This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
Imagine living in a world where fear is the primary motivator, and respect is a distant second. This is the reality for many people in Kenya, where the education system and societal norms prioritize obedience over individuality.
As a result, young people are often discouraged from expressing their opinions or questioning authority, leading to a lack of confidence and a fear of standing up for what they believe in.
But what if we stopped to consider the consequences of this approach? Has it truly protected us, or has it made things worse?
Author Audre Lorde once said, 'The same visibility which makes us most vulnerable is also that which is the source of our greatest strength.' These words resonate deeply in a society that values conformity over courage.
It's time for us to be brave enough to be different, to stand up for what we believe in, and to reject the status quo. We need to be willing to take risks, to challenge the norms, and to support a new way of doing things.
As Lorde so eloquently put it, 'The world refuses for us to show up as our full, authentic and wholesome selves, giving us countless masks for social camouflage.' It's time to shed these masks and be our true selves.
So, let us be brave in our pursuit of courage, in our rejection of indignity, and in our quest to re-imagine freedom. Let us be the brave people the world so desperately needs.
