Chioma is Back in Nigeria, back to her trip. Take alook at the article about her tripp published on BBC, go to the website to listen to the audio.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7921641.stm

Sisters’ African good news trip
By Nikki Jecks BBC World Service FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service Two Nigerian sisters are hoping to reverse the trend of bad news out of Africa by touring the continent documenting its good news stories. Chioma and Oluchi Ogwuegbu’s journey across Africa started at the end of last year in West Africa. By the end of this year they hope to have changed people’s perception of a place still called by some the “Dark continent” through their website CelebrateAfrica.net. It is an ambitious goal – common perceptions of Africa paint it as a continent littered with corrupt governments and plagued by civil war and natural disaster. The sisters freely admit that they did have some concerns about their mission at the beginning. “From what I’ve heard Africa is so dangerous. People told me that I would be raped, killed,” Chioma Ogwuegbu confessed. But, as her continued presence attests, none of that has happened. In fact, Chioma and Oluchi report that their experience has been just the opposite. Many of these people don’t know about the positive things, all they see is the negative Chioma Ogwuegbu “So many times what the media projects about Africa is negative, there isn’t that much positive news, positive stories about what is going on,” Oluchi Ogwuegbu says. “When [people] hear what we are doing, they embrace it. Total strangers who don’t know us just want to help out.” Chioma and Oluchi are nothing if not ambitious. They plan to visit 22 countries in all. Hidden jewels Their journey so far has seen them visit Ghana, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. And what they have discovered is a land of friendly people, beautiful landscapes, unusual dishes, and unexpected hospitality and kindness. For example in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, they discover the beautiful Cascades de Karfiguela waterfalls and breath-taking rock formations in the Domes de Fabedougou which geologists say date back 1.8m years. In Ghana, the sisters have visited Breman Bedum a sleepy village three hours from the capital Accra. The sisters hope to give young Africans a sense of hope for their continent There they were given a tour around an essential oils farm which is providing a reliable income and a better way of life to local villagers as well as ensuring the area’s threatened woodlands are reforested. “Many of these people don’t know about the positive things, all they see is the negative,” says Chioma. “But there are so many things here that we can be doing as Africans to better this continent.” Even turmoil ridden Guinea-Bissau gets a positive spin: “The good thing about Guinea-Bissau was that you could see that the people were happy, they were forging ahead, despite the hardship and suffering around them they were still moving along,” says Oluchi. Although the pair do admit it was one of the most challenging countries they have visited so far. The audience for their webtour is not just foreign readers, but also young Africans, who the sisters believe need to be encouraged to see their countries as places of hope and potential, not just as a place of hardship and poverty. “Many young Africans, they all want to leave Africa. I’m not saying that Africa is perfect,” Chioma says. “But our aim is to first tell Africans about what is here, what we have here.”

The word of the day is Gratitude.

If you read again what you have written on your blogs, you will understand why I have chosen this word.

The first projects presented by you demonstrated a level of commitment to the process that was, to say the least, very impressive. We learned a lot from you during this time.  Sharing this experience has also changed us. Thanks for opening the door to your homes, sharing your personal lives and also the light that shines forth from within each of you.

 

We believe that every human being is like a flame. There are times in our lives that we can be compared to dry or burning charcoal. Meaning, that our flame is either not there or its heating capacity is not reaching its full potential. However, its true purpose is to manifest itself in the same manner as would a flame- offering light, heat and shining forth. We are grateful for the opportunity that each of us has to put our resources together with yours and burn them to the highest potential.  

On the 7^th of October, you will receive a message which will inform you whether or not you have been selected to participate in the Warriors Without Weapons 2009 program.  

Regardless of its content, this letter celebrates a new stage of the game. It is invigorating and contains infinite possibilities. This time the invitation is for you to be receptive to the game of life, as many of you have already demonstrated such a trait.

When you responded to our invitation, did you want to change the world? We believed that you accepted the challenge not for Elos but for yourself, because the desire to change the world was already being developed within you.

The world changes every time we offer what is the best within each of us.  

Now, each of you has a blog and a lot of things to say. Let’s show that the game does not end as long as we are ready to continue playing. For that reason, we would like to make another invitation.

 On the 15^th of October, bloggers from all over the world will gather to voice their opinions and discuss matters that concern all humanity. Their purpose is to gear the conversation to a new level. At this time, there are over 5 million blogs signed up with a total of 10 million readers. So what do you say? 

Let’s change the conversation ?

to know more and to get involved: http://site.blogactionday.org/

 

LEVEL 7:

Evaluation means to see the value in something

Tell us about your experience playing the game.  What were the positive aspects?  What were the negative aspects?  How would you change your attitude from the beginning? 2

Last month Mila wrote this article to share with you. My falt(!), you just get it now. As you know Mila is part of Elos Team. She works in the development and implementation of the Osis Game. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Studying ways to improve the Oasis methodology, yesterday I met a special friend: Sonia Café, co-creator of the Hero’s Game. She told me about the game and its site.
I got in and found a video that I want to share with you.This video took me back to 2007 during the month of Warriors Without Weapons 07, and I reminded the magic sensation that was always with me – that the FIELD there was so strong, with all the feelings, experiences, challenges, diversity, contacts with wonderful people… that made me discover new and amazing ways to be myself connected with all around.

 

“There’s a perfect shot out there trying to find and reach each one of us. All we have to do is get out of its way and let it choose us”

It was impossible to be in the way. Many perfect shots reached me, every day, all the time!

(from The Legend of Bagger Vance)

 

 

LEVEL 6:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 GO!

We are crazy to see you in action!!!!

YOU HAVE 10 DAYS TO SHOW US WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED

LEVEL 5: 

You’re not alone

Now is your chance to make a difference and do it!!! Decide who you can help and by what means.  

YOU HAVE 5 DAYS TO TELL US HOW YOU WILL GATHER PEOPLE, WHO THEY ARE, AND WHAT YOUR PLAN IS.

LEVEL 4:

Great ideas are born from small causes

Look for a single aspect that can be improved in a community you are part of (your home, neighborhood, school, work, etc.).  Share with us, in details, how you plan to do this.

YOU HAVE UNTILL SEPTEMBER 8^th TO TELL US.

This, as you already know, is the blog of the Program Warriors Without Weapons. The Warriors Without Weapons is a program created by Elos Institute… But this you already know too.

What you may not know yet is who are the people working at Elos.

Nowadays Elos has a team of 10 people, look at their faces:

If you took a good look at the picture, you may have noticed two little ones: they are Lia (my daughter) and Laura (Rodrigo and Mariana’s daughter). They are in the picture because they come to the office every day… so they are part of this family.

Are also part of this family (although they are not in the picture) Ricardo Oliveros , who support us on communication issue, and developed the games The Way of the Warrior I and The Way of the Warrior II , and Márcia Costa our press consultant.

Now, seeing the pictures is cool… But to get to know us better, you’ll need a bit more than that. That’s why every now and then some of us post some articles in here. The articles are, usually, about what we are doing right now to make the Warriors Without Weapons 2009 possible, or experiences lived in previous editions, or whatever moves us right now.

We hope it has been enjoyable.

LEVEL 3

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Small individual actions can create larger collective difference. 

 

MY TRASH

My trash is another person’s treasure

 

1.    start a recycling program at home

2.    during one week, make a list of everything you throw away and everything you recycle.

 

MY EXCESS

as little as I have, I know that there is always someone out there who has less than I do.

 

1.     make a list of all the things you don’t use and donate them to people who might appreciate them.

2.     we want to know what you donated and to whom

 

MY CONSUMPTION

everything I consume has an impact in the world

 

1.      observe what you tend to consume.  make a list of things you could economize. 

2.      we want to know what, and how much you were able to economize during one week.   

 

Just like in any game, the first levels are easy.  Most people have already passed these levels.  If this is the case with you, tell us about what you are already doing to make a difference.  If you can’t think of anything, know that you are running a bit behind…

 

YOU HAVE A WEEK TO FINISH THIS LEVEL. YOU MAY CHOOSE TO POST IN A DAILY BASIS OF IF YOU PREFER, TO POST A BIGGER ARTICLE AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD.

In your third post answer the following questions:

 

MY PURPOSE

Why do you want to take part in the program Warriors Without Weapons 2009?

MY COMMITMENT

What you intend to do once you are back home after the Warriors Without Weapons?

MY ACTION

How, in your opinion, your experience during the program here will support you to take action in your location?

 

You have till Thursday, August 28th, to finish this task!