HIV/AIDS in rural villages

My little HIV/AIDS Story as We mark world's AIDS day. Please read and share!!!

The unfriendly friend of the rural dwellers

I have lived in the city all my live. Even though my family is not the influential and rich families, I yet enjoy little luxury with friends and relatives born with silver spoon in their mouth. The sight of the high scrappers and beautiful street lights in the nights and tens of radio stations entertaining and feeding one with on the go news updates; city life I must confess remain a choice I can’t possibly resist.
I heard that our country is not yet among the best in the world, but somehow, things look a bit orderly and until I perhaps have the opportunity of travelling outside here, this place may remain the best place I have been. You need to see me sometimes in super stores and fast food centers. Wow! I so much cherish those outings. I had lived on the good lane of life without any other mixture of what it will mean living without those things I see every day.
How did I come in contact with new horrible way of life? It was going to be adventurous as I volunteered to serve in a 3 day rural campaign project organized by a church my friend attends. Things never remained the same with me thereafter.
We travelled few kilometers away from the city and we vanished into this thick forest. I began to ask if we were heading to a game reserve or something. The road networks were odd, rivers after rivers and valleys that are almost impossible to pass. We kept going and soon we started seeing people. These people looked different and terribly dirty. No electricity, no radio, no telephone network, no portable water, no schools and their daylight was a complete darkness of life. Why oh my God? Are these human beings? Who brought them here? What did they do? When will they be forgiven so that they can come back and join us in the city? No! They belong here and probably will remain here forever. That was the answer I got.
I didn’t enjoy my rural adventure. I felt guilty and pained. We have been so wicked and selfish. We have left these people here to suffer and die. We can’t even build a small clinic for them. Let’s come to think of this; who is suppose to be responsible for the provision of all the needed amenities to support these people’s life? Are these people living under the responsibility of the same government ruling us in the city? Are they prisoners serving their own punishment here in the forest? So many questions pops through my mind. I became lost in my mind. My thought failed me as I could not figure out why we should be that different even though they said we own the resources of the nation together. This is definitely not fair: my conclusion!
My friends are familiar with the life in these rural villages. They had visited during their last holiday and now, they started talking to me. They encouraged me to be alive in the activities we visited the villages to perform so that I could learn more things. We had gone to the village to educate them on basic healthcare management. We moved from one household to another. Then I began to see traces of horrible sicknesses. All the infections that have been banished in the city had all travelled to these villages to torment the innocent rural dwellers. I decided to devote all my attention on asking the villagers what they know about HIV/AIDS. Virtually all of them have heard about AIDS but knows nothing about it. They have unprotected sexual acts and engage in several other acts that can easily transmit the virus. No one is interested in taking the pain of visiting these silent section of the world to educate them. They are totally disconnected from every form of information.
The effort of the agencies working on AIDS prevention, the government and other community support projects honestly by my judgment have failed in their rural inclusiveness. I followed up my rural experience with some visits to few NGOs and mentioned to them few of the villages I came in contact with; sad enough, they don’t even know those places exist. I visited some broadcast stations, they couldn’t belief such villages still exists in this 21st century. I had to show them pictures and videos to proof my claims. Even at that, they wouldn’t try to visit these places. Reason is simple; access roads are near impossibility. Villages are far, in case of any emergency, there won’t be any means of linking the outside world. Complaints after complaints. So we all continued to live our luxury in our cities and doing all the curing, treatments, preventions and several campaigns within the city and neighboring towns to audiences with good education. While pushing all we banished in cities to travel to our rural communities and continue to be their nightmare.
AIDS has remained an unfriendly friend of the people living in the rural places in Nigeria and no one cares. We all make political noise and propaganda in the cities just to receive public and government commendations. Time to shift focus is now!

Story by Semiye Michael of OneKidProject. A Volunteer with @Haiti Cholera Research Funding Foundation.

Farmers Diary3

#WeSpeakAndAct #FarmersDiary

What is red pepper called in your village?
I met an elderly woman here and I remembered How young ladies used to compete in pepper harvest season while I was in the village.

If we concentrate only on our career or family runs, without occasionally considering What life hold for the grassroot people, I can confirm to you that we are yet to start living.
These people listens to my stories with deep amazement...... they can't believe life can be any better than What they have. There is So much love even in the midst of great poverty.

#ZeroGovernance

Farmers' Diary2

#WeSpeakAndAct #FarmersDiary
This is a Yam Farmland.
Some few people believe yam is pluck on the tree. These are
the same type of people who lead us but have no idea of
where we hail from not to talk of what we live on.
Our farmers today farm on same piece of land over and over
again and again. Now, farm produce are no longer What they
use to be. The government that ordinarily should provide or
make fertilizer available to local farmers are busy growing
pot belly. The story of our are farmers are best told by
themselves and not some political handbags used for fake
political reports and election manipulation.
Will our leaders take time to make an unannounced visit to
genuine farmers and ask them honest questions?
#Ayemafrica #GrassRoot #Development

Farmers' Diary

#WeSpeakAndAct!!!

I grew up as a farm boy and I can confirm to you that it still runs in my blood. You cannot give what you don't have. Leaders who lead without a single knowledge of what those he leads are passing through will never deliver efficient leadership.

Today, I went back to my farmers friends. I visited So many farms and made great stories from these great people.
#NationFeeders

Did You Dream of Being an Employee?

A letter from Robert Kiyosoki!

Greetings Larayetan,

This email is different than the first two. This email is going to discuss success. The fact that unemployment is at an extreme high is not that scary when you realize that being an employee was never your dream.

Many people think of me as an author. I am not. I am an entrepreneur. Even though it was a tough road at the start, I love being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is where success is found… or made.

I love starting new businesses. I love the creativity, the people I meet, the challenges, and the rewards. In my day, the price for gaining the knowledge and the experience was high, yet in retrospect it was worth it. For you today, receiving the knowledge is much easier and more affordable.

I love the new challenges I go through every day as an entrepreneur. I love the excitement of the startup and then the development. Once the business is up and running, I love the challenge of the expansion and growth. Once the business is thriving, I love the challenge of bringing on new people to add stability and grow the business, which makes the business predictable and profitable.

As an entrepreneur, every day is energizing, new, and experiential. I am always learning something new, even on bad days. To be a true entrepreneur, you need to be smart and love to learn. If you do not love learning, chances are your business will not grow…because you are not growing. Whenever I find a business that is declining or stagnant, it is often because the owner is declining or stagnant.

Entrepreneurship doesn’t just give your life energy and excitement, it gives the world the same lift. Entrepreneurship is the key. And here’s the great part… it doesn’t have to be scary. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are many people out there who started their business while still working.

Next I’ll explain the way to test your entrepreneurial spirit. The great thing about being an entrepreneur is that you can do it no matter what your situation is. No matter what is going on around you, you can succeed. Thank you for reading. If you find value in these emails please share them with your friends.

To making life better,

Robert Kiyosaki

STOP YOUR FEAR TODAY

If you want to overcome the fears that will hold you back from achieving the success you really want...

Then this will be the most important message you will ever read.

We’re going to show you how to overcome some of the most common fears that almost everyone experiences at some point.

So let’s get to it!


#1. FEAR OF RISK

For some reason, our minds lead us to think that the familiar is usually the best way to live.

It’s crazy, isn’t it? Even though we’re not happy with our situation, our natural tendency is to prefer the way things are over what we can make it.

We don’t like being uncomfortable. Some people call it being pushed outside our “comfort zone.”

Here’s the way I look at it...

In today’s world, we have the tools, resources, and education right at our fingertips to accomplish anything.

And with the way Wall Street is looking, it seems to be a bigger risk to live according to their rules. The old ways of planning for retirement just aren't working anymore.

When you look at it, that retirement security that so many people search for isn’t so secure after all!

So don’t let your fear of risk hold you back. Because you’re probably not really risking that much to try and achieve your goals and dreams.

Try and remember that those risks are mostly your natural reaction to change.

Put them in perspective and you’ll be able to master those feelings once and for all!

Malia Obama’s as a worker in a the film industry.

Malia Obama’s Summer Job Draws Critics in the Blogosphere
First Daughter Lands CBS Production.

While most teens prepare to spend the summer working at a summer camp or flipping burgers, Malia Obama has been spotted working on a Hollywood set in a summer job that would be a dream post for most teenagers.
The oldest daughter of President Obama has been working as a production assistant on the Los Angeles set of “Extant”, an up-coming CBS sci-fi series that is being produced by Steven Spielberg and stars Halle Berry as an astronaut who returns home pregnant after a year in space according to News Leader.
The Wrap reported that the first daughter has been doing typical work of an intern and has not received any special treatments. “She helped with computer shop alignments and the director also let her slate a take,” one source told The Wrap. TMZ said, “We’re told Malia spent most of her day going on runs for coffee and drinks for most of the cast.” TMZ said sources told them that the first daughter also participated in showing actors where to stand during filming and helped walk performers through their scenes.
She is a rising junior at Sidwell Friends, an exclusive D.C. prep school, and will turn 16 on Independence Day. President Obama mentioned earlier in a New Yorker article published in January that his oldest daughter had a passion for filmmaking.
News of the summer position has stirred criticism, especially on the blogosphere, were commentators say the 16 year-old teenager was benefitting from her father’s clout and not her abilities.

President Obama with daughter Malia.
“I don’t think that this young lady should have this position” one commenter on The Wrap said, noting that as a mother and business owner, she would not provide that kind of advantage for her child. . “Parents with means have made it too easy for their kids. Thus, we have a population of spoiled little rich kids who feel entitled to have and do whatever they want,”
Other critics voiced concern that taxpayers will have to foot the bill to accommodate the Obama daughter’s summer gig.  Drudge Report commenter Jim Sorah presidential pull shouldn’t overshadow the impact on taxpayers of sending a teenager to Los Angles for a summer job. “… how much is the bill on taxpayers for transportation and security?”  he asked in an online comment. According to The Wrap dispatch, Secret Service agents shadowed the teen on the set.
“Imagine how many kids she cut in front of who were more qualified and passionate about getting the internship. Disgusting at every level,” said Rob McKinnon in a reaction that drew 13 likes on The Wrap.
In its account of the summer job for Malia Obama, The Grio’ noted that designer Ralph Lauren’s granddaughter represents his brand as a model, while Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hilary Clinton, is getting paid $600,000 as an intern at NBC and Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former president George W. Bush landed a job on NBC’s “Today Show” with no formal journalism training.
Michelle Obama has not responded to comments about her daughter’s day on the TV set. The first lady in the past has reiterated that she tries to keep her girls grounded and that they do have chores at the White House. “Extant” co –star Camryn Manheim told reporters she loved having Obama on set.  “She is graceful and lovely, and just charming and delightful and I don’t know how her parents raised her to be like that in the White House. I’m having my own struggle with my 13-year old.”
Michelle Obama has not responded to comments about her daughter’s day on the production set

What's the lesson for the African people?

Social contacts as an asset

Good evening this evening...

Let's talk about the value of our social contact!

Myself for example.... 

I have over 1,000 numbers on my 3 phones.....

How many do you have....?

I have little above 400 contacts on my Whatsapp ...

What's yours.....?

My BBM contacts above 130....

Yours......?

My Facebook group have close to 5000 members, Facebook page above 800 fans and my personal Facebook account with close to 1000 friends....

My twitter account enjoys close to 2000 followers...

Histagram is around 40 plus...

In all, we are talking about 10,000 plus social contacts.

These number translate to the people I am through one platform or the other connected to. I can have Some forms of communication with them.

The questions now are;
What's the friendship level of your social contacts?

What's the economic value of your social contacts?

I mean, What are you doing with your social contacts?

The wealth of so many people today is anchored on the worth of their social contacts.
Do you Just store up social contacts? Do you Just chat? Do you Just call to say "Hi" to them?

Your social contacts in today's market are valuable wealth assets.

I only need 5 out of my social contacts to join my Trevo network.... you can be sure that, that won't be an impossible task.

Use your social contacts wisely...... join Trevo.

Sweet dreams.

Jay Jay Okocha - Biography.

Story

Tagline "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice."

Introduction Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha (born 14 August 1973) is a Nigeria former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is known for his step-overs, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice' (a line immortalized in a terrace chant while Okocha played for Bolton Wanderers). He is a dual Turkish-Nigerian citizen, having acquired Turkish citizenship as "Muhammet Yavuz" while playing for Süper Lig team Fenerbahçe.
Okocha was born in Enugu, Enugu State. His parents were from Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, Nigeria. The name Jay-Jay was actually passed down from his older brother James, who started playing football first. His immediate older brother Emmanuel was also called Emma Jay-jay, but the name stuck with Okocha. He began playing football on the street just like many other football stars, usually with a makeshift ball.

In an interview with BBC Sport he said "as far as I can remember, we used to play with anything, with any round thing we could find, and whenever we managed to get hold of a ball, that was a bonus! I mean it was amazing!" In 1990, he joined Enugu Rangers. In his time at the club he produced many spectacular displays including one where he rounded off and scored a goal, against experienced Nigerian goalkeeper William Okpara in a match against BBC Lions. Later he travelled to Germany to meet a friend, where he was asked to train with his team after impressing in training, and landed a deal with German Third Division side Borussia Neunkirchen.

Okocha joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 1992, where he linked up with many well-known players including Ghanaian international striker Tony Yeboah and later Thomas Doll. He continued to shine for the German side, one highlight being a goal he scored against Karlsruhe, dribbling in the penalty box and slotting the ball past Oliver Kahn even going past some players twice.  The goal was voted Goal of the Season by many soccer magazines. In 1995, Okocha, Yeboah and Maurizio Gaudino were all involved in a feud with manager Jupp Heynckes, which led to their departure from the club.

Yeboah and Gaudino later left for England, while Okocha stayed until the end of the season when Frankfurt were relegated to the Second division, before signing for Istanbul club Fenerbahçe.

Okocha joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe following Eintracht Frankfurt's relegation to Bundesliga 2. In his two seasons with the team he amassed thirty goals in sixty appearances, many of them coming from direct free kicks which had become something of a trademark for him at the club. He was also part of the side that historically defeated Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford in the 1996-97 UEFA Champions League group stage. While at Fenerbahçe, he also became a Turkish citizen as "Muhammet Yavuz."

Okocha joined Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer after leaving PSG in the summer of 2002 after the FIFA World Cup. His debut season, despite being hampered by injury, made him a favourite with the Bolton fans, with the team printing shirts with the inscription "Jay-Jay – so good they named him twice". He steered the team away from relegation with seven goals, including the team Goal of the Season in the vital league win against West Ham. This was voted Bolton's best Premier League goal in a fans vote in 2008. The next season saw Okocha receive more responsibility as he was given the captain's armband following Guðni Bergsson's retirement. As captain he led Bolton to their first cup final in nine years where they finished runners-up in the 2004 Football League Cup.

In 2006, he was stripped of the captaincy – something he said he had seen coming, as there had been a change in attitude from some staff members. This had probably been due to his proposed move to the Middle East, which had been growing in speculation. At the end of the season, he refused a one-year extension in order to move to Qatar.

Okocha made his official debut for Nigeria in their 2–1 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifier away loss against Ivory Coast in May 1993. It was not until his second cap and home debut that he became a favorite with the Nigerian supporters. With Nigeria trailing 1–0 against Algeria, in a match they needed to win, he scored from a direct free kick to equalise, before helping the team to a 4–1 win, eventually securing qualification to their first World Cup. In 1994, he was a member of both the victorious 1994 African Cup of Nations squad and the World Cup squad who made it to the second round before they lost in a dramatic match against eventual runners-up Italy.

In 1996, Okocha became a member of an arguably more successful Nigerian side, their Olympic gold winning side at the Atlanta Games, later nicknamed Dream Team by the Nigerian press after the USA 1992 Olympic gold winning basketball team. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosted by France, Okocha played for a disappointing Super Eagles side who failed to live up to expectations again reaching the round of 16, albeit with less impressive performances save for their 3–2 opening win against Spain. This did not destroy interest in Okocha, who had entertained fans with his trademark skills and dribbles and went on to be named in the squad of the tournament.

Okocha again joined the Super Eagles in the 2000 African Cup of Nations co-hosted with Ghana. He scored three goals in the tournament, two in the opening game against Tunisia, and a left-foot blast from outside the penalty area into the top corner in the final against Cameroon, which equalized the score 2–2 and ultimately would send the match into extra time. There was no change in the score during the supplement, so the winner was decided on penalties; Okocha converted his shot but Nigeria lost the shootout to earn the silver medal.

After a disappointing Nations Cup in 2002 where Nigeria ended up finishing third, Okocha was named Nigeria captain after Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George were axed from the side. His first tournament as captain came that summer in the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan. Playing in Group E, the ‘group of the death’ alongside Argentina, Sweden and England, Nigeria failed to make it to the next round gaining only one point in their final game, a goalless draw against England.

Okocha later led the Nigerian team to a third place finish at the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia, with some breathtaking displays, scoring four goals which include a spectacular free kick against Cameroon in the quarter finals and most notably the 1000th goal in Nations Cup history against South Africa, and winning the Player of the tournament and joint Golden boot winner.

After failing to help Nigeria qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Okocha announced that he would retire from international scene after the Cup of Nations in Egypt. Injury prevented Okocha from featuring in any of Nigeria's opening fixtures and he did not regain fitness until the semi final loss against Ivory Coast. He then played in his final international appearance in a 2–1 victory in a third place playoff against Senegal, he was then given a standing ovation by the nearly 60,000 attendance when he left the field.

He made a return to the Super Eagles in his testimonial against an African select side in Warri. The game featured former players Daniel Amokachi, Alloysius Agu and John Fashanu, as well as current players Benjani and Sulley Muntari. Nigeria won the game 2–1 with Okocha scoring the winning goal after appearing for the side in the second half.

International Honors

African Cup of Nations: 1994
Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1995
Olympic Games: 1996
World Cup
Round of 16: 1994, 1998
Individual Honors

Okocha never won the African Player of Year award, becoming arguably the best player never to win the award despite coming second twice in 1998 & 2004. He did however win the inaugural BBC African Footballer of the Year and the successive one, becoming the only player to retain the award and win it more than once. In 2004 he was listed in football legend  Pelé's FIFA 100 (a list of the greatest 125 living players of all time). In 2007 he was voted number 12 on the greatest African footballers of the past 50 years list, on a poll conducted by CAF to coincide with their 50th anniversary.

2004 BBC African Footballer of the Year
2005 BBC African Footballer of the Year
2005 Bolton Wanderers footballer of the year
1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Nigerian footballer of the year
1996 Nigerian footballer of the year runner up
FIFA 100

History of Valentine

The History of Valentine's Day

The origins of Valentine's Day trace back to the ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia. Held on February 15, Lupercalia honored the gods Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.

In addition to a bountiful feast, Lupercalia festivities are purported to have included the pairing of young women and men. Men would draw women's names from a box, and each couple would be paired until next year's celebration.

While this pairing of couples set the tone for today's holiday, it wasn't called "Valentine's Day" until a priest named Valentine came along. Valentine, a romantic at heart, disobeyed Emperor Claudius II's decree that soldiers remain bachelors. Claudius handed down this decree believing that soldiers would be distracted and unable to concentrate on fighting if they were married or engaged. Valentine defied the emperor and secretly performed marriage ceremonies. As a result of his defiance, Valentine was put to death on February 14.

After Valentine's death, he was named a saint. As Christianity spread through Rome, the priests moved Lupercalia from February 15 to February 14 and renamed it St. Valentine's Day to honor Saint Valentine.
What's Cupid Got to Do with It?

According to Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Cupid was known to cause people to fall in love by shooting them with his magical arrows. But Cupid didn't just cause others to fall in love - he himself fell deeply in love.

As legend has it, Cupid fell in love with a mortal maiden named Psyche. Cupid married Psyche, but Venus, jealous of Psyche's beauty, forbade her daughter-in-law to look at Cupid. Psyche, of course, couldn't resist temptation and sneaked a peek at her handsome husband. As punishment, Venus demanded that she perform three hard tasks, the last of which caused Psyche's death.

Cupid brought Psyche back to life and the gods, moved by their love, granted Pysche immortality. Cupid thus represents the heart and Psyche the (struggles of the) human soul.
Fun Facts

Approximately 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent each year. Half of those are sent through Care2 (OK, maybe not HALF... or even half of half... but we are growing fast!)
In order of popularity, Valentine's Day cards are given to: teachers, children, mothers, wives, sweethearts, Koko the gorilla.
The expression "wearing your heart on your sleeve" comes from a Valentine's Day party tradition. Young women would write their names on slips of paper to be drawn by young men. A man would then wear a woman's name on his sleeve to claim her as his valentine.

Happy Valentine's Day!