The Edge
I was sitting in the waiting room again, this time I felt better than everyone else around. As a matter of fact, I was. I was there today by myself. I looked around at the faces, every one of them bore a peculiar emotion, some amused, others depressed, few indifferent. I was once one of those amused faces, laughing at things only I knew from a perspective oblivious to every other person except they shared the same ‘case’. Waiting. I dislike waiting. It makes me nervous and takes my thoughts to very dangerous edges of my imagination so I have learned over the years to make the best of every moment of waiting. I either read or write to ease the anxiety and nervousness. I forgot to pick the ‘wondrous Love’ that I was reading and my writing pad so I decided to use my phone notepad. I picked up…
THE GH MUSICAL INDUSTRY by ABDUL BASIT ALI
I sleep with yet again another sad reality of the scene in my good Country Ghana. It all got to do with the kind of songs that our Musicians sing that is said to be show casing the Country to the rest of the World. I ask is there no better way of showcasing the Country’s image than through this songs? I hope there is a better way than this in sha Allah. The music industry has been good in relaying the image of the Country before but I bet to differ now. It needs rehabilitation. There is a hullabaloo ongoing with regard to a particular song “One corner” that is said to be misleading the mass majority of the youth especially in the Zongos. I ask is this new to you? Subhaanallah! We have witnessed songs which are very dirty that you will even feel ashamed to hear it…
Global Changemaking Students: Meet Salem Habte the Passionate Social Entrepreneur and ENACTUS UMKC Executive
Have you ever met Salem and do you want to meet Salem? Oh my! The enthusiasm that flows from her is just enthusiastically beautiful! I’m not telling you more. Get down there and read some more about the highly illustrious Salem. Hi girl! Hi Salem. Okay, I’m actually excited and I don’t know why but please, tell us about yourself and your studies. My name is Salem Habte and I’m earning my BBA with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. My interest in business sparked as I watched my parents run our fair trade coffee shop, Revocup Coffee. I’m aspiring to work towards solving socio-economic issues in the U.S. and internationally. In high school, I was in an art program for four years and I’m inspired by visual development for Disney movies. So social entrepreneurship is a new type of creativity for me. I love…
Global Changemaking Students: Everyone Should Know Kinge Emma the Cameroonian Hunger Fighter & Agropreneur
Kinge Emma grew up in a poor rural community in Cameroon characterized by hunger, illiteracy and poverty, now he’s ending world hunger as a hunger fighter
Sour Oranges
My father’s second wife stopped treating me with so much hatred. Few years after my mother died she stopped the mistreatment and even said I could go back to school. She became strangely kind ever since I started hawking or as she’d rather call it “selling oranges”. Even my dressing soon improved. She brought new ones every week. She had told me then that “looking good is good for business”. My fears rose with the setting of sun deep beneath the dark horizon at the dusk of everyday. I would be sent out again; to be devoured by those hawks. I was too scared to refuse or say no to my step-mother or Uduak as I’d rather call her. She would starve me for three days and I’d be left to sleep on the varender for three complete nights even when it rains. The first night I sold my oranges…
Global Changemaking Students: Balkisu Abdullahi the Change Agent from Sokoto Nigeria
For my parents were very passionate about enrolling me into school, we relocated from our village to urban areas where I could attend school. Through the help of my mum, I could overcome all the challenges by engaging in home business (making and selling of ice block, making of beads, weaving of hair etc.) among others.
Global Changemaking Students: Autism Breaks the Heart of Sarah Naa Awuku
Apart from school, what else do you do?
I used to read much about autism and learn what it was all about. It’s not actually a bad thing as the African society perceives it to be. Now that I am back from SUSI 2017, I have done a research on the rural and community schools who have no school buildings and learning materials such as exercise books, textbooks, pens, pencils, school bags, and other things that make learning easy. So I have the list of such schools which can be found in all the 10 regions in Ghana. I have decided to select some like about 5 to 10 schools and visit. I went do a market search on how much these materials cost in the market. I intend to use my salary of my national service which is about to start soon.
BROKEN, UNBROKEN: 3, 36, 57
She had always been beautiful, blessed with so much green, covered in a splendor that never had been seen. There were the seas, the landscape, the natural resources, mountains, waterfalls, the fresh breeze… even the houses of mud looked so tearfully beautiful, those roofed with thatched and illuminated by the fire lights where the children gathered to listen. To listen to the stories of Nigeria’s great 3, 36, 57. There are good roads and bad roads, plentiful food even as there was hunger, jobs even though some were unemployed, great schools and not so great schools, thriving businesses and collapsing ones, hardworking people and lazy people, great leaders and bad managers. We have the hospitable, the charitable, the courageous, the selfless, the professional, the innovators, the rich cultures and beautiful costumes. We are rich, with a diversity that transcends time. 36 states, spread across each with her artistic euphoria.…
Cry No More Poor Child
The poor child cries not because of food but because of his future. He cries because he has no assurance of success. He’s been left in doubt as to whether life is being fair or not. And this has been the headache of his parents! But hey! Poor child, let me brief you on these: When you are born to the poor, there’s nothing like ‘choices’ in your dictionary. You will always have to accept what life gives you. As a poor child, forget about being the preference of people. Always remember the world will only be in your favor when you are rich or famous! A poor child will always be blamed for any little mistake he does. Unlike the rich who is ignored for his numerous wrongdoings but praised for the little good he does! At a point in time, your own parents might apparently seem to be…
Forgotten (Episode 4)
I got into mama’s room to find Hannah mopping mama’s face again. She had tears in her eyes, and mama, she lay too still. I stepped closer, placed my palms on mama’s forehead, she was cold and her earlobes seemed to have been oozing blood. I also saw similar redness beneath her nostrils. mama, mama. I wanted to know if she could hear. She didn’t answer or move an inch. Hannah returned her gaze to me, her eyes inquiring, wanting to know what was next. But I was as blank. I thought to run to doctor paul, but he was never in his clinic on weekends. I tried to call his cell but it didn’t ring – I should have known. He wouldn’t have his phone on by 07:15am on a Sunday morning. My gaze strayed around the room, hoping I’d see something that would give me an idea. Boxes…
The April Letter
I have desired so much in life, to be great, an actress, a broadcaster, a model, a lawyer, a humanitarian and I have been all in writing.
I still communicate with my hero every now and then. He has most of my beautiful written works.
Works written on the Sands of time.
Ngunan Ioron Aloho
Social Activist | Educator | Entrepreneur | Writer
A World Beyond Our Age
A World Beyond Our Age was a secondary school talk session with the outgoing students of St. Annes High School, speaking to them about life after high school, why they needed to find their purpose as well as answering questions they might have had about making career choices and also making life choices at such a young ages. James Okina from Street Priests and Mirabelle Morah, BlankPaperz Editor in Chief were around to talk to the class of over 40 students about life choices and finding their purpose.
The Blackness of Eru
Have you read The Blackness of Eru yet?
Ngunan Ioron Aloho is a social activist, an educator, an entrepreneur, a writer, a YALI Fellow, and so much more. Ngunan has fought and sacrificed a lot as a social activist, defending and helping child marriage victims. In the Blackness of Eru, Ngunan will take you on a sad but short journey to witness the life of a young girl who suffers the pain and burdens of early child birth in which she is not prepared for.
We, at Blankpaperz are very proud of Ngunan for using words to tell stories that matter the most.