Heartnotes: Believe in Your Gifts

A few days ago from August 29-31,  I facilitated a workshop for over 120 young secondary scholars who are part of the Mastercard Foundation's Boabab Scholarship program held in Accra Ghana at the Labadi Beach Hotel.  I was tasked to deliver a leadership workshop titled "Storytelling finding my voice". This was a space I was familiar with- working with young people and building effective leaders and change agents is my thing, yet even in this space I felt vulnerable and began to have doubts about my workshop. Who was I to do these workshops? I had done many leadership workshops for young people but none quite like this, I was trying something very new and I was afraid! I mean we were talking about the Mastercard Foundation! Were my participants going to engage? would they understand the subject matter? Needless to say I launched the workshop with my first group of students and indeed my doubts permeated. I found myself looking more at my facilitator's guide than I usually do and in general not enjoying the session. It felt very scripted and very "un-Moiyattu'". After the first session I decided to do things without even looking at the guide or using my power point guide. I vividly remember saying a prayer and asking God to give me the boldness I needed, and in that moment I relaxed, gave myself a few talk sessions and continued! Those sessions happened to be the best session, the students were into it, I enjoyed myself and learning happened naturally. In that moment and through several messages I received during the few days, I realized I should never doubt my divine gifts. Divine gifts are God given, we can't do anything to enhance them, they just are. However the most important thing I have learnt is we must never take them for granted or doubt them.  Embracing my gifts is an ongoing journey, but I realize it is necessary for us to show up as leaders in the truest of ourselves.

Written by Moiyattu Banya .

Scholars building their change agent stories- Image by Moiyattu Banya 2017 MasterCard Scholars Convening