Passionate Youth Motivator and founder of Talented Young People LTD Adam Sibley shares his weekly message of motivation with the world. Adam was born special. He was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari malformation from birth which left him with a permanent hand tremor and he has been shaking up the youth of today ever since. From birth he has learnt how to turn negatives in to positives and enjoys teaching this skill to young people. Adam always knew he was born to standout and its his ability to standout which separates him from the pack.
I’m going to make a conscious effort not to moan about the world banking crisis/weather/people’s attitudes* this month.
*delete as appropriate
Things are actually quite cheery at Caledonian Gifts just now. The new website has been live for just over a month and it’s making a difference to the online orders. The site looks a lot more sophisticated and reflects the brand well, so I am really happy with the results. We’ve had some good client feedback also, so I’m glad the customers are happy…
The Christmas pandemonium has officially begun! I’ve just taken delivery of over 300 jars of chutney, and that’s only one item that goes into a hamper (therefore you can imagine what things are going to be like by the end of the week!) Sad as it sounds, I get a real sense of satisfaction in seeing huge volumes of stock being delivered. It makes all the hard times worthwhile, when I see a big order leaving here.
We’ve started to work with a few new suppliers, including James Chocolates based on the Isle of Arran. They produce wonderful hand made luxury chocolates which are simply divine – of course, I’ve been forced to taste test them. Hey, it’s a tough life, but someone’s gotta do it!
On another note, I’m back doing business advising with a local secondary school, with their Young Enterprise team. I’m having a ball as it reminds me of where I started from and how you really do get lessons for life as part of a Young Enterprise company. We’re currently getting ready for the Young Enterprise Trade Fair next weekend, so it’s all systems go. The group are making pampering gift packs using lovely handmade bath bombs and soaps, as well as some great Christmas stocking fillers. Hopefully, all will go well and we will be sold out by lunchtime…
Anyway, I’d best scoot for now, it’s a Saturday night and I’m determined to have a night off.
Passionate Youth Motivator and founder of Talented Young People LTD Adam Sibley shares his weekly message of motivation with the world. Adam was born special. He was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari malformation from birth which left him with a permanent hand tremor and he has been shaking up the youth of today ever since. From birth he has learnt how to turn negatives in to positives and enjoys teaching this skill to young people. Adam always knew he was born to standout and its his ability to standout which separates him from the pack.
These past few weeks have been a bit crazy but quite a lot has happened.
Last week I had a gig at a place called The Living Room in Islington London and had a backing singer with me. This was fairly novel since University I’ve not had the chance to find someone to do my backing vocals, so it was great to have that this time round and just added another dynamic to the performance. It was a great atmosphere too and good to see people actually enjoying the music that was being played.
For the next couple of weeks I will be working with my backing singer as I have another two gigs coming up this month at the same place. They liked the performance I gave so the host invited me back and I have 2 gigs out of it. So I’m very excited about that.
So the next couple of weeks I’m concentrating on teaching my music to my backing singer and writing new material!
Hope you have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Passionate Youth Motivator and founder of Talented Young People LTD Adam Sibley shares his weekly message of motivation with the world. Adam was born special. He was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari malformation from birth which left him with a permanent hand tremor and he has been shaking up the youth of today ever since. From birth he has learnt how to turn negatives in to positives and enjoys teaching this skill to young people. Adam always knew he was born to standout and its his ability to standout which separates him from the pack.
Passionate Youth Motivator and founder of Talented Young People LTD Adam Sibley shares his weekly message of motivation with the world. Adam was born special. He was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari malformation from birth which left him with a permanent hand tremor and he has been shaking up the youth of today ever since. From birth he has learnt how to turn negatives in to positives and enjoys teaching this skill to young people. Adam always knew he was born to standout and its his ability to standout which separates him from the pack.
Well it’s high time I got another entry on this blog of mine!! It seems an apt time to do this, seeing as everyone’s just gone back to Uni, and I’m stuck in the office having a sudden realisation that it’s almost 2 years to the day since I became self employed.
I had a sudden wake up call to how different my life is from most of my friends around me. Albeit I took the tough route (I can see the friends who are medical students cursing before my eyes…sorry guys, you still find the time to party!) but it struck me that life at uni is so different from life in the big wide world.
Take for example last Wednesday night, I stayed at a friend’s student flat. We’d been out at a charity event and headed back to her flat late evening to catch up over a coffee. Walking across the courtyard to a flat opposite, we heard ambulances scream up to the front of the buildings and two paramedics flying across the road towards an open door and four worried looking students. Not ones to miss out on any excitement, we stood around to see what was going on and what greeted me, horrified me. A girl, maybe 2 years younger than me, was wheeled out wrapped in a blanket, totally unconscious while her flatmates stood around saying “I thought she’d had one too many…”
Frightening. Now, I’m not saying all students are the same and they end up unconscious every Wednesday, but that for me was really eye opening. Part of me’s always had that “did I miss out by not moving away and going to uni?” thought pop up every so often. But that could have easily been one of my friends in that situation. Or me.
Needless to say, I’m pretty sure she never made her 9am lecture the next morning…
Which leaves me thinking about whether or not I made the right choice? Like everything, the future’s never certain. There are days when I could easily give up on it all, find myself an easy job and go back and study. Especially with the way the media are portraying things just now: no-one can get financial help, banks are being nationalised right, left and centre and we’re inclined to think we’d be safer storing our cash in a jar under the bed. It does bring the strongest of personalities down.
However, I look at the opportunities I’ve had through the route I’ve taken. Just a few weeks ago, I was at a big corporate jolly with PSYBT who funded me as a start up. It was a great day out, people were in brilliant spirits and we spent the night teaching Irish people to Scottish dance (we failed miserably…)
I had a stand set up at the event and throughout the day people were coming over to us saying how great it was to see young people getting out there and making their mark on the world. Everyone I spoke to thought I had a great idea on my hands and that “I’d have been wasted with my head in a book for 4 years” which is probably true – the thought of a non practical challenge fills me with dread. It’s moments like that which reinforce why I chose the path I chose. I might not wake up every morning to 10 million sales, however, I know that each sale I do get is bringing me a step closer to the BIG DREAM – an Aston Martin parked in my driveway by the time I reach 25…
Well these past two weeks have been a little strange, from not really hearing anything from anyone to having a gig lined up and a backing singer helping me out!
I had written to several venues a couple of weeks ago and usually one gets back fairly quickly, however Friday night I checked my e-mails and there it was a reply! So my next gig as a place called the Living Room in London Islington at 8.p.m on the 26th of October. So if anyone is down that way then it would be great to see you.
I have also taken time to find myself a backing singer. I love performing but I’m always trying to find new ways to add to my performance and at the moment it is not always easy to have a band backing me. So usually it’s just myself and my keyboard so to have the opportunity to find someone who is willing and interested in learning my music and wanting to perform with me is great. I feel this will just add another dynamic to my performance and I’m really looking forward to exploring this avenue.
So I keep trying and always will and I’m still on the look out for a music job but that is just taking time. So while I can I just want to play as much as I can.
Hope you have a great week, and thanks for reading.
Been nothing short of chaotic these last few weeks since my last blog, been so so busy.
Im sure your reading this either cause you are bored or want to know what ive been up to, or do what i do on wikipedia, just stray so let me entertain you.
Spent the last week being the college librarian in the absence of the ill Mr Hughes, and trust me it isnt all about stacking and dealing with books when you have very insulting, and rowdy kids to try and keep in order. Some of them Year 7s…i dont remember people being so ghastly when I was in year seven. But the easy access to the kettle was brilliant and being praised for my work, well thats always great.
Been quiet on the radio front as a result but things still plodding away on to relaunch. Got a few new recruits, firstly Nikki one of our new PA’s and is excellent inside and outside of the radio, Jodie who is great for debating and gets annoyed when i mention the words Gus Honeybun, and i cannot forget Boddog, our mascot. Theres a story to him, he was found as a “stray” by Mr Graham, one of the tech teachers who sort of gave him to us…..so all hail Boddog the Bodmin College Radio dog. Top Gear Dog eat your heart out.
So two weeks of media studies essays, dealing with rowdy kids and some radio work, im shot to pieces so until next time….nighty night.
This week marks the beginning of the third and last term of secondary schools here in Uganda. Students who have been in holiday since 15th September have now gone back for another three months of study. As this happens, I took a critical reflection, which I want to share with other young people outside Uganda.
Uganda is a small land locked country found in East Africa. It has an area of 238,000 sq.km. It extends about 4 degrees North and 1 degree south of the equator. It shares its boarder with Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo in the North, South, East, South West and West respectively.
Its economy is predominantly agricultural and most people are engaged in subsistence farming. This sector has a significant contribution to the GDP. Uganda, like many would love to know, is a fairly beautiful country in nature.
Its topography is varied with the altitude ranging from about 500m at the bottom of the western rift valley to over 5000m at the top of mountain Rwenzori; African 3rd highest mountain range. The mean annual temperature is 22 degrees Celsius and the mean annual rainfall varies between 500mm and 2250mm.
The varied topography coupled with a favourable climate yield impressive diverse ecosystems. These among others include tropical rain forests, montain forests, woodland savanna, semi desert and alpine vegetation similar to that of temperate regions. Each of those supports many diverse flora and fauna.
Uganda has a very big biodiversity. It’s actually too big for its small size. Uganda is one of the six African countries considered as having biodiversity potential, internationally. This is due to its location in East central Africa; a zone of overlap between ecological communities characteristic of dry East Africa savannah and those of West Africa rain forests.
Scientific and factual research and analysis on Uganda’s natural resource is unbelievable. It reveals that Uganda, though occupying 2% of the world’s land area, it possesses 11 % of birds, 7.3% of mammals, 2.1% of lower vertebrates, 0.6% of invertebrates, and 2.1% of higher plants.
Further, one is torn apart between laughing at Uganda’s luck and crying at the world’s misfortune when he/she discovers, less than 10% of the entire world’s species have yet been named, the final total for Uganda should be roughly one million species of which only 5% are so far listed. At this point in time, the world has been served with news of Ugandans petroleum potential. I will not emphasise that point herein.
Uganda has actually been selected as one of Africa’s best tourist potentials in the coming decades.
Perhaps I must confess that I find myself at opposing forces, to fail to make mention of the fact that Uganda is one of the countries that have made a daily attendance on roll call sheets of the donors community class.
With such a description of Uganda, one would consider Uganda as one of the richest countries ever recorded in history. However, the reverse is true. Life for my isn’t that good.
Uganda has a population of 30.9 million people. Of these two thirds are young people. According to statistics, Uganda has the youngest population in the world with an average of 15 years. This means that two thirds of the population is young. So we have so many young people in Uganda. The working population is very small and the dependence ratio so high.
Perhaps it may be important to give you some information about Uganda’s education system. Uganda adopted the British form of education system i.e. 7-6-3. You spend seven years in primary, six years in secondary and 3-5 years at university. Because of a number of problems ranging from social, cultural, economic and political factors, the majority of the population is illiterate. They can not read and write. However the illiteracy levels are decreasing due to the free education in both primary and secondary levels. The illiteracy levels are very high especially in rural areas. These places have very low standard of living with some homes having one meal a day, high levels of gender disparities, domestic violence especially against women, stinking poverty ( though its decreasing) and tropical diseases. I have heard a number of young people here especially students who come and they can believe the life people live here. But that’s the life they live anyway.
My emphasis however will highlight on a few issues.
First, on the education system. The education system we have in Uganda has something missing. In Uganda, every year, 380,000 people qualify from the different institutions of learning. However, the government and the private sector can only generate 18000 jobs a year. This leaves 362,000 people unemployed. These are mostly young people. According to statistics from the population secretariat, if the population continues to grow at the current rate, Uganda will have a population of 100 million by 2045.
So, as an advocate for young people, I see a problem there to which I would like to hear responses from other young people all over the world. Unemployment here is very high and as a result young people have resorted to uncultured methods of making money. Of recent, there is lots of theft going on in the capital Kampala involving young people. There seems to be a problem. There is a generation of talented young people who are not given inspiration to use their talents for virtue. We have talented young people here but due to the unfavourable conditions, they use the knowledge for bad acts which they carry out smartly without getting caught.
The education system here does not get students to use the knowledge acquired to interpret their environment and make sense of it. So we have a people that can do nothing. Uganda has a lot of problems but there seems to be no solutions because we they are taught to solve society problems. Young people here are taught to know problems but not to solve them. So many of them lay just there with the desire to solve the problem but they can not given the kind of education they have received.
Then even on the side of the young people themselves, there is a lot of redundancy. For example, very many young people especially in institutions of higher learning like universities spend a lot of time on fantasies. There is a misconception about an imaginary TV world and the reality. So many young people here want to live like the people they see in the movies, films, series and TV shows from the western world. To many, they want to be like those people in the movies right from fashion, diet, making up, lifestyle and all that related behaviour. In the process, so many university students lose a lot of money and time in unthinking conformities. They try to live a life that is not real. One friend from Norway came to Uganda on a typical week day. In an amazing statement, he said, is this a dressing festival? he was showing his surprise at how people dress. Every one wants to be unique. People here feel so ashamed to put on the same cloth or colour and fashion as the person next to them. So a lot of money is spent on trying to look update. Then, there is the love for movies, series and TVs. it is unbelievable that so many young people here spend over 6 hrs in a day watching movies and 7 hrs watching series and seasons of these soaps from America. While they watch, time passes away and this actually affects their creative abilities. They do not find time to reflect on their own contribution capacities. They are so much taken up by passive entertainment. As this happens, problems in our society increase. Research is very minimal here. To many students, research is viewed as expensive and a waste of time. Many young people just want the degree on the paper not on the mind.
Such occurrences have forced me and others to form the Save Young Talent Initiative so that we can talk to young people to rediscover their unique contribution capacities. It is not easy given the fact that we are few and the people to reach are very many and the resources limited. And this is why we call upon other young people to join us in reaching out to the young people of Uganda so that we can impact, encourage and inspire young people to live purpose driven lives. We need a generation of a self sustaining young people.
If you or anyone has read this article, let me know how you felt about it or give me your response by sending me your response to Henry.mutebe@syti.org or mutebeh@yahoo.ca . I will be glad to hear about you aNd what you have to say about talented young people in Uganda. I would like to hear from as many people as possible. There is quite a lot we can share as young people. If you would like to know more about Uganda, let me know. Thanking you Adam Sibley for His heart of Gold. Your effort is a million blessings to may lives that you do even know or imagine. Keep the candle of Talented Young People burning.
Next week I will be sharing with you the issue of fires in schools that has rocked our country of recent. An unprecedented moment is at had in Uganda with over 400 schools closed down by the ministry of education. Catch you then.
