Asipe

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how different communities are finding ways to shape their own development stories, often with support from various partners working quietly in the background.

Ndili nkati kati moganizilamo, I came across something on YouTube that really caught my attention. It reflects the kind of work happening in some communities where small, practical interventions are creating real change in people’s lives.

It made me pause for a moment and think about how important it is to share and learn from these stories. Nthawi zina(zomwe ndizambiri) the most powerful lessons are not far away; zimakhala zikuchitikadi kale mmadela mwathumu chabe zimangofunika ifeyo tizipatse nthawi yathu nkuzimvetsetsa.

If you have a moment, watch this: https://youtu.be/BorKi48NzCo?si=SlnuLs0bVIy68kaR

Happy New Week

Community-Led Planning and Management for Biodiversity Protection and Resilient Communities project. This documentary highlights the impact of the Community-Led Plannin...

Ambiri tikusowa tulo. Uhm

Alot of us grew up in homes where our parents, guardians, uncles, or aunties were not exposed to technology the same way we were. We became the “phone experts” in the family almost by default. But instead of seeing that as a responsibility, many times we turned it into comedy.

I remember how common it was for an older relative to ask something simple like how to answer a video call, how to send pictures, or how to take a picture, and everyone in the room would start laughing. Some people stopped asking for help completely because they felt embarrassed.

Now fast forward to today. Every week the internet is circulating videos or screenshots of older people making mistakes online. Tima TikTok videos, or someone posts something private publicly. Someone accidentally uploads a video they never intended people to see. Or maybe forwarding fake information believing it is true. Then the comments begin:
“Another smartphone in the wrong hands.”

But sometimes I look at these situations differently. Maybe the phone is not in the wrong hands, we simply failed to guide the hands holding it.

We gave people access to technology without helping them understand the emotional and psychological weight that comes with being online. We forget that the internet can humiliate someone in seconds and leave them carrying that shame for years.

And that is where mental health comes in.

Not every public embarrassment ends with laughter. Some people become anxious. Some withdraw socially. Some lose confidence completely. Imagine becoming a viral joke simply because you did not understand a setting on your phone. Imagine thousands of strangers mocking you while your own children or relatives stay silent instead of helping you understand what went wrong.

As young people, maybe we need to become more patient teachers instead of impatient spectators. Sit down with your parents or guardians and explain things beyond just pressing buttons. Teach them about scams, privacy, fake news, online bullying, and the dangers of oversharing and also operate basic stuff and save yourself from future embarrassment.

The same people we laugh at today once taught us how to survive the real world. Remember how they taught you to cross the road? The least we can do is help them survive the digital one with dignity still intact.

Photo credit: AI