Early this week, I received an unusual call from a school parent. Her son had been sent away from a boarding school for being addicted to watching ponography and other unprintable negativities. The mother had been advised to have the son undergo professional counselling before returning to school.
As I listened keenly, I wondered how the lady had identified me as an expert in that area. She revealed that she had been referred by a school principal in one of the counties, whose students had enjoyed our seminar for the form 3 and 4 classes, last year. I do not know whether the said school had students who were associated with negativity that subsided after our seminar.
However, I am aware that our seminar clearly illustrates how people eventually venture into drugs and other negativities. It all starts from making the wrong choices during the empowerment process. Challenged choices lead to people getting confused and unable to think as expected. Eventually, they lose strategic direction and control of their lives. Luckily, when the choices are right, thus embracing naturally aligned pathways, chances of losing direction become minimal.
Meanwhile, I explained to the disturbed mother that my expertise is largely on preventive measures of disempowerment and couldn’t be of help at that stage of addiction. Nevertheless, I sent the lady the contacts of an expert, hopefully expecting her to be assisted appropriately.
That experience has kept lingering in my mind every now and then. It has constantly been reminding me of an experience in 2017 involving conducting an empowerment seminar for a large group of families. Obviously, the majority of the participants were children accompanied by their parents. The children ranged from the age of primary school to university. A few graduates who were already professionals, were also part of the group.
Upon completing the session, one parent pulled me aside and pleaded with me to revisit the session that highlighted on the issue of drugs. “Some of our children here are already drug pushers,” stated the seemingly disturbed parent. “But, I am not an expert on counselling those already addicted to drugs,” I responded. “Please help us on the issue, in any way possible,” the parent appealed.
Immediately, I called the session to order, re-assembled the children and asked them whether they had become aware of how people venture into drugs; the impact of drug addiction and what needs to be done to avoid venturing into drugs. Their response was surprisingly affirmative.
About 3 years after, we had an interesting discussion with one of the parents. Most importantly, the parent revealed that most of the children got aligned to their passion, a situation that substantially reduced the drug menace in the families.
Similarly, visiting Machakos County in 2018, as a follow up to the Machakos KESSHA Conference presentation in Mombasa, was quite interesting.The principal of a boys’ school revealed some disturbing experiences, soon after acquiring some copies of the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century. He wondered whether our seminar, which holistically handles issues of Attitudes, Indiscipline, Poor Reading Culture and challenged focus, all of which read to poor performance, could help in addressing entrenched drug menace, as well as frequent strikes, coupled with destruction of school property.
The magnitude of the challenges seemed enormous, but we felt that our seminar could tone down the negativities. Instantly, we were engaged for empowerment of the form 3 and 4 classes, as well as their class teachers.
One month thereafter, we got feedback through a Nairobi principal during the 2018 National KESSHA Conference in Mombasa, after my presentation. The Machakos principal had revealed to his neighbors, where he had sat, that behaviours in the school had been transformed positively, after our seminar.
Follow up in the school extending to more than one year have kept confirming that the behaviors in the school have not only transformed, but also had the school’s performance improved. You may not have similar or related negativities in your school. But, NACADA indicates that 22% or one in every 5 students aged between 14-25 years are addicted to drugs (before coronavirus pandemic). Ideally, people who are aligned to their natural orientations, somehow escape the drug addiction and indiscipline menace, don’t they?
Rgds
Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Consultant/Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Officially UNSUNG Architect of CBC
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life
- The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018) for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254 20 2245425 or 722516210
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