Africa has been called so many names over the years in our history. The prevalent being the Dark Continent. Basically telling how uncivilized and backward and so needing of civilization that we need.
Watching queen of Katwe shows an Africa that is rising. Not an Africa that has conquered poverty, not an Africa that has taken care of its problems but an Africa of what it is. An Africa that has a story, an Africa that has enough inspiration, enough people, heroes and heroines. But you see the media, the knowledge that has been given to us doesn’t allow us to see these stories Queen of Katwe is one of those movies that brings out an amazing story of resilience, inspiration, hope in our societies that are seeminglessly hopeless.
So until we tune our eyes to see our stories and coin the words to tell our stories- then even the stories that we think we are telling right will be distorted. African stories need to be told by Africans and there is enough of them around us in our community.
The Mother (Lupita Nyong’o) is a big example for an African mother. She is a representation of so many African mothers who go out there every day laying their lives down to build hope from scratch for their children and then the children the hopes that come out of them, the victories that they have they are all around us. May be could we constantly tell our stories both in cinema, in poetry, in writing in media – wouldn’t that be the foundation that African needs to progress not IMF, not World Bank, not Grants and loans, not Missionaries, charities but our societies, our conditions from them inspiring us to change, progress, inspiring us to look for solutions that are not designed or tailored by someone else, solutions that come from the communities from the very source where the problems are.
Parenting – you don’t need to provide everything or lots of money to get the best out of the child. You just need availability. An available parent figures out who their kids are, figures out their dreams, their gifting, their strengths and they support that. And informed parent gives relevant support. A parent who is not informed gives assumed support and deep down there parents are trying to live their shattered dreams through their children and for the most part they do it with money – if they can provide everything then their kid can become whom they want to be but they are actually making the kids become who they were supposed to be.
Secondly, it’s not the circumstances that determine whom you are meant to be – it is true poverty has limitations, it dehumanizes, it steals your self-esteem, confidence but poverty is not an ultimate sentence you can come out from the poorest of the poorest to achieve your dreams as long as you have a voice of someone who believe in you and funds your un nurtured dream/talent or skills. Every child needs a voice that keeps reminding them of their potential, someone who will tell them they can do it. That is why I have found it very vital for us to attend events for our children – it is a drive and a sacrifice, a commitment and proof that we believe in our children and assurance that we will always be there to cheer them on and on and on. If they are in a race and they see someone they trust in the audience it will be their motivation to run and run and run. They will win the race.
NOW GO CATCH THAT MOVIE
By Dorcus Magoba Lama
Trainer/HR Specialist
