around can actually be used to make beautiful market bags which I am planning to learn how to make. I am very glad that I am a part of the MTW.

MTW is not only about talking but acting it out too.

#Keepyourcommunityclean #Dontlitteraround #Staysafe #Stayhealthy.

Written by Ben Hayford

Move the World as a non-profit making organisation has thrived on the hinges of collaboration and partnership within the Sub Saharan region of Africa, to be precise – Ghana. Since MTW began its operation in Ghana in 2015, it has jointly embarked on several successful projects and training with several other local organisations in Ghana.

One popular Akan proverb stipulates that ‘a three cord string cannot be easily broken.’ Michael Jordan, a popular American basketball player also said and I quote “talent win games, but team work [partnership] and intelligence win championships.”
MTW’s partnership with 1Billion Africa has been one of the successful partnership I have witnessed. Programs like Community Day 2015 and Medie Young Leaders Retreat saw a combination great minds, culture and ideas. The merger saw a great success at the end of the project. A lot of lives were impacted. Stereotypes and prejudices we have about certain cultures changed for the better. Prince Adu-Appiah, the CEO of 1Billion Africa upon a discussion I had with him mentioned that it was a great opportunity getting to work and learn from their perspective.

MTW has also partnered with Dagara Music Centre (DMC) since its inception in Ghana. In fact, the partnership between these two institutions is what I will describe as a very beautiful love relationship. The collaboration between these two great institutions has brought about several developmental projects within the Medie community. MTW together Dagara Music Centre has empowered a lot of people within the Medie community especially the youth and children. Together, they have promoted cultural exchange and tourism. They have created jobs and improved livelihoods in Ghana. I believe both would not have reached this far had it not being their collaboration.

Move the World has also partnered with several schools in Ghana in its GetGlobal Programme. Currently, MTW has engaged about 7 schools in Accra, Ghana to help role out the GetGlobal Programme. A total of about 160 students are being impacted with first six sustainable development goals and still counting. A good number of MTW facilitators has also benefited of which I am a proud member.

Together, we achieve a lot, together we grow bigger.

#Partnershipsfordevelopment #ubuntu #Movetheworld #1BillionAfrica #DagaraMusicCentre #Development #SDGs #CreatingJobs #collaboration