First Day of Presentations in Tim's Words

Day 4, Part 2

Highlights of Tim's recount of the day:

Day Four, Thursday, 31 March 16

All,

With today’s first half of our two-day workshop on African literacy, we made probably the most significant progress for the African Human Rights Leadership Campaign in over ten years of work. Tomorrow should continue that rise.

Today’s session was to some 70 of this nation’s top youth leaders, including the executives of the Liberian National Student Union (LINSU), Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), University of Liberia Student Union (ULSU), Smythe Institute of Management and Technology (SIMT), United Methodist University (UMU), African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AME Zion), and St. Clements University.   Much credit for this extraordinary gathering goes to YHRI Liberia Country Director Calvin Sanvee, also programs officer of LINSU, the leading group among the others.

The number of pictures the students wanted to take with us during the 60 minute lunch break edged on the extreme. I learned at day’s end that this was the first visit to this property for many of the students, hence the flat-out eagerness to share this experience with their Facebook networks.

It is thus virtually guaranteed that the word-of-mouth buzz on these two days of workshops is going to travel rapidly over the virtual entirety of Liberian youth with any access to the internet and beyond.

At the beginning and end of the session, Jay and I framed the workshop’s significance as strongly as possible.  This is struggling nation with its future entirely in the hands of those who were present today.  Our friend, ally and Liberian human rights and folk hero Kofi Woods is a testament to that. He was once LINSU’s leader, 30 years back.  Who knows how many “Kofis” were in the audience today,  no doubt many. These leaders all have the definite dream and determination to bring Liberia out of the darkness permanently.  However, we pointed out that dreams require professional approach and profession know-how for their attainment. 

That of course is where Study Tech comes in. With Colin taking the lead and Jay regularly complementing him with impinging communications only he is capable of when it comes to this audience,  these young leaders received the basics of learning vs. schooling, overcoming the attitude that one knows it all already,  and the physical reactions to MU’s and the remedy. We also included a few of the Agami Intelligens video vignettes to bring certain points home (first barrier to learning; misunderstood words as the most important barrier).  We also closed with TWTH introductory section for Precept 17 (Be Competent). Once again – as we found with the YHRI delivery here – video goes such a long way.