teacher

WHO I AM?

Mariam Olban Ally in physical form stands in front of you, but in a spiritual sense, she is “someone” who is there (laughs). I was born for some reason. I am sure about that. For what reason? Time will tell me.

Help people

Happiness brings a sense of fulfillment understood not only as a personal fulfillment of needs, but also satisfying the needs of others, the group, making someone happy, through help. You cannot be happy by being happy alone. It does not work like that. When I help people, I get happiness. I am happy when I know that I am helping someone and this help is really effective. This is the way that shapes me as a person. I do not know if I can always help someone, but I always try and always believe that I can. In any way, but I believe that it is possible. Sometimes a young man approaches me and asks for money because he did not eat anything for breakfast. I think it is not good to not eat breakfast and I give him two thousand shillings. It’s little but he will get something that he needs: a small thing that will make him happy with that little money.

– That means we should give people what they need?

– It is not necessary to always give them what they need. The point is to teach them something.

The earth is not just for you. You live among other people

The earth is not just for you, but for us all. We always live in a certain community. If you live in a community, you need to understand what it needs. What the people living in it need. My community is our mutual needs with the society and the community – “We need each other”. We do not live alone. I’m not just me and my family. There are others around me. There are also other communities, and religions: Muslim, Hindu, Christians, and Sikhs. These are my neighbors. You cannot live alone in the community. This is important and the reason we should understand each other and get to know each other in order to be able to live together in peace. I do not want to change your faith, you should not want to change my faith either. If I behave in a normal human way and you behave in a normal human way, then we will live together in peace.

We are the same. Unity. Similarity

There are many languages ​​in Africa but in all there is one similar word “utu”, “untu”, “mtu”. All these words mean one thing: “human”. Because we are all human beings, we all have the same similarities, the same needs, the same things that bring us joy, our course of life is the same. We are all similar to each other in our human nature and are subject to the same laws of nature.

Nurture joy. Enjoy life

Keeping joy in me, joy of the spirit, I think it is the secret to being happy. This is the major recipe for happiness. I enjoy my life. Life is too short to constantly get angry or be unhappy, not to smile at people, not to greet them when you pass each other. Those things give pleasure.

Live a full life, meet your needs, then you are really ready to help others

I take life as it is and live in the fullness of life. I follow my heart, my youth. I keep my young heart with me, nursing it in me (laughs). If I have any needs, I realize them. If I want to go to the beach, to church to pray, to meet a friend – I do it. For me life is living a full life. Fully feeling what I’m doing. Doing what I need depending on the time and the place where I am. I need to feel life and want something. Do not just think, get angry with others or complain. What I do is look at myself, what is important to me, what I need and I want to achieve it. In this way I am ready to help others too. Without satisfying your own needs and feelings, you will not be ready to really help others. 

Answers to questions should be sought in yourself

Everyone must find the answer to their own questions. Everyone must find their solution, their way. When I am asked for advice, I say “Sit down, think carefully, ask yourself what is good for you. Nobody will tell you that. You must find your answer for yourself, inside yourself.”

Spending time together

Now people are shutting off their lives. Life becomes very “private” through gadgets, having iPads, iPhones, and laptops. Life becomes more and more isolated from others. We are shutting out ourselves and our privacy. We do not talk to each other, we do not share. We are moving away from each other, especially children and parents. We need time to be physically together. You cannot live alone. You need diversity. You have children, you have a family, friends, you have your community. When you are in trouble, when you have any needs, you need someone. Then you know that someone is there, that someone will be with you. Being alone … you cannot be alone all the time.

Moderation. Keeping balance in life

In Kiswahili, we say “Kiasi”, which means you have to keep a balance in eating, drinking, speaking, in everything. We cannot constantly immerse ourselves in one thing only. We must balance and exercise moderation. There is no other way.

Moment. The moment in which you are

The fact that I met you and that we are sitting here together and talking – this is important. Finally, at the end of the day, what is happening to me and what is happening right now is important to me. It gives me happiness.