International Institute For Global Leadership
Issue #124 * April 2012
www.global-leadership.com
Asheville, NC. USA
Guest Editorial
What Is Our True Nature?
Bikundo Onyari (Kenya)
Not long ago I used to think that we are our bodies and nothing more. There was nothing more than that, until I was able to learn that we are more than our physical bodies. This discovery shocked me from my belief system that I had developed over the years. The message was so clear that I couldn’t believe it, that we are all spiritual beings housed in our bodies. This seemed to be complicated stuff especially because I wasn’t a religious person and subscribed to Karl Marx thought that religion is opium to the masses.
I dismissed techniques that promoted spirituality like meditation and prayers. I was just like any other normal person living life as it is or better still taking one day at a time. I remember there are times I used to struggle so much and look for answers when I was engulfed with complicated situations. In any case my rational mind was my guide and I had to listen to it every time. I didn’t care to know who I was provided I was alive I could make it out there. This made me a special person I called the Average Man, who was neither this nor that. He was just there in middle and couldn’t take a stand about something. In reality I never stood for something and didn’t want to oppose anyone. I wanted to be good to everyone and that’s how I was brought up.
I limited myself because of my body and this seemed so boring and felt like I was in a cage. Breaking from that cage has been a difficult task because it has been conditioned in my mind. Everything I saw was projected from my physical me.
The Discovery
My doubts grew less when I discovered that I am a spiritual being having a human experience. That was a powerful break because it made me realize that I was more than my body. Being a spirit meant that I wasn’t male or female. I could have been either and fitted perfectly. It is my body that decided my sex.
What are my reasons for bringing up the issue of spirituality? I have been talking about purpose and the best way to know one’s purpose is to remember that we are all spiritual beings that have a reason to be here. We didn’t come here to flow with life the way it is. We came to influence the life we are living by ensuring the world is better than it is. However the world cannot be better until we are purposeful. At times I look at the babies who come to the world everyday. Most of us are in agreement that children are bundles of joy and true blessing. However do ever wonder if they have any influence on this life?
To be frank with you, I bet that spirituality is the World Bank of Humanity. That’s where our strength and passion lies. All the answers that we seek are inside us, in that part that we have ignored for so long – our spirit. I know of so many people who are everyday looking for answers in their lives. If I told them that the answers to their questions lie with them, they would think I am bluffing.
The Spiritual Challenge
I want to challenge each and every one of us to rediscover who we really are by reviving by connecting to our spirituality. I am not suggesting to the following of a particular religion. All of us need to find our own path that will lead and connect us to the Creator or Ultimate Power. Someone else experience cannot be your experience until you are able to have your own experience and journey to the truth. That way it will be easy to discover our purpose and pursue it as if all our lives depended on it.
What Our Students Are Saying
Olita Nyathi (South Africa)
My personal growth has been cultivated through reading, travel and discourses in different forums on socio-economic and political issues. I am grateful for the sense of curiosity that I have over events for this has fostered my personal growth. I am also grateful for the people I connected with who journeyed with me all my life. I think one of the personal growth pillars in my life has been my IIGL journey. Some of my friends used to say that study without personal contact is not good enough. For me, no study has been as significant in my life as the IIGL. I am grateful for the whole person the process has awakened in me. The values I live by have earned me respect from people that I looked up to as my mentors. I have been sharing most of these insights with you.
Students In Action
We are gradually seeing the product of IIGL studies as more and more of our students are moving into leadership positions with entrepreneurial endeavors such as publishing and networking with locally established NGO’s. Three of our students have recently published books and one student was featured in a new exciting motivational magazine published in Uganda.
Felix Iziomoh (Nigeria)
Felix, our IIGL national coordinator for Nigeria, has recently published two books targeted toward African Youth. One is titled “African Leadership 101: Seven Secrets of the African Renaissance.” The second book is entitled “The Way Forward: Five Effective Steps to Achieving Your Goals In Life.” For more information on these books or to obtain a copy, contact Felix at flelixi@gmail.com.
Linquist Asiebela (Kenya)
For a copy of Linquists book, contact him at linkasieb@yahoo.com
Noeline Kirabo Mulongo (Uganda)
A new motivational magazine published in Uganda called “Behind Every Face” recently published an article by Noeline, who is our IIGL national coordinator for Uganda. The article is entitled “Stay On Course: The Journey Of Self Discovery.” You can learn more about the magazine at their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/BehindEveryFace and a copy of the article is available upon request from Noeline at noelinekirabo@yahoo.com
Afere Lawrence (Nigeria)
Lawrence, who is an IIGL Level Six student, has recently published a new book entitled “Secrets of Academic & Examination Success.” This practical, down to earth book is designed to help students successfully manage their studies and examinations with the least amount of stress. A copy of the book is available from Lawrence at ablawrence2002@yahoo.com
Bereket Alemayehu (Ethiopia)
IIGL continually encourages our student leaders to network and explore ways of working with other local or national organizations for the greater good of their communities. Two of our students, Noeline Mulungo from Uganda and Bereket Alemayehu from Ethiopia have been particularly active in this area. Bereket recently served as the local host in Addis Ababa for the 9th annual Youth For Human Rights World Educational tour on March 4th. The purpose of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is to teach youth about human rights, specifically the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and inspire them to become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. The YHRI World Educational Tour 2012 in partnership with Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, met with officials and civil society including the Convergence of Cultures team here in Addis Ababa. A presentation was also held at the offices of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and marked the importance of Human Rights Education. Youth for Human Rights through its local chapter, has organized a workshop for youth leaders in the country and provided resources for developing the structure of the institution, among others. You can contact Bereket at albereket@yahoo.com
If you are an active IIGL student and involved in a project to improve your community, nation or the world, let us know so we can feature you in an upcoming issue.
What Our Students Are Reading
The Millionaire Course:
A Visionary Plan For Creating The Life Of Your Dreams
By Marc Allen
This book is an entire course, an easy in-depth guide to accomplishing one’s dreams in life. Structured in results-minded lessons and interwoven with keys that offer sudden moments of understanding, the book helps the reader grasp new ways of thinking of, and attaining, wealth and fulfillment by doing what we love and adhering to compassionate values. Lesson topics include: “Imagine your ideal scene,” “Discover your core beliefs, and learn how to change them,” and “Grow at your own pace.” Author Marc Allen offers both a life-changing philosophy and the specific tools – the business plan, the vocabulary, even resources for financing – needed to live the dream.
Valuable Resources for Personal & Planetary Transformation
World Care
www.worldcare.org
World Care was founded on the belief that individuals can make a difference. We, as communities, can support our children and provide for families and others by simply working together for a purpose larger than ourselves. World Care would be the avenue for which individuals of all ages and beliefs could help one another as one race … the human race. Without food and water, we cannot live. Without tools for education, we cannot teach and learn. Without creativity and imagination, we cannot take what we have learned and advance our civilization to the next level of progress.”
Meet Our New Students
We are please to welcome five new active students this month. They are from
Australia, Ethiopia & Nigeria
Zivanemoyo Chinzara (Australia)
I am seventh born in a family of nine. Born to a small village near Mutoko Growth Point in Zimbabwe, I spent most of my childhood and teenage life there. My ultimate objective is to start an non-governmental organisation that is aimed at reducing poverty among rural communities. I intent to mentor young rural people how they can take advantage of opportunities available to them. I also intend to raise awareness to the world about the potential leaders that are in rural areas and see how they can be used to eradicate poverty and diseases in rural communities. I have published a number of papers in international peer reviewed journals on issues as Long term linkages of global stock markets, volatility spill over among world stock markets, macroeconomic uncertainty and financial stability, risk-return trade off in stock markets, bank concentration and monetary policy
Abraham Tura Belache (Ethiopia)
I like reading books and magazines most of my time and also discussion with friends and family on life. My second favorite is watching movies. I have a dream one day to be a civil rights leader in my country and to contribute for the freedom of citizens rights. I have been participated in designing many non profit project proposals for civil societies and community based organizations. I have also experience in designing investment projects especially in agricultural and manufacturing sector and introduction of cash crops for international markets.
I am married and have a three year old son. I am an Orthodox Coptic Christianity believer and I attend weekly courses on How to live a Christian Life.
Daniel Tsegaye (Ethiopia)
I gather a research based leadership quality for my work practices and to all my personal life. I hope I will get a significant leadership quality and develop my managerial skill. I think my personal behaviors will be changed and everybody likes me. This will encourage me to learn my subordinates and others.
Aishatu Ibrahim (Nigeria)
I am the third and only female child in a family of six. I love to explore and embrace new challenges in life. I am an Educator, Motivator, Public Speaker, Social Agent for positive change, Youth Ambassador for Peace and an advocate for women, children and human rights issues in Nigeria. I volunteer and serve on the boards of several Non-Governmental Organizations, including Teachers without Borders. My goal in life is to establish an N.G.O for Orphans and Teenage mothers and also being part of the solution in job creation by becoming an Entrepreneur. I hope to own successful businesses and become a private investor.
Nwoye Franklin (Nigeria)
I am a very simple person who always thinks positive even in the most seemingly negative situation. Am so much interested in the sciences and humanities. As an agriculturist by profession, I am very much interested in the eradication of abject hunger worldwide, climate change, imbalances in nature, natural disasters and general environmental management strategies to ensure a more sustainable and beautiful environment. I am a person of big dreams. I believe that if one must think, then he should think big, in fact extra large! My goals in life include becoming financially independent by age forty-five, owning multimillion dollar establishments, and a foundation that carters for helpless kids I love reading books a lot. Among my favourite authors include Robert T. Kiyosaki, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Pearle, Napoleon Hills, George Clarkson, Peter Wink, Dale Carnegie, John Maxwell, Richard Templar, Dr. Kevin Lehman, etc.
Graduates
The following students completed one level of study this month
GHANA Albert Darko Level One
NIGERIA Francisco Okaformbah Level One
RWANDA Charles Kabera Level Five
Student Progress
We had 21 students from 10 countries complete a total of 33 books in March. These students were from Australia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda & Zimbabwe.
Zivanemoyo Chinzara (Australia)
* As a Man Thinketh
* Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Afanda Galega (Cameroon)
* How to Win Friends and Influence People
Yieh Odette Gwain (Cameroon)
* The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Abraham Tura Belachew (Ethiopia)
* As a Man Thinketh
* Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Daniel Tsegaye (Ethiopia)
* Jonathan Livingston Seagull
* As A Man Thinketh
Solomon Teshome (Ethiopia)
* Goals
* Goal Setting 101
* Leadership for Dummies
Albert Darko (Ghana)
* How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dennis Korbla Amego Penu (Ghana)
* Real Magic
Patrick Adjei Nketia (Ghana)
* How to Win Friends and Influence People
Collins Odhiambo (Kenya)
* Mohandas K. Gandhi – An Autobiography
* Thinking for a Change
Aishatu Ibrahim (Nigeria)
* Jonathon Livingston Seagull
* As a Man Thinketh
Nwoye Franklin (Nigeria)
* Jonathon Livingston Seagull
* As a Man Thinketh
Osayi Ujunwa Lynda (Nigeria)
* Goal Setting 101
Francis Onuchukwu Okaformbah (Nigeria)
* The New Dynamics of Winning
Ugbekile Chuks Friday (Nigeria)
* The Law of Attraction
Charles Kabera (Rwanda)
* The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
* How to Make Collaboration Work
* Change or Die
* Corporate Rise
* The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
Kibogo Placide (Rwanda)
* Keys to Success
Francis Okeny Silvio (South Sudan)
* Globalization & It’s Discontents
Harriet Opondo (Uganda)
* Unlimited Power
Noeline Kirabo Mulongo (Uganda)
* The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude
Busani Sibindi (Zimbabwe)
The Law of Attraction
Statistics
New Enrollments
13 enrolled in March
25 enrolled in 2012
Book Assessments
33 in March
106 in 2012
Books Shipped
20 in March
111 in 2012
Cost of books
$450.28 in March
$2,160.79 in 2012
You Make It Possible
We extend a special thanks to the following individuals and/or organizations who contributed to IIGL last month. Your ongoing support makes this work possible.
Deb Silver (Israel)
Edmee DiPauli (UK)
Felix Iziomoh (Nigeria)
Afere Lawrence (Nigeria)
Deb Rosen (USA/WI)
Ron Walker (USA/VA)
Janis Thayer (USA.NC)
Peggy Moore (USA/NC)
Barbara Mader (USA/NM)
Lynn Murguia (USA/AZ)
Judith Royer (USA/ND)
Corine Wilson (USA.FL)
John Hornecker (USA/CA)
Wanda Gail Campbell (USA/AL)
Janae & Barry Weinhold (USA/NC)
Make A Difference
Dream Team 22
In January 2009 we launched a new idea which blends two previous endeavors: The Master Mind Group and the 22 Experiment. We are calling this Dream Team 22 and our goal is to have 220 people contributing $22 per month. We understand that money is energy and that to sustain and build IIGL we need a lot of people pouring their energy into this endeavor on a regular basis. We also know that not everyone can afford to commit $22 a month – especially our students, who live in countries with economies in which this amount can be equal to a weeks salary. So we are offering two options for those who wish to become a part of the Dream Team. One can commit to a $22 a month contribution or to spending 22 seconds each day holding the vision of IIGL becoming financially sustainable by the end of 2009.
contact Michael for details: lightweave@aol.com
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