Sunday 28 June 2015

Free trainings

Hello dear bloghearts, how are you? Had a good weekend I suppose. I'll love to share an idea with you. An empowerment programme is being planned for financially challenged single moms/widows where they can learn basics which would enable them set up small businesses of their own. The overall aim is to better the lives of their children. Everyone deserves a happy childhood with education, decent food and clothing, yeah? This is one of the programmes we have. In the past 3 months we've visited the beautiful children at Kwara state's orphanage and Hope Orphanage, Idofian. We plan to do much more but need your help.

We're partnering with kind hearted business owners to train the participants. We would pay for the materials, provide start up capital for some, if not all of them and place some of them as interns under professionals for more further training. All they have to do is to get themselves to the venue. They do not even have to buy forms, it's completely free.

We need you to be a part by helping with publicity. Share with everyone on every social media platform you're on. We also need to reach radio/tv presenters/stations and bloggers in Ilorin. We need companies into food/drinks to partner with us. We need more people with large hearts who are willing to train free of charge. Soap makers, web designers, bakers, bead makers, caterers, photographers, fashion designers, as long as you can teach a skill, we need you. Ofcourse we need money. I assure you nothing is too small. Help us raise funds. Be sure we'll be accountable. God bless your kind hearts. To help, please call 07069066083 or e-mail anutoki@gmail.com.

Continue to read the broadcasts we're sending around. Feel free to share it and this post.
Good news for struggling single moms/widows! Alma Benevolence Home brings to you an empowerment training at no cost. Courses include photography, make-up, baking, small chops, ankara shoe and bag, bead making, tailoring and lots more. To register, send your full names, phone no, age and 3 desired courses to 07069066083 by 11th July. Please don't keep to yourself, share with others.

Thanks for reading. Waiting to hear from you, Anuoluwapo.



Friday 19 June 2015

#trustissues #spiritualsomethings

Hi bloghearts, how are you doing? I've been ruminating over a conversation I had with a couple during the week and thought to hear from you.

  1. Is trust knowing what someone can and can not do? Is it possible to trust someone a 100%? Can trust be quantified? Or is trust a "either you do or you don't", no mid-way thing? Can you trust someone on something and not on another? #trustissues
  2. If anyone should be more "spiritual" than the other in a relationship, who should it be? The hubby or wife and why? #spiritualsomethings
I don't think that, as a norm, a particular sex should be more spiritual than the other. It depends on the individuals in the relationship. I hope to read from you. Please feel free to ask loved ones and share their opinions. Thanks for reading. Have a good good weekend. Xo, Anuoluwapo.

Sunday 14 June 2015

Feel among

It's disheartening to see 29 year olds influenced negatively by their peers. Oh, wait for it, 55 year olds are also being influenced. When someone says peer pressure, we're quick to think of children and teenagers. Sorry ma, if you're picking aso-ebi you can't afford, you're succumbing to pressure. If you're buying cars or even meals you can't afford so you can post on instagram, you're there. If you're contributing money in church not because you want to give to God but because you can't genuinely say "I'm sorry I can't give anything now". How about getting married because your friends are doing so?

You do things because you want to "b'egbe pe". Your mates are starting businesses, building their conglomerates from scratch. Yes, your mates are also buying designer everything and flying around the world. It's up to you to choose, stupidly or otherwise, where you belong. It doesn't have to be a bad thing, like stealing, doing drugs or runs. As long as you're doing something because others are doing it, you're wrong.

Thanks for reading bloghearts. Xo, Anuoluwapo.

*B'egbe pe = feel among

Wednesday 10 June 2015

Sex selection

Hi bloghearts, how are you doing? Having a good week I hope. It's graduate seminar week in school and 2 topics, besides mine, have gotten my attention. We'll discuss one today.

Sex selection allows parents of a non-existent foetus choose its sex. It may be done for medical reasons as in a situation where there is a risk of a parent passing a serious genetic condition to an offspring of a particular sex. It can also be done for non-medical reasons such as family balancing. The most discussed method, which is a form of IVF and has been legalized in the U.K., is the pre-implantation genetic diagosis (PGD).

It sounds brilliant, yea? You can wish for 2 daughters and 2 sons and have just that without having to pray and involve God. No please. Anyway, sperm and eggs are harvested and brought together. One or more "foetuses" of the desired sex are transplanted into the woman and the others discarded. To me, it is tantamount to having an abortion. If you can tell the sex, it's not just a non-existent foetus. It has a right to life, just as an unborn child does.

The presenter seemed to be advocating for the legalization of non-medical sex selection for family balancing and other social reasons. A point she raised is that its illegality affects the economy adversely as couples with female children keep having kids in the search for a male child.

I have no problem with the medical reasons. However, In this part of the world, this "beautiful" non-medical idea  would have a consequence of an heightened level of gender discrimination against women, don't you think? There is already a discrimination we should fight and not fuel.

Family balancing is not bad but in Africa, people prefer sons over daughters. A man gave a testimony in church that his wife had delivered a baby. He had to come back to say it was a boy as if boys are better and the congregation cheered like boys are better. A mother of 3 boys usually locks "shop" and is content with her kids. Whereas, a mother of 5 girls would keep trying for a male heir, or an "arole" as Yorubas would call it, and in the process have kids she can't raise.

It's getting better now as people are more enlightened and understand that the sex of the child doesn't determine his/her successes. The introduction of this family balancing technique would bring back the slowly dying discrimination with a big bang. I don't think the answer is legalization of the practice but enlightenment of people that children are wonderful gifts from God whether male or female, with neither being inferior to the other. Maybe when that is achieved and people are not pressured into having male children, we can think of legalizing sex selection for non-medical reasons.

Thanks for reading guys, Anuoluwapo. So what say you?

Wednesday 3 June 2015

I never chop

A classmate was telling of how she was immediately drawn to a guy she met at a canteen. She noticed he also couldn't stop checking her out while he ate. For reasons unknown to me, she was pissed off that he didn't offer to pay for her meal, yet he tried to get her no as she left. According to her, it is a big sign of stinginess. I do understand that having a stingy partner is unpleasant but I don't see it as a signal that the guy is stingy. What if he doesn't have enough money on him? Even if he does, would he have a saving if he sorts the bills of every girl that catches his attention.

Wait, would you die if you offer to pay for his meal or cab fare? He also got your attention, right? Later you won't let us rest on social media "#selfmade #feminist #ipaymybills" #yimu. If you make it a condition precedent for men to foot your bills before they have an opportunity to know you, you're a "yahoo" girl not worth knowing. You also seem like a broken clock that will only say "give me, give me."

According to her, another sign of stinginess is him asking for your bbm pin or whatsapp no at your first meeting. It means he doesn't want to spend his money on airtime to call you. Theory of life. Well, I also will not give a stranger those but not because he didn't buy rice or amala for me.

I'm not a believer of this "I never chop" doctrine. I don't think I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill too. What do you think? Thanks for reading. Love, Anuoluwapo.

Monday 1 June 2015

Faith it till you make it

You've always thought you would have stopped birthing your kids at age 30 but you're 36 and you don't even have a boyfriend. You're 28 and still jobless even though you've had your MSC for 6 years now. Everyone, besides you, has a testimony to share in church. Are you alive? Are you in jail? Are you confined to a sick bed? Do you have loved ones? Are you on a diet/eating healthy? Look around you, are there people who are praying to be in your shoes? You even own a smart phone. Forget that there are 2000naira phones, some people will never have phones of their own. You have a testimony. If you stop comparing your life with another's, you'll realise that there is always always something to be thankful for. Besides, no one lives a challenge free life.

Let me remind you that it is impossible to please God without faith. Some people do not have to exercise their faith before they get these things but your journey is different and your testimony juicier. So faith it until you make it. Besides, happiness should be a life goal for you. Rather than sulking, complaining or giving yourself a high BP, remain positive and cheerful. You deserve a life of joy and happiness, don't let anything come in the way of that.

Keep in mind that the glory in your future tends to determine the challenges you will face. No matter what you're going through #GodstillWin. Thanks for reading bloghearts. Have a prosperous month, Anuoluwapo.