Happiness Through AEP

In our fast-paced, modern world, I believe we get happiness all wrong. We think happiness comes from achievements and as a result we take so much of living for granted. This contrasts with the simpler world in which I spent time this past summer, the village of Kafue in Zambia. Kafue sits in the middle of Africa and is a poor village where people rich with happiness live. Each morning, I walked uneven roads on the way to the learning centers. In front of the houses, which were concrete squares with no insulation and tin roofs, I heard singing and happy voices of children playing with one another. They always waved or greeted me and occasionally a child would even run up and hug me. At first I did not say much and just smiled, but really I was speechless at their happiness. I soon began to look for these children each morning to greet them. I looked forward to the smiles and connections from the local people I passed every morning. Each day for them was another day alive, another opportunity, and a truly good morning to be blessed with life. Their happiness was not measured; it was lived.

During my time in Zambia, I worked at a nonprofit center, AEP, African Education Program, that provides education and food for children and adults. In addition, I taught science to children from fifth to seventh grade. AEP operates fully on donations. Children and parents rely on it in order to survive.

Throughout my teaching, I experienced their true love for learning. One of the most memorable parts of my work was my time at one of the AEP centers called Read For Rose. Read For Rose is a special education program for children who are deaf, blind, autistic, and have physical disabilities. They focus on “teaching the children communication and life skills they need to live fulfilled lives while advocating for the changes needed in society so they have equal access to education and economic empowerment.” When I first entered the Read For Rose center, a little girl named Togo who is autistic ran up to me and jumped into my arms. She then took my finger and pointed to the pictures on the page and repeated, “teach me, teach me.” I saw the urge in her eyes to learn. That's when I realized that education is more than just a privilege; it is a source of possibility and hope.

Beyond the education aspect of Read For Rose, I experienced happiness from a different point of view. Togo and all the other children communicated with each other through sign language. They taught me some sign language and found a way to make me feel seen and understood. Their happiness spread contagiously to me. Although they lack the material possessions I have in my life, they did not seem to care. Their happiness did not come from having the perfect life; it came from the way they chose to experience the life they had.

As I reflect on my trip, what surprised me the most was the genuine happiness I saw in everyone around me. Their happiness came from the community of people they had around them and the joy they found in every moment. Can happiness come from simply appreciating the present moment, rather than constantly searching for what comes next? My answer to this question is yes. Happiness comes from living in the present moment. They showed me it is not about what you have or what you wear; it is about living every moment of your life to the fullest because in their case they do not know the struggles or issues tomorrow is going to bring them.

Now, I enter my junior year of high school with a completely different perspective of everything I have in my life. I want you to think about what happiness truly means to you.

Dior Lukanski ’28