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​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.

Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Malawi had a series of events that took place in the month of April as follows:
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Full Team
After the Easter break, Fr Tommy joined the Resource Team in Malawi, which means that the SELL Team at Ungweru Organization-Youth Development Unit is now up to four persons. They are two Malawian young adults – Maria and Emmanuel - and two Irish priests

​Preparation for first training
Looking towards the first training, which is due to take place in mid-July, the Team has carried out several activities which include the purchase of necessary items for the training, having materials for the first training available, lamination of workshop materials which will be provided to trainees and also a visit to the possible venue for the upcoming workshop.

Visit to Pastoral Centre
The Team visited the Diocesan Pastoral Centre at Nkhatabay to check out accommodation and facilities and also to get a quotation for the use of the venue. The Team was happy with what they saw and decided to go ahead with making the booking.

After the visit to Pastoral Centre, the Team had lunch together and Fr Tommy had his first swim at Lake Malawi.
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Meeting with the Diocesan Youth Chaplain

The Team had a meeting with the newly appointed Diocesan Youth Chaplain, Fr Benjamin Banda, on April 29. This was to introduce ourselves to him, help him to get familiar with the programme and to share ideas on how to work best together for the young people of the Diocese. 

With regard to the programme, a number of issues were discussed. Among them were-  selection of trainees; logistics for their transport to the workshop and accommodation; logistics for stepdown workshops in their communities; how parishes might be clustered for those workshops.
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Preparing materials for printing
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The Team is also going ahead with the preparation of materials for printing. Such materials, which will be for use during the training, are brochures, prayer cards, the Programme Manual, business cards and other handouts.

Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Malawi under Ungweru-Youth Development Unit has carried out a series of activities in the month of March which include; setting up the resource room, purchasing of resources needed for the running of the programme, preparing kits and introducing the programme to young adults.
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Maria and I (Emmanuel) joined Fr Leo in SELL Team Malawi in the month of March. Maria is from Lupaso which is close to Luwinga in Mzuzu while I reside within Luwinga in Mzuzu city.
Maria is a sixth born child in a family of seven and is a holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies. She has previously worked with Leigh Day International Law Firm. She likes singing, reading and following current news affairs.

​Introducing the Programme
Central Deanery youths enlightened on SELL Programme
Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL) Programme Resource Team in Malawi engaged young people from Mzuzu township who were hosted at Saint Thomas Catholic Parish.

The event which took place on Saturday 26 March attracted young adults from various communities within Mzuzu in the morning hours up to lunch time.

Introducing the programme to the youths, Leo, the Team leader for SELL Programme Malawi, described the programme as one that will help young adults develop greater awareness within themselves and understand issues affecting the human person in the world.
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Leo further explained briefly what each unit of the programme is about and tasked the participants to go into groups to discuss whether the programme should come to their communities and provide reasons for their response.
Through group discussions, all groups came to an agreement that the programme should come to their communities citing a number of reasons which included;

• The programme will help us in building peaceful communities
• Helping we the young adults to know who we really are
• Helping us to become good and better leaders
• Helping us to appreciate the wisdom of our traditions
• Helping us to build interfaith relations

In his remarks, the host Fr Habtamu Aloto applauded Fr Leo and the team for introducing the programme and urged the young adults to take an active role in the programme saying it will help them grow spiritually as well as academically.
Attached are photographs captured during and after the event and also of SELL Team Malawi as we wait for Fr Tommy to join us soon and you will be able to see him posing for a photograph with us in our next monthly report.