Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Doing what is good, you don't need to have a lot of money. It should be there in your heart. You don't have to own wealth filling this whole world to make a difference. You can just start from where you are. Look around. What is that thing in your heart? That could be a game changer. That small thing you have, it may not be money, but maybe someone just need someone to talk to.

Paul Meunier 

Hello, I'm Paul Meunier, the executive director of the Youth Intervention Programs Association. And I'm a youth worker at heart. How lucky am I? I have the privilege to meet youth workers from around the globe and learn their stories and share them with the entire world. I'm glad you're listening because together we'll learn how their life experiences shape their youth work. As you listen, I encourage you to consider how your experiences shape what you have to offer young people. Welcome to this edition of The Passionate Youth Worker. Hi everybody. For this episode, we're joined by Angel Pearl Talemwa from Kampala, Uganda. She is deeply passionate about our young people and community transformation, so much that she has forgone her own pursuits to focus on helping others. Due to the overwhelming needs within her community, she founded and now runs a community-based organization called DEWI Stronger Communities. Angel, thanks for being a guest on The Passionate Youth Worker.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Welcome, sir. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to be here to share my story with the world.

Paul Meunier 

I've interviewed a lot of amazing people for the show and I keep thinking, no one can be more inspirational than the last guest. But it always happens. And you're an example of that. Just having the opportunity to interview people like you gives me hope in humanity. Angel, your childhood was full of deep trauma yet you persevered. And now you're thriving and helping and giving back. Let's start this show by talking about your early years. I know you lost both of your parents when you were very young. Can you tell me a little bit about your mom and dad?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Thank you so much, Mr. Paul, for the opportunity. Well, about my mom and dad, I come from a polygamous family. My father had four wives in one house. So, he gave birth to twelve children of us. And two boys, ten girls. I happened to be their third born. So, more about my childhood. Three of the mothers died, including my mother. Mine died when I was 10 years. And later, my father also died when I was 15. So, we have one surviving mother, the one you would call a stepmother. She shared with me something I didn't know that when my father was still alive and my mother. The father used to keep them in that same house with a lot of torture, beating them up plus all of us their children. So, my mother decided to divorce my my father and moved away from his home, went and started living on her own, did her own businesses. And that angered him a lot. So, he transferred that anger to me, their child. So, he could beat me up. Then I become unconscious, I bleed, and he didn't care. So one day, my auntie had come to visit him at our home. And she informed me that so she chose to take me away from my father. So, that's it's a little bit about my childhood.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah, it sounds like you have witnessed and seen so many things in your life. And so many things happened when you were younger. I'm wondering about your dad and his abusiveness. Where did that come from? Do you have any idea? Was it common for men to be aggressive in your community or do you think he was angry at your mom or you are what caused him to have so much anger do you think?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

I relate from what my stepmother told me.

Paul Meunier 

OK.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

She told me for about five years ago that my father was naturally easily angered and so he could beat up all the women in the house, the four women plus all their children. So, personally, I think that first of all my mothers were psychologically tortured to be put in the same house. That is one. So, maybe they had different misunderstandings. Imagine it being submitting to the same husband in the same house. Four of you that only psychological torturing someone's child. And then I think it could be due to poverty, poverty breeds out of frustration. Now they have twelve children, four women, all of them have needs probably at the same time. And you don't have so you, you fight back by being rude and aggressive and start beating them up. I think that's one of them. Or maybe it was his nature. Here, in Africa, we have a belief that parents don't make mistakes, so you can't caution an elder about anything. So, whatever they do is presumed to be the best for you. Of which now at my age, and with the enlightenment I have, I don't believe in it. It is totally wrong. Because those things that they do cause deeper damages on our lives, and they live with that forever if God doesn't help you.

Paul Meunier

That's amazing that you are able to come out of an environment like that wanting to help other people wanting to give back, seeing that the world can be more kind and more safe for young people. Where did that inspiration to help other people come from? How are you so passionate about giving back to other people, Angel?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

One, it's inherently born in me, like, ever since I was young I wanted to be different and to make people feel better.

Paul Meunier 

Yeah.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

I wanted to be the changemaker. So, I don't struggle. I look forward to being passionate, to making a difference. Like it's part of me, I can't describe it. It's I don't struggle to find it, I don't struggle to wake up. That's today's man, "I have to go and help someone." No, I wake up happy, excited about each and every day.

Paul Meunier 

Cool.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Then, number two, the social problems around here are too many. I realize that somebody has got to do something. And then if not me, then who? Because in life, each one of us wants to be where it is more comfortable. So, if all of us run away from where there is more need, then who'll solve the problem? Because whenever there is a need, there is an opportunity. So, it depends on how you view it, which angle you're viewing it from. If there are too many challenges there, there is such a huge opportunity. Find it.

Paul Meunier 

That is what I find so absolutely inspirational about you is we all want to be that person that can go out and try to make the world a better place. We all want somebody to do what you're doing. But very few of us are willing to do that. But you are. You're willing to give up some of your own personal interests, or hobbies, or things you'd like to pursue. Because if you don't do it, then who else will? And that is just amazing. I'm wondering, does your faith in God and religion, does that give you a lot of strength too? I know that's an important part of your world.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Absolutely. One, I believe I'm a Christian, I'm a born-again Christian. I believe in Jesus and in what he does. So, we believe in Christianity that, God gave us his best, his son. He didn't give because he had so many children. The Bible says He gave us his only begotten son. That's in John 3 16. Plus, He gave us the best that He had. So, always I have in the back of my mind that what have I got? I've got the opportunity. I've got exposed, I've got the skills, why not to go back to my village and use the same skills to make somebody's life better. So, whoever goes to school wants to live a better life, they have a better family, establish themselves, buy cars, that's all good. That's those are the rewards of the earth. Yes, I need them. But what if nobody goes back down in the ground to do something that is in my heart? What if I die with this in my heart? What if that's one of the reasons as to why I was created and I don't do it. Anyone can make can create a comfortable life for themselves, but who will go out to create it for the other? So, I did.

Paul Meunier 

That is amazing. And I know sometimes it takes people in our world to get us on the right track. I know your auntie played a big part in your life. She kept you safe. Can you talk about your auntie a little bit and kind of talk about how important one person like your auntie can be in someone's life?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

I see my auntie, as a game changer for me.

Paul Meunier 

Yes.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

One, there are so many effects of childhood abuse, physical abuse, what if I continued staying there and my father beat me up and I died? They will just bury me. Remember, in Africa they don't question parents. You just say she died. So, the thing is I celebrate my auntie as one of my life heroes. And I believe that doing what is good, you don't need to have a lot of money. It should be there in your heart. You don't have to own wealth filling this whole world to make a difference. You can just start from where you are. Look around, what is that thing in your heart? That could be a game changer. That small thing you have, it may not be money but maybe someone just needs someone to talk to. Maybe at that point, I just needed someone to put me in their safer hands. So, each one of us needs that person or each one of us needs to be that person to someone else. Because that's how I was saved. Remember, my father didn't want me to connect with my biological mother after divorce, them having a divorce. And I only got to know my biological mother when I was eight and unfortunately she died when I was 10.

Paul Meunier 

Your auntie was a game changer for you. And now you're a game changer for other young people. When you were with your auntie, and she kept you safe, took you out of that bad environment where your father was abusive, did you think someday I want to be like my auntie, I want to help other people when I get older?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Yes, for me, ever since I was young, I wanted to live a different life. Because remember, here in Africa where I grew up we see more people who have lost it in life than people who have succeeded. So, I used to see my children friends getting into teenage pregnancies, dropping out of school, dying due to abortion that because they were not ready for a pregnancy and anyway they happened. So, all those are drivers for me to make up my mind like no way, no way. I want to do what is right, I want to be different. No matter what the cost, I want to pay that cost and be different. Because if I'm in a better place, I've been positioned to give a hand to someone who is below me. But if I'm like them, then I'm not going to make a difference. Because you shall be having that same problem. All of us seeing one's own life is impossible, it is impossible. So, I want to go to the other end, get empowered, get all the skills, and the resources, then come back down there and make it happen together with those who believe that things are not impossible.

Paul Meunier 

Your auntie played a big role, kept you safe. Education played a big role too. You went on, you have a degree in social work that gave you the skills, the knowledge that you needed to kind of tackle some of these big things that you want to do. How important was your education to your development into a strong woman?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Oh, one of the most valuable assets I have. All I've ever had in my life is education. Ever since when I was a child, what used to make me cry is waking up to the fact that I'm not in school. That could make me cry. I could see some children going to school and that could tear my heart apart. Like I longed to be educated to the extent that when yes, my aunt was only able to take me to school through primary and wasn't able to support me beyond that. I stayed in the world for four years without going to school, but I was working so that I could sustain myself, my siblings back in the village. I had a lot of hope that I would go back to school. I wanted to be in a professional world. So, in those four years, I was abstaining from sex. In those four years, I was focused working, I never slept around because I knew that I belonged to the educated class. I didn't want to be a victim of teenage pregnancies and doing things which are unworthy. So, I was trying to keep myself staying focused to ensure that the opportunity finds me when I'm on the right track. And after four years, it came on my one, that's how I was able to go back to school. Just a Good Samaritan, just take me back to school just like that, because I was still focused on my goal.

Paul Meunier 

Your drive is so clear, you had such a vision and such an an idea of where you wanted to go. And you sacrificed so much, because you had that opportunity. And you grabbed that opportunity, and you made the best of it that you could. Angel, we're halfway through our interview already so we have to take a short break. But when we come back, I want to talk to you a little bit more about the youth in your community and what you're doing to help them. So, we'll be right back after this short break.

Jade Schleif 

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Paul Meunier 

Angel, right before the break, you were talking about how important education was in your drive to help other people. When you got your degree and you are in your village and you look around and you see the needs are so great somehow you said I'm going to start an organization that can address some of these things. Did you know exactly what you wanted to do or did you just know I wanted to help? Or did you know like what steps you wanted to take?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

First, to be on record, I knew what I wanted to do. What I did when the time reached, I went back to the ground with a questionnaire because I wanted to do a needs assessment. Yes, I knew what I wanted to do. But I wanted to be sure that what I wanted to do is what was needed in the community.  So, I went through the leaders and the local people and the potential beneficiaries and I did a needs assessment. Then I was able to compile a report. Then I set up an organization reaching out to vulnerable children, youth and women in rural areas. Why the rural areas? Because they are no or there are very limited opportunities for them to thrive. Whoever gets an opportunity they want to run away to the city to start their own lives and live better and be there and prosper. And leave those people there where they are neglected like people are not so concerned. For example, ever since the world existed in our community, we've never got electricity. We don't have services like electricity, water systems, nothing there. The people are there growing up in chronic poverty. People are instead of thriving in good health, what they are thriving in is poverty. They've been that for generations. In our whole parish of 80 villages, we don't have any secondary school. So, if a child ever makes it beyond primary then you have to take them out of their community to look for secondary school. There is no way. There is a high rate of school dropouts. It should stop. It should stop.

Paul Meunier 

Right.  So, you surveyed, you figured out what you needed to do, and you put action towards it. You didn't just talk, you took the steps, you did what you needed to do and now you're making a difference in people's lives. It's so admirable that you have such a passion and drive and so much strength. I just can feel your strength coming through and confidence. But I want to talk about the kids a little bit, the young people. What are some of the stressors that young people in your village are facing now? What are the obstacles that they have to developing into healthy adults? What are some of the stressors you're helping them with?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Okay one, Nelson Mandela says that education is the greatest tool you can use to transform the world. So, the higher illiteracy rates, like the rate of illiteracy is too high than the rate of literacy. So, we realized that there was a wider gap in education. And once children are not educated, of course, there will be higher gaps in employment. So, it creates a higher unemployment rate. And then we serve communities which come from a history of chronic poverty. So, once kids drop out of school they will join in drug abuse, teenage pregnancy will be obvious, and the cycle continues. So, I wanted to break it. We wanted them to involve in positive engagement. That's why we do child sponsorships in education, we skill the young people to ensure that they start their own jobs, or they get employability skills. And then we engage the kids into dance activities, to keep them in a positive way, to keep them happy in their community. And then we have a program whereby we give out livestock to families. Because we are in a family setting, people have land, they can do rearing at home. So when they sell the animals, they can restock when the animal produces, then we give that offspring to another family, and then you're able to have money for your best needs when you sell them.

Paul Meunier 

What lessons have you learned about yourself, Angel, taking on this big, audacious goal of starting this organization, trying to make your community in the world a better place? What have you learned about yourself? What lessons have you been taught?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Yes, thank you. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from myself is that sometimes someone who is vulnerable, just need one step ahead, and you are that stepping stone. Would you choose to be that stepping stone for that person? If you say yes, you'll be amazed at the results in most cases. Because imagine a kid like me somewhere in a village struggling, wants to be educated, passionate about a better life. But there is no way. When they look around almost everyone around them is a failure, they gave up on life. They believe everything is so hard and impossible. So, a kid like me somewhere, needs someone to hold their hand and say, It's possible, you can make it. I'm here, look at me, I'll help you reach there. So, I only got that through my aunt who rescued me from my father. I only got that from someone who took me back to school after I had found out that I had to drop out of school for four years, he gave me hope, someone who took me through secondary, someone who took me through university, I'm the only person who went beyond primary level in my whole family. And I'm the only person having a degree. All of my siblings dropped out at primary level and lower secondary. So, I took it upon myself to make a difference. Because after all, there was not any organization in my community. So, five years back, then we started there, and we are still running. So if not me, then who?

Paul Meunier 

I think that's one of the universal things that we've learned in doing this show is no matter where you are in this world, one person can make a difference and be that stepping stone. And what a world it would be if every young person had just that one person in their world that was willing to do what you're willing to do for others. Because it would change everything about humanity and the existence that we all have collectively together. We're getting low on time but I have one more question I want to ask you. What is the best advice somebody has ever given you, what things have people said to you that you've really just took to heart and said, they were right. That was really good advice?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

I've had people who have supported me. And I have people who have looked in my eyes and said we believe in you, believe in what you do, and we can't wait to see a brighter future ahead of you.

Paul Meunier 

Wow, to have somebody say something like that to you is so reassuring. And isn't it sad, Angel, that so many young people never hear that message?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

It's sad because maybe because of the community, the cultures around them, they pay more attention to what has gone wrong than a little that has gone right. For example, out of our family, we are twelve, no one else made it beyond. So, everyone is going to focus on what has failed. But okay, we have one successful story. How about when we bless God for this, and we encourage more children to live positively.

Paul Meunier 

I am so grateful for you being in the world and being able to take the trauma that you endured as a young person and to somehow rise above that in such an amazing sort of way. To not only just survive, you are truly thriving and functioning at such a high level, and doing so many things that other people would be afraid or unwilling to try. I am just grateful for what you're doing for all the young people in your community in Uganda in general. Thank you for doing what you do. And thank you for being a guest on the podcast.

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

Thank you so much YIPA for giving me such a golden platform to be part of this. May God bless you. And I'm forever grateful.

Paul Meunier 

Before we go, Angel, can you summarize what words of wisdom or inspiration you'd like to leave with others?

Angel Pearl Talemwa 

What I love to share with the rest of the world, it's about us who are in Africa. The thing is that we've got so much potential beyond your imagination.  We've got no or if it's there it's got very limited opportunities for us to thrive. Will you give us a chance? Give us a chance for us to show you what we are capable and you may be so surprised about the results. Yes.

Paul Meunier 

If you would like to share your passion for youth work, we'd love to spotlight you as a guest. If you have feedback about the show, please let us know. Just visit training.yipa.org, that's training.yipa.org and click on the podcast tab. This podcast is made possible in part due to a generous contribution from M Health Fairview. I'm your host Paul Meunier. Thanks for listening to The Passionate Youth Worker.