Talk with youth

Nigerian life coach Ogochukwu Nweke held a self-awareness workshop with about 20 youth from Waumbe Youth Development in Fisantekraal earlier this month.

Mr Nweke, an associate director with the International Institute for ICT Journalism, social media consultant and public speaker, spoke about dealing with unresolved issues, the choices you make in life and loving yourself.

He said unresolved issues were leaks a person’s life.

“We may try to pretend that the leaking areas are not there. Sometimes we try to force ourselves through the leaking areas of our lives, trying to fill it up but in time we will find ourselves back at the leaking areas in our lives. So, we can never grow beyond those leaking areas of our lives, unless we seal them,” he said.

Mr Nweke encouraged the youth to embrace their “realities” and make the most of what they had.

“Instead of complaining and always seeing the negative, we can take our realities and turn it into something positive,” he said.

The life coach first met with the youth of Waumbe in July last year through a partnership with the Synergies-Samaritan Educational Training Institute (SSETI), in Boston, which provides training, and grooming in mental, emotional and psychological development.

Rachel Brink of SSETI said she was aware of the work Waumbe was doing with the youth in the Fisantekraal and thought they would benefit from a talk by Mr Nweke.

“We share the same passion for touching lives and empowering people. The youth and entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Mr Nweke,” she said.

Mr Nweke has lectured and spoken at various universities, in various countries. His contributions to the use of social media in teaching and learning (on and off campus) won an award for the African University College of Communications (AUCC), in New York.

Mauricia Abdol, from Waumbe, said Mr Nweke had “planted a seed that will not wither nor be wasted”.