Hello, everyone. This is my entry to @promo-mentors challenge. Promo-Mentors is an awesome community helping new Steemians find their feet by mentoring them and sponsoring good projects. You can be a part of this challenge by clicking here. Join the discord channel here.
Now, the challenge is about what you would do if you had financial freedom.
First, I’d say that financial freedom means different things to different people. To some, it's living the life free of worries, and to others, it means giving more to the community and people around them. There are also people whom financial freedom doesn’t really exist for. With bigger money comes bigger problems. The bigger they get, the wider their outreach and those outreaches come stuffed with problems of their own. So there, they’re not really free. If I got to that point where I had enough money to really make a difference, there are few very selective things I would do.
First, spoil myself.
One of the things I’ve learned in my not so short stay here on earth is to take care of myself, and to do it when there’s still time. I’m an introvert, a nerdy one. That is to say there are few ways I can spoil myself. If you’ve been following me for a while, then you probably know what I’ll say next. Yeah, books hahaha. I’d build a library for myself and stuff it with so many books that when I walk in and look around, I’d ask myself if I’m crazy. Figuratively speaking though but you get the point anyway. There’s nothing like too much books. The library wouldn't just be about me, but part of a legacy I’d leave behind when I’m gone. It’d be my way of telling literature lovers to continue reading.
Second, women.
I’m a woman so this shouldn’t come as a surprise. I would say women empowerment but it goes a little beyond that. Everyday, I walk on the street and what I see breaks my heart. I see women, powerful women reduced to nothing because they cannot tell their lefts from their rights. I see women who cannot stand up for themselves, not only because they aren’t allowed to, but because they do not even know how to speak for themselves. I dislike that word 'allow' by the way, especially when it comes to human rights. You do not allow someone who’s your equal. They have the right to choose. I digress. I'd start by teaching them how to find their voices. This wouldn’t be easy, and I would probably need a team and of course money, but it’s achievable.
Third, children.
I love children. I don’t even know why. I would love to have some one day. The thought of having one or two younger versions of myself out there terrifies me, but I love them still. The focus here is street children. If you live in the expensive and beautiful part of the city, if you never look out the window when you drive past shabby areas, you may never know that these children exist, except maybe on TV. They are not very beautiful to look at. They sit and sleep on the street, they beg on the street. Some of them actually ran away from orphanages. When I was younger, I had this dream of owning a very big house where I’d live with my adopted children. I guess some things never change. Getting them off the street, giving them food to eat and a place to sleep isn’t such a bad start.
Fourth, sexual abuse and domestic violence victims.
This is on the side of women and children too. About eight in every ten adult female you meet was sexually abused either as a child, as a teenager or as an adult. The list is endless. But I’m not looking at the list right now, rather, I’m concerned about those who never speak up for fear of being shamed. You know, a lot of sexual abuse survivors turn activists are very angry. Not at people as you may be thinking, but at what was done to them and the fact that nothing was done about it. When I listen to them speak, I understand where they are coming from. You keep quiet for too long and the cycle continues. It’s not just about helping the victims find their feet again. It’s also about teaching them and the younger ones how to protect themselves if and when they can help it. A huge percentage of the population die from domestic violence every year. It's about teaching them to walk away and get appropriate help from agencies designed specifically for it.
Now, I know that my second, third and fourth list look a tad tedious. Like I said before, it’s achievable. I’d probably need a registered NGO and a passionate team to work with. In the end, we can make it happen. It all boils down to humanity.
Finally, travel.
I’ll most definitely travel. I’m looking at myself with one eye right now because I know how much I love staying indoors alone and without neighbours. So help me God hahaha. I’ll get on that plane, or that train, or that bus and visit that city because a girl’s gotten see the world. What’s life if you can’t travel, especially when you can afford it?
There, you have them.
Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to follow @promo-mentors.
