Amazing Women Rock - Take the Initiative: You Can Make a Difference

Take the Initiative: You Can Make a Difference

Susan notes: I met the beautiful and amazing Ann Njeri at the Initiatives of Change Tools for Change conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February 2009.

Although still a relatively young (she’s in her mid-twenties), Ann Njeri bowled me over with her confidence, energy, positive outlook and wit. Over a period of three days, I had the pleasure of sharing 12 hours with her and a group of about ten other women from around the world in a Peace Circle led by Jean Brown and Ann Njeri herself. It was a moving and transformational experience.

Several days later I interviewed Ann Njeri on video, but have been unable to extract the footage I shot of her telling her powerful story of personal forgiveness. Luckily, she also had a soft copy, which you can read here.

Ann Njeri sent the email below to her circle of friends, which I imagine spans the globe. It’s a thought-provoking piece from a brave young woman.

Dear friend,

The Action for Life programme is now officially finished!

The seven and a half months programme has passed so fast that I feel like it has just been seven days. But in terms of the experience gained, it’s difficult not to think that I have been in this programme for seven years! Talk of inspirations, motivations, enriching, enlightening, challenges and hopes all round the programme. There is no doubt that this is one of the few periods and times of my life that I can never regret. A period that will always stand out in the journey of my life.

I have had the privilege and honour of meeting and interacting with policy makers as well as the policy implementers, street children as well as the children of the state leaders. I visited peaceful people and places as well as troubled people and places. I can not overlook the fact that in the midst of all this, I was living in a very diverse community of 35 people from 18 countries- Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Free thinkers...and what have you!

Before I submerge you into my great experiences (according to my own gospel!), allow me to share with you something that touched, inspired and challenged me during my one month in Cambodia. You just can’t afford to miss reading to the last word!!

In world where almost everyone seems in a rush to grab money and power – to be successful? or is it to be happy and peaceful..?? I can’t stop asking myself a few questions that aren’t new at all:

What is success? What is happiness? What is peace?” Is success stepping on others destructively to be on the top? Is happiness having more than you need while your neighbour is homeless, hungry, illiterate (coz they can’t afford school), sick and can’t afford medication? What peace do I have or bring to others if all those under me are crying and suffering because of my actions, reactions or attitude towards them?

Well, Cambodia is one country which has been through a lot of pain and suffering in the recent past. What touched me most was the atrocious killing and deaths of a quarter of the population of Cambodia between 1975-1979 under the rule of one man, Pol Pot, and his team.

After visiting the torture prison and the killing fields in Phnom Phen, I was more than convinced that indeed an individual can change and transform a society. Well, that is not what Pol Pot did; he just turned the beautiful Cambodia into a living hell for five good years. Killing anyone who had some good brains, anyone who was educated…doctors, teachers, lawyers, activists, accountants, journalists… and to probably avoid some possible revenge in the future, they also killed their families including babies.

It has been such an emotional and thought provoking place for me in the time I have been here.

I think of the more than two million people tortured and killed for no reason. Why did they have to die such painful, innocent and premature deaths? This man PolPot was so power hungry that he became so blind and deaf to see or hear the cry of his countrymen. He had the power to stop all this innocent deaths and suffering, but his greed for power and control couldn’t give him space and time to stop and reflect!

Polpot comes across as a very strong, visionary, determined and influential personality. A man who, if not corrupted by power and greed, could have transformed the broken lives of Cambodians from rags to riches. He had the potential, the capacity to see the life and dignity of the over two millions killed under his administration protected and showered with hope and respect.

Don’t start condemning Pol pot, hold on for a minute!

I know right now you probably feel like getting hold of him and burning him live- Take a deep breath and …just relax. Don’t blame or get angry with him. I know it is the easiest thing to do at this point. (As a matter of fact, blaming others is one of the easiest things to do in the world…and the cause of many of the problems in the world!!)

The challenge for every one of us is to reflect on our own lives and see how and where we are impacting our respective societies. You and I might not be butchering people, but:

Are you sending ripples and vibes that are destroying or building your home, family, society, country? Are you being driven by cravings for more money, greed and power? Are you stepping on others mindlessly to get job promotions or favours? Are you being corrupt in your workplace causing pain and suffering to someone else down the line?

All of us are in this game of life. Pursuing different things: Happiness, Peace, Success…..but I think many of us are pursuing the right things in the wrong places and using the wrong methods.

One thing for sure is that nobody in this world wants to have a difficult, hopeless, painful, directionless or broken life. We all soil and toil to get a good life - with fewer problems. There is no one who is better than the other and we all have a responsibility towards each other. We have to make sure that the rule of our game of life is a WIN-WIN situation for everyone. It is indeed possible!

There are many people arguing in the boardrooms and over breakfast tables, questioning the capacity and the potential of an individual to impact the society massively and effectively. Perhaps the majority feels that it is a mission impossible!

Being in Action for Life and visiting different situations, people and countries like Cambodia has made me believe beyond any doubts that what many of us think is impossible is just very possible!!!

If only Pol Pot could have taken some time to reflect and make a decision for the interest of the Cambodian citizens, the two millions who were massacred could have lived to make a difference in the world, and the history of Cambodia could be very different from what it is today.

You and I have the potential to get out of ourselves, our family and friends circles to extend our love and care to others. You and I can indeed transform the world!! If you doubt me, try it out!!

Take the Initiative and lead the way...
You can make a Difference!!

Ann Njeri Ndiangui
Nakuru, Kenya

Related Links:
Ann Njeri Takes a Pledge of Peace
Initiatives of Change
Action for Life

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email This

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0) Add Comment

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

[ Back ]

Does AWR Inspire You?

AWR launched two years ago. To keep it subscription-free, I need to migrate the site to a new platform that will more easily allow advertising. I don't have the funds to do it alone, so I'm inviting visitors and fans to invest in the future of AWR with me. If AWR inspires you, please make a donation to take it to the next level. Even $5 - $10 will help. Thanks for your support, Susan

Facebook

Amazing Women Rock on Facebook

Support Wikipedia

Search the Site

Newest Stuff

Latest Blog Entries

Visit Peace X Peace Community