"I can do anything. I know what I really want. I will courage myself to step in that direction."

Yesterday I attended a house warming party organized by two classmates of mine. After eating and chilling, instead of usual dance floor, my attention was in Ethiopian childhood stories. We were laughing big time and I was amazed to hear how imaginative and innovative those kids have been during their childhood in Ethiopia, though nowadays all have become more serious with videogames. 

        When thinking about the past year I feel thankful, happy and proud. Through sharing this year with people from so many different cultures I have learned how amazing it is that we are all different. I have also learned how difficult and same time important it is not to make opinions about a single person based on single story and cultural backgrounds. Would say as many people we are, as many cultures we have and as many stories we have. 

         BUT. Even though this year in Finland has been full of everyday adventures, I still get the same feeling of powerlessness, like always, after staying in this society and under these policies for too long time on a roll. As a native Finn living in Finland it is kind of easy to just lay back and say I will do that tomorrow. Or choose from all options what I want to study or maybe I will work instead. If one is willing to work as a cleaner, jobs are always there to be found, and even with ok salary. If one cannot find a job, money will come from the state to help with necessities. Then one can always continue dancing, drawing, singing or writing as a hobby aside. 

         I am not saying that this would not be a good thing, of course it is. But in this system it is also easy to forget about your passion and what you want the most. It is easy to become lazy and lose the steps towards the ultimate goal. By settling all rules to make it harder for people to be idealistic this society is quite good in making all people feel they are just ordinary. The truth is that we are all extraordinary and we have the power to reach high in real life. I don’t mean seeking money and becoming rich in that way. I mean using all the capacity we have inside of us to make the best out of what we are and what we want from life. 

I feel powerful every time I am in Uganda and after I come back from Uganda. I feel I am able to achieve anything I want to. I am always 100% idealist when I come back from there and I love that feeling. One might call it naïve and stupid to think one can can achieve what has been dreaming of and that world could be better place if we all would care for one another. But is it so naive?

In the community of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) we have people with different goals, interests, characters and beliefs. But what we have in common is love for Hip Hop and dance. This love has taken people far and I am always amazed how much my friends are working for reaching their goals.

                    BPU members Abramz, Key, Moze and Mark representing in Italy.

Abramz Tekya created BPU out of nothing but the belief that because he loves something and is able to get out of social exclusion and poverty with that something, others can too. He heard rap and said to himself, “hey I can do that”, saw breakdancing and decided to learn. Finally he ended up inviting one of his idols and oldest and biggest names of breaking, b-boy Crazy Legs to Uganda to meet with all b-boys and b-girls there, and ended up changing his life too. At the same time Abramz is a simple dude with both feet on the ground, understanding that he needs other people to work with him to make a change. He is sharing opportunities with others, sometimes missing something cool himself and giving the opportunity to another member. He understands that what he is doing will not make him rich with dollar bills, but so much rich with social relations. 

 When in Finland I hear a lot of phrases “I cannot do it”, “but that is impossible”, “why would I try”, “it is waste of time”, I never hear these words among BPU. What they do instead is hard work day after another, creating positive change by believing in the importance of their work. It may sound like very exciting but in reality it is often exhausting, leaving no time for sleep, fighting against authorities and facing all negative feedback and keeping the organization running despite any failures on the way. It is work that one can do only with having heart into it.

K’naan has a song called Somalia where he sings about the power one can have to achieve when having enough will:

“When someone comes out of such a dire situation, and learns the English language just to share his observation? Probably get a Grammy without a grammar education, so fuck you school and fuck you immigration. And all of you who thought I wouldn't amount to constipation, and now I'm here without the slightest fear and reservation”.

 Oscar made his way from excluded football player to b-boy and later skilled professional photographer. He always participated in all video and photograph sessions and is still asking more advises from other professionals who come to Uganda. Now he is self-employed in Kibuuka Photography ( check from facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/KibuukaPhotography?fref=ts )

  

 Sono has become a very popular beatboxer during one year. When I left Uganda at the end of February 2012 he didn’t do beatboxing. Now everyone wants to learn from him. Sono is also writing a book, because he has always wanted to do that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1n-4iI68MQ
 

 Sono does beatboxing with Moze who also taught him. Moze is now learning hip hop moves and teaching beatboxing to others. He has got opportunities to travel to Italy and meet up with other dancers and beatboxers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgVA3r_OYJ8

Beautiful Key has been showing her talent on dance floor, cat walk as well as in graphic design. I have seen her attitude changing through being part of BPU family and today she is one of the most kind-hearted ladies I’ve met.

 As a hard worker, Mark decided to use all inspiration he has got to start up an own project alongside with BPU. Break-Fast Jam is an event that takes breaking to many different communities for battles and finally brings all these communities together for final jams. This year 2013 Break-Fast Jam will be organized for the third time. (http://www.facebook.com/breakfastevent)

 

 Taye and Joram are rapping all wise taughts from their minds cooperating with international artists. They have just made a great song for the Kampala Project EP listen here: https://soundcloud.com/tayemusic/bum-bum-tschak#play.

                   B-girl Remy started her own GirlBe –project for girls’ empowerment last year 2012.                                          (http://www.facebook.com/groups/423446381037000/?fref=ts)

All these talented youths have been empowered by breakdance and BPU. One thing what motivates these youths in Uganda to chase their goals is that there are usually only two options: achieve what they want to achieve or give up and choose poverty. Based on a single story in Europe we tend to call Africans the disadvantages or powerless, when most of my African friends in Uganda and Finland have more power, more imagination and more potential than other people I know.

On 11th May I will organize movie night at my place to show Bouncing Cats document about BPU for everyone willing to see !

Also HAFF – Helsinki African Film Festival is being organized from 8^th May till 12^th May @ Helsinki, Finland. The theme of movies this year is YOUTH AND POWER. I most definitely recommend this festival for everyone, to get at least a double story of African continent. Here are the links for HAFF Facebook event & website: https://www.facebook.com/events/520252081365361/

/ http://www.haff.fi/

I wrote this as a reminder for myself and for everyone else who right now feel powerless and limited that, no matter what, keep doing what you want to do the most. Even if first you have to work for years to be able to achieve that, or do some annoying job to gain money for doing what you are dreaming of. It is always better to reach towards that goal, whether it’s small or big, than to give up. This is a quote from one of my favorite movie Elizabethtown: 

“No true fiasco ever began as a quest for mere adequacy. A motto of the British Special Air Force is: 'Those who risk, win'. A single green vine shoot is able to grow through cement. The Pacific Northwestern salmon beats itself bloody on its quest to travel hundreds of miles upstream against the current, with a single purpose, sex of course, but also... life.”

Our achievement of this year, Tasty Ry officially registered. Accosiation working for creating united street dance community in Tampere, Finland. Tasty crew representing in Lepuski Jam: Taavi, Kasperi, Helinä, Aino, Arttu, Niina.

                                                                                           
                                                                  -Niina Namaganda