Last week, I asked a few friends what change means to them. These brilliant humans and change agents, from all parts of the world, had one thing in common; they paused.
The word 'change' is one that we use everyday, but have you ever really thought about what it means to you? I don’t mean surface-level thoughts. What does change REALLY mean to you?
CHANGE is a subjective word.
To some it could be a monstrous thing that comes in and causes upheaval while to others, it could be hope that the world could get better.
Change could simply mean loose cash or coins to some; while others may equate change to fear, excitement, new beginnings, or even dread.
Change is giving our hearts, our minds and our talents in ways that enrich the lives of all people regardless of their economic status. - Varsha
Change is about impacting the lives of those around you.
Change means so many different things for me. But most importantly, it means working on creating a better world for the generations after us. - Nabeeda
Change is about leaving your community, your country and in essence, the world, much better than you found it.
To me, change is the result of seemingly 'small' acts done by individuals, like you, to impact their communities, their countries and even the world.
To many people, this type of change and impact can only be caused or created by 'extraordinary heroes'.
It is widely-believed that changing the world is for certain individuals; those exceptional humans that happen to have great oratory skills, intelligent minds, mind-blowing stories and the charisma that makes people stop, listen and join a movement. It’s a given that these are the common qualities of leaders but history has shown time and time again that social change can only be attributed to a select few, however, this is not the case.
When I think of change, I immediately think of names like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Thomas Sankara and other great individuals who dared challenge systems to drive impact for the prosperity of humanity. But that's not all; I am also reminded of my friends, myself and my connections from all over the world who are working in their own little spaces and communities, taking actions to create a better world. Investing time, resources, networks and breaking barriers to see that the world is left better than it was met. - Tonny
As Tonny said, change does not lie in the hands of a few - every individual has the ability to make impact.
The change we see in our world is as a result of small steps taken by different people to achieve a goal.
The small actions of you and I can make a real change. What if I told you that making a conscious decision to change your community can cause a ripple effect which could, in turn, change the world?
Is doing 'little' things going to make a difference? Yes. Everything starts little. Every person who has made a change started with trying to impact just a few people around them. Everything you do makes an impact in our world, no matter how ‘little’ it may seem!
Have you heard of Isatou Ceesay? In 1997, Isatou founded the Recycling Centre of N'Jau, Gambia. The project was aimed at educating her community on the importance of plastic recycling so as to reduce litter and plastic waste pollution. Now, Isatou has trained over 11,000 people on plastic waste, recycling and upcycling. In fact, the work she has done led the government to ban the use and import of plastic bags in the Gambia!
Your choices matter, your actions or inaction matters, you can make an impact!
Change is the self realization of who an individual is, how he/she can add value to the world and the actions that follow. - Tonny
One of the simplest ways of making an impact is mindfulness. The admittance that the world is not simple but complex with equally complex problems and the fact that each and every one of us plays a part in making it a better place is one that could lead you on a journey of impact.
If you have the passion and can show people why a cause matters to you, you can make an impact.
Change goes beyond the action of one extraordinary hero. Change includes the efforts multiple people; seemingly small actions done to better themselves, their communities, their countries and the world.
So what does change mean to you? Is it learning about how you can be an ally, or spreading the word about a cause you are passionate about? Is it about educating someone on their rights or cleaning your environment?
Tell us in the comments!
DO MORE
1. Think about an issue in your community that you are passionate about and answer these questions
How many people are affected by this problem?
What will happen if this issue is not addressed?
What is one step you can take today to solve a part of this problem?
2. Sign petitions on issues that you are a passionate about. Check out our database of websites where you can find petitions to sign! 3. Educate Yourself Read about what’s happening in the world and learn what part you can play in making it a better place.
4. Volunteer
Sign up to volunteer for an organisation working on a cause you are passionate about!
You can sign up to volunteer for Kurerie here!😉