Agents of change

The story behind the mat that’s changing lives in PNG settlements has been spreading worldwide.

Last month, four yoga teachers in Port Moresby travelled to the United Kingdom for a Yoga Congress.

Jackson Manuai Kiap, Ahia Enoch, Stephanie Clement, and Saina Kemi, accompanied by their mentor Fazilah Bazari, were among hundreds of other yogis from around the world who went to tell their story.

The story of these four teachers and the estimated 5 000 following community in the country made it onto the British Wheel of Yoga’s summer 2017 issue.

British Wheel of Yoga is the largest yoga membership organisation in the UK, committed to promoting a greater understanding of yoga and its safe practice through experience, education, study and training.

The four, represented the majority of the yoga community in PNG, whose lives have been transformed by yoga.

Most of whom who are “traumatised and addicted, criminals and victims of crime, disenfranchised and isolated…”

This time, their message was of “hope, of change and transformation, of joy and peace.”

An obviously proud mentor Fazilah shared the snapshot of the article Facebook yesterday, with the caption:

The action people take can impact the change they wish to see in the world. I am just so proud of some of the young Papua New Guineans whom before lived in the periphery of society, afraid to have a voice and be included and today they shine so bright like the diamonds that they are. This is a story of 4 courageous people, who represented youth who were involved in crime, youth who were school dropout and suffer from unemployment, youth who found acceptance in girls cult movement after being abused and a women who was both a victim and a perpetrator of violence. Their message: If we can change so can you. Their commonality: Yoga practice and selfless service. Their goal: To be transformers and Agents of Change. This is their story that was shared at the British Wheel of Yoga congress.

Meantime, Port Moresby will celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 18.

Tags: 
Author: 
Gloria Bauai