" Bullying is part of many children's journey. And it is not peaceful. It makes children feel sad and useless. Our lives should not be filled with the fear of being hit and bullied by bigger kids than us, because life should be a journey full of things that children like. " Rezaan Americia, a Grade 5 learner at the Athlone School for the Blind
Once there was a child, and the one child hit the one child and so I come along and I said "don't bully the other child". I said "please do not bully the other people". My friend, I don't like to see one child getting bullied. lt is not a nice situation that child is going through.
The children can get sick, and I don't like people getting bullied. How would that child's family feel about that?
When we grow big and we have children, we have to create our lives because our children will get big and might face things like bullying and drug abuse. Bullying is part of many children's journey. And it is not peaceful. It makes children feel sad and useless. Our lives should not be filled with the fear of being hit and bullied by bigger kids than us, because life should be a journey full of things that children like.
Sometimes parents try to protect their children from bullies. But, they are not always around them when they are of school. Bullies can harm kids in more ways and not just by hitting them. The heartsore and the fear you worry with you is never gone.
A journey of peace would be a life without the fear of being hurt by a bigger boy or girl. On the journey we have to grow up, bullying is a big problem, and even when you talk about it, it still happens.
A world without big bullies in schools will be a good place. lt will make life easier. lt will make school not to be a stress. lt will make us hoppy, these of us who are being hit and threatened on the school ground.
We will not be forced to share our food. We will be hoppy, on our journey. But only if the bullies are no longer there! li will be o good journey.
Teachers try to stop this situation. They try to tell the principal. But when you are alone on the playground, you are easy to hurt.
I think a journey of peace will be a life without bullies. I think that is the answer to the question of being of school. We should all be able to live without being afraid. That is a good dream is dream. And, when there are no bullies, we can all be free on our journey of peace as long as we live.
The 2017/18 Peace Essay Competition
The visually impaired Kayle Frichat was judged 2nd in the Multiple District Contest with her essay THE FUTURE OF PEACE.
Kayle was awarded with a price money of R 2000 from our District 410 A and R 3000 from the Multiple District. The Athlone School of the Blind received R 2000 as well.
Lion Paula Lang and Lion Jimmy Lang did the handover at the Athlone School for the Blind. Lion Jimmy always walks the extra mile for the Peace Essay and Peace Poster contests to get the pupils involved.
A Gordon's Bay Lions Club story of success - The 2015/16 Peace Essay Competition
This is one of many stories about how a Lion's commitment can change a life
Since many, many years Lion Jimmy Lang organises the participation of local pupils at the Lions Clubs International Peace Poster and the Peace Essay competition. Lions Clubs International sponsors the international competitions for children between the ages between 10 and 13 years.
The Peace Essay competition was created in 2010 to offer an opportunity to visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace.
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We were extremely gratified when we learnt that Joel Greek from Kuilsriver, whom we had sponsored, had won the 2015/16 International grand prize. Joel's essay Share Peace was judged the best among hundreds of other entries from all over the world. Joel who is a pupil at the Athlone School for the Blind has spent his life in and out of hospitals. He suffers from an optic glaucoma, a degenerative condition that was caused by a brain tumour when he was just 6 months old, for which he underwent chemotherapy.
Members and guests were thrilled when Joel and his mother attended our club meeting in Februray 2016 and thanked the club for the opportunity given to him by the Gordon's Bay Lions Club. A4 weeks nail-biting up and down followed, to get passports and visas for Joel and his mother Inga Greek and for Barbara Davis from the Athlone School for the Blind. The visas arrived in the really last minute at Thursday, 10. March 2016.
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On the 12. March 2016 Joel was finally presented with his plaque from Lions Clubs International President Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada together with a cheque about US$ 5 000.00 (R 83.000). Gordon's Bay Lions Club President Jimmy and Lion Paula Lang had accompanied Joel as well as his mom Inga Greek and teacher Barbara Davis.
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When Joel returned home, joyful screaming classmates, a happy minister, a proud school principal and many smiling faces awaited the 12 year old school boy at the Cape Town International Airport.
The Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Adv. Albert Fritz welcomed him back: “The win shows the importance of support and empowerment for young people living with disabilities”. School principal Fletcher Fisher and Ms. Bridgette Masango, Democratic Alliance shadow minister were also present to congratulate him on his arrival at the Airport. Tanya Nefdt from ENCA interviewed Joel, school principal Fletcher and Gordon's Bay Lions Club president Jimmy Lang.
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A few weeks later our club was invited to the award ceremony of the price at the Athlone School for the Blind. The school and our club had received a price as well. Western Cape Department of Social Development Minister Adv. Fritz, Lions District Governor Sue Charles, Joels mom Inga Greek and members from surrounding Lions Clubs attended the ceremony. Once again everybody was pleased by the charming young man.
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Joel Greek was not only invited to various opportunities by Minister Fritz and other members of the public, he later went to the 99 Lions Clubs International convention on Fukuoka, Japan in June/July 2016.
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Joel wrote in his essay SHARE PEACE: “I myself am a young boy with a disability, the only one in my family. Yet they accept me knowing I am capable of anything. We have an opportunity to change the world.”
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Minister Adv. Fritz at the award ceremony
Joel Greek and teacher Barbara Davis at the Afternoon Express Show
Joel Greek and Minster Fritz on IOL
The award winning ceremony in The Newspaper
