Every child fighting for a better future is a reminder to act | Marina Shacola | TEDxLimassol
The speaker, Empira, shares her profound experience working with children in a remand prison, arguing that even in conditions of absolute deprivation, children retain inherent spirit, exemplified by Judy, who transformed trauma into a path toward hope through song and education. She illustrates this by detailing Judy's journey from abuse and abandonment to becoming a promising student and future nurse, thanks to the Sophia Foundation's intervention. The core message urges continued support for vulnerable youth because their inherent resilience demands outside guardianship to flourish.
## Speakers & Context
- **Empira** — Photographer and volunteer for the Sophia Foundation for Children.
- **Setting:** Initial encounters were with children in a children's remand prison.
- **Context:** The initial shock upon entering the prison was not due to visible abuse, but due to the "silence of the place, the nothingness, the absolute lack of any stimulation, any recreation, any purpose."
## Theses & Positions
- The profound impact of deprivation can be more shocking than outright abuse.
- A child's inherent spirit and ability to find purpose remain even when living in absolute deprivation (e.g., the self-made balls).
- Education and structured care—as provided by the Sophia Foundation—can rescue children from cycles of survivalism (stealing, killing) into hope and future prospects.
- The ability to create and express oneself through art (like song) is a critical sign of retained life force and potential.
- External support is necessary to guide children in finding and realizing their potential, transforming them from victims of circumstance into agents of positive change.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Remand Prison (for children):** A facility housing children aged **five to 16 years old** who are incarcerated.
- **Cycle of Survivalism:** The state where children are forced to steal or kill merely "in order to survive in the streets."
- **Gospel Song Composition:** A coping mechanism and expression of hope for the speaker, developed from periods of feeling unheard and un-cared for.
- **Guardianship:** The formal support structure provided by the Sophia Foundation, either through the **Macario's Children's Home** or private boarding schools.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Art/Play as Defiance:** Children creating their own play materials (balls) from discarded items (used plastic bags and rope) despite the lack of resources.
- **Discovery of Voice:** The process of asking Judy to sing, which served as the speaker's confirmation that she was capable of moving forward.
- **Rehabilitation Pathway:** The structured intervention process: 1) Rescue/Discovery $\rightarrow$ 2) Diagnosis of Trauma/Lack of Hope $\rightarrow$ 3) Safe Placement (Macario's or boarding school) $\rightarrow$ 4) Education $\rightarrow$ 5) Achieving Self-Actualization (university/career goals).
- **Skill Building:** Judy's decision to voluntarily repeat a school year, showing wisdom and commitment to solidifying her foundation for future competition.
## Named Entities
- **Sophia Foundation for Children:** Organization involved in rescuing and supporting children through its programs.
- **Macario's Children's Home:** An orphanage under the care of the Sophia Foundation.
- **Judy Moni:** Specific child featured in the testimony, aged **17** at the later meeting.
- **Moita High School:** The secondary school where Judy is currently enrolled, located in **Nuki**.
- **Nuki:** Location associated with Judy's current school.
## Numbers & Data
- Age range in the remand prison: **five to 16 years old**.
- Judy's age when first encountered: **13 years old**.
- Judy's original age when married off: **9 years old**.
- Number of children currently under the foundation's guardianship: **almost 200**.
- Number of children who finished secondary school with top grades since last year: **three**.
- Judy's current grade level: **Form One**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Judy's Trauma:** Abducted after being legally raped when she was **9**, then held captive and abused by a group of men, escaping at age **13**.
- **The Prison Environment:** Total absence of toys, books, recreation, or apparent purpose; children surviving through illegal means.
- **Judy's Resilience in School:** Repeating her academic year voluntarily to build "solid foundations" and compete with her peers.
- **Judy's Future Goals:** To become a nurse to care for the sick and to be a musician/gospel singer, using her compositions to process past bitterness.
- **Physical vs. Spiritual Presence:** The speaker’s realization that the memory (the ball and the song) was enough to urge her to act, questioning if constant physical presence is mandatory for care.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Self-made balls:** Constructed from used plastic bags and rope.
- **Stationery/School Supplies:** Uniforms, shoes, mattresses provided for Judy’s new life.
## References Cited
- None explicitly cited, other than the general reference to the Sophia Foundation's ongoing work and sponsors.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- The speaker initially feared that Judy did not belong in the structured, supportive environment of the boarding school, questioning if it would be "all too much for her."
## Methodology
- Observational documentation (photography and presence) to assess the children's immediate needs and emotional states upon rescue.
- Gradual introduction to stability (the new room, playing fields, etc.) to gauge acceptance and adaptation.
- Eliciting a personal creative act (singing a song) to confirm the child's readiness for emotional recovery.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Any child fighting for a better future is inherently worthy of being called a "hero" and requires support.
- The immediate need is funding and resources to maintain the foundation’s program, ensuring continued care for children who would otherwise perish in slums or juvenile prisons.
- The necessity of emotional resonance and personal testimony—like the story of Judy—to motivate outside action, as represented by the power of "a ball and a girl song in my head."
## Implications & Consequences
- The failure to intervene leaves children trapped in cycles of violence and desperation ("deadly streets of the slums or the juvenile prisons and remands").
- The testimony itself functions as an appeal, suggesting that the act of remembering and sharing the story sustains the momentum for action.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"This ball is a very special one for me because it was given to me on the very first day we managed to get permission to enter a children's remand."*
- *"No, it was more the silence of the place, the nothingness, the absolute lack of any stimulation, any recreation, any purpose."*
- *"I looked more like a wild, scared animal than a 13-year-old girl."*
- *"I asked her if she knew a song she could sing for me, something to take back with me as a memory of her when I went back home."*
- *"Sing God. Hallelu Jesus Christ. Halleluah Jesus Christ. Hallelu Jesus Christ."*
- *"I can’t even be able to say my happiness because of making me to go back to school and be able to learn."*
- *"For me, it took a ball and a girl song in my head to daily remind me that there are children who need our help, urging me to act for you."*