Educator Innovation Is Paramount for Stout Education Systems

Capitalizing on the many education innovations prompted by the pandemic, the Teacher Task Force chose “Innovation in teacher policy and practice for educational recovery” as the theme of its 13^th Policy Dialogue Forum, which took place in Kigali, Rwanda, and online, 2-3 December 2021.

Teacher autonomy is essential for meaningful innovation in teaching and learning

Teachers are best placed to assess the conditions of their own classrooms. Based on these, they innovate and adapt their practice, but their innovations often go unrecognized. The Forum highlighted the need to promote teacher autonomy and agency – that is, the capacity to act in an autonomous manner – to generate meaningful pedagogical innovation.

Old and traditional practices and approaches limit broader uptake of new technologies. In many cases, experimentation with, or piloting of innovative applications of technologies are often seen as outside the role of teachers, and thus discouraged. Students are different, but schools are still using materials developed decades ago, but today’s students come to school with very different experiences due to globalization and information overflows. Changing these processes will require major shifts in attitudes as much as they will in policy.

However, educators need training, sufficient resources, good working conditions and support to develop the autonomy and agency needed to initiate, implement and evaluate new ways to teach that will improve student learning and wellbeing.

Innovations involving digital technologies must be adapted to each context

The advent of utilizing technologies as supplemental tool for education had been globally recognized by academic institutions. The demand of providing these technologies had been rapidly increasing. Thus, business firms that supply such need are significant.

The role of digital technologies in innovation was also explored during the Forum, emphasizing tailored and context-sensitive use of technologies rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

With the introduction of collaborative learning platforms, students would be able to get more involved. Students would be able to access required resources anytime and from anywhere and also tends to solve the problem on student’s interactivity and attentiveness during classes. The use of technology would increase the convenience, usability and accessibility of the educational resources available in educational institutes.

For the purchasing authorities, this would translate into reduction in overhead cost of maintaining student records in house and related logistics. Overall, it enhances the teaching and learning experience of various parties in the educational cycle.

Innovation in policy making must be inclusive and collaborative

Teachers need to be part of decision- and policy-making processes. One example presented was the development of the Comprehensive National Teacher Policy (CNTP) in Ghana. This process was coordinated by the Ghana Teacher Task Force (GTTF) with contributions from the Ghana Education Service, development partners and other actors.

This collaborative process established a framework for social dialogue with teachers and their representatives at the local, district and national levels.

The Final Report from the Policy Dialogue Forum is available for download on the Teacher Task Force Knowledge Platform. 

The Ramifications of Illiteracy

 

Economic Impact

·         Illiteracy and low levels of literacy have estimated to cost the global economy approximately 1.19 trillion annually.

·         More than two billion adults worldwide don’t have the essential literacy skills employers need. Unemployment causes lost productivity which slows economic growth.

·         When a high proportion of the adult population has poor literacy skills, many positions remain vacant as insufficient individuals are adequately skilled to fulfill those roles.

 

Social Impact

·         Functionally illiterate parents often prioritize work before education and have lower expectations regarding schooling. This leads to a cycle of disadvantage through generations.

·         People completely or functional illiterate face the prospect of poor health outcomes, welfare dependency, gender inequality, and a lack of social cohesion.

·         There are currently 5.5 million more out-of-school girls than boys, worldwide. In the long term, this widens the gender gap.

 

Health Impact

·         Studies have shown the mother´s literacy level is closely related to child health and survival.

·         People with low levels of literacy are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes, have poor health literacy, and practice poor health behaviors.

·         Literacy significantly enhances a person’s ability to access, understand and apply health information to make accurate decisions.

 

The Practice of Reading

We write to taste life twice; in the moment and in retrospect.

Books are idea containers and are a means of transmitting ideas. The oppressor made sure that the oppressed persons’ parents could not read. That is because books contain ideas, and the goal was to maintain oppression by the maintainace of ignorance.

Words – spoken and written – are the building blocks of life. You are, right now, the result of words that you have heard or read and believed about yourself. Books are every child’s birth right.

The best way to learn critical thinking is to learn how and what to write; And you can only be a good writer if you are equally a well-read reader. Critical thinking makes you act effectively in this world, it makes you win the battles you undertake. If you can critically think, speak and write; you will be absolutely unstoppable.

 

The fact of the power of written ideas communicated through reading is a foundational reason why some governments oppose free and honest communication. Illiterate people are easier to control and manipulate. They lack the ability do their own research and thinking. They rely on what they are told and how their emotions are swayed.

Writing is the most powerful contribution you can make not just to your generation but to all the generations after you die. Even makes it so important to practice a culture of reading.

Our aura of necromantical significance helps us to change and sends us off in search of our dreams. Yes, we are going to face difficulties, and we will experience many disappointments – but all of this is flitting; it leaves no permanent mark. One day we will look back with satisfaction and honour at the journey we have taken. 

“In my whole life, I have known NO wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time – none, zero.” - Charlie Munger

How Can ‘Ed-Tech,’ Support Learning In Low-Income Communities? Lessons from Zambia (BOOK-IT ZAMBIA - CASE STUDY)

Teachers’ efforts and ambitions to integrate new technologies in classrooms and curriculum implementation have changed. The results are that the new investments are underutilized, not used at all, or used in a way that mimics an old process rather than innovating new processes that may be more engaging for students. Old and traditional practices and approaches limit broader uptake of new technologies.

In many cases, experimentation with, or piloting of innovative applications of technologies are often seen as outside the role of teachers, and thus discouraged. Students are different, but schools are still using materials developed decades ago, but today’s students come to school with very different experiences due to globalization and information overflows. Changing these processes will require major shifts in attitudes as much as they will in policy. 

The advent of utilizing technologies as supplemental tool for education had been globally recognized by academic institutions. The demand of providing these technologies had been rapidly increasing. Thus, business firms that supply such need are significant. One of these business firms is Book It Zambia Limited. Book It is an Edu-Tech support provider that caters academic institutions with regards to providing supplemental tools for teaching, as well as for the learning process of the students.

The education industry is showing some positive trends such as adoption of technology is increasing, online and correspondence courses are rising in vocational education market etc. It is clear Zambia is not an IT powerhouse and or major supplier of IT professionals across Africa. As such the Zambian education system is still not up to par as far as application of educational technologies is concerned. However, this trend is changing slowly but steadily; Zambian education industry is shifting gears to incorporate digital systems and ICT in education.

1. What is the offering and how can 'Book-IT' make it fit low-income settings?

Understanding what the core product offering of an EdTech solution is and seeing how it can be fine-tuned and iterated for specific contexts are critical. This process starts with contextualization, a vital step in addressing the wide supply-and-demand gap in EdTech.

Research shows that students struggle to use products that are not in their native languages, when content is not aligned with their ability, and when unfamiliar, non-localized examples are used.

2. How does 'Book-IT' generate evidence of adoption in response to the context?

Meaningful adoption and effective implementation of EdTech are complex and multi-faceted. Generating evidence of how a product, hypothesis, or use-case of EdTech can be implemented effectively in native, contextual settings, such as government schools or affordable private schools, is thus essential. 

The way forward

Book IT Zambia remains optimistic about the power of technology to eliminate the borders and walls of the classroom so that every child has access to the best quality education, both in school and at home.

The synergistic actions of governments, for and not-for-profit EdTech companies, academics, teachers and parents can be transformational and help us reimagine traditional ways of teaching and learning to positively impact the learning outcomes of our children.  

Vote for; 'Book IT Zambia' as the Best Online Education Platform - Zambia 2022 Ecommerce Awards. 

To vote click on link here: https://eafricaexpo.com/round-1-voting/#gf_12 

The Difference Between Microaggressions and Hate Speech

 A version of this article was previously published on the Learn Liberty blog.

One of the worst aspects of the culture war is its effect on socializing. Ask anyone how they feel about addressing topics of race or gender, and it’s highly likely they’ll feel guilty or even downright scared.

It’s made a minefield of simple human communication and assumptions of good faith, and it sometimes feels like every social interaction is a pile of eggshells waiting to be stepped on.

And who is the source of authority on what is normal awareness and respect of other people, and what is a moral crime based on the current modish way of thinking?

Is asking someone, “Where are you from?” an example of a microaggression? It’s simply arbitrary and unclear.

Microaggressions are a source of confusion

Some old fashioned common sense may shed light on the issue. In general, people apply the term microaggression to describe subtle or perceived insults towards socially marginalized groups. 

But it’s such a vague term that innocuous comments that come from a place of genuine curiosity or attempts to connect have been blown up into a politicized, us vs. them, all-encompassing statement that puts us on a course of socially regressive destruction.

Free speech must not be curtailed over issues of subjectivity

We need to find a way to make sure that people’s right to speak is not curtailed by vague, arbitrary, and subjective notions of what people personally find distasteful. Rather, we need clear rules where intent and aggression, and universally agreed upon patterns of speech are the reasons for stopping someone.

In the Learn Liberty video below, Northwestern University Professor Laura Kipnis argues that we should differentiate between harmless microaggressions and harmful hate speech, for which there should be consequences.

So how should we handle microaggressions? Dr. Kipnis explains that they should be treated as opportunities for conversation. People should be able to make it known when something offends them without relying on ambiguous speech codes to protect them.

Discussions about controversial issues enhance the educational experience; fear of saying something that might somehow be interpreted as offensive stifles it.

Hate Speech & Microaggressions - Feminist Scholar Laura Kipnis >>https://youtu.be/wJ3FUxvu66I>>

Building The Future: High-Impact Projects That Can Re-Shape Africa

 The Grand Inga Hydropower Project, Congo (DRC)

The Grand Inga Hydropower Project, Congo (DRC) could potentially power 40% of Africa. The dam will be built on the Congo River at Inga Falls. When completed, it will be the biggest of its kind producing annually 40,000MW of energy, a figure that is double that of China’s ‘Three Gorges Dam,’ currently the world’s largest. But with the whole project estimated to cost US$80-100bn, fundraising will be a real challenge; commencement of the project has however, had several false starts. Developers optimistically expected to finish the grandiose project by 2025.

Konza Tech City, Kenya

Konza Tech City, Kenya, a US$14.5bn software hub outside Nairobi – dubbed the “African Silicon Savannah.” Konza will be a sustainable, world-class technology hub and major economic driver for Kenya. It will be built over 5,000 acres of land, 64 km south of Nairobi, with a business district, a university, residential areas and city parks.

Tanzania’s Bagamoyo

Tanzania’s Bagamoyo Port will become sub-Saharan Africa’s largest port, capable of handling 20 million containers per year. With an estimated cost of US$11bn, the state-owned construction firm, China Merchants Group expects to complete the port by 2045. An integral part of the Bagamoyo project will be an Export Development Zone alongside the construction of an industrial city, as well as upgrades to Tanzania’s road/railway infrastructure.

The Mombasa-Kigali Rail-Link

The Mombasa-Kigali Rail-Link development, stretching almost 3,000km and connecting three East African neighbours (Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda), could be the continent’s answer to the Orient Express. The US$13bn project (upon completion) will help to alleviate traffic on roads ill equipped to cope with growing transportation demands. Starting in Kenya, Mombasa, with a stop-off at the Ugandan capital, Kampala, before heading for its final destination of Kigali, Rwanda. It will also generate intra-regional trade.

The Abidjan-Lagos Motorway

The Abidjan-Lagos Motorway (in planning phase) will connect five West African countries (from west to east Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria). The total cost of the motorway is US$8bn.

 What other high-impact Projects do you know of that will/can re-shape Africa? 

The Body Keeps The Score

 So often we refer to parts of the body when we discuss emotions. You may speak of a shiver running down your spine, butterflies in your stomach, or cold feet. Researchers wanted to understand whether we feel emotions in our bodies and, if so, where?

“The Body Keeps the Score” is the beautiful and suggestive title of a book published in 2014, by a Dutch professor of Psychiatry at Boston University called Bessel Van Der Kolk. The book has proved immensely significant because it emphasizes and idea; that has for too long escaped many. 

Van Der Kolk stresses that people who are suffering emotionally crucially their symptoms almost always show up in their bodies, in the way they sit or breathe, the way they hold their shoulders, in the sleep patterns, and in their attitude to exercise.

Taking the body more seriously opens up new avenues for both the diagnosis and treatment of emotional unwellness. To take one example, many people who have grown up having to deal with the overwhelming rage of a parent, will have learnt to suppress their own anger and their desire to hit back at those who hurt them. 

In their minds they will have become meek and precisely attuned to fulfilling the wishes of others, however, unreasonably these might be; but as importantly in their bodies they will have learnt to be very still almost frozen because a part of them associates the expression of anything exuberant or powerful with the risk of bringing about retaliation from others.

In trying to treat such people, Van Der Kolk goes beyond advising traditional talk therapy; he would also recommend that they try under the supervision and therapeutic teachers, energy releasing exercises – like kickboxing, competitive running or swimming. Sports these people might have long resisted because of a cowed relationship to their strength. They might also try out rhythmically chanting or drumming thereby unleashing additionally releasing pent-up longings to assert one’s right to be.

Traumatized people tend to have bodies that are either too alert, responding to every breathe and touch; flinching and bristling at contact or else too numb, shut down heavily and immobile. Van Der Kolk's book, helps to think anew of how to deal with people, and understand some of the underlying emotions/feelings in your own body.

Those who were once neglected by emotionally stunted parents have often almost literally withdrawn from their bodies; they own them but they do not properly live in them. They might be rendered deeply uncomfortable if anyone touches their shoulders or strokes their back. They might intuitively think that their body was disgusting because that is how it once seemed in the eyes of those who were meant to look after them.

It is no doubt and deeply unfortunate that a difficult past appears to give us physical and as well as mental symptoms. 

For Dr. Chitemwa K, <3

Rwanda Becomes First African Country to Launch Artificial Intelligence Centre

Necessity is the mother of invention, and Rwanda’s government seems to understand this more than most with the launch of the ‘Centre of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ (C4IR). 

“With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and rapid innovations witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an increased urgency to develop digital and technological capacities to build more resilient systems for a healthier society and more sustainable economy,” said the Rwandan Minister of Information and Communication Technology and Innovation, Paula Ingabire. Ingabire made the comment in a media statement posted on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) website.

Some of the projects that the C4IR is already working on are the country’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and laws on the protection of personal data and privacy. At the launch of the center last week, President Paul Kagame said the facility was the country’s pride. He added that it was evidence of how far it had advanced in the fields of science and technology.

Speaking at the launch, Borge Brende, president of the WEF, said that because the center was the first of its kind to be set up in Africa, it will be a pacesetter. “This is the first center to be formally launched in Africa. It says lot about leadership in the country when it comes to leapfrogging and being visionary, when it comes to new technologies.”

With that in mind, Ingabire said the youth bulge was a huge advantage for the continent to drive technologically motivated growth. She said: “The time has come for Africa to put itself at the very center of a new technological revolution. Our continent has a unique competitive advantage that stems from an undeniably entrepreneurial spirit that is built into our young generations – that is an ability to innovate out of necessity.”  

The 4 Types of Introverts – Which One Are You

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Introvert?” Is it that shy wallflower daydreaming in the social gathering? Or the quiet kid who rarely spoke up in class? But wait, did you know there is much more that describes an introvert than their socializing frequency? Or lack thereof.

Learning more about your personality type helps you communicate your needs to people with different personality types, and strengthens interpersonal relationships.

By definition introverts need time by themselves to recharge and avoid becoming emotionally drained. But according to research by a psychology professor at Wellesley College, there are 4 different types of introverts. These types take into account the varied personalities of introverts and acknowledge that introversion is a spectrum.

With that said, here are the 4 types of introverts:

1. Social Introvert : Yes, you read that right! Social introverts are both the most outgoing and the most private of the four types. They do not feel shy and anxious in social settings and may even enjoy them, but feel emotionally drained if they stay out too long. While social introverts like spending time alone, they still want a few close friends they can depend on, and they tend to be the most social when they’re among this group of friends. Someone who doesn’t know them might even assume they are an extrovert if they meet them when they are hanging out with their close friends. But social introverts won’t share much about themselves to anyone other than their closest friends.

2. Thinking Introvert : Here you can conjure the image of the daydreaming wallflower. Thinking introverts also do not mind socializing, but they rarely do so because they are lost in their own little world. They often find themselves daydreaming and may seem aloof to those who don’t know them. Thinking introverts are also very introspective and therefore more in tune with their feelings than the average person. Other people may have a hard time connecting with thinking introverts because they have a unique thought process and prefer to experience their thoughts rather than taking the time and energy explaining them.

3. Anxious Introvert : Do you know of someone who might replay social encounters in their head and think about they said or did and what they could have done differently. Perhaps a better label for the anxious introvert is the ‘shy introvert’, to differentiate anxious introversion from anxiety disorders. Anxious introverts crave solitude even when they with their close friends. They are extremely uncomfortable in new, or large social situations and analyze on their behavior when they are in public. But it is important to look out for social anxiety disorders and not have the two mixed.

4. Restrained Introvert :  This is your introvert-next-door kind of type. They get uncomfortable if they feel rushed into situations, especially social ones. Restrained introverts are reserved, thoughtful and don’t like change. They will go out if they have planned for it far enough in advance, but they would rather be relaxing by themselves: bingeing their favorite shows, reading or doing yoga. Restrained introverts find comfort in their routine. And may also find it difficult to get their mind and body moving right after they wake up. They thrive in their routine and appreciate ample forewarning.

If you think you are an introvert but didn’t relate to any of these four types, you may be an ambivert. Or closer to the extrovert side of the personality spectrum.

If you are an introvert, which of these four types did you relate to?  

Gaslighting And Its Examples

 Has somebody ever said anything to you that brought you to a halt and caused you to doubt your own sanity? Did it cause you to have doubts about your memories and your understanding of reality? If so, there is a good chance that you been a victim of ‘Gaslighting.’

The term gaslighting is often used by the media these days. The word gaslighting is derived from Patrick Hamilton’s 1939 stage drama, Gaslight; in which a husband mentally manipulates his wife.

Gaslighting is a type of emotional abuse in which the victim is led to doubt his or her own memory of truth, or perspective. It is one of the most pernicious forms of maltreat. It takes direct aim at a person’s sense self-confidence, gradually eroding it until they begin to doubt if everything they perceive, think, feel is genuine or a creation of their mind.

Gaslighting also erodes an individual’s capacity and motivation to confront their abuser, since each time they try, the goalposts are shifted even further to turn their argument against them. Eventually, dreed, and uncertainty renders the victim so helpless that they are easily led into doing anything the offender demands. They relinquish all resistance and become figurative pawns of their manipulators.

Here are 10 examples of what gaslighting sounds like:

DISCLAIMER: Not everyone who uses these phrases is automatically a gaslighter. Gaslighting is intentional; and a gaslighter knows exactly what they are saying and doing.

1. It is all your fault that I do the things I do to you

When a gaslighter is confronted with their actions, they may make statements similar to this. It is a fairly normal reaction to them to put you on the spot and for you to second guess your behavior. They accuse you of wrong doing, without accepting responsibility of their own actions. You could even apologize for things that aren’t your fault in order to reach an agreement with them.

One sign that you might be getting gaslighted is if you always feel like you are messing up even though you are trying really hard to do things right. Your gaslighter wants you to feel like that because they want you to feel like they are doing you a favor just being with you.

This sort of emotional abuse may occur in any relationship, but is most prevalent in romantic relationships.

2. You are too sensitive

At times, being gaslighted may be perplexing, and you may begin to wonder whether you are the one who is overreacting. The abuser will maintain that you are fabricating a situation out of thin air. This will cause you to doubt your own view point and emotionally shut down. Their goal is to make you feel foolish for even attempting to defend yourself. They terminate the conversation and accuse you of being too emotional to deal with it.

3. I don’t remember saying that, I think you made that up

This is a go to phrase that a gaslighter will use to intentionally get you to question your experience, behavior and thoughts in order to take the focus off of them

4. I am sorry you feel that way  

When someone has harmed you and apologizes in this manner, it is not a genuine apology. Rather than that, it is a strategy to make you feel as if you are the problem. They express regret that you feel the way you do rather than accepting responsibility for what they have done or how they have made you feel.

5. No body except me will ever love you

Isolating the victim from friends and family is a characteristic of all forms of domestic violence, and gaslighting is one method of doing so. A person’s loved ones are those who may serve as a reality check, and so the gaslighter may attempt to remove them in order to distort reality.

Keep in mind that you may have heard these things before, but this does not always imply you have been gaslighted or you are a gaslighter. Gaslighting is deliberate, and a gaslighter is well aware of exactly what they are saying and doing. Gaslighting is not limited to romantic relationships. It may occur inside a family or even at your work place.

This One Book Brought Me Back To Life And Made My Heart A Little Younger

I don’t know exactly how to explain it but after reading all those giant self-help books, I created an imaginary identity of who I should be. I started acting like I am way more mature, smart and perfect. Although, I truly respect people who have been through depression, anxiety or any other kind of negative incident yet I always felt that I can never be depressed.

I have everything that I always prayed for yet I felt a void in me as if something is missing. And that something is what I found in The Comfort Book.

After reading The Comfort Book, I realized that no matter how much I have achieved, I am still running behind that ‘perfect self’ that either exists in movies or self-help books. I realized that even though I have become mentally strong, I have forbidden myself to feel, take a break, enjoy the little pleasures of life and take out time for my loved ones.

Here is what I have learnt from The Comfort Book and what all lessons I am implementing.

1. Love:

You don’t have to continually improve yourself to love yourself. Love is not something you deserve only if you reach a goal. The world is one of pressure but don’t let it squeeze your self-compassion. You were born worthy of love and you remain worthy of love. Be kind to yourself.

2. External events are neutral:

Till now, you must have had a belief that everything is either bad or good, right? But that’s exactly where we all go wrong. External events are neutral. They only gain positive or negative value the moment they enter our minds.

Anything we never thought about is neither bad nor good because things are good or bad based on our perception. Once anything, any situation or any person enters in our mind, we perceive them in a certain way (based on our perception) and then we put a label on them. That’s why things and people you have never met are nothing, they hold no good or bad value. They are just they.

But once anything enters in our mind become good or bad and that’s the reason people say,

“There is a power in knowing it is possible to view any single thing in multiple ways”

3. You are as good as dead if:

I have seen people often say on social media that ‘I am alone but enough’, ‘I can live without anyone.’

If you are one such person, hey, you are not alone. I have been there too. I used to think I can enjoy my life all by myself, I don’t need people around me but then I came across this one question from The Comfort Book which goes like,

“How do I stay alive for other people If I have no one?”

This beautiful life is a precious gift that we are supposed to enjoy with our loved ones but have you ever wondered what your future will look like if you keep pushing people away from you. I know and can understand that you should not compromise with your self-respect but can’t you let go of your ego to save a beautiful bond?

I remember when I was in college, one of my friends thought that I spoke roughly with her (even when I didn’t). She then narrated this one incident to our entire friend circle.

Although, I had other friends and was too strong-headed to feel broke after this incident. Yet, I called my friend and said ‘I am so sorry if any of my word hurt you and please know that you are more valuable to me than anything’

Some people might oppose me but I bent down my ego after remembering the past incidents when she was standing with me.

Besides, we have very little time on this earth, why waste it on stupid egoistic arguments?

4. Stay alive for your new version:

Be it you or me, we all have faced adverse situations in our life at least once. There must be times when you feel like, ‘you cannot go on anymore’ but these are the times when you need to take a pause, close your eyes and visualize ‘how your past version has worked hard to reach where you are and how your future version is waiting for you to fight against everything and come stronger”

Speaking from my own experience, my childhood and early teenage years were really horrible in terms of career pressure. All my relatives had only one job and that was to compare me with others and tell me enough times that ‘I cannot do anything in life’

But things change. You are reading an article of a boy who was dumb as hell.

Although adverse situations still happen with me and I feel stuck but after reading this book I realized that I have to keep going on for the past version of me who has gone through so much yet never gave up and for the future version of myself who is waiting to conquer the world.

Get up because the world is waiting to be conquered.

 

For Dr. Chitemwa K, <3 .. 

The Philosophy of Oral Sex

 It has to do with loneliness and self-disgust when we begin as babies in this world. If we are lucky, everything about us is acceptable and adorable, from our toes to our temples. Then gradually we grow up and become ashamed of our nakedness and guilty about so much, it becomes a taboo to touch or be touched. We have no choice but to keep a minimum of 60, or even better, 90cm distance between us and others at all times. But deep inside, we never quite forget the needs with which we were born, to be accepted as we truly are, in every area; hence the significance of oral sex.

It sounds disgusting when we think of doing it with an “inappropriate” person, and that is point: Nothing is erotic that isn’t also, with the wrong person, revolting but with the right person at the precise juncture where disgust could be at its height, we feel only acceptance, welcoming permission.

The privilege nature of a relationship is sealed by an act which with someone would’ve been sickening. Oral sex is interesting and exciting because it’s about closeness. Normal life continually requires us to be polite so much of the time, we have to repress all that is ostensibly bad within us; our lust and our desires.

We can’t both be accepted by society and reveal who we really are. Hence the erotic ecstasy – which is more accurately, really, just emotional relief when oral sex permits our secrets self with all its bad and dirty sides, to be witnessed and enthusiastically endorsed by someone else. The bond of loyalty between a couple, grows stronger with every increase in explicitness; the more unacceptable our behavior would be to the larger world, the more we feel as if we’re building a heaven of mutual acceptance.

Sex liberates us for a time, and that punishing dichotomy between dirty and clean. It literally purifies us by engaging the most apparently polluted sides of ourselves in its games. We can press our mouths - the most public and respectable aspect of our faces, eagerly to the most contaminated parts of the other. Thereby symbolizing a total psychological approval. Much as a priest would accept a penitent, guilty of many transgressions back in the fold of the church with a light kiss on the head.

The pleasure of oral sex is deeply rich and significant. It isn’t primarily about a pleasant physiological sensation at all. It is about psychology, acceptance, and a promise of an end to loneliness.

The Black Knight – Sir Lewis Hamilton

 The year is 1991, Carmen Laberlestier dumps her son at the home of her baby daddy. The baby daddy, Anthony Hamilton, had no idea what to do with his son, when the mother brought him to stay with him. The boy was only 6 years old.

Anthony, a black man, had married a white woman, Carmen Laberlestier, with whom this child had been born. But the couple divorced soon after, and Anthony left the child with the mother. Carmen moved on with a different man, who insisted the boy be returned to his father. At the age of 10, Lewis permanently moves in the father, Anthony.

The boy is what the world has come to know as Lewis Hamilton.

To keep his son busy, Anthony bought Lewis a radio-controlled car where adults would line up and remotely race. He noticed his son beat these adults, over and over again, and realized the son had extraordinary motor abilities.

Anthony bought his son a second-hand karting car at the age of 8 which needed a lot of work to function. Only white kids at this time were going for Karting because buying, hiring or even maintaining a karting car was very expensive and most black people could not afford it.

When Anthony and his son, Lewis first showed up for the karting race, white people frowned at them, and the boy was a bit shy to find himself in unfamiliar ground. While other white kids drove new and superior Karting cars, Anthony Hamilton kept assembling his son’s car from the scrap metal he was collecting in garages, for fixing over the weekend.

To keep up with the expenses of his son’s passion, Anthony Lewis had to take up four jobs.

At the age of 10, Lewis met Mclaren boss, Tim Ron Dennis. Anthony had bought tickets to the British Grand Prix and Dennis was observing the kids who were competing for the junior races. Little Lewis Hamilton approached Dennis and said, “Hi, I am Lewis Hamilton, my drean is to drive for you, Mclaren.”

“Oh, okay, call me in 9 years, maybe we can work something out.” Dennis responded.

Lewis went on and won the F3 Championships, the GP2 Championships and nothing could stand before him in the F1. Lewis first formula 1 race was with Mclaren in 2007, he ended third, and lost the Championship by 1 point. He won his first Championship the next year, in 2008.

Lewis Hamilton raced for Formula 1 as the FIRST black person, and the youngest ever, and has gone ahead and won 7 Championships beating the legend Schumacher’s record. Lewis Hamilton recognizes what it means being a minority in a white space. He once said, “It would be nice to see more black people in the crowd, the crowd is still so white.”

On Wednesday, 15^th December, 2021, Lewis Hamilton was made a knight, at Buckingham Palace.

Thank You Sir Lewis Hamilton for breaking the ceiling for not only putting a black face in white sport but also thriving.

Black child, embrace your struggles and tribulations. In that fog you are undergoing, someone will see you.

Is Lewis Hamilton one of the best Formula 1 drivers of all time? Share your thoughts below …

Signs She Secretly Loves You

I love her deeply from the depth of my heart, so I want to know, does she like me or not. Does she love me secretly and hiding her feelings, or it is just me assuming all things? Looking for a partner is not that easy. Especially for brothers - because girls are bit more complicated and mysterious than boys.

Girls do not express their feelings so easily, so the question comes how to know if a girl likes you but is hiding it due to shyness or any other reason. When you love a girl, then you bound to look for the signs she secretly loves you or wants to be in a relationship with you.

The fact is, girls are not that expressive, so they try to find to hide their feelings even if they are deeply in love with someone. It often happens when we love someone, we try to hide it because we are afraid of rejection and sometimes, we don’t feel good enough for that beautiful person. And so, if she is hiding her love for you then it might be that she is not feeling good about herself and wants you take the first step.

And another important thing you must remember, a girl would never like to take the first step to impress you or tell you about her feelings. But before taking those steps, you should have to know whether she loves you or not .. Here are signs that she might secretly love you.

1. She smiles at you often; - A smile makes girls more attractive and beautiful. And most girls know this fact pretty well, and they try to get the whole benefit of that. A girl often smiles at a person she likes without any reason. You will notice when she is talking to someone else and you pass through her way or you are looking at her, she will suddenly raise her voice try to show more interest in the conversation, so that you can notice her. She is all of these things just for your attention. And you need to have a keen eye, so you do not miss them. She is giving you a signal that she is available for a conversation.

What to do: Make eye contact but do not stare. Give a warm and confident smile. Break the ice and start a conversation with her.

2. She makes longer eye contact with you; - Eye contact is a very powerful communication tool that helps to build a connection between two people. When someone is over using this tool, then it means that person wants to build a connection with you. a connection that could be the base of the relationship between you too. Whenever you are wondering about how to know if a girl likes you but is hiding it or just your mind overthinking about it, just look into her eyes.

Science says normal eye contact is between 3-5 seconds. So, if a girl looks into your eyes more than that time without saying a word, then it probably might mean she likes you and wants to build a connection.

3. She tries to be around you; - Trust me no girl that secretly despises you would ever enjoy your company. She will always find some ways to be around you if she is genuinely interested in you. in my own experience when we like someone, we try to be around them. Either we want to more about them or want them to notice us.

What other signs have you noticed from girls that secretly love you? If you care to share, add them in the comments below…

The Most Linguistically Diverse Place on the Planet is Africa

 

Introduction

From the beginning of time, humans lived and worked in Africa, leaving evidence of their existence in the sands of the Sahara Desert and valleys of the great rivers, such as Nile and Niger. Some of the earliest great civilizations were born there, and they gave us insight into the smaller kingdoms of ancient Africa.

Because of the huge history diversity of Africa, learning about it may be a bit of a challenge. Africa keeps many secrets, and they are there, ripe for picking – and one of the major ones is that Africa is also a fascinating place from a linguistics perspective.

The continent has more than 2,000 distinct languages, equating to a third of all languages in global terms. Europe by comparison has 300 languages. Based on the Ethnologue index of linguistic diversity, 20 of the top 25 most linguistically diverse countries are in Africa.

History of African Languages

Africa is such a diverse continent of a number of languages spoken as a testimony to this. Nigeria alone has over 500 languages according to SI Ethnologue and the African language program, at Harvard. Most of the languages in Africa are primarily oral with little availability in written form.

There are about 52 listed extinct languages in Africa. These languages are from across different regions in Africa. One example of these languages is Ancient Egyptian - This language is an Afro-Asiatic language. Its earliest known complete written sentence has been dated to about 2690 BC, which makes it one of the oldest recorded languages known along with Sumerian language. Its written system includes; Kariong Hieroglyphs, Cursive Kariong Hieroglyphs, and Coptic.

One other extinct language is Esuma (Essouma) language of uncertain classification within the Kwa branch of the Niger-Congo family, once spoken in the villages of Assinie (Asini) and Mafia in Ivory Coast. The Esuma were vassals of the Sanwi capital Krinjabo, and shifted to the Anyin and Nzima languages.    

The last example of an extinct language among many others is The Yeni language is an extinct language of Cameroon, formerly spoken around Djeni Mountain in the Nyalang area. All that remains of the language, apparently, is a song remembered by some Sandani speakers. However, according to Bruce Connell (the first linguist to report its existence, in 1995), comparison of the song's words to neighboring languages suggests that "it was closely related to [the Mambiloid languages] Cambap, Njerep, and Kasabe

Why is Africa so Linguistically Diverse?

Humans have populated Africa for more than 5 million years. One of the reasons for the continents rich linguistic diversity is simply down to time – people in Africa have had more time to develop languages than people elsewhere in the world.

But the development of Africa’s language is also due to cultural and political factors. According to evolutionary linguist Salikoko Mufwene from the university of Chicago, while European nations focused less on widely spoken languages into extinction as they expanded their empires, in Africa languages were allowed to flourish.

“Traditional African kingdoms were not as assimilationist as the Europeans empires… Say the kings relied on interpreters to translate to them what was coming from territories that they ruled but were people who spoke different languages, there is no particular reason why we should be surprised that there is so many languages spoken in Africa.”

Multilingual Citizens

Although all the languages are important and beautiful, their popularity varies. Of all the diverse languages, tribes and groups; there are 8 languages that more widely spoken on the continent.

The ‘Berber’ language is the 8^th most widely spoken language in Africa. It is a group of 26 closely related languages that constitute a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. They are spoken by 14 to 15 million people in Northern Africa. Throughout the Mediterranean coast, Sahara Desert, and the Sahel – an area once dominated by Berbers before the arrival of the Arabs.

The 7^th widely spoken language in Africa is ‘Oromo’- it is widely spoken in the horn of Africa and other surrounding nations including; Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya and Somali. It is the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia.

Next on the list as the 6^th widely spoken language in Africa is ‘Amharic.’ It is the Second-largest Semitic Dialect on the continent after Arabic. Amharic is one of the very few African languages that uses its own alphabet whilst most other languages use either Arabic or Latin letters. 

Number 5 on the list is ‘Igbo.’ This is the native language of the Igbo people of Nigeria – One of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. It is approximated that 27 million people speak the language on the continent. Interestingly, the language has more than 20 dialects. This diversity is one of the beauties and dynamics of African culture.

 

The 4^th widely spoken language in Africa is ‘Yoruba’ one of the principal languages in Nigeria but spoken by other west African countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

‘Hausa’ is the 3^rd largest language on the African continent. The language originated from a dialect in Kano, Nigeria. It is widely used in business and education in Nigeria and other parts of west Africa. Besides, it is one of the few African languages that are taught in international universities due to its immerse literature.

‘Swahili’ is the 2^nd most popularly spoken language on the continent. Huge chunk of the vocabulary in Swahili is derived from the Arabic language because of the interactions of the Arabic traders from the 15^th and 16^th centuries. There are also other Swahili words that have been originally derived from – German, Portuguese, English, Hindustani and French.   

‘Arabic’ is the most widely spoken language in Africa. However, the language is mostly concentrated in North Africa and some parts of Sub Sharan Africa. It is estimated that they are more than 150 million people who speak Arabic as their first language in Africa, making it the most spoken language on the continent. Arabic comes in number of flavors – Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial dialects. If you learn modern standard Arabic, you will be able to communicate with most Arabic speakers around the world.

Arabic speakers on the continent of Africa make up over 50% of the total speakers of Arabic in the world. Arabic is the official language of many African nations.   

Final Thoughts

A study conducted by Shigeki Kaji of Kyoto University in 2013, centered on inhabitants of the Ugandan town of Hoima, found that the average inhabitant knows 4.34 languages. Such multilingualism is impressive, particularly when one considers that we are not talking about language scholars, but about average citizens just going about their business and flicking effortlessly between 4 or more languages.