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Esther Ijewere

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In self development By

5 Ways To Practice Self-Love And Believe In Yourself Again

Self-love requires understanding and engaging with yourself at the most intimate level, and opening up to yourself in a way that might be uncomfortable and unfamiliar for most of us.

Here are our 5 tips to help you live with self-love:

1) Live with Intent:

Live mindfully, truthfully, and intentionally. Do not lose yourself in your moments, and if you do, find out why you lost yourself and what you can do to stay present.

Your life is limited – time is your most important currency – and the more you show yourself that you value your time, the more you prove to yourself that you love your life.

2) Live with Care:

Treat yourself well; physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Listen to your body and your mind at the most basic level – if something doesn’t make you feel good, then it is probably bad for you. Protect yourself, from the dangers of both greasy food and toxic friends.

Your mind is your window into the world; keep it clean, keep it strong, and your world will stay equally positive.

Practice a proper diet, exercise regularly, sleep enough hours, and engage in healthy social behavior that secures your personal growth.

And make sure to live with boundaries. Don’t limit yourself, but don’t confuse self-love with hedonism. Moderation is good for the soul.

3) Live with Forgiveness:

You will make mistakes. You’ve most certainly already made a ton, filling you with various bouts of guilt and regret trapped in the back of your head.

You are human, after all, and that’s what makes life worth living: the unexpectedness of your own humanity

But learn to forgive, yourself and those around you. Every day you wake up is an opportunity to grow away from the person you were the day before.

If that person made a mistake, then try to understand and forgive, as you can work towards being a different person tomorrow.

4) Live with Need:

Your mind is your greatest asset, so trust it. When presented with a situation to overindulge, ask yourself: do I need this or do I want it? In most cases, what you think you need is simply a case of you wanting it.

And while it is more than fine to pleasure yourself with your own desires every now and then, it is important to remember not to fall into self-made destructive habits based on desire and want.

Live according to what your mind, body, and soul need.

Turn away from the pleasures of laziness, of automatic happiness, of destructive behavior, because these are short-term, and they care nothing for the person you could be.

You are the only person who must live with yourself for your entire life, so make your happiness last longer than a day.

5) Live with Yourself:

And finally, it is crucial to learn to live with yourself as if you were someone else.

When faced with the task of self-loving, we think too much in the abstract; we think of it as a mental challenge, a psychological question rather than a task we can actively work towards achieving.

But loving yourself is as simple as loving anyone else, so ask yourself: how would you love yourself, if you were someone else?

Treat yourself with the same respect, kindness, and mindfulness that you would offer the people who matter most to you in your life.

Love yourself with the same patience and tenderness you would give your own child, partner, sibling, or parent.

Be kind but be stern; learn to discipline, but learn to forgive. You are your own greatest fan, your own greatest rival, and your own greatest love.

Learn to see yourself in ways you have never considered.

Self-love seems so easy in movies and shows. Just let go of the thoughts, problems, and people causing stress in your life, exchange them with sources of joy and happiness, and voila: you are a self-loving king or queen.

But true, transformative, authentic self-love isn’t so easy. While you might feel great for some time, there will be many moments when you want to give up, where you might convince yourself that your attempts at self-love are meaningless and childish and stupid, that the world is hard and cruel and you should just learn to live with it.

But don’t stop. Keep going. Self-love isn’t about happiness. It’s about improving your life as much as you currently can, and accepting it.

 

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#JusticeForUwa: Uniben Undergraduate Raped And Murdered Inside Church (Graphic Photos)

A 22-year-old lady, identified as Uwaila Omozuwa, has died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Edo State, after she was beaten and raped inside her local church. It was gathered that Uwaila, who was an 100-level Microbiology student of UNIBEN, goes to read everyday at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Edo Province 10, Ikpoba Hill, Benin, but was unfortunately beaten, raped and hit with a fire extinguisher by unknown men on Wednesday 27th May, 2020.

According to a source, “The church’s security officer had gone to collect the keys to the church from its keeper when he was told that there was someone in the church already. He got to the church only to find Uwaila in a pool of blood  and next to her was the fire extinguisher which was used to bash her face..

He ran back to inform the key keeper and his wife, who went to the church to meet her lifeless, thinking she was dead. After careful observation, they noticed she moved her hand and quickly rushed her to the hospital. It was at the hospital that Uwaila revealed she was reading all alone when some unknown men came into the church , beat, raped and hit her head with a fire extinguisher. However, she later passed on. . The case was eventually reported to Oregbeni Police Station, but nothing has been done about it so far. Her friends and family have now taken to social media to demand action, using the hashtag #JusticeForUwa

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Raquel Daniel Celebrates Menstrual Hygiene Day with New Book “Flow”

In a world that is increasingly public about all sorts of previously private topics, menstruation shouldn’t remain a

Despite women having had periods since the dawn of time, menstruation is still not freely discussed and in some parts of the world, an off-limits topic. The information girls hear around them is often negative and sometimes incorrect. Even school health classes that discuss the subject often focus on the most basic, without ever touching on the real, practical experience of a monthly cycle. As a result, menarche, a girl’s first period is still likely to be confusing for her.

Raquel Daniel, the founder of Beyond the Classroom Foundation and an impact strategist, has unveiled a book that will increase awareness about good menstrual hygiene management and ensure that more young girls, especially those approaching puberty, are armed with the necessary information they need in order not to be caught unawares by the inevitable changes that come with menstruation.

Her new book titled, ‘FLOW: a girl’s guide to menstruation’ she offers encouraging support while answering real questions that girls have about the changes in their bodies and explains menstruation in a way that young girls can relate to. In this book, Raquel also spoke about how her late father taught her about menstruation before she turned 10, shared practical advice and busted the myths and misconceptions surrounding menstruation.

Through Beyond the Classroom Foundation, Raquel has worked with young girls in different communities, while running various projects like ‘Project Red Robots’ with which has distributed sanitary pads and education on sexual & reproductive health to over 10,000 girls across Nigeria.

According to Raquel, so many girls, especially those in the rural communities, welcome their first periods with anxiety, without knowing anything at all about menstruation. In my work with girls, I’ve seen how lack of accurate information has left some of them confused and embarrassed. She said.

While Menstrual Hygiene Day is recognized each year on May 28, it should not only be limited to this day. We must ensure that education about menstruation and the removal of the stigma around menstruation continues to occur around the world daily, Raquel added.

 

 

 

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Before you get married
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Nike Folagbade: Ladies, 3 Ways To Become Approachable By Men

For a long time, I kept turning men off with my hard look. I wasn’t always smiling. A long face became a default and this made some men stay away. I had few people who approached me to correct me but I always felt they didn’t know what they were saying.

Ladies, do you want to be more approachable?

These days, a lot of men complain that it’s difficult talking to some girls because they either get shunned or don’t even bother approaching due to what they sense from afar.

I decided to write on 3 quick tips to make you more approachable among many other tips.

  1. Can you just smile? That was what a man told me as I came out of the bank some weeks back. I wondered if it was his business to frown but the more I frowned, the more he said, “Please just smile”. But I thought about it later on that he must have had the boldness to tell me while some ignored me because I didn’t smile. It’s not easy for men to approach ladies but your smiling face and open external attitude can reduce the fear in them.

Smiling increases good life and good health too.  Please smile.

  1. Look smart, classy and bright: To be sincere, I’m visual and I like it when people look good. This morning, I approached a lady and said, “Your gown is fine.” She didn’t hear me well, so I repeated it three times for her to notice and she smiled back and said thank you. Who no like better thing?

Looking good enhances a friendly environment and attention. Looking hot is different from nudity.

I was bad with my dressing before I got married and it made me less attractive. I shared so many wrong things I did in my book; “How I Got The Ring”. It took a lot of conscious effort, research and intentionality for me to get better.

There is a part of you that enhances your beauty, enhance it well. I have soft and nice lips, but at least, I can add a touch of wet lips or lipstick. Please don’t use lipstick to get a man if you will not use it after marriage.

Looking good is first from the mind so it has to reflect. You may look good and still not be approachable; you need to add the smile I mentioned above.

  1. Be humble and respectful: The only way to make a man feel a little comfortable when he approaches you is by responding to his little “HI or Hello” with a courteous response. It speaks a lot. Don’t just treat people like they are nothing.

The fact that he is shorter than you want doesn’t mean you should ignore him. Be nice, you may meet again. The fact that he wasn’t in a car doesn’t mean he is not valuable either. You may be surprised at where you will meet him later on. Be careful to create a good impression even if you don’t attend to his offer.

Not all friendships should become intimate relationships so build other kinds of relationships intentionally.

What are the other ways to become approachable?

I know we have a lot of them, do tell me some.

 

About Nike

Nike Adedokun Folagbade helps singles build healthy relationships via break up, dating and relationships coaching.

Her goal is to help many singles recover from heartbreaks, attract and keep the right partner and build healthy relationships.

She has been featured in numerous magazines, newspaper, television and radio programs like Channels, The Punch, Business Day News, CoreTv, The guardian, City fm, Happenings Radio amongst others.

Her Facebook group, The Right Partner Community is targeted at helping one single at a time achieve their relationship milestone. She blogs at www.nikefolagbade.com and can be reached via adenikeadedokun@gmail.com or hello@nikefolagbade.com

 

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4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Underestimate  A Classy Lady

You may be deceived by her poise and elegance. You think that underneath it all, she may not be firm or be able to put her foot down. But don’t be fooled. Classy women are women of substance. Although their exterior appears seamless, they can very well be spitfires.

Here’s why:

She’s passionate about what she believes in

Classy women are adamant about what they feel is right and wrong, and will express their point of view. What they won’t do is demote the opinions of other well-meaning people–-they use their emotional intelligence to build bridges with others.

She knows how to set boundaries

They won’t hesitate to make their needs crystal clear and will speak up in order to get what they deserve. They don’t get bogged down with minutia and know how to use the word “no.”

She’s calm under crises

Even when they’re dealing with stressful situations, classy women know how to maintain their cool. People may wreak havoc and act out of sorts, but under pressure she conserves her energy and puts it to good use.  

She’s selective about her priorities 

They’re choosy about what they focus their attention on – not because they don’t care about others’ concerns, but because they know what takes precedence. If they have a deadline to meet or an emergency to handle, the less immediate things can wait.

She doesn’t have to do it all 

They aren’t afraid to delegate what they don’t have time to do, after all they’re only human. The ability to ask for help is a sign of their strength and knowledge of self. They’ll never see this as a weakness.

Source: womenworking.com



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FREE – The Journey Of Six Women Through Sexual Molestation To Healing

FREE was launched virtually in Lagos on Wednesday, 13 May 2020 at 3pm on Zoom.

FREE is a book by Debola Salako-Kupoluyi that exposes sexual molestation in children, its effects and provides a guide to healing through transformational tools.

The book FREE was inspired by God and the essence is to bring change to the next generation by shining a bright light where few others dare to go.

Free reveals how six successful women were sexually abused when they were children. It highlights precautions that could be taken to avoid sexual abuse in children and emphasizes the importance of parenting. The book FREE is real and powerful – it would leave you in awe of the potentials that the human soul has to endure pain and rise to great heights.

FREE is for people of all ages and more specifically written for children, teenagers, their parents/guardian and anyone at all who has suffered the ugly acts of sexual molestation and its effects.

The author is in partnership with Cece Yara Foundation and Mantle of Mordecai (MOM) foundation to provide professional counselling, treatment and ongoing support to children who are victims of sexual abuse helped through FREE.

As part of the commitment to eradicating childhood sexual molestation, 25% of proceeds from the sale of FREE would go to Cece Yara foundation. Its mission is to prevent child sexual molestation through community empowerment and support. Also, 25% to Mantle of Mordecai (MOM) foundation. Its mission is to enhance the value of life of children by ensuring that they get quality education. The proceeds will be used to sponsor the education of a child who is a victim of sexual abuse.

The e-copy of the book is now available online on Amazon Kindle and Okadabooks. Hardcopy preorder is also ongoing, and it will be ready for distribution within three weeks.

See link to order e-copy or preorder hardcopy https://linktr.ee/Freebydsk

Follow us on social media via the handle below for more information

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: free_by_dsk

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“Don’t Pretend You Made It on Your Own, Speak the Truth If You Were Helped“- Aderonke Enoabasi

Fashion entrepreneur, Aderonke Enoabasi had a question and answer session on her Instagram page and while answering her followers questions, she urged business owners to share the truth about how they started their business and not mislead the younger ones.

She wrote,

“At age 19, I started selling Okrika bra, I failed. At 20, a lot of people took advantage of my naïveness and the hunger to just wanna work. At 21, I started selling bags and accessories. I made so much gain.

At 22, Mummy gave me money to learn make-up at House of Tara. I did makeup business till 26. At 26, I started fashion business till now, I’m 27 going on 28. Business is fine, I’m learning. I own RHONKEFELLA, I’m still learning but I feel fulfilled.

I always preach something, no one owes you anything. After secondary school, I didn’t get admission into the university on time so I’ve always had the urge to work. At age 19, after my Okrika bra business failed, I thought the business wasn’t for me so I dumped the idea and I started to look for office work.

So many people took advantage of me. Some along the line would tell me, shebi you know you’re beautiful. You know the rest of the story! Did I fall for those story line? Once or twice I did and once they had me, they dumped me.

I have met people who will never help or invest in you. I have also met people who will rather give you fish than teach you how to fish. So, if you find someone who helps you or finances your idea, please don’t lie or take the glory.

If you are handed money and you don’t work hard or smart with that money no matter how little or big, it will not amount to anything.

We all need HELP. As much as we strive to be independent, it’s okay to ask for help. If you can do it yourself go ahead but if you get help, be proud to say you did! It takes nothing from your success story, enough with God help me tales.

God won’t come down, he will send people to help you. Let us be more truthful to the younger ones. It’s okay if you don’t feel the need to speak about your journey but if you must, please speak your truth, don’t “LIE”.

May God bless everyone who has invested in my IDEAS! They made RHONKEFELLA a reality. God bless the “BOYFRIEND “ but most importantly, God bless IYA RONKE! My mum has come through a zillion times…”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlvVvu0nRn1/?taken-by=therealrhonkefella

Source: Woman.ng

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I Aspire To Be A Role Model As An Artist – Fagbenro Christiana Boluwatife

Fagbenro Christiana Boluwatife, best known as Tife Chris, is a young creative studying Geology at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. She hails from Ado Odo-Ota, Ogun State. Tife started making art at a very early age of 5, but she developed deep interest at the age of 18 when she learnt how to draw using pencils and started using oil colours. Her passion for Art went deeper when she discovered the beauty in it and not just beauty, but also a way of expressing oneself. She’s a Christian, a lover of science and very active in sports in the likes of swimming and basketball. She shares her Art to the world through stage painting, writing, music and poetry, she is also an active volunteer and a member of few NGOs that aim at making positive impact to the lives of others. Tife reminds me of my years as an undergraduate, her passion and tenacity is unwithered and it’s very reflective in her work and ambience. She shares her journey with me in this exclusive Interview.
 

Childhood Preparation
MY childhood didn’t prepare me for what I do now, although it played a huge role due to the fact that I was very creative at that stage. I started painting and using watercolours at a very young age but I never for once saw myself doing what I’m doing today. I did those things for fun and never expected them to be a huge part of my life. Growing up was quite interesting and, as a normal child, I have both good and bad memories. I grew up in a strict and competitive environment where everyone had to meet certain standards. There was no one to share my thoughts or emotions with, so I learned to develop myself even when there was no one to talk to. This has made me active in few NGOs so I could give to the society what I couldn’t get. It wasn’t always easy and I got to learn from challenges.

My passion for Art
I wasn’t directly inspired to go into Art, truly, science has been my passion since childhood. I’ve always wanted to be a medical doctor, to help people, that’s where my passion came from. I loved to see people heal, get better. And I never for once thought of going into Art, so nothing could inspire me to venture down the world of Art.

I can only say God made a turn of events to make me see what I was completely oblivious to. At a stage in my life where science wasn’t responding, I was forced to look at the bright side of Art. And since then I’ve been falling deeper in love with Art, all dimensions of it.

My Artistic Journey
I thank God for the journey so far, it’s been wonderful, even though there have been lots of challenges especially due to the fact that I studies a different field from Art, finances as a student and the fact that I ultimately have to balance up my academics first before anything else. I’ve had experiences with lessons I know would be very useful even after I graduate.

Balancing School with Art
That dexterity has been a natural part of me, human beings are very dynamic and when we put our minds to something, no matter how diverse or colossal it may be, you’ll be done with it before you know it. Timing is also very important even though I find it hard sometimes to meet up within the appropriate time, going for lectures at the right time, going to church, creating time for art and writing, meeting up with basketball practice and guitar lessons, time to study, taking few hours to swim and sacrificing time for rehearsals. As long as I have a mental timetable and I try not to overwork myself while creating a compulsory time to rest, by God’s grace I’m able to do just fine.

My Aspiration
The first is to be a successful Artist. Let the world realise your talents can make you stand out. I would also love to travel the world and explore all forms of Art. I really have a lot to learn, I go on the internet and discover lots of amazing works from different artists. I would love to learn as many forms of Art as I can.

I also hope to own an Art firm with a gallery where everyone can be who they want to be and create ideas, use the beauty of Art to make people’s lives better, to make them heal.

Lastly, I aspire to be a role model as an artist, someone who inspires, an artist people can look up to. I want to be happy both in the outside world and with my family and home.

Three women who inspire me to be better and why
Ms. Esther Ijewere, convener of Women of Rubies, Ruby Girls, Rubies Ink and Walk Against Rape and Benita Nnarchortam, personal photographer /SA to the former governor of Ogun state and co-founder, Kuta Nigeria. And my mother, CEO k2cut fashion. These women have inspired me to be better no matter where you’re starting from, they’ve taught me to sacrifice and I’ve felt the love of a woman from them especially on the Ruby Girls page. I love people who break limits and create new ideas and Benita has really inspired me in that area.

Challenges of being an Artist
Time is my major challenge, meeting up with schedule is very hard and sometimes I have to cancel some events and I’m grateful to HRM, my friends because they help me when they can and cheer me to move on when I seem tired. Managing my craft and handling school has indeed been stressful and sometimes I realise I have just little time to myself.

Funding and equipment has also been a challenge, what’s the use of time without money? Getting school materials and Art materials too. Thank God for my parents, my sister and close friends and the fact that I get commissioned works to support myself with. Also, the environment where I’m based as a student doesn’t give enough exposure and insight into Art, they rarely appreciate Art and sometimes volunteering would be depreciated.

Being a Woman of Rubies
I believe I’m special in my own way. Everyone has that hidden talent in them that makes them stand out and unfolding these talents has made me realise I’m a Woman of Ruby. I can achieve whatever I put my mind to.

Dear Young Women,
It’s never too early to start trying, now is best. Don’t let your present state limit you. The only thing you should be afraid of is not to have a dream. If you have a vision, pursue it!

I

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Esther Ijewere: 10 Ways To Revive Your Positive Energy

Positive thinking is a mental and emotional state of mind that focuses on the good and expects positive outcomes. Staying positive can be tough. Positivity can start to wain when you are bombarded with a succession of negativity, failures, disappointment and heartbreak.
Every challenge you face withdraws from your energy, resilience and a little bit of your faith. Once your positive energy is depleted, pessimism slowly begins to creep in and take hold.

If you want to stay positive when facing challenges and negative situations, here are 10 things you can do to help revive your positive energy:

1. Perform random acts of kindness

Finding ways to put a smile on the face of others affects you just as much as it affects them. It takes the focus off of you and your problems and allows you to be a positive force in the lives of others. Doing good for others makes you feel good. It lifts your mood, improves self esteem and self-worth and it serves as a small distraction from your current challenges.

2. Take a mental break
Exhaustion is the silent killer of positivity.Learn to take breaks when things get overwhelming. Do something that gives your mind a break from whatever challenge you are facing–and that could just mean taking a nap.

2. Develop an attitude of gratitude
Noticing and appreciating the positives in our lives is a great way to lift your spirits and provide yourself a mental boost. Start to practice gratitude by being thankful for the simple things in life.

4. Laugh
Laughter truly is the best medicine for most of what ails us. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Find a way to laugh–often. Watch a comedy, spend the evening with your crazy friend who knows how to keep you in stitches.

4. Hang around with positive people
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The bottom line here is our behavior and thought patterns mirror those we hang around. Choose carefully who you allow into your circle.

5. Look for the silver lining immediately
Trying to force optimistic thinking amidst emotional turmoil or a bit shocked usually don’t work that well.
Training yourself to look for the lesson and find the bright spot not only eases the burden a little, it also slowly begins to transform your entire thought process.

8. Breathe deeply
Breathing exercises help expel toxic air from your body and refills your body and more importantly–your brain with fresh air. It clears your mind and allows you to regain mental clarity. One moment of clarity at the right time can change everything.

9. Don’t dwell on negativity
Avoid dwelling on downers. Downers bring you down!
Focusing on negatives isn’t just unpleasant, it also makes you less effective in tackling other tasks you face. Negativity produces more negativity.
Bad things happen–try not to replay them over and over and fixate on un-pleasantries. Play positive scenes in your mind instead.

10. Engage in positive self-talk
Talk to yourself. Tell yourself things are going to turnaround and will work out in the end.
Say it out loud. Speaking what you believe out loud reinforces and strengthens the message. You say it and hear it simultaneously.

Esther is an activist, Writer, Columnist, Author and editor-in-chief & founder -Women of Rubies. She is passionate about issues that affect women and children. 

Facebook: Esther Ijewere

Twitter & IG : @Estherijewere

LinkedIn: Esther Ijewere

Email: admin@womenofrubies.com

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We Miss The Physical Presence Of Our Students, But All Main School Activities Have Continued Online’

Bolanle Adewole is the founder and executive director of TLP Centre, the first full day school for children with autism and other related developmental disorders. A certified autism specialist, she is also the director of The Learning Place Montessori School in Lagos. Trained in London, Canada and the USA, she certified as an Autism Specialist with International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in 2018. Passionate about autism awareness advocacy and believes no child should be left behind, she continuously engages in the empowerment and fluent integration of the differently able into mainstream schools. She engages in various charitable outreach activities with the Lagos State Government as well as corporate organisations. To date, she has directly or partly influenced the education of over 500 indigent children in Nigeria. A renowned speaker and teacher, Bolanle belongs to several professional bodies and serves on the board of several companies. In this interview, she talks about how the education of students with autism and other developmental challenges have been affected by Covid-19 and how she is tackling this as well as integrating special needs children into mainstream education amongst other issues.

COVID-19 and the subsequent stay-home order have undoubtedly disrupted the educational calendar somewhat. How are you working around this issue?
The stay-at-home order came with the closure of schools and saw us putting in place measures to ensure that our students’ learning remains optimally maintained. A saving grace for us was the fact that we had always operated online on a large scale so migrating our curriculum online was prompt. We were live in 48 hours and classes actively commenced until the Easter break. These, as well as parents communication, have continued to date. We miss the physical presence of our students but all main school activities have continued online.

Students are now being home-schooled as best as possible. Is this a feasible solution or would it be better to halt the school calendar till the lockdown order is lifted?
Education is a critical part of child development. It drives factors responsible for the advancement of their minds, acquisition of social skills, facilitation of learning and much more. Every child benefits from consistent learning opportunities, a halt in these or in the school calendar is likely to create learning gaps, accompanied by adverse long-term shortfalls.

LASG is employing radio/TV to educate students as they sit at home, can students really learn like this especially students that struggle academically?
First, I would like to applaud the Lagos State Government for this initiative. It would go a long way towards ensuring that children continue to learn regardless of their location. It is important to note that every child is different and each has a unique learning style. The remote or virtual learning may not benefit all but it goes without saying that some will definitely acquire knowledge and skills from the remote classroom. If the lessons are practical, engaging and interactive, they should captivate the interest of more students than less, including the different learners who may display academic challenges. The worst one can do is not to try at all.

For children that come from less-privileged backgrounds and have no access to TV, Internet, laptops or educational tabs, how would virtual learning work for this category of students?
The teaching of this category of children may not necessarily be through the use of inaccessible devices but through a practical sustainable approach. This is an area where the government and corporate organizations need to intervene. An organised outreach in the form of creating alternative learning modes, including the “United Nations School in a box” model; the creation of a structured teaching curriculum, a community empowerment based program; donation of practical inexpensive devices and training of parents or relatives who though may be indigent, are willing and able to learn, would go a long way.

You work extensively with autistic children and children with related developmental disorders, would you say this disruption has affected them more?
Children with autism thrive on routine and predictability. One of the key ways of managing their behaviour is to have a predictable schedule, which directs their day-to-day activities. The first disruption to them during this crisis was the abrupt closure of schools without adequate notice or preparation. It became compounded with the uncertainty, absence of consistent therapy and withdrawal of physical activities. It hit them hard and evoked some new undesired problem behaviour for parents and caregivers at home.

How are you still managing to teach the children seeing as face-to-face method is not feasible at this time?
A face-to-face meeting is feasible in the form of synchronous virtual meetings. This has been a lifesaver and has worked for a good number of our students. They’re excited to see their teachers and peers and have engaged pretty well on this platform since we launched online schooling. Like physical school, there is an attendance timetable, lesson resources and concept presentations, all done online. This has helped keep and retain some semblance of normalcy. We have spent time training parents also and most have adapted and are coping.

Has the pandemic and the resulting problems it has created made your job harder in any way?
The COVID-19 is unparalleled and has hit the entire globe in an unprecedented way. Life would never go back to the same again. It has brought about a lot of changes, which have affected our operations, our lifestyle and service delivery. The financial impact on our organisation is immense. We have had to get creative and think out of the box to keep our operations together. A lot of strategic adjustments have been put in place to cut excesses and maintain expediture. It gets deeply worrisome when it threatens to affect staff income. We hope it all ends soon.

Tell us about some of the work you have done in integrating differently abled children into mainstream schooling?
As a strong believer in equal opportunity for all, I advocate for inclusion for every child. This starts with conducting probes and identifying the existing strengths and ability that lie within each child. This helps us give the required intervention, develop a transition plan and place him into the right educational setting. We have helped prepare several children for various mainstream schools using this technique and most have successfully transitioned.

Tell us about your educational programs for at-risk children, what does it entail?
Differentiated teaching is used for children with at-risk behaviour. It entails closely observing and paying attention to the traits and characteristics of the children. The “at-risk” child would always stand out. The first thing would be to determine the function of the at-risk behaviour and set out to eliminate the stimulus that reinforces it. A lot of factors are considered and an individualised program addressing the function of the behaviour is designed. This becomes the bedrock for the educational program that is subsequently used.

What has this ongoing experience taught you, what would you be taking from it when this is finally over?
As unwanted as the pandemic is, it has come with different facets. It has exposed us to many new skills, brought us closer together and enabled us look inwards. We have critically analysed our offerings and services with a view to coming back stronger. On a personal note, it has helped me appreciate life better and brought me closer to God, friends and family. When this over, I know I will be stronger for it.

What last words do you want to leave with women reading this that have been inspired by you?
Stay true to yourself. Be not moved by fear and negativity. Get innovative and choose to be positive in these times.

Source: Guardian

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