A Letter From A Morafe Youth Facilitator
What Lit Our Path: A Letter From a Youth Facilitator
As a Youth Facilitator, my community of fellow facilitators, our ever-patient members of the Nia circle and the joy of my Ambassadors lit my path.
“Give light and people will find the way, ” Ella Baker.
This was a year of light for me especially since it helped cement for me that youth development and spaces for young people are where I am supposed to be. Because the light of I Am, We Are exists, I was able to find my way.
When I first joined the organization I did not know the treasure I had found in the values of its people and in the principles of its leadership. There is a sense of purpose that does not dilute throughout the community at any level. Delivering messages and experiences of empowerment, light, love and kindness. I knew that I would facilitate sessions for our young ambassadors and develop the principles of Morafe; what I did not know is that the young people would have even more to teach me and that these principles would embed themselves into who I am far outside of the scope of our sessions.
It never felt like I was sacrificing my Saturdays but rather that I was being given very special Saturdays. Getting to grow under the gentle hand of our founder, Meisha Lerato Robinson, and fellow Youth Facilitators, being exposed to a far bigger world has impacted me very deeply and has shown me what true dedication in service should look like. Seeing our Ambassadors grow from shy to expressive and using that to hold space for others to also express themselves has been like watching a rare comet cross the sky. It has truly been an honor. They are the light of our path.
My highlights for the six moths that I was a Youth Facilitator in 2021 include:
The Ambassador/ Parent meet-up in November: Seeing what the organization meant to the parents and the students and their joy to be in community with us really drove home the importance of what our work was.
Meeting and speaking with Dr. A. L. Brown, a psychologist during one of our teach-back sessions completely challenged my view of youth development and how to impact real change in our young people. He spoke to the autonomy already present in young people and ways in which we as facilitators can work in collaboration with it.
Meeting my tribe for the first time and seeing their smiling and excited faces: I was very nervous because this was my first virtual facilitation and I didn't know what to expect but they made it so easy and warm to be in their presence. It felt like their joy and happiness diffused into me and made it really easy to bond and connect.
Your support enables us to keep our programmes running and continue to cover expenses such as. Your voice allows us to draw in more people to this cause. Remember to share this message to help us spread the word.
