Miyoba Hamuhuma and Israel Balogun —  Grassroots Solutions for Africa’s Impoverished Youth (EP.272)
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Hi, I'm Jim O'Shaughnessy and welcome to Infinite Loops.

Sometimes we get caught up in what feel like infinite loops when trying to figure things out. Markets go up and down, research is presented and then refuted, and we find ourselves right back where we started. The goal of this podcast is to learn how we can reset our thinking on issues that hopefully leaves us with a better understanding as to why we think the way we think and how we might be able to change that

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Thanks for joining us. Now, please enjoy this episode of Infinite Loops. Well, hello, everyone. It's Jim O'Shaughnessy with yet another Infinite Loops. Today is a very special episode for me because I'm having two of our OSV grantees on to tell their stories, which I find interesting.

Incredibly remarkable. These two men have achieved things in the face of great adversity, and they didn't let it keep them down. It had the opposite effect. It had the effect of both lifting themselves up, but then helping and turning around and lifting others up as well.

So, please welcome my two guests, Myoba Humahuma. Am I getting that right? It's Hamahuma. Hamahuma, okay. Yes, but myoba is okay. Well, as an O'Shaughnessy who often has to correct people, I get it. That's fine. And Israel Balogan, right? Yes, you got it right. I got it right. You know, the best way to start this is for both of you to share in full

your stories because they're so remarkable and many people in the West don't quite understand what people in Africa have to go through in a daily existence. I've been to Africa many times. I love Africans and Africa.

And both of you are so inspiring that just hearing about what you overcame and what you're doing now, I think is a great lead in. So, Mayoba, let's start with you and then we'll have Israel tell his story. Yeah, thank you very much. I think before I can start telling my story, I want to say a huge thank you to Ena who has been trying to arrange this meeting for some time now.

Apart from that, I would want to say a huge, huge thank you to you, Mr. Jim O'Shaughnessy, for creating time to be with us today. I know you're a very busy person, but just you creating time for us, it means a lot to me. It means a lot to us. It's my pleasure. Thank you so very much. Thank you. Yeah, so my name is Mio Vaham, whom I just said earlier on. I was born on 28th February 1978 in a family of four.

Unfortunately, I lost my parents when I was just 11 and 12. I was diagnosed with polio when I was 10. I was vaccinated, but I don't know how I had polio. Of course, it was not an easy journey for me. You know, one thing that I believe in that as a human being, we live on the basis of hope and that every night it has got its own morning.

So of course, I was like that. I was adopted by an Irishman who is also now late, the Catholic brother, John O'Neill from Ireland. And I'm like that. My parents, before they died, they always told me that if you want to go to school, that would be the end for you. I'm a strong believer that disability without education becomes a double disability. So I've been a witcher for some time now. Of course, I'm going to be a big, brave, cozy. I mean, I don't want people, of course, to be bored.

So of course, you know, for me just to attend primary education, it was not easy. You know, whereas now you are using a wheelchair and schools are not accessible, it was not easy. But life became more difficult when I went to college. Of course, I was pursuing some computer studies. This is at Yvonne Hunt College. You know, my class was on the third floor. No lift, no elevator, nothing completely, but stairs all up to the third floor.

And it was not easy. And the toilets, bathroom were downstairs. So for me to manage from 8 up to 12, I never used to take anything in the morning. I had to fast so that I avoid going to the bathroom. But I was lucky that I was one of the guys that was loved. And the entire college, this is a huge college in Zambia, I was the only guy on a wheelchair. Only guy.

Because just for me to be accepted, it was an issue. I had to involve the minister. They said, no, but how did you get accepted? I said, but I was accepted. I applied. And I got this acceptance letter. Now, why don't you go to an institution where there are people that beat you? I said, no, no, no. I want to be here because I'm capable. I've got the capacities here. And I'm lucky that I had a lot of friends. Of course, there's this lady by the name of Nanjo. She now works for the bank, Chia Kalumba. She always made sure that I don't miss any single class.

And I was even chosen as the class rep. So I was in charge of the class despite me being on a wheelchair because I felt capabilities in me. And I was happy that everyone appreciated what I was doing in class.

So after seeing what I went through, I was like, it's not easy for somebody with disability to access education. And the only way for me to make it in life is by me attending education. I'm here today talking to an important man, Mr. Jonas, because of education, it has given a platform for me to be able to interact with people like you. So when I see what I've gone through,

This is what made me come up with an organization called Enite Abilities. And luckily, through the OSV grant, and I'm proud that I'm the 2024 OSV grant winner, it has really made a huge impact in my life. And not only that, it has even opened doors for me and the organization. You know, I received so many messages.

from people of course these are potential applicants and i'm helping them now and then give them hints how to apply and others even now wanting to work with me

Like now we are applying for a grant under the European Union. Of course, I'm going through this first round with our partner, SOS Villages Zambia. And this gentleman, his speed, I think has also applied. He was so happy to help us with the PADO, creation of the PADO ID number. You see the connections. Another lady also from India, Fatima, she's working on something on mental health. And now already we're working together. She has also applied. So you can see that the OS Vital opened doors here and there.

You know, partnerships are all about money, but it's also about exchanging ideas, experiences, and then you grow. Remember, as human beings, we live on the basis of hope. And I've got hope. And I know that one day we'll make it big time.

Thank you for the laudatory comments about the OSV grant, but I have to differ with you and say that this is you. This is you as taking the agency that you did. Your story is amazing. The idea that you had to be carried up to the third floor because there was no lift, that you wouldn't eat or drink anything to avoid going to the bathroom, that couldn't have been good for your health.

you have achieved amazing things and you know the idea that your life like you've achieved amazing things in the face of a great deal of adversity thanks very much so so we are incredibly impressed by you and your organization we're going to come back and have you describe the organization in a bit but for now israel

You were born in Nigeria to a poor family with 26 siblings and ended up living on the streets at age 10. You weren't able to read or write until age 22, but then you had a transformative experience when a good Samaritan helped you pursue your education. Now you have a master's degree and have dedicated your life to ensuring no child needs to live on the street. Please tell us your story as well.

Thank you, Jim. I appreciate the time talking to you. I appreciate the whole team of OLSV for the opportunity given to me and our organizations to be part of this program. My name is Israel. I am born in Nigeria to a family of four wives, to my father and 26 siblings. At the age of 10, I have to leave my father's family and I became homeless because parents could not feed us

We have to stay a whole day without food. So one day in my area, I saw some young guys scavenging and I followed them. I followed them on that very day. That was a day when I choose to say, this trip is better than staying in my home. Because I came back home to love a lot of money, to buy a lot of food. I fed myself and I was so satisfied. But that little step, I took that very night.

When I said I'm not going back home anymore, it led me to live on the street for 20 years, within the age of 10 and 32. I had no formal educations, no training. I was just a street child. So one day, while I was living on the street, because it's part of the street to involve in a street fight. You must belong to a gang and fight whenever it is time to fight for your gang.

So I have to fight on that very day. But it seems the fight was, I was the target of everybody. All descended on me with attempt to kill me. There I sustained a lot of injuries. If I open my chest for you, you see a lot of mark. From here, I was caught.

All down to my tummy. I was caught here. I was caught here at my back in a lot of injuries. So I was left on that spot to die. But somebody saw me there and the person took me home and he gave me the opportunity to stay in his house. That very night when this person took me to his house, for 12 years, I have opportunity of somebody closing the door and saying goodnight to me.

Somebody knocked my door in the morning and said, good morning, your food is ready. 20 years, I've never had such a thing. That gave me a kind of new experience of life. I wanted to live like that forever in my life. I don't want to go back to where you see that somebody kick me or say, stand up, police is coming, or there's a breakout fight, I just have to run for your life. I don't want to go back to that kind of environment anymore. Because I saw a place where somebody gave me a clue that said, cover your body when you see it.

And I was able to work up in the morning. I did not do anything, but I have something to eat. When? This person could not keep me more than six months because he himself cannot provide for me. He called me up after six months of staying with me. I have to leave because he cannot provide for me anymore. But that six months was all I needed for my change of my story. Because right when I was in his house, I saw children going to school.

Then I asked, who are these children? Who are they going to? They said they are going to school. What is school? I wanted to know. So I asked them and I explained everything. Within that six months, I saw another man. He has a very huge hair on his head and he has a very wide party, a kind of party on his hair and he carries a big book and every time he goes, they call him professor.

Then I asked who is this person? They said, it's the kind of person where I've gone to school and has read a lot of books and is now teaching in university and I spoke and I said to them, I want to be like him. So when I left this man, after six months, I knew what I wanted to become. I wanted to become a professor.

So at the age of 22, I went back and I started riding this auto bike that you use for service in Nigeria. You can carry people on your back and they pay you. So I went to look for somebody who has it that I can deliver to every day. So I started riding that bike. I rode it. And any money I got from it, I hired a private teacher.

This woman started teaching me alphabets, A, B, C, D. She taught me on how to, one plus one is two. I don't know any of these things before she was able to teach me. For two years, I was going for this private lesson. After two years, I sat down for my, we call it West African examination, and I was able to pass.

After this, I start from my jam. Jam is joint matriculation exam that you use to enter university. I was able to get admission to university. Then I went to university. I had master from University of Ibadan. But something happened to me when I finished my school. All the time I was in school, anytime I see a child walking on the streets, I remember my life. I feel like these people are connected to me.

It's like I am supposed to help that child. I am supposed to meet that child. I'm supposed to provide a platform for that child. Just like that man gave me that platform for transformation of mind, giving me opportunity to find my life and to go outside. So when I finished, I decided in my heart, as far as I long, as far as I live, I'm going to create an inclusive space where every child

who is on the streets will be able to find a place where they can discover, develop, and explore their talent. Well, this dream is coming to life because of the opportunity I got from OSV some months ago. Because with that opportunity, we're able to secure needed land that we want to use to construct this inclusive environment. Of course, currently we have homes that we rented

that we have up to 42 of them right now. But our dream is to make sure no child is found on the street anymore. And then the kind of space we needed that is self-sustaining, we plan it in a way that we can grow our own food,

We can generate our home power through solar. We can harvest our water through rainwater. We can run the village sustainably. And the children, the young staff, the homeless will be the one who is running this village by themselves, sustaining themselves with their own living in their own space. So we are able to secure this land. We are at the point where we say we are in need of help for us to be able to go further and implement this project. Thank you so much.

Again, just from someone in the West listening to your stories, it just seems that you both overcame like almost astronomical odds against. And I think both of you are incredible North Stars for others to follow similar paths. Israel, once a youngster in your communities, their immediate needs are met.

what's the next step? Do you have a rite of passage or do you give them a responsibility that changes them from, you know, a street kid who just was almost feral, right? In your community, you rid them of that. But how do you know when they've moved on to be agents of their own destiny? So Jim, let me say that we focus on

We focus more on the value that the street gives to you rather than the negativity that comes with the street. Our organization is called Arcane. In my dialect, in my local language, when I call you Arcane, it means you have demonstrated fearlessness. You have demonstrated courage. You have demonstrated warrior. You have demonstrated resilience. So we focus on that in them. And that is exactly what drives our program.

So when we take you, we know you are on the street and you are addicted to several things. Drug is part of it, violent behavior, stealing and not stop. So within four, six months, we deal with those behaviors. And we also make sure literacy and basic mathematics, we take it through it because the moment you are able to read and write and you can solve little mathematics, then you can make a choice.

That's the second thing we focus on within that six months. The third thing is that we take it through self-discovery. So within that six months, you go through a program we call storytelling, sports, and all that stuff. So during that time, young stars are able to discover themselves and they are able to say, this is who I want to become. And after that six months,

Then it's under second phase, where you kickstart your life by finding what you want to become. Either you want to go back to school or you want to learn a vocation or whatever you want to do that will push you further. That six months will give you a platform where you discover it. And also, you are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to say, I don't, I said I want to become, but now I discover that is not what I want to be.

I want to change it because I wanted to become a professor, but now I don't want to be a professor anymore. Now I want to stand and create inclusive environment for children who are homeless. So you have the chance to say, I wanted to be like this, but I discovered this is not what I want to be anymore. What we say is, in as much as we are ready to take responsibility for your life,

and you are firm and sure about it, we will give you the inclusive environment. We have a philosophy. We are not changing you, but we are catalysts in the process of your whole change. That's what we do, sir. Amazing. Myobi, for you, Tignity has sort of been your North Star. If you were helping policymakers

What metrics would you suggest that they measure to ensure this for kids with disabilities in mainstream classrooms? Yeah, thanks very much. I think before I could maybe talk about the policymakers and also the duty bearers, I want to mention that you see through the OSV grant that we received last year, I am happy to report to the listeners that are watching us here.

that through the grant, we are able firstly to identify children with disabilities that are hidden in these homes. Not only that, we have these children assisted by the medical personnel, but not only being assisted, we also work with the government agents that are in charge of disability affairs in Zambia. It's called the Zambia Agents for Persons with Disabilities.

And I'm happy to mention here that we are the first non-profit organization to support such an activity. And now other organizations are following suit now. So whereas these children were identified, of course, you sensitize them on their rights. After being sensitized, of course, they're registered and now being issued with disability cards. And you know, this disability card is a passport in Zambia for any child or anybody's ability to access social services.

And last year we had serious hunger in Zambia due to drought. Climate change is real. So a number of children now are able to access some food parks, social cash transfer, even now being attended to in hospitals using the same card.

Now, you have asked me a very pertinent question. Of course, you also provided them with the submastiff devices, whereas other children, like this other girl that I met, you know, I look at myself, I'm somebody with a disability, but when I saw that village, I felt very bad. This is a girl that was rolling like a snake for 27 years.

But now OSV comes on board and the child is happy now. The child is now able to go to church. The child is now able to go to the ground to watch football and other activities, participating in community activities. Such kind of things, they bring a smile on my face. Now you have asked me a question.

How could we engage policymakers for them to buy in and ensure that children with disabilities are also given a platform or a space in these classrooms? Firstly, I think, you know, when you're talking about disability, it's all about perception. People always take people with disabilities as children with disabilities as these are non-performers.

So, whereas everyone plays a blind eye when it comes to inclusive policies. So the best advice I would give, of course, to policy makers, firstly, they should know that disability can come to anyone. There's no cut-off point for them to become disabled. So they should always prepare the best for the future, because one day it might be their children

So the best is always to think, just to be inclusive in their thinking so that each and everyone feels part and parcel of the society. You cannot boast of development when others are being neglected or sidelined. So the best is for policymakers firstly to engage these parents to hear their views and opportunities and also even just to do themselves.

There should also be that debate place where each and every school that is being built is made accessible to children with disabilities.

and also the curriculum in these education colleges, they should ensure that it also cutters for inclusion, that each and every teacher that is enrolled, they are trained in inclusion. I know of course, now they are brought in these basics in inclusion, but it should be mandatory that each and every teacher that is enrolled, they are trained in inclusive education. By doing such,

We are going to have more teachers that will appreciate disability. Even the number of opportunities is going to increase because each and everyone will be responsible and accountable. I think that's a very noble way of looking at it. You also give advice to the caregivers, the families, that entrepreneurship, micro enterprises might be better for them than seeking wage employment or direct cash transfers.

Why do you recommend that over traditional employment or seeking a government or charitable assistance? Yeah, thanks very much. I think one thing that we should bear in mind or my experience, firstly, I think I'll give a very good example. My mom was trained as a nurse.

My mom, the moment she noticed that I had a disability, it was very difficult for her to search or to report for work. You know, when you have got a child with a disability, especially here in Africa, it is taken as a as a burden. So you find that even women, we transfer the responsibilities to the mother. Whereas even marriages in these homes,

They are shaken. Even abuse, gender-based violence, there are very high cases in these homes. Why? Because always women or mothers are accused that you are the cause of this child. Where I come from, we don't have children with disabilities. So you find that it's very difficult for them to be employed because they need to be with this child 24-7.

So the best way is by them having an enterprise where they can be managing their merchandise, their businesses, and the child is also just next to them. And we have seen that in this way, it's the best. And not only that, you find that you're also going to secure the life of this child with its ability. Because once the mother is empowered, then the child will also be automatically empowered, but even the entire family.

And I've noticed where I see a mother of the child with disabilities is empowered. Even now, because now the man sees, oh, my wife is also now contributing something. You find that they're living happily. But others, they still abuse their wives where I see. The moment they see that they are doing something constructive, they'll get that capital. So that's why now we come in to make sure that we monitor and advise them and also sensitize them. And I also feel that, you see, in this world where we are now,

Of course, also talking about digital inclusion and other things, everything now is just digitalized in terms of business. I feel, I think, if also these mothers could also just be given some skills in computers, they could also be able to sell their merchandise via WhatsApp or maybe Facebook, even other social media platforms. In that way, they could still be seated at home and they have been selling their merchandise to everyone.

And people will be able to order things via Facebook, WhatsApp, as long as they just change the basics. I'm sure their lives will never be the same. And that's the only way we are going to fight poverty, these families. I've seen families, especially like last year and this year, when we had hunger situations.

I saw families going for two, three days not having any form of food because they don't have anything. The lay one may be asked to give them something, but if they are doing something in that way, they'll be able to sustain themselves. I mean, just gardening, it makes a difference. So I feel by empowering these mothers, women sustain the life of that child with their disability and even strengthen the families in that way.

I think it also gives them a real sense of agency and control over their own future that they might not have if they're getting assistance or trying to juggle the commitment to stay at home, right, with a traditional job. What single narrative about disability in Zambia needs to be rewritten? And how are you contributing to that?

Yeah, I think firstly, you see, just the way I said it, disability is a perception in people's mind. They see disability before they see a human being. Okay? So I always tell my colleagues with disabilities that you see, firstly, you are not here to prove anything to anybody that you are capable, no. All that you need is to fight for your space, platform, then showcase your abilities.

There's no limitation for one to create wealth. No, also it's not a limitation to wealth creation. But all that you need is the brains. Each and every one of us has got a talent. Identify your talent, utilize it. It's high time people like me also owned their own destiny. But of course, the government is supposed to create an environment where each and every one feels that I belong here. And by ensuring that opportunities

are availed. We don't want free things. No. But we just want the platform and those opportunities that are being availed to other people. That is a very forceful argument because it also suggests that you're saying, look, just give us the platform and then let us prove ourselves, which is an amazing way to look at it.

Israel, the stereotype of Nigerian street kids is often that they're dangerous and hopeless. What vivid kind of counter-stereotype story are you telling that we can intentionally amplify here on the podcast that hopefully will be listened to and inspire other people? Well, I want to say that most times when you see a child on the street, the first thing that comes to your mind is fear.

That is a thief. The first thing that comes to your mind is that is the criminal we are looking for. Most of the time, somebody say those children are cursed. Those children, they are not to be associated with because they are dangerous. They can harm you. They can do all manners. So we said stigmatization is the grass roots of homelessness.

is the root problem of homelessness. Because in most cases, in actual sense, what many factors, many reasons why children or young people ended up on the streets may not be eradicated. For example, poverty, death of parents, terrorism,

Even religion believes in Nigeria, there are part of Nigeria who believe that at a certain age of your life, within the age of 10 and 18, you should be on the street as a male child. So there's a culture, they call it alumanjiri, that is, they will take their male child and leave that child with one plate in his hand, and now the child will go there and learn Islamic way and stuff.

So there are many factors that will not make it possible for anyone to say, children will not go on the street anymore. But going on the streets may not be the problem, but the level in which we stigmatize those who are on the street. Just making me, because I am dirty, I have not taken my bath for some days, I am scavenging your waste and stuff,

does not make me the criminal you are looking for. So we have taken children from the streets who were once nobody. And some of those students today, they are coding. They are professionals in IT. Some of them are professionals, makeup artists. Some of them are professional hair making. Some of them have finished their secondary school and they came out the fly color. In fact,

Two of them came home today with their last time result, and it was B, A, B, A grade. They got from this class. These are supposed to be children who say, oh, these are cars, these are thieves, these are the dangerous ones. But giving them that platform, opportunity, a space where they can define themselves and they can take sole responsibility for their own life.

They have been able to prove everyone wrong and to say to those people, I am not a criminal you are looking for. I am human. I am just homeless. Amazing. And must be also inspiring to other people to see that transformation. And in your plan, Sustainable Villages, your goal is that you're going to reach food and energy self-sufficiency in three years. Yes.

What contingency plans do you have or what obstacles do you see that would prevent that from happening? And then what would your next step be? Well, obstacles could be, in fact, we are already facing obstacles because in our other land, because there's no construction going on yet, because we are still hoping to have some opportunity coming. So we decided to say, look, this land is open, let's cultivate it, let's plant. And then one major obstacle we are facing is

We are into agriculture, farming crops. There are other people who are rearing cows. And then instead of you to keep your cow and feed your cow in your whole space, they bring their cow to our whole land to graze. And personally, this is a problem we are facing right now. So we have took all necessary steps to stop them from coming to our land, to stop from eating our crops.

It's not eating. So what do we do? Then we call them. We say, okay, look, we know that you want to graze your cow. And you feel that passing through our land is the way because they are begging to say, look, we are not eating your crops. We just want to pass through your land and go to where we want to go and graze our own cow. And if you don't pass your land, there's no way our cow can pass.

Meanwhile, when they pass through the land, the cow are eating our own crops. So we say, let's actually do this thing and make a bill. What we do is we create a path at the back of the land. At that path, we are going to cover the crops. So you make sure that your cow does not eat the barricades, lead them away, take them to where you are going, eat, let them eat and bring them back. And that work like magic.

So we realized if we allow the community to understand what we are doing and we give them opportunity for all of us to reason together and come to the conclusion. Do you know what the cow man did? The next day, he came to us with Mick, with cow Mick. I said, look, I'm giving this to the children today because we were able to solve our problem together. I said, look, part of the back, you will not be able to destroy our own crops

you will go and graze your cow and you will come back and that's it with that. So we see a lot of obstacles coming from community, insufficiency in funding and stuff. But what we try to do is also that we have a plan. The plan is to build this village and to build it by the people who are going to own it. What do I mean? One, we are trying to start a movement through this village.

There are many people who have been displaced because of Bukwaram issues with the terrorism group in Nigeria. They are scattered around Nigeria, living on the streets. So we planned that, look, the construction of this village will be carried out by the homeless. So we are going to use this village as a training platform for sustainable constructions. In other words, materials that are eco-friendly are going to be used

Youngsters, youths that we are going to rescue will be the ones to be trained to be able to use these materials and build these villages by themselves. And out of that, they will hence use, they will begin to spread sustainable construction across Nigeria because presently, Nigeria is building and destroying environment. Our farms, our plants, our trees are gone.

We are not just going to be constructive. We are also going to be factoring agriculture, producing the food that will sustain us at least to 75%. And we are not going to be hiring people to come and plant it for us or something. Our participants will be trained in agriculture and they will learn agriculture. They will feed themselves. More than that, Nigeria is also suffering from food shortages.

they will also contribute to the increase in production of food in Nigeria and have business of their own in agriculture. So we are building this system in a way that it is all that are responsible for whatever we want to do. We convert it to training because our participants don't have

vocational training, they don't have any formal education, and this is going to be a platform for them to learn. As they learn, they sustain themselves. As they learn, they sustain themselves. And we are going to be doing it gradually as we are able to move, as we are able to have the resources to do it. And then I can imagine that you could have an alumni flywheel

where people who've been there, learned how to do it, et cetera, that can then go out and do it again. Yeah. Thank you. And I think that that's brilliant. And how do you envision, let's say your first hundred successful graduates who move on to do it elsewhere, how do you make that a kind of a self-reinforcing network? Yeah.

Okay, so Jim, we are also having a program where we say homeless building the homes, homeless feeding the nations, homeless constructing the side. We have different programs. And our program is like, look, guys, whatever we do here, when you leave this place, there are thousands of children, young stars, youth who will need you.

When you set out of this place, you must also reach out. We are not saying you should go for homeless. You may not be homeless, may not be your passion. It may be something else. But we are very concerned about you living here and be interested in solving human problems in any capacity you can and transmitting, transferring that skill to other people. One major problem Nigeria is also facing right now is lack of artisans.

Many in the area does not want to learn vocations anymore. You'll be struggling to find somebody who can do your woodwork, your plumbing, your painting. We say, "Look, you have the opportunity." This is going to become an advanced of this movement. We call it a movement because it is a platform also we want to use to rewrite the story of homeless people, to eradicate stigmatizations,

We are on a project right now where we say we are planting 5,000 trees. And when you plant a tree, you name that tree according to what you wish to name it. And you will not just plant it, you will monitor the tree for one year. So some of them say, I want to, whatever number you want to plant, you plant it.

And when you plant it, name it after yourself. Give it your name. Let people know you are the one. And we are not planting it on our land. We are planting it on other people's land and telling them, we will plant this tree. We will monitor it for one year. Our agreement with you is that when you cut it in the future, you must plant five in place of one. And we all agree. And then that's it. So it's a movement for us. And the homeless keep on spreading.

spreading and this building we are trying to build will be having 200 graduates every year. Amazing. Myobi, the Enlightenabilities organization is really closely tied to your personal story, as it should be, I think. How are you trying to build in founder redundancy into the organization so that it outlives you? That's a fantastic question. Yeah, firstly, of course,

Before I came up with this organization, of course, I told myself that this vision that I have today, it should live longer than me over. Of course, I'm the initiator of this idea, but this organization is for the people. And the reason why is a boarding place. And even whatever we do, everyone else is also involved. And of course, I think also in my last report that I'd written to the OSP team,

I think I indicated that to sustain the organization and also for it to live for many, many years after I'm gone. First, of course, I think of also coming up with a multi-purpose facility center. What are we going to be doing that side? Firstly, you know, for me, I'm always concerned about education. Education is key in everything.

So definitely, of course, at that place that we've got, of course, we had a balance and luckily OSV came on board. And now I've got a big piece of land just here in Chibata and very well located. And we are saying we should come up with this facility where firstly, one, they're going to have our own offices so they can stop renting these offices. Two, we should be able to be training these mothers of vulnerabilities in agriculture.

and also rearing chickens, goats. And whereas we should also make this very center as an early childhood development center, whereas children that are young, you know, many, the performance of those children is very bad. Why? Because of the background.

So we are saying we could work with the government. That's why each and every program, if you even looked at what I did in the last grant, I was working with the government. Why? Because I want the government to buy into what we are doing. And whatever is happening nowadays, even just in the province, the government is always engaging us, seeking for advice.

already even partners when they're applying for grants they want to bring us on board why because they see the potential in us and that's the only way we're going to sustain and this organization is going to live beyond the other so all these things that are trying to put in place even when the center is built we are going to show that the government is going to have a part a buy-in so that the government also has got a share the committee should also buy in they should all this

facility should own the program. They should know that this is ours. Of course, the initiative is Mioba, but this is ours. Mioba, many Western donors like to see kind of tangible things, you know, like ramps and elevators, et cetera. How do you convince them that your policy lobbying and your curriculum redesigns are a better and more sustainable way to actually help? Thanks very much.

I think one good example that I would give, I think is the work that we did with support from Rehabilitation International. And I'm happy that it was organized in January. I think it was also posted on their website in their newsletter. And I also shared with the TELTA, the Secretary General in New York, about you in Abu Dhabi. And she was almost writing you a letter. So I mentioned to her that, see,

Firstly, you know, of course, I'm talking about inclusive education, but how do you sustain it? How do you make it a reality? Firstly, if you want a child to be able to access these classrooms, because most of these classrooms, they are built way back, whereas people never thought about disability. It was all about themselves, not thinking about inclusivity. So, of course, when you talk about universal education,

This is where you ensure that firstly, you have to be inclusive of all disabilities. Of course, when you talk about physical rehabilitations, you are talking about ramps, whereas you are going to ensure that you bring expertise on board, you assess the place, you do the mapping in schools so they're not accessible. And even when you are designing the ramp, you ensure that that ramp is not going to be killer, but something that's going to save the lives of children. Then you also ensure that the toilets

the bathrooms, they are made, they are designed in a way where a child with disability or somebody that is visually impaired, they can also rotate freely without any challenges. So that children are not scared to go to school, like the way it was in my case at college, that if I go to school, which person am I going to use?

So we ensure that we bring expertise, work with expertise to come up with the well-designed ramps, pathways, where the blind, children on wheelchairs are able to access their classrooms with very minimum challenges. Because you're not saying that you're going to clear all the problems. No, challenges will always be there, but you can always try to minimize them. This is the whole idea.

Excellent. So ramps, pathways, they are very cardinal to ensure that these children are able to go to classrooms, they're able to fit in classrooms. And I don't believe, of course, we are talking about special education. Yes, we need special education because there are other disabilities that are multiple, whereas a child will not be able to fit. But the case of me over, children like in my case,

or that you need to just to create an enabling environment and the child will be able to cope up with other children. By learning with other children, it also gives them confidence, the growth confidence. They'll be able to play with other children because you won't find any community where children are just playing on themselves. No, they should be able to mingle. This is the idea why I'm promoting inclusion because it builds confidence in this child. This child will never be the same again. And also remember inclusion, it also increases the lifespan of this child.

Because the child was just taking part here and there. Even just the board, no. They're exercising in some ways. Even the mental health-wise is also very good. It stimulates their minds in so many various ways. And of course, I'm targeting mainly schools in rural areas. Most of these organizations, they're all just concentrating in urban areas. So now think of a child out there. You have to take maybe about maybe four hours to reach the place.

Of course, you also talk about now the issue of transport. How do you access these kind of areas? Of course, NGOs are saying, no, we want to go to that area, but we don't have transport, which is also hindering us. So I feel we can do more. And even partners, even when they come on the ground here, they're also able to appreciate their works. They're able also to appreciate the seriousness of this issue. Whereas Tunabit is, of course, it's free education now. But how many Tunabit is accessing this facility? Very few of them.

And this is why we are saying, can you also target a parent? Because a parent in education, especially in education, is key. Because they would want, of course, the child to go to school, but maybe they're not managing. Or if not, they would just want to hold the child. So that's why we come in as an organization. We talk to them. See, if I didn't go to school, I was not going to be here now. So I also play as a model to these children.

I'm not saying that you're going to become the founder of an organization, but just by you going to school, you can still be able to come up with a business, even to be able to calculate one plus two, two plus three, even maybe selling some sweets. You want to be having problems for you to be able to deal with people, even interacting with people.

We talk about mindset. It's a two-way thing. We don't talk about, no, we want people to change their mindset, how they perceive disabilities. No, but also that mindset should also begin with us building abilities. Is our attitude positive? How do we behave ourselves towards people? So it's like a dual courage way.

Makes tremendous sense to me because it has the ability to change for the long term. You're not advocating short-term fixes. You are advocating for long-term changes, which is one of the things that we found very compelling when we decided to give you the grant. Israel, switching back to you for a moment, you pick kids personally, which I think is great, but that doesn't scale.

What are your plans for making it more of an institutionalized thing? We already talked about the graduates and that network, which I think will help tremendously. But your backstory is so incredible. It's such an emotional engine.

that drives people. It certainly drove us when we read your application. Like, you are an amazing man. You're both amazing men. But, like, how are you ever going to... How are you kind of the emotional center of the project? What are your plans for finding successors, for finding colleagues, et cetera? Okay, thank you so much. Our program is not about me.

It's about us. It's a time for us to begin to have another faith that they are not going to be me. Because in this, our first time, we limited our targets to young stars within the age of 12 and 21. Purposely because I understand the wideness of the street.

If a young guy, a young boy, a young child is around 22, 23, 24, 25, it will require a lot of military approach to get them. And we don't have policy of lock you up, policy of keep you somewhere. No. As a matter of fact, when we bring it from the streets, our center does not have a gate.

Our fence is as low as to your chest. I will tell you this, you are not in prison. You have the right to go anytime you wish to go. Just do us a favor. Tell us you want to go so that we'll be able to sponsor you, give you a transport fare, and a token for you to buy a drink and snacks when you are going. That kind of communication makes them to stay. Most of the time when we rescue 20,

Maybe three will go back. But in another approach from other people, they will bring them in, they will lock the gate and not stop. And then if you don't want to prove to them, you cannot keep me here, all of them will leave. So what am I saying? It will take time because we have already some successful under-processed young stars who are already responsible as well as how they rotate to be a manager of their center every week.

When they are first rescued, I do hire a manager to look over them. But now, there is no manager anymore. They rotate their managerial system. So I am the manager of this center for this week. You will be given all the allowances. You will dictate everything that happens in the home. We manage the home. But we are just waiting for them to cross that line. We are the case. They can have the necessary skills. So

This organization is not about me, it's about us. And that is why many of them, when they come out, you will begin to see them talking about us, sharing their whole story, saying their whole story. Either you see me or you do not see me, all that matters is you have seen us and our story is the same. And mostly we are strictly working with children who are homeless.

So we also identified that some of them were already showing interest in this kind of work. And these three of them also are interested in working as some of us, one of us who are already employed, working with us in our office. So it's a time very soon you will get to see them. They become the face of everything we do.

I love that. It's not me, it's we. That's a great way to approach it because I'm sure that there are stories very similar to your own. And the more that people are able to tell them and take ownership within the community, the more it's going to be sustained. Another thing that you do is you provide some technology for the kids, right?

And mobile phones are great to connect kids to help, but they can also be used for maybe not such great purposes. How do you safeguard against that? Okay, so we're also conscious of the fact that these young stars, they live in the community, they live in society, they live in the world. We have technology everywhere. Either we give it to them or we don't give it to them. What they do with it, we may not be able to control it. They also leave home, they went to school.

They have friends who are holding phones. They have friends who have laptops. And they are going to be exposed to it. So what we do is that, okay, we are going to make available, some of you, we have what we call a knook. A knook is like a place where you can say, I want to learn this. Particularly those who are going to school. Those who say, I want to go back to school. We make that knook for them. When you come back from school, you can say, I want to learn how to repair this watch.

All right, there are laptops available. Go on internet, search for videos, listen to them. We have tools, tablet tools. Look for a spoiled wristwatch. Start practicing it. Start fixing it. So it's a kind of a corner, a kind of link, a hub where you don't have teachers. There are no teachers. There are no instructors. It's a peer learning center. So if I want to learn how to make cake,

I can watch videos on laptops and I can use them to scale myself. That is the purpose of our materials, phone, laptop. That is the purpose and the reason why we have STEM. But we are not also ignorant of the fact that it can be used, it can convert it to something that I use for something. That is where we also work on their values. We have daily reflections. In our daily reflection, what we do is that

We let the children come up with a topic that interests them. Anything at all. You can talk about gun, you can talk about sex, you can talk about war, you can talk about anything. Come up with any topic you feel you want to talk about. We will let you guys talk about it. We will just sit down and listen to you. And that gave us opportunity to know what interests them, what they may be doing that we are not aware of. And with that, we'll be able to say, look, this is the...

our own perspective to this. Not necessarily that we are right, but look at it from our own angle. And that also gives them a possibility to know what is supposed to be used, what they can do with their time or system on laptops, what they should not do with it. That's just how we handle it. Israel, what is the most uncomfortable truth that your closest advisors keep pressing you on that you haven't solved yet?

but that you know you're going to have to confront to reach the next scale of impact? Jim, please, can you come again with that question, please? Or simplify it for me more. Sure. What is something that has been persistently popping up as a problem for you and your advisors and that you know that you've got to solve if you want to move up to the next level of impact?

And how are you tackling that problem? Yeah. I think the major one is thinking you have achieved a success on the tie. Just to find out that the tie still loves to go back to school. We have two of them and it's really, really broke my heart because these are one of the first set of our participants who we have worked with. They have been with us. They've been so amazing. Suddenly they just said, look,

I'm going back. And it worries. What did we do wrong? This has people who say, look, we have proved that this works. And how come they want to go back? And if we want to have impact, because our own impact is not about how much degree you earn, how much money you have in your account. Our own impact is how much you are committed to your life and to see change. That's our own impact. How much interest you have shown

To show that I want to change my whole life. Because we believe either with us or without us, you can become whoever you want to be. And what we want you to have is that interest in yourself that you will become who you want to be. Either with us or without us. The moment you get to that point, you are good with it.

So then we see these two guys who say, look, I want to go back. I am going to a straight and soft. So the question I ask them, why are you going back? What are you going to be doing here? They said, when they feel they have a lot of, they've learned a lot and it's time for them to move, to move on. Okay, if you want to move on, it's a good thing. But where are you moving on to? Because we know you don't have a place to go to. You don't have a home. There's no parents. We cannot even trace your family. Where are you moving on to? Say, they are going back to where we are.

You want to go back and live there. Okay, it's fine. But what are you going to be doing there? You just finished your college exam. You are prepared to go to university. You, you are learning a skill you have not finished, but we see an improvement in you. In a few times, you will be ready. You can get tools and start your own business. They just didn't want to go. So it gave me concern that at that point, they can still choose to go back. And I said to myself, if we are going to continue to have impact, we must cross these hurdles.

We are not concerned about you going back. It's not your problem. If you have a plan for yourself, and that plan is so genuine enough that we see that it is a show of commitment to your life that is taking you back. Because when I left the man who kept me in the house, I went back to the streets. But I didn't go back as it was before. I went back working, raising money to pay a private teacher

for me to go for extra lessons at evening to prepare for an exam. And I did that for two years, and I went back to university. Never went to primary school, never went to secondary school. I did two years, and I was able to go to university. So then we decided to begin to redesign our plan. So what we came up with is every child who come to us, after six months of crossing the first stage of six months,

We want to give them that chance to choose to continue with us or to choose to find their path the way they want it to be. So if whatever you choose, what we are going to do is to make sure that some challenges you may face, we help you to understand it. And that we give you the necessary support that will be able to keep you on the track and also let you know that this door is open anytime.

You find it difficult out there, you can come back. And if you choose to stay with us, you show commitment that I'm not yet ready to leave because I still know that I'm not ready to leave now. You also need to show a commitment, not because you're afraid of going back or whatever, but a commitment that I want to change my life. That is for us, is what we have decided to do.

I think that that is also incredibly brilliant because people hate being ordered around and told what they must and must not do. And finding the way you're approaching it makes much more sense to me because it's their commitment, their plan, et cetera, which is empowering them, right?

And also the idea of choice, right? I just think that that is a very elegant solution to the problem. Mioba, let's bring you in again. You've said that a disability in a family can be very difficult and fracture marriages and cause stigma.

Is there a traditional Zambian cultural practice that if you reframed it could become your ally rather than an obstacle? Yeah, of course. I think if I get you correctly, I think you were talking about the aspect of myth in Africa. You know, of course, it's all about beliefs. You know, way back, I think also a good example is myself. You know, the time when I was diagnosed with polio.

I remember the eldest sister to my father. He was against me being taken to the hospital. They said, "No, better we take him to the traditional doctors." And then when my father refused, my aunt was so furious with him. And he was now being accused that, "No, maybe you've done something to your son." I said, "What can I do to my son? I love my son. I don't know, you have to take him to traditional doctors." And if you checked me, of course, I think I still have those tattoos done by the witch doctors.

And you know, very funny enough, after I went to the witch doctor, I think two weeks I was able to walk. It was like magic, it was like a miracle. But again, after two weeks, again, it was back. The aspect of again going back to work was because I was unable to walk. So I think what I would say, I think, and that's your question. I think firstly, we should firstly, I think, target the traditional leaders.

Let each and everyone understand that disability is not about these beliefs that maybe you stole somebody's chicken, that's why your child is like this now. No. And even the aspect of hospitals. Others are able to go for atonement. They are able to take, oh, what I'm carrying here, this and this. Even just the food that people are eating. Even just how they are just carrying themselves when they are pregnant.

also matters. It could also contribute to children being born disabled. So the only way on how we can do that firstly, I think we should just amplify in terms of how we are raising our voices on how to talk about disability. Let people not take it as a burden, as a case, no, but embrace it.

Once everyone knows that disability can come to anyone, disability can happen to anyone, then even how people are going to receive it, it will be different. So it's aspect of norms. We should go out there, engage especially also healthy workers. That please, as people who come for antenatal, those mothers that may be having a child's ability, let them be educated.

certain disability that could be corrected when a child is two years old. All those kind of things just have to put in measures that are simplified where each and everyone appreciate inclusivity and disability. And what are you working on now that's different than what we gave you the grant for? Yeah, thanks very much. For now, we are able to

to win, of course, a small grant. This one, it's on gender-based violence against women with disabilities and also mothers of children with disabilities and the people with albinism. I'm sure you know people with albinism.

Yes, I do. Yeah. Yes. So now this project that we are doing now, of course, we are trying to see how best can you work with the government. Remember I said earlier on, whatever we do, us, we engage the government because we're looking at ownership and sustainability. So now this project that we are doing now, of course, we're targeting women's disabilities,

mothers of teenagers and the people with albinism. You know, people with albinism in Zambia, they're being targeted, especially where I am in Chipata. There's a belief that if you want to become rich, if you want to become a millionaire, you should be able to kill somebody with albinism. Then you get the skin or private parts, then you take the witch doctor, then they do some concoction, then you become rich. So now people with albinism, they're living in fear because they're being killed.

and others are just disappearing. Even when somebody with albinism dies, when they bury them, people go there to go and steal the dead body. So now we are saying, how can people be sensitized so that they can be educated that no, for you to become rich, you don't have to kill somebody, or that you need just to work hard and apply your skills.

And then also in terms of gender-based violence against women's abilities and also mothers, we are working with the Zambia police and also members of the community government that please, can we work closely as victim support so that mothers with disabilities that are being abused in marriages, by the virtue of them having a child's ability,

these men that are abusing them, can they be educated, sensitized? Though that way, they are even, at which extent, maybe killing, injuring their wives. Let them face the law. We have got laws in Zambia that could deter such kind of things.

So this is what we are working on now. Of course, it's a small grant, about $10,000, but at least to make a difference. Because I feel when people are educated, when people have got the knowledge, when people come to know, even how they're going to behave, even their mindset is going to change. Remember, advocacy is not a one-day thing. It's not an event. It's a process.

So we have to keep on preaching to people that what you are doing is not the right thing. We can live as human beings by loving one another, by also embracing these women with disabilities, that they're also human beings. They're not supposed to be abused, stigmatized. No, but embraced and brought together and let them also be part and parcel in society. Let them also take part in whatever is happening in society and our communities. So that's what we are doing now.

Amazing. And of course, what you're also doing, because we always believe in building what you have started. So also those mothers of children with diabetes that benefited from our program under OSV, those are the ones that we are targeting. Because we also found some gaps. Because we found, I think about the time when I was implementing the OSV grant, I found about 12 divorcee cases. None of my husband had divorced me because of this child.

Yeah, and sometimes you must feel like it's kind of a never-ending struggle, and that's why we have such great admiration for you. Israel, if you could insert a single clause into federal legislation tomorrow, what practical wording would most rapidly reduce the pipelines of kids entering the street? Alternative speech.

mortality space. In 2022, I went to India for a training at an institution that trains social change makers. And that state is called Kerala. So Kerala has one of the biggest number of homeless children before. But when I went there, I wanted to see if that is a story. So I went to the street and I could not find any child on their spot. I found some adults,

old people who are sleeping there, but no kid. So I went to the social work department of that state. I met with the director and I asked, how did you do it that no child is on the street? Could it have been you have stopped divorce? Did you stop death of parents? Did you stop poverty in your countries? Does it mean that children are no longer abused in their homes? What could have been the reason? And he said, all these things are still there.

but we make sure we create an alternative space for every child. So if the home is not bearable for a child, the child should not end up on the streets. Instead, there should be a place where the child must end up. And so the typical example of what we are building right now is the alternative space for every child. If instead of a child to end up on the streets,

We have a space where that child can end up on for a short period. It could be a long period, short period, depending on the situations. And if I have a person to speak and to make a change in our legislation in my country right now, I'll make it a law, mandatorily, that every child have access to an alternative space instead of ending up on the street.

Well, gentlemen, you are both so incredibly inspirational. I am in awe of both of you. What you have accomplished and what you continue to accomplish really is not only inspirational, it's just...

Such a great example of what two people in both of your cases can accomplish and the changes that you can bring about through your own efforts. I applaud both of you.

I think that your work is incredibly important and it's also getting real results, which at the end of the day, right? That's what you want to look at. Are you getting real results or are you not getting real results? And, and so we are delighted to have you both as grantees. Um,

We think you're wonderful examples of what can be done. So many people just throw their hands up now. Well, we can't solve this. This is unsolvable. It's just I guess we just have to learn to live with it. And I love, love, love that you've both proven that is wrong. That is not true.

in very different things that you're doing, but you're both doing them with the idea that you can inspire personal agency. You can allow other forms of education to be very inclusive. You can have that space for children who might not be safe at home, that don't need to live on the streets. So I applaud both of you.

I just honestly am in awe of what you both have accomplished. On the podcast, we always have a final question, which is kind of fun. We're going to make you both in turn emperor of the world for just a day. You can't kill anyone and you can't put anyone in a re-education camp. But what you can do is we're going to hand you a magical microphone and you can say two things into it.

And the next morning, whenever the next morning is for the 8 billion plus people on the planet, they're all going to wake up and think, wow, I've just had two great ideas. And, you know, I've never acted on them in the past, but I'm going to act on both of these ideas today. Israel, what are you going to incept into the world's population? When? I want to tell you what.

That's where you see any child. Remember, you see a future that is bright and you can treat that future to be fulfilled or to kill that future with your word and your character. Fabulous. You get another one. The second one I want to say, if you think you want to make an impact in this world, please look for a child on the streets.

and give them an inclusive environment to grow. Amazing. Myoba, how about you? Thank you very much. Of course, for me, education always comes first. Here it was of education. So what I want to show the world out there is that, you know, inclusive education is not a charity. It's a human right. And this reminds me that education is essential

for creating a just and equitable society. Each and every child has got potential in him or her. Let's work together and build the bright future in these children and make the world better for everyone. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Both of those are wonderful ways to incept. And I congratulate you both.

For our listeners and viewers, Mioba, why don't you start, and then we'll have Israel do it. How do people get involved? Thanks very much. I think firstly, you showed, Eugene, you worked with us. You're working with us on this journey. So each and everyone is free to work with us in different ways. Be it technical support, we appreciate that. Networking in various ways, we appreciate that.

For us, whatever you bring on board, it matters. And to bring change in the lives of children with diabetes and their families. Children with diabetes have been neglected for so, so many years or many decades. And they look up to us to make a difference in their lives. Please join us to make a difference in this child. Lovely. Israel? Thank you, Jim. One thing important for us right now is that

We are in need of bricks. We are in need of bricks. If you give us $10, you are giving us 30 bricks. With 30 bricks from you, we can begin to put these houses on ground and have many young homeless children having a space where they can grow, they can develop, and they can explore themselves. So we are calling on people who are watching right now.

If you say take $10, that is 30 bricks you have given us. That means with 30 bricks coming from different people, 200 youngsters will leave the streets and they will have training within one year. That is what we are majorly in need of right now. Thank you. Amazing. Both of you are so inspiring to me. And what you're doing is changing many, many lives for the better.

And it's our mission here at O'Shaughnessy Ventures to amplify people like you, support people like you, because there are so many and sometimes people just need the example. They don't even think about it. And then when they see the inspirational example of both of you, they're like, you know what? I can do that. $10 for bricks, inclusive schools, education for everyone.

I applaud, sincerely applaud what you are both doing. And thank you so much for it and for spending time with me today on the podcast. Thank you so much. Thank you so very much. And please keep up with the good work. You have made a huge difference in the lives of many people, not only in Zambia, but worldwide. And we wish you a long life. God is blessings. We wish you very, very, very, very

Well, well, good health to you and your family and all the OSD team. Thank you so very much. Well, thank you. I wish you this. Jim, I wish to say this. When we were considered for this fellowship, we were there in need of a space, of a land where we can build, where we can start our project, where we can tell the world this is what we want to do and we are able to do this.

Nobody trusted us, nobody believed in us, but when we tell you that this is what we do, you trusted us, the organization trusted us and gave us that opportunity. Now, we have the land, we have the architectural design, we have all the government approved. It is now easy for us to tell people, this is what we have been able to do. You have helped us to have that seed needed to kickstart and to move on. So for that,

We cannot write the history of this inclusive space without talking about OSV. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Well, again, I thank you very much. And that's very kind of you. But it's all you. We are just empowering both of you and your amazing, amazing work.

So thank you for coming on and telling your stories and best of luck with all of your endeavors. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Bye.