Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) programme Malawi, an initiative of Saint Patrick’s Missionary Society, has just concluded a training of 37 young adults from Northern Malawi on the theme of Self-Awareness with a call to them to be facilitators and agents of change in their communities.

The training took place at the Pastoral Centre in Nkhata Bay from Wednesday evening (July 13) to Sunday (July 17) morning. During it, one of the training team, Leo Traynor, encouraged the participants to really take on the task of executing the programme in their home communities. He said, “All you are learning here, you will also have to do in your communities. You have come to be trained and not just to be participants, so we hope you will be ambassadors of change as you become facilitators in your communities.” He also assured them that in doing this they would have the support on the ground of the Resource Team.

On her part, one of the trainees, Angella Kamanga, praised and thanked the SELL Programme for having provided the training opportunity, saying, “This training has been a great help to us. We have truly learned a lot on self-awareness and the roles of a facilitator such that we have grown in our knowledge about ourselves and in return we will be good facilitators of the programme in our communities.”

She added that better knowledge of ourselves will help Malawian society in general, since through self-awareness people will get to know their talents and become productive citizens.

Concurring with Kamanga, another trainee, Andrew Mtambo, said the training is timely since a lot of graduates in society are unable to find meaningful employment. In his words - “Currently it is not easy to find employment, so this training has come in good time because in deepening our knowledge about ourselves and our society, we will have a better chance of being productive and making a useful contribution to the growth and well-being of society.”

Commenting on the training, Mzuzu Diocesan Youth Chaplain, Father Benjamin Banda was enthusiastic about the importance of the programme for young adults. He said, “In this Programme young adults are being helped to know who they are as persons and also their gifts and talents so as to become leaders in their communities, thus leading to the development of the country as a whole." He also urged the participants to be willing to sacrifice themselves on behalf of their communities so as to execute their role well and put into practice what they have learned during the training.

Overall, there was a good sense of participation among the group, a keen desire to learn and a willingness at the end to go back to their communities and pass on the benefits of what they had gained for themselves. After some months of putting the programme into action at local community level, it is hoped the group will once again return for training in a further unit of the Programme.

By Emmanuel Moyo

​The new Director of Sharing Education and Learning for Life Foundation Rev. Fr. Robert Psinon accompanied by Beji Jibe paid courtesy visits to the Chaplains of the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria Jos Archdiocese, Shendam and Pankshin Dioceses. The purpose of the visit was for the Director to familiarize with the Chaplains who were part of the Foundation of the programme and have played pivotal role in supporting the formation programme for the Catholic Youths in Jos Ecclesiastical Province.
Very Rev. Fr. Denis Kaye, who himself a trained SELL facilitator warmly received the team. He extolled the positive impact the SELL programme has played in the life of the youths of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos. He challenged the foundation to intensify efforts in engaging the youth now more than ever before in the face of daunting challenges that expose the youths to all kinds of vices.  He encouraged the newly elected CYON leaders in Jos Archdiocese to work closely with SELL foundation for the formation of the youths at all levels of the Church and the community. Fr, Robert in his response pledged SELL foundation’s unwavering support towards the development of the youth.

​In Shendam, the team was received in Shimakar by the Chaplain Rev. Fr. Lutuuk’naan Naron who commended SELL for the good work the foundation is doing. He said, he participated in trainings on Child safeguarding and Protection, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Gender Reconciliation programme and it has been very helpful in the discharge of his priestly responsibility and with the youth ministry.
In Pankshin the team was received by the youth Chaplain Rev. Fr. Ignatius Zundet and the SELL leaders in Pankshin community. Fr. Zungdet thanked the team for the visit. He said the youth in Pankshin have been positively impacted by the numerous training SELL Foundation offers them; he challenged the youths to use all the skills for their development and the community.
The visit ended with a strong commitment from the Chaplains and Youth leaders in the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos and Dioceses of Pankshin and Shendam in Plateau State to continue to support the Foundation for giving the youth a platform to develop and realize their full potentials.

SELL CONDUCTS CHILD SAFEGUARDING, LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS FOR BLOCK ROSARY EXECUTIVES AND HOLY CHILDHOOD ANIMATORS
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SELL resource team on Friday 20th May and Saturday 28th May, 2022 held a leadership workshop for Bauchi Diocesan Block Rosary Excos and Child safeguarding workshop for Holy childhood Animators.  The workshop which took place at the SELL Resource Centre aimed at equipping the two groups  executives with the necessary skills on leadership and personal effectiveness during and after their tenure and also equip them with skills on how to protect and safeguard the rights of children and vulnerable in the society especially those entrusted in their care.  

​SELL FACILITATED A RETREAT FOR THE CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION OF NIGERIA (CYON)
Sharing education and learning for life (SELL) foundation reached out to the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) of All Saints Catholic Church Wuntin Dada on 13th June, 2022. The retreat topic:  Relationship in Christian Youth and its Consequences. The retreat took place in the Church, the retreat aimed at proffering solution to negative relationships challenges which the youth have encountered in choosing life partner.
In the course of the retreat, Participants were encouraged before accepting dating that will later lead to relationship, they should cultivate a better understanding of the opposite sex, and that they should nurture the relationship from Eros to agape (Surprise). At the end of the retreat, participants were asked to imbibe the culture of saying No to any form of negative relationship that will lead to regrets and suicidal in the future.   
SELL HAD A FIVE-DAY WORKSHOP WITH POSTULANTS, NOVICES IN IBADAN, NIGERIA
The Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Foundation Nigeria conducted a five days workshop with Postulants and Novices in Ibadan, South Western Nigeria.
Areas explored during the workshop include: Peace-building, Community building, Wisdom of traditions and Gender reconciliation.

​The workshop supported the participants with different skills to enable them become peacemakers in their religious formation community and outside. Other objectives included exploration of the role of men and women in ensuring Gender healed world and identifying the wisdom embedded in different cultures, traditions and how attitudes can hinder or build peace. The workshop also began with a recap of the previous workshop on leadership and self awareness. The workshop brought together participants from different religious congregations within and outside Ibadan and was facilitated by Emily Ranna and Charles Polok.
The workshop took place from the 30th of May to the 3rd of June 2022 at the SMA House, Ibadan.

Click below to get a PDF copy of SELL Malawi's brochure

​As a way of bringing the Sharing Education and Learning for Life family in Nigeria together, the Foundation held herAnnual General Reflection where SELL facilitators and selected stakeholders from across the North East and Plateau State converged in Gombe for refresher courses and to deliberate on the successes, challenges and the way forward.

 The 9th Annual General Reflection was celebrated with the theme: Safe Space for Children and Equal Opportunity for all.

The event took place from the 10th -15th May, 2022 at La Bridges Hotel, Gombe. The highlights of the event were training on Safety and Security, Mentoring Training, Business Meeting, Sightseeing among others. The 2022 Annual General Reflection had in attendance forty six (46) participants across the North East and Plateau States.

SELL HARPS ON SAFETY AND SECURITY AT 9TH AGR
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To promote safety and security of the SELL Resource Team and volunteers, the foundation was privileged to have Mr. Austin Anyanwu,facilitate a one-day training on Personal Safety and Security at the Annual General Reflection of the Foundation held in Gombe. The facilitator, a Field Security Associate with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security(UNDSS) emphasized the imperative of prioritizing personal and organisational security in the discharge of responsibilities.

​Participants were challenged to come up with safety and security plan that will serve as a guide to them in their various communities. As an outcome of the training, SELL will work on a safety and security plan and Policy to enhance the security of SELL staff and Volunteers. 

SELL VISITS FEDERAL COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE, UPPER BENUE RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, GOMBE STATE

To contribute to improving the ecosystem and increase the knowledge of SELL team at the 2022 Annual General Reflection, the team visited Federal College of Horticulture and Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority Dadin kowa dam, both in Gombe State. The team interacted with the horticulturist and engineers on how to combat climate change, improve varieties of plants, reduce the rate of erosion, increase the aesthetics of the environment, and preserve source of electricity and safe drinking water.

​These skills will provide SELL with the requisite knowledge to contribute in combating climate change.

The following reports are activities carried out by the Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Ghana’s trainee and commissioned volunteers in April 2022.
 
Community Workshops

Trainee volunteer facilitators of the Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Ghana have organized step-down workshops in Bu and Piina in the Nandom Municipality of the Upper West Region.
It focused on the Wisdom of Traditions unit of the Programme and happened, April 8-10.
Participants explored their traditions, their wisdom and the way they have been influenced by them.
They reflected deeply on where wisdom lived in the era of their ancestors.
In groups, participants brought out stories, drama, poems and proverbs derived from Dagara culture where they believed wisdom resided.
In the plenary, they shared their wisdom in it and broadened their learning from them. They also pondered on their heritage and faith journeys which helped them appreciate the importance of interfaith relationships and ecumenism.

Participants also pledged to preserve our common home; the earth.
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The participants in the respective workshops were drawn from Nandom, Bu, Hamile, Ketuo, Piina, Fielmuo and Ko communities.

Sixty-one (61) youth participated in Bu, with fifty-two (52) in Piina.

“However little food we have, we’ll share it, even if it’s only one locust.” – Madagascar Proverb

​Work of Commissioned Volunteers

The Commissioned Volunteers of the Maureen Southern cluster team in the Tamale Zone held an awareness-raising campaign as part of World Earth Day 2022 celebration.
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The event took place at the St. Monica’s Junior High School in Nyankpala in the Northern Region, April 7.
It aimed to help the students explore the harm and threats caused to the environment, due to the actions and inactions of humans, and to encourage effective ways of restoring the earth which nourishes and supports us.

The volunteers took the students through practical processes which exposed the everyday activities of humans which constantly degrades the environment. The students were also taught ways they can reduce, reuse and recycle plastic material.
One hundred and eighty-six (186) students and teachers of the school received a customized earth day book.

The activity is part of the Programme’s advocacy campaign on care for the earth.