Key Takeaways
1. Identify and Name the Exclusion
No exclusion can be remedied until you research it, gain a deep understanding of its complexities, and then define it in a way that makes its injustice unambiguously clear to others.
Recognize the unseen. Exclusion is often systemic, deeply embedded in policies, infrastructure, and cultural practices, making it hard to recognize for those not directly affected. The author's initial encounter with a visibly pregnant schoolgirl, barred from education by law, highlighted a pervasive injustice that many overlooked or normalized. This first step demands moving beyond sympathy to a precise identification and naming of the problem.
Uncover the layers. The ban on pregnant girls in schools, for instance, was justified by arguments of morality and protecting other students, but it ignored the girls' right to education and the root causes of teenage pregnancy, often sexual violence. Understanding the full scope requires delving into both quantitative data (e.g., literacy rates, maternal mortality) and qualitative stories from those excluded. This process reveals the true costs, not just to individuals but to society at large, such as stunted development and lost potential.
Personal reflection. Everyone experiences exclusion, but the most insidious forms are structural. The author realized his own complicity in exclusion, recalling how he and his friends unknowingly excluded a disabled boy from football games. This self-awareness is crucial; it transforms passive observation into a commitment to change, making the injustice undeniable once it is clearly named and acknowledged, both personally and publicly.
2. Listen to Understand and Learn
Oftentimes, the ones you disagree with the most are the ones you should listen to the most attentively.
Embrace diverse perspectives. After identifying an exclusion, true understanding comes from listening to all stakeholders—victims, perpetrators, advocates, and silent observers. The author held town halls in politically opposing regions, seeking out arguments against lifting the ban on pregnant girls. This approach, though challenging, revealed the underlying fears and misinformation driving resistance, such as concerns about moral decay or negative influence on other students.
Empathy as a bridge. Nothing changes deeply entrenched perspectives more powerfully than empathy. Gloria, a school principal who shared her personal story of being a pregnant teenager, transformed the mood of a contentious town hall. Her lived experience resonated with her colleagues in a way the minister's arguments alone could not, demonstrating that authentic voices from within the affected community are vital for shifting hearts and minds.
Beyond the spoken word. Active listening involves paying attention to body language, unspoken concerns, and even what people don't say. The author learned that many opponents feared the consequences of change more than they opposed the girls' education itself. This insight, combined with learning from mentors like Brené Brown on "rumbling with vulnerability," allowed him to address underlying anxieties and build a more comprehensive case for inclusion, even discovering unexpected allies like his deputy minister, who ran a welfare home for pregnant girls.
3. Define Your Role: Why You, Why Now?
Each one of us has an essential role in the whole of humanity.
Purpose-driven action. Understanding your unique role in addressing a societal challenge is critical. The author's family history of public service and education, particularly his grandfather's lifelong dedication to teaching and his uncle's selfless medical work, instilled in him a deep commitment to serving his country. This personal "story of self" provided the motivation to tackle the ban on pregnant girls, aligning his professional skills in biomedical engineering with his passion for equitable education.
Urgency of the moment. Beyond personal motivation, effective changemakers must articulate "why now" – what makes the current sociopolitical climate ripe for change. Drawing inspiration from figures like Paul Farmer, who integrated healthcare with community needs, and Dr. Humarr Kahn, who bravely led the Ebola response, the author recognized that his position as a cabinet minister offered a unique window of opportunity. He understood that while change is often a long process, there are pivotal moments when decisive action can accelerate progress.
Strategic positioning. Defining one's role also involves understanding the roles of others and how to leverage them. The author's decision to engage the media, particularly popular radio shows, was a strategic move to shift public opinion. By directly addressing tough questions and reframing the issue as one of national inclusion and values, he began to turn public sentiment, even gaining a thumbs-up from the President, signaling a potential shift in the highest office.
4. Build a Diverse and Strategic Coalition
When you speak a language, English, well many people understand you, including Afrikaners. When you speak Afrikaans, you know, you go straight to their hearts.
Beyond immediate circles. Addressing deeply entrenched injustices requires a broad coalition, extending beyond friends and family to include unexpected allies and even former adversaries. The author learned that while personal connections are valuable, a strategic approach to coalition-building involves mapping all stakeholders, understanding their interests, and defining clear roles for each. This was evident in his initial, challenging meeting with ministry staff, where direct confrontation, combined with the support of respected elders, began to shift perspectives.
Leverage diverse voices. Effective coalitions harness the power of diverse voices and experiences. The author's niece, Kadija, initially supported the ban but changed her mind after hearing the arguments and considering her own potential situation, becoming an ardent campaigner. Similarly, engaging family members by asking them to imagine their own daughters facing exclusion proved more effective than abstract arguments. This demonstrated that empathy, when cultivated, can break down barriers and foster shared commitment.
Strategic engagement. Building a coalition involves both direct engagement and strategic communication. The author intensified his use of traditional and online media, allowing the public debate to flourish and counter misinformation. He also strategically managed relationships with international development partners, asking them to take a backseat in public advocacy to avoid perceptions of foreign imposition, while still leveraging their support behind the scenes. This multi-faceted approach ensured that the movement for radical inclusion gained momentum from various sectors, culminating in a task force that unanimously supported overturning the ban.
5. Advocate and Take Decisive Action
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow / This opportunity comes once in a lifetime / You better lose yourself in the music.…
Seize the moment. All the preparation—identifying exclusion, listening, defining roles, and building coalitions—culminates in decisive action. For the author, this was presenting the memorandum to overturn the ban directly to the cabinet. Inspired by mentors like former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who emphasized consulting the president on difficult decisions, and Shimon Peres, who dared to dream big and push through risky operations, the author secured presidential approval to bring the contentious issue to the highest level.
Address fears head-on. In the cabinet meeting, the author confronted the underlying fears of his colleagues: fear of political backlash, fear of going against the president's earlier public stance, and fear of the unknown consequences of change. He reframed the policy change not as a weakness but as an act of leadership, aligning it with the president's vision for national transformation and multilateralism. He systematically dismantled arguments based on religion, culture, and child protection, using data, logical reasoning, and the powerful regional court ruling against the ban.
Personal conviction and courage. The cabinet debate was a high-stakes moment, akin to defending a PhD thesis or a rap battle. The author drew strength from his personal conviction, his family's legacy, and the faces of the girls he was fighting for. His emotional and data-driven presentation, culminating in the president's pivotal statement that no one should worry about his public stance, shifted the room. This moment underscored that while data and strategy are crucial, personal courage and unwavering advocacy are indispensable for driving systemic change.
6. Adapt to and Normalize the New Reality
Discipline and devotion are necessary to the practice of love, all the more so when relationships are just beginning.
Sustain the change. Overturning a policy is merely the first step; the real work lies in ensuring the new normal is accepted and sustained. The author learned that resistance doesn't disappear overnight, as evidenced by a religious leader's sermon condemning the cabinet's decision. President Bio's wisdom—"change is very difficult... people do not like change, but we have to help them accept change"—highlighted the ongoing need for vigilance and active management of the transition.
Beyond policy: cultural shifts. Normalizing change requires addressing underlying attitudes and providing practical support. Madam Gogra's discovery of pregnant girls still being discouraged from exams, despite the new policy, revealed that teachers and communities needed more than just a new law; they needed tools, training, and a shift in mindset. The ministry's National Policy on Radical Inclusion in Schools aimed to remove all impediments—infrastructural, systemic, and attitudinal—and create an enabling environment free from stigma.
Leverage cultural tools. Comedy and media can be powerful agents of normalization. Just as "Modern Family" helped shift American views on same-sex marriage, Sierra Leonean comedy skits evolved from ridiculing the minister to celebrating the inclusion of pregnant girls, eventually focusing on the root causes of teenage pregnancy like rape. This cultural integration helps society internalize new norms, making them feel natural and accepted over time, even as organizations like Girls Plus provide crucial on-the-ground support and advocacy.
7. Go Beyond Inclusion: The Continuous Pursuit of Justice
We must always be working toward a more just society by identifying new areas of exclusion and dismantling them through radical inclusion.
Vigilance against backsliding. Achieving radical inclusion is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Historical examples, like the persistent racial profiling at Harvard despite decades of diversity efforts, illustrate how easily hard-won gains can erode without continuous vigilance and commitment. The author's experience with the disability community, who constantly protest to keep their issues prioritized, reinforces that complacency can lead to the re-marginalization of vulnerable groups.
Expand the circle. True radical inclusion means continuously identifying and addressing new forms of exclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, revealed previously unseen educational inequalities, prompting the ministry to expand radio teaching programs and provide solar-powered radios to remote students. This demonstrated that the pursuit of justice requires a holistic and adaptive approach, constantly re-evaluating who is still being left out and why.
Institutionalize the ethos. The ultimate goal is to embed the principles of radical inclusion into the very fabric of society and governance. The author observed his cabinet colleagues adopting the phrase "radical inclusion" in diverse policy discussions, from energy access to economic development, signifying a deeper cultural shift. This institutionalization, backed by accountability and measurement, ensures that the commitment to equity extends beyond specific issues, laying a foundation for a truly just and inclusive nation.
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