"Man in the Mirror"

The life skills course opened this Saturday with two questions: "What does life skills mean to you and what knowledge do you seek from this course?" Facilitated by Sam Pono and I,this course aims to attract teenagers vulnerable to the allures of street life. While some are not students at Ntonga, this course serves to educate and support youth in making good life choices.

In speaking with teenagers we create a space for dialogue. Their definitions of life skills included "how you see yourself," "how you behave," and "skills to guide how a human handles him/herself." Each teen shared.

Pokie said, "Be self, know self, respect self." This seemed like an important declaration. As the founder, Pokie sets the example for all who enter and study at Ntonga. His participation enables him to engage with and teach the youth.

In asking what each student sought from the course, Thembele, currently studying saxophone answered, "learn discipline, learn more and know more," while Xolisa, a fourteen year old boy unable to attend weekly lessons at Ntonga said, "I want to learn more about music because I love music." Mphumzi, an exuberant drummer, answered, "I want to play like others to give to others," and Prince, a current bass student at Ntonga, expressed his desire to learn how to better behave himself.

Their participation during this session was encouraging. While only the first time for several, they jumped in, sharing their thoughts freely and engaging in conversation with their peers.

Most rewarding was ending the session with a song and “take home” message from "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson. Magadien, who spoke two weeks earlier, recommended as a music school we use music to teach the life skills course. This song speaks about personal challenges and calls each individual to make change their responsibility. Like Gandhi's words "Be the change you wish to see in the world," "Man in the Mirror" reminded the group to look in the mirror for the change they seek.

After playing this song, I asked the students to share what they felt or thought while listening. I asked "whose the man in the mirror?" Khanyisa, a seventeen year old girl who studies piano and recently took up drums responsded, its you! "We must make the change we seek." The group nodded. I reminded them that they are responsible for their own happiness and they must take responsibility to make changes in their own lives, not waiting for others or substances to become a "fix."

More soon, Guguletu

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