Shaping the Future of Africa | Nadia Nguru | TEDxYouth@BrookhouseSchool

if you don’t mind I’d like to tell you a

if you don’t mind I’d like to tell you a story of a young girl who fought a long

story of a young girl who fought a long

story of a young girl who fought a long and tough war with herself

and tough war with herself

and tough war with herself in fact I shouldn’t use the word fought

in fact I shouldn’t use the word fought

in fact I shouldn’t use the word fought for I’m still fighting fighting to love

for I’m still fighting fighting to love

for I’m still fighting fighting to love myself for me and understand that this

myself for me and understand that this

myself for me and understand that this is how my mother made me I won’t lie it

is how my mother made me I won’t lie it

is how my mother made me I won’t lie it took a lot of courage for me to come and

took a lot of courage for me to come and

took a lot of courage for me to come and stand here before you today and share my

stand here before you today and share my

stand here before you today and share my story I came from a place that became

story I came from a place that became

story I came from a place that became the norm to degrade myself and

the norm to degrade myself and

the norm to degrade myself and distinguish which parts of my body

distinguish which parts of my body

distinguish which parts of my body needed diminishing I spent time giving

needed diminishing I spent time giving

needed diminishing I spent time giving each scar on my body it’s special

each scar on my body it’s special

each scar on my body it’s special attention I spend time telling myself

attention I spend time telling myself

attention I spend time telling myself that I needed to change things that I

that I needed to change things that I

that I needed to change things that I needed to put down the fork and pick up

needed to put down the fork and pick up

needed to put down the fork and pick up some running shoes that I needed to wear

some running shoes that I needed to wear

some running shoes that I needed to wear long sleeves so my arms they don’t show

long sleeves so my arms they don’t show

long sleeves so my arms they don’t show when my scars they won’t know when my

when my scars they won’t know when my

when my scars they won’t know when my fears they won’t grow but if you ask me

fears they won’t grow but if you ask me

fears they won’t grow but if you ask me how many times I told myself that I did

how many times I told myself that I did

how many times I told myself that I did well on that test I’ll pat myself on the

well on that test I’ll pat myself on the

well on that test I’ll pat myself on the back for every mile I run or simply told

back for every mile I run or simply told

back for every mile I run or simply told myself that I’m trying hey Nadia props

myself that I’m trying hey Nadia props

myself that I’m trying hey Nadia props for not dying

for not dying

for not dying that was until I decided that nobody’s

that was until I decided that nobody’s

that was until I decided that nobody’s opinion on me can never faze me

opinion on me can never faze me

opinion on me can never faze me and so I told my inhibitions to be quiet

and so I told my inhibitions to be quiet

and so I told my inhibitions to be quiet I told them that no matter what you

I told them that no matter what you

I told them that no matter what you cannot shake me you cannot break me

cannot shake me you cannot break me

cannot shake me you cannot break me because this is how mama made me before

because this is how mama made me before

because this is how mama made me before I get into how I discovered the virtues

I get into how I discovered the virtues

I get into how I discovered the virtues of self-love I feel it is imperative I

of self-love I feel it is imperative I

of self-love I feel it is imperative I tell you about how I got to the point

tell you about how I got to the point

tell you about how I got to the point where I didn’t even know how to love

where I didn’t even know how to love

where I didn’t even know how to love thyself about 11 years ago at the tender

thyself about 11 years ago at the tender

thyself about 11 years ago at the tender age of 4 I got into an accident that

age of 4 I got into an accident that

age of 4 I got into an accident that left with second and third degree burns

left with second and third degree burns

left with second and third degree burns on a significant amount of my thighs my

on a significant amount of my thighs my

on a significant amount of my thighs my lower back and my arm ironically enough

lower back and my arm ironically enough

lower back and my arm ironically enough the accident is as a result of someone

the accident is as a result of someone

the accident is as a result of someone telling me that they didn’t like my

telling me that they didn’t like my

telling me that they didn’t like my attempt at pancakes and of course me

attempt at pancakes and of course me

attempt at pancakes and of course me being four that shattered my heart

being four that shattered my heart

being four that shattered my heart two weeks later now the scars had healed

two weeks later now the scars had healed

two weeks later now the scars had healed and I was back home running around

and I was back home running around

and I was back home running around making more pancakes

making more pancakes

making more pancakes but what I didn’t know was that those

but what I didn’t know was that those

but what I didn’t know was that those scars would develop into wounds no one

scars would develop into wounds no one

scars would develop into wounds no one ever talks about how hard it is to wake

ever talks about how hard it is to wake

ever talks about how hard it is to wake up and face yourself in the mirror like

up and face yourself in the mirror like

up and face yourself in the mirror like a stranger on a blank date who just

a stranger on a blank date who just

a stranger on a blank date who just wants to see someone else soon enough I

wants to see someone else soon enough I

wants to see someone else soon enough I convinced myself that I had now been

convinced myself that I had now been

convinced myself that I had now been branded in my mind I was ruined

branded in my mind I was ruined

branded in my mind I was ruined would I ever look the same is there

would I ever look the same is there

would I ever look the same is there someone I can blame my hatred for me I

someone I can blame my hatred for me I

someone I can blame my hatred for me I could not team days turned into weeks

could not team days turned into weeks

could not team days turned into weeks that turned into months and years of me

that turned into months and years of me

that turned into months and years of me questioning why it had to be me and why

questioning why it had to be me and why

questioning why it had to be me and why my body was now tainted painted by scars

my body was now tainted painted by scars

my body was now tainted painted by scars that went across my thighs like rivers

that went across my thighs like rivers

that went across my thighs like rivers that chart a course of pain and disdain

that chart a course of pain and disdain

that chart a course of pain and disdain because i filled my head with lies and

because i filled my head with lies and

because i filled my head with lies and soon enough i had even more scars scars

soon enough i had even more scars scars

soon enough i had even more scars scars caused by my refusal to accept me from

caused by my refusal to accept me from

caused by my refusal to accept me from me and scars caused by my refusal to

me and scars caused by my refusal to

me and scars caused by my refusal to understand that beneath his skin stood a

understand that beneath his skin stood a

understand that beneath his skin stood a girl who was raised to believe that she

girl who was raised to believe that she

girl who was raised to believe that she is beautiful her future bountiful and no

is beautiful her future bountiful and no

is beautiful her future bountiful and no matter what you do to her you cannot

matter what you do to her you cannot

matter what you do to her you cannot shake her you cannot break her because

shake her you cannot break her because

shake her you cannot break her because this is how mama made her if I could

this is how mama made her if I could

this is how mama made her if I could reach out to my younger self I would

reach out to my younger self I would

reach out to my younger self I would tell her that she is strong and in the

tell her that she is strong and in the

tell her that she is strong and in the face of adversity she rose to prove them

face of adversity she rose to prove them

face of adversity she rose to prove them wrong

wrong

wrong I would tell tell her to take less time

I would tell tell her to take less time

I would tell tell her to take less time telling herself that these scars are

telling herself that these scars are

telling herself that these scars are blemishes and instead cherish them it

blemishes and instead cherish them it

blemishes and instead cherish them it took me time to appreciate that

took me time to appreciate that

took me time to appreciate that to appreciate that these are the medals

to appreciate that these are the medals

to appreciate that these are the medals of honor that I wear because I fought no

of honor that I wear because I fought no

of honor that I wear because I fought no I am fighting a tough war with myself

I am fighting a tough war with myself

I am fighting a tough war with myself and every day that life beats me and

and every day that life beats me and

and every day that life beats me and gets me black and blue I get back up and

gets me black and blue I get back up and

gets me black and blue I get back up and rearming myself with nothing but love

rearming myself with nothing but love

rearming myself with nothing but love for me and the belief of a brighter

for me and the belief of a brighter

for me and the belief of a brighter destiny today ladies and gentlemen the

destiny today ladies and gentlemen the

destiny today ladies and gentlemen the ball is in your court

ball is in your court

ball is in your court you see when it comes to shaping the

you see when it comes to shaping the

you see when it comes to shaping the future of our beloved continent it must

future of our beloved continent it must

future of our beloved continent it must start with you you need to have the

start with you you need to have the

start with you you need to have the strength to love yourself whether you’re

strength to love yourself whether you’re

strength to love yourself whether you’re any with anyone or you’re by yourself

any with anyone or you’re by yourself

any with anyone or you’re by yourself you need to understand that this is who

you need to understand that this is who

you need to understand that this is who you are you are covered in prosperity

you are you are covered in prosperity

you are you are covered in prosperity with a sprinkle of blessing and no

with a sprinkle of blessing and no

with a sprinkle of blessing and no matter what they do to you

matter what they do to you

matter what they do to you they cannot shake you oh they can never

they cannot shake you oh they can never

they cannot shake you oh they can never break you

break you

break you because this is how mama made you thank

because this is how mama made you thank

because this is how mama made you thank you