What is UBUNTU, and why is it relevant to bullying?
Archbishop Desmond Tutu defines UBUNTU as:
"A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed."
The philosophy of UBUNTU places a very high value on human life and promotes mutual understanding rather than punishment, reconciliation rather than estrangement, moving away from confrontation, but rather embracing mediation.
Think of it this way: My pain, is your pain, your wealth is my wealth. Your dignity is dependant upon my dignity and vice versa.
UBUNTU is a core value, around which a solid structure of morals can be built. When we instill this as a core value within children, bullying will ultimately disappear. For it takes one spark to ignite a fire.
This is why UBUNTU is important and relevant to bullying and ultimately eradicating bullying, because healing starts from within. You don't just put a bandage over a wound without examining it first, hoping it merely goes away.
Advocacy work and education in the field of bullying is needed - learners, parents, teaching and non teaching staff need to know what bullying is, why children bully and how to react to a bullying situation and also how to create positive situations and how to inspire children to want to live up to the value of UBUNTU.
My wish, my dream and my hope is that every child has a happy learning experience. I hope that, through my work, children feel safe at school, that no child feels marginalised at school, albeit victim, bully or bystander, for no child deserves that. A kind word goes much farther than a harsh word.
Tuesday 20 December 2011
This is how it all started...
Every story has a beginning, every big movement starts with one or two people who dare to defy the status quo. This is my story and how I have come to fight against bullying in schools...
At the end of last year (2010) I was in dire need for a topic for my masters thesis which would commence at the start of this year (2011). It got to such a point that I had sleepless nights. It so happened that my little cousin, 10 at the time, was having trouble at school.
Now, I know every child has trouble at school at some or other point in their lives and when you enter puberty you feel awkward and as though you don't fit in...but when a child of 10 develops a school phobia, has suicidal thoughts and has to be put on anti-depressants, due to school bullying, you have to ask yourself, how normal that is. In all honesty, its not.
So, I started delving into bullying. The more I read, the more horrified I became. Why? Because people just don't care. The general opinion seems to be that bullying is "horsing around", it's nothing, a child should "man up" and stop complaining...but when children start taking their own lives or lash out violently to such an extent that they bring weapons to school and kill other children JUST TO BE HEARD, how innocent is bullying really?
This made me realise that something needs to be done and fast. Would I send my children into such an environment? Never. So why would I allow kids that I, to be hurt. It just doesn't make sense to me. How could people turn a blind eye to the pleas of children?
Bullying is such a serious issue, touching on so many various areas that it is very hard to wrap your mind around. It is a field of study you can devote your whole life to, and it might still not be enough to fully grasp and understand, however, change starts with one person.
I have decided that something needs to change. Children in South Africa have the right to feel safe at school. I may be only one person, but one person is enough to start a revolution...
"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi
At the end of last year (2010) I was in dire need for a topic for my masters thesis which would commence at the start of this year (2011). It got to such a point that I had sleepless nights. It so happened that my little cousin, 10 at the time, was having trouble at school.
Now, I know every child has trouble at school at some or other point in their lives and when you enter puberty you feel awkward and as though you don't fit in...but when a child of 10 develops a school phobia, has suicidal thoughts and has to be put on anti-depressants, due to school bullying, you have to ask yourself, how normal that is. In all honesty, its not.
So, I started delving into bullying. The more I read, the more horrified I became. Why? Because people just don't care. The general opinion seems to be that bullying is "horsing around", it's nothing, a child should "man up" and stop complaining...but when children start taking their own lives or lash out violently to such an extent that they bring weapons to school and kill other children JUST TO BE HEARD, how innocent is bullying really?
This made me realise that something needs to be done and fast. Would I send my children into such an environment? Never. So why would I allow kids that I, to be hurt. It just doesn't make sense to me. How could people turn a blind eye to the pleas of children?
Bullying is such a serious issue, touching on so many various areas that it is very hard to wrap your mind around. It is a field of study you can devote your whole life to, and it might still not be enough to fully grasp and understand, however, change starts with one person.
I have decided that something needs to change. Children in South Africa have the right to feel safe at school. I may be only one person, but one person is enough to start a revolution...
"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi
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