Baruani Ndume's Peace Movement

On the run from their homes, there are 8,806,866 people in the world today that are living as refugees in poverty. Refugees, having been on the run from their homes due to inadequate conditions in attempts to find a better place - yet most would run for the refugee camps. The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the top countries with originating refugees (where most refugees were born), with a stunning 455,852 refugees born there. Being on the run, most lose their family or friends, hope and only focus on survival, if possible. Fortunately, there is one specific teen refugee that can help - a refugee who hasn’t lost any hope, even if he had lost his loved ones. As a young child, Baruani Ndume had been alone as he escaped DR Congo, with no one but himself to depend on. Like many others, he finds himself in the Nyarugusu refugee camp and decides he wants to help others like himself by creating a radio programme that both reconnects people and offers a support network.

By reconnecting families the best he can through his radio programme, Baruani shows his compassion for family. Having lost his own family at a young age, he is able to understand how others who have lost their own family or friends along the way and decides to reunite them. “By means of appeals on his show, he tries to reunite children and parents who have become separated while escaping from DR Congo... Thanks to this, many children have now been reunited with their families”. (Children’s Peace Prize) As Baruani is aware of the attention his show has received, he decided it was enough awareness to be able to reconnect people. As the radio programme has already spread across several areas, Baruani knows there is more possibility of him being able to reunite friends or family. “The children use the radio show to call upon people familiar with them or their family.” (International Children’s Peace Prize) The fact that child refugees will use this radio programme to contact their loved ones shows that not only has the programme gained attention, but trust as well. Baruani had not asked for any trust, he only offered his help - yet with the good he has done, he gained that trust of many through his radio show. Baruani doesn’t only use his radio programme for reconnecting people, though, it’s also used as a place where children can be open with each other and their difficulties.


Through his radio programme, Baruani offers a support network through helping other refugees with their problems while others listen in on it. “Baruani works to help these children in a very special way. With only limited resources, he has succeeded in setting up a radio programme in which he talks about problems and challenges with his peer refugee children”. (Children’s Peace Prize) Baruani didn’t have many resources to use, but with what he had, he was still able to help and create a radio programme. Maybe a recording tape and a few other people - otherwise, not much to start with. This radio programme had made a great impact, since people that call and talk about their problems with Baruani’s radio station can have less weight on their shoulders and someone to talk to. It had become an opportunity for other refugees to be open about absolutely anything and still receive feedback - another show of trust towards Baruani’s radio programme. ‘The programme has been highly successful and is now broadcast in DR Congo, Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda.’ (Children’s Peace Prize) Due to the show’s popularity, Baruani is able to help a bigger amount of people since the radio programme is more widespread. The more people the radio programme could reach, the more possibility of family or friends reuniting through Baruani’s radio programme. Now with a bigger audience listening in, there are more opportunities that Baruani can use to help others. Let’s remember that Baruani Ndume did not start with a radio station handed over to him - it wasn’t that simple.

Baruani Ndume had been alone as he escaped Congo, with no one but himself to depend on. Like many others, he found himself in a refugee camp and made a difference by helping people like himself by creating a radio programme for them. This radio programme actually created a deeper refuge for people living in DR Congo, Tanzania, Burundi & Rwanda, since it opened possibilities, opportunities and gained trust from people. Baruani’s radio programme connected loved ones, let people be open and gained trust from many - all of this would be benefitting to most in the future. Maybe Baruani had started out small, but what he had created has ended up as truly remarkable - this is his impact for the good of the earth, a movement towards world peace. If Baruani can do this big an impact with what the resources he started with, it’s possible for anyone to act towards world peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2d4P68lhBw&feature=youtu.be

The Place I Call Home

A poem to start off the 8th grade Humanities blog. :)
Alright, I'm not good at poetry - something I would admit. Or at least this type of poetry, these standards were a bit closed for my taste. :P Anyways, this a poem following the style of George Ella Lyon, titled 'Where I'm From."

If it's that bad, I'll go back for sure.
_________________________________________________________________________________

The Place I Call Home

I am from the green,
under the tropical sun.
I am from Texans and Asians,
orangutans and VillaBeta.
Where everyone knows each other
and only had one grocery store,
which I remember as the commissary
that had many of the ever-famous IndoMee.

I’m from dial-up and Tootsie Rolls,
from baseball and Nutella.
I’m from iced tea and roti canai -
don’t forget that rice.

I am from the philosophers, the silent and the fun-loving,
from the ‘catch me if you can’ and the ‘what if’s.’
I am from wonder and questioning,
and also from the quiet of silence.
I am also from the place of whiny and the gossiping,
who couldn’t keep their mouths shut,
leading to the world I belong of - questioning.

Though under all the chocolate,
the iced tea and baseball,
under the hot sun and tropical setting -
are the stories of a Malaysian family,
by the names of the Zailanis coming
with questioning and wonder of their own.

- Dhabitah E.B.Z. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Alright, I am indeed a Malaysian but being a TCK (third culture kid) grown up in Indonesia (which I consider home), this poem focuses on Indonesia. Not only one, but two towns as well in Indonesia, as to make more sense.

Good Leaders Consider. Bad Leaders Don't.

This is my last official blogpost of 7th grade. Wow. It's weird how fast the year went, but it just happened too quickly. Hey, I did say I couldn't wait for summer again (apologies to all my teachers this year.) I only use honesty in these posts. Mostly. :P

Right, this post is about what it takes to be a good leader, and that being a good leaders means that you'll consider other peoples' opinions or wills before you go on in your choices. Currently studying the Medieval Unit (with a huge test around the corner, ouch), there will be references to the Medieval Ages - so stay or don't.

A king is a leader, basically the leader of his country. In the medieval times, kings used to be allowed to do anything they wanted. Seen, but not touched. Allowed, never hesitation. He could do whatever he wanted, whether it was good or bad. The king could even make laws against people, or laws for his own benefit - at the cost of his peoples' misery or against their will. That is definitely bad leadership - ignoring your peoples will. A real, good leader would be accepting others' opinions. A good leader, would not be running the country by how he wants it - he would run the country by others' wills too. That is exactly what the Magna Carta did, lessened the king's power and got a constitutional government running - so everyones opinions could be heard, and taken into account. A king leads a country. A country. It is the peoples country too though, and the people have a right to be heard and the leader should hear them out. Basically, a good leader would hear their peoples wills or opinions and consider them in their decisions for the country, a decision for everyone.


A short blog post for the end of the year? Impossible!
I will be making one more soon, just to thank all the teachers. It's not an official one, meaning a teacher didn't tell me to do it. Mr.Peters, let me write the post, it's a thank you to the teachers. x)

*Update: So that 'thank you' never came, yes I'm a bad person for not writing it up but I guess time just flew by. Alright, I'm making excuses - I'm sorry. There'll be big post at the end of this year though, so be prepared. :)

Leave It To Godwinson, He Deserves The Throne

Alright, does anyone remember the three men that battled for the throne of England, who went through a couple of battles to get to it? No?
Those men were Harold Godwinson (whom King Edward had given the throne to), Harald Hardrada (a Norwegian king who believed he should have the throne due to his ancestor being a past ruler of England) and Duke William of Normandy (who claimed to have a 'promised' position as Edward's successor.)

Honestly, I'll just say it all out (like my title) - Godwinson deserved the throne. He was English and was directly handed the throne after Edward's death. Who could argue with that? Apparently only two men could, but barely with good evidence. Hardrada only had some old ancestor (King Cnut) who once ruled England, and tried to use that for a claim on the throne (a bad claim too, I'm sure there were quite a few with ancestors ruling England but you don't see them claiming the throne.) Now, William? He had a claim, who no one could really say was true. William claimed that he had the right of the throne as of a 'promise' from King Edward. Harold Godwinson, had been directly given the throne after Edward's death and he was a true Englishman. Which are honestly great reasons to have the throne and he already had the throne anyways. What is really the point of fighting for something taken? Yet it happens.

Alright, so out of those three men, I support Godwinson all the way. :)

The Bullying Experience

Hey guys - it's been a decent spring break, long enough for me to miss it so let's hope that this post can be up to my standards (which I'm not sure of.)

Today, we're talking about bullying. Alright, no, I won't give a long lecture on how it's wrong, the different types of it or make it sound like a counselor does, which is "very bad and it should stop." Honestly, I agree but to say it like that doesn't get the message through to most, as they will get a picture but it won't be strict to them. I will say, that bullying is just wrong, some people just can't take it and to be true, it happens on accident too, but it's our jobs to try to prevent it.

I, myself, used to be pretty involved with bullying. People would usually say that I was the perpetrator, but in my defense - well, I was defending myself. I didn't like nick names, so I returned the favor in something worse. Hey, I was too immature to know better, but once the war started - I didn't stop it. So it went on for a few years. Now, I'm older, got a lot more life lessons and I know how to get out of these situations, unless I do want to stick around to help (which varies.)

Though I think this school I'm in is decent, I won't say that there isn't bullying. In this particular example, it would've been peer pressure and bullying, or some type. There are always a few kids, that see when you have some money, they'll take it 'teasingly' and start to run around with it. Of course, you'll see the kid chasing the bully for their money. I've been in this position myself, and most watch (finding it amusing or just not wanting to step in.) Honestly, I have to say my reaction to this type of bullying, varies as it depends on the people, if they're okay with it and their personalities. Some really do just like it as teasing, thinking it's funny and punching each other around. If it's my friends, who I'm not fully friends with, think it's just teasing and having fun - I will standby and 'laugh' about it. If it's one of my friends that's really not comfortable with having their money taken, I would step in and ask for the money back, if not, take a physical approach (even if it's not wise, but sometimes words aren't enough.)

In terms of bullying or exclusion in texts that our class has studied this year, I would be relating to the shadow of the minotaur and the holocaust. In the shadow of the minotaur, the main character had been bullied for being different, in the fact that he had originated from out of town. Physically and verbally, later in the book - virtually.

Exclusion had happened in the holocaust as Jews had started to be excluded from many places, from homes, businesses and people - just for being Jewish. It was more extreme that just your simple exclusion of a new kid at school, yet both are bad to some degree.

After watching a video, I started to think a little about it, and how I would respond, as well as what Eve herself did.

"Differences between us did not cause hatred. Hatred caused the differences between us." - Eve

The familiar thing out of everything, was that Eve wasn't really pressured but in being desperate to be part of the 'In Group', she had turned to mock someone who was outcasted like her. This happens often, as I've known people who weren't really 'in', they were somewhat decent or not really, as they just tried too hard to be 'IN.' Surprisingly, out of all this, Eve had the nerve to do that. You would think she understood what it meant to be an outcast, while instead she was making it worse for another outcast, but she continued on. Eve's story was really all about bullying, or exclusion as she was an outcast herself, being somewhat bullied by others but later, she had turned into a bully/bystander as she had been involved it making it worse for the fellow outcast but still let it happen.

Eve was desperate to 'belong', the chance to mock someone else (that wasn't her), she definitely took her chance, not thinking twice about it. Her response troubles her now, cause as she looks back, she realizes she shouldn't have, as she did understand what the other outcast had been going through but there was no thought on bullying the outcast further. Now that I think about it, I, myself would've just told the popular girl to 'back off.' If I were more brave, I would stand up for the fellow outcast and retrieved the diary for the outcast, but I'm not.

“Often being accepted by others is more satisfying than being accepted by oneself, even though the satisfaction does not last." Now. What would that mean?
It feels good to be accepted by others, much better then being accepted by just one or yourself. Though the feeling of being accepted by others, or the in group, is great - the satisfaction doesn't last as long as if you were to accept yourself or be accepted by one (since being accepted by one brings you way closer then to be accepted by a jumble of people.)


So, hey, thanks for reading. I threw in some personal experiences and made some connections, so hope that made for a somewhat interesting post.
I know there's Kony going on, so I'm just going to go along with the 'STOP KONY' and 'KONY2012.'
So, I'm just going to throw this out there.
'STOP BULLYING2012.'
How original. :)

Le Mysterieux Nazi Major

Happy Leapday everyone! Make this day awesome since it only happens every 4 years! Today, everyone in class got a reading based on true readings involving the Holocaust, more about the people. I got the reading about Julian Schmahling - a typical major of Nazis, yet apparently also a savior of his enemies - the two timing major savior. As the reading went on, we found the main reason he decided to become le major: When a little boy had interrupted his class, Schmahling reacted in anger - calling him something along the lines of 'you little jack...', silencing the child for the rest of the year. As he had cruelly crushed the boy, he realized he didn't want to be cruel anymore, not to crush anyone anymore. This Nazi Major crushed the wanting of cruely, the day he crushed that little boy into silence. Now, relating this to how the Nazis, who had too changed something in the people they ruled - in both these situations, freedom of speech was taken away. The Nazis give consequences to whom who speaks against them while Schmahling had immediately stopped the little boy's speech, just by interrupting. When freedom of speech is taken, so is confidence, happiness as well - and suddenly, people with no free speech are filled with fear from the ones who had stolen their free speech, once happy ones have turned miserable with the consequences of the Nazis rule, as well as one little interruption ruining a whole year into silence. Well, that's my smaller post on Julian Schmahling, Le Mysterieux Nazi Major. I saw 'le major' in the reading and I couldn't help it - had to do it. ^^ Anyways, everyone, HAVE AN AWESOME LEAPDAY! :)

GI Level: The Black Messiah

Hey everyone, today has been a tiring yet weird day - let's hope I can write this post in my right mind. The title is already strange enough, with just a touch of internet humor (not getting into that.) In class, each of us (the students) had to choose one out of three poems created by Sonia Shreiber Weitz (a Holocaust survivor), of course, involving the holocaust - all from her point of view. One being about Sonia's mother, the other being about Sonia and her father dancing together, one last time, the third poem was about her savior, whom had rescued her from a camp.

Though the other two were touching, the one that caught me most was the third poem, 'The Black Messiah.'As I slowly tore apart the poem to look for the meanings behind its words, I found a bunch: First, was the surprise registering in Sonia, to see a black man (has never seen a black person), to know the black GI was going to free her and than to begin to see the horror written on his face. Horror, shock and terror painted his face as he looked at his surroundings, an extermination/concentration camp. The holocaust. Yet underlying, underneath all that horror, was pain: to know that something like the holocaust was possible and to feel the pain for all the lives taken. Though Sonia and this black messiah, who had come to save her and other survivors, had only maybe met for a day, never had kept in contact - a special bond was shared. The bond that only happened, since the two of them, both Sonia Weitz and the black GI messiah, remain to live a good life without ceasing to forget the holocaust. As you can see from my annotations, what pulled me into this poem was the drastic mood change: from curiosity, a dim hope to a form of somewhat success and happiness. Another fact was how well the feelings in this poem were portrayed as well (the GI's facial expression) as how this poem is never completely full of happiness, but instead hope. Though it might not always be bright, there's always hope.

Now that I think about it, there is a personal connection I could make to this poem, specifically the part about a special bond. About a few years ago, I had been dealing with problems at school and at home - my brain was going in to overload. It was annoying, aggravating and some part of me was scared about a few issues - making it one of the low points of my life. After everything had cleared up, I knew quite a number of people older than me that would be all dramatic, Gothic and go commit suicide (yet never did.) I always felt that they were too weak, even though the things that happened were bad - I vowed to myself to keep moving. Keep living life, laughing, having fun - LIVING. And a part of living is to not run away from things, as things happen and I never let myself forget anything bad that happens, while never keeping a tight hold of it.

Overall, 'The Black Messiah' leaves me with a lump of mixed feelings. To feel pity for Sonia as she had been caught in the holocaust too young to even see a black person, to not be able to be out exploring the world and being free. The curiosity that came upon me as I read the next few lines of being able to understand without words. The knowing of the feeling of horror, such deep horror that you can't speak, and you just become vulnerable. Yet the worst, is knowing the pain under that horror. The last feeling the poem brought me was some type of comfort, as even though Sonia and the GI didn't actually know each other, they shared a bond over being able to still live good lives, just like I had (and still am.) Alright, everyone - that's it :P I know, that was pretty long and I'm kind of wondering how it is this long. Oh, well - things happen. Rest in Peace, Sonia Weitz! :) I know, I'm 2 years late for her death. Also, welcome to the world, young cousin!