One Year Anniversary of the Youth Connections (8th Janurary 2007)

Yes, it’s true. The Youth Connections movement has had a turbulent history. From the days of the terrible Singing debacle (A mid-song exclamation of “Dude, I Suck at this!” being the highlight of those troubled times) to the Night of the Water-Gun Prowlers (Lock-In 2006: YConnect team members gladly enforced the no-sleeping rule) From 26th to 29th December 2005, a RAVE (Religious Awareness and Values Education) camp was held in Moshi. Along for the ride: About 50 screaming teenagers high on adrenaline, pheromones and too much Kellogg’s Cereal. It was a strange Youth Camp: An argument erupted between famed scientist Darwin and his best friend clergyman Father Walid over the Theory of Evolution. A singing competition resulted in a mid-song exclamation of “Dude! I suck at this!”. A unanimous decision by participants resulted in mass numbers of people wearing the ‘lungi’ and a night-time SMS service was left “pending”. Irony of Ironies! It was a monumental event: for it inspired one of the strongest-ever Youth ventures in the Tanzanian Ismaili Jamat. Two weeks after the conclusion of this Camp, a talented Alwaeza named Salimah Haji, a Facilitator at the Camp, called together selected Camp participants. The reason: Youth leadership was appallingly low-key (or absent) in the Tanzanian Ismaili Jamat. It was her belief that these youths could begin a chain reaction within all Community Youth to change their society for the better. She was right. These youths subsequently formed the Youth Connections, an initiative aimed at supporting/encouraging/understanding/helping the present youth of the Jamat. Finding a hardy friend and supporter in Mrs. Shelina Walli (IYSC Youth Development Member), we set out to Save Our Youth! Today, the Youth Connections is handling ALL youth development projects in the Dar es Salaam Ismaili Jamat. The passionate work of the Youth Connections team has resulted in a generation of Youth Leaders. Youth Representation has been nurtured in much of the Institutional Framework supporting the Ismaili Jamat. In the Beginning: Youth Connections

The Mother Of YConnect: Alwaeza Salimah Haji

Dependable Liason and Pillar of Support: Mrs. Shelina Walli

The Team:

Imran Khakoo

Omar Aziz

Mehak Tejani

Alamin Aziz

Farnaz Gulamhussein

Fehzan Dhalla

Nagina Rajwani

Alnoor Hasham

Nasreen Hassanali

After Alwaeza Haji’s departure for her homeland, Shelina Walli became our acting Mother. Omar Aziz and Alamin Aziz, two of the founding pillars of YConnect, later left for further studies. In their place two new members were recruited: Rahil Jivani Hussein Alibhai. The Youth Team has overall authority. There is nobody truly in charge, and there is no bureaucratic hierarchy. The team has learnt to work seamlessly in planning, administration and implementation. For institutional accountability reasons, team member Farnaz Gulamhussein took over as Convenor of all Youth Activities, thus representing YConnect at every institutional meeting. However, in the field, and during the planning process, every team member has equal say.

THE YOUTH CONNECTIONS GAVEL CLUB In June 2005, four Youths were approached to help form a Public Speaking club for the Youth of the Ismaili Jamat. Omar Aziz Imran Khakoo Alamin Aziz Faraz Jivraj, To be supervised and helped out by Psychologist/Friendly Neighborhood Toastmistress Seifoonisa Dhanani. At first, it was deemed impossible due to the “Pepsi Effect”: Lots of enthusiastic activity at first, trickling down to a few drops of flat inactivity… then stopping altogether. Did we want to risk a nose-dive? How would we make it sustainable? How were we supposed to make it work long after we were gone? Thus began the first set of “Recruitment” meetings. An informal study was carried out. Hundreds of people signed up for the would-be club. And yet, few actually showed up in consequent meetings. The Pepsi effect was that strong. Even before it started, it had stopped. It was first called the “Toastmasters Club”. Since we had no international Toastmasters approval it was then simply called the “Speakers’ Corner”. Thus it remained for a Year, slowly gaining momentum while leadership changed (Mrs. Shelina Walli, a major driving force) until a year later, in June 2006, it was decided that the Speaker’s Corner be undertaken by YConnect. It was natural. Both elements worked toward the benefit of Youth, and both were new elements laboring to catalyze development in a fairly rigid society. The Youth Connections took over. And that’s where both were taken to heights never before dreamed of. The YConnect team helped guide the Club to its ultimate goal of International Recognition. Today, the Youth Connections Gavel Club, Club 20061 under Toastmasters International, has a growing number of Youth Participants. YConnect, through the club, is working toward its cause: a generation of aware, broad-minded, multi-talented, confident Youth ready to lead their society into the future. YConnect is now a living, breathing creature, ready to take on the challenge of time. 8th January 2006 is the First Anniversary of Youth Connections, may there be many more, always celebrated by a large group of Youths, celebrating yet another milestone on a growing body of work. In the Past Year: - 17th June 2006: “Lock-In”: Debut Event by YConnect team, supported by Speakers’ Corner (wink wink). Success! - Guest Speakers: Azim Jamal (Twice) - Inspirational Speaker MG Vassanji: Acclaimed Author Zahur Ramji: Personal Photographer for Aga Khan IV, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere. Alwaeza Salimah Haji and Alwaez Rahim Ramji (Teachers, IIS Graduates and, incidentally, both Toastmasters) - Sometime in August 2006: Field Trip: “The Da Vinci Code” Movie + Reflection. - 17th September 2006: “A Day of Discovery”: Youth’s Day Out (in association with Ismaili Women’s Association). Direct result of Lock-In. - 11th November 2006: “Street Smarts VS Book Smarts” Debate, Kariakoo Jamatkhana. - 26th November 2006: IVC Voice your Thoughts 2006: Represented Ismaili Community at Inter-Community Public Speaking Competition. First Place. - 31st Dec 2006: “Past, Present and Future” FashioDance Show at New Year’s Dinner and Dance event. - 6th January 2007: “Nach Baliye”: Took all Top 3 spots at Inter-community Dance competition, represented Ismaili Community.