The Stick Man and Hope

These profound lessons of community, power and voice, makes me wonder: what structures do we need in place to ensure community needs are met authentically and voices heard with humility and care?  

 

When my son was in reception, he loved the story of The Stick Man by Julia Donaldson. So much so that he asked me to make him a stick man costume for World Book Day – brown clothes and a hat with green leaves did the job.  
 
In the story the Stick Man goes for a walk and although he tries to heed the warnings of danger ahead, his journey is out of his control. He makes every effort to get home but is consistently swept further away.  
 
I have been reflecting on how much of 2023 has often felt out of our control. It has been a year of pain, shock and the need for unwavering solidarity with humanity and truth. Numerous humanitarian crises across the globe from the major earthquakes in Turkey at the beginning of the year to the ongoing attacks and siege of Gaza, and violence in Sudan- to name just three. And in all this we have had to be resolute in our values, brave to speak up and stay hopeful.  
 
Throughout the story there are those who try to help the Stick Man, and those who impose their own ideas of what he is and what his purpose should be. But he is determined to speak out about who he is and what he needs to do. These profound lessons of community, power and voice, makes me wonder: what structures do we need in place to ensure community needs are met authentically and voices heard with humility and care?  
 
At the point that the Stick Man almost loses all hope, he is brought back to his family. We know that most children’s book will have a happy ending, but it’s also important to see the hope and the light in the darkest of times. Amidst the chaos and destruction this year, perhaps globally and maybe personally in our own lives, we all witnessed acts of bravery, strength and determination, love, friendship, and hope.  
 
Let us enter 2024 with a fearless determination to hold on to hope- to know that a better world is possible, it has to be possible. And together, as a community, we can have the collective power to create positive change. 

 

– Faaria Ahmad, Head of Global Learning London