Pick It Up!
Ever Played That Game Where You Kick a Can Down the Road?
Remember that childhood game where you’d kick a can just to see how far it would go? Fun as a child, perhaps, but as parents and teachers—especially as Stewards or would-be Stewards—it’s a pastime we can’t afford. Procrastination might be a global sport, but we’re here to retire from that league.
The World Won’t Fix Itself (Spoiler Alert: Neither Will Your To-Do List)
Given the tidal wave of challenges we face in society, our families, and our personal lives, we simply can’t afford procrastination or passivity. Life’s problems—whether it’s plastic-choked oceans, mental health struggles, the rise in crime, or the devastating human suffering we see in the form of wars and economic exploitation—don’t come with an expiration date. They won’t disappear if we wait long enough.
From peer pressure to social media anxiety, from environmental destruction to the heart-breaking reality of ongoing genocide that claim innocent lives, the list of issues just keeps growing. And if no one steps up to face these challenges, they won’t go anywhere.
Waiting around, hoping someone else will handle it, is like waiting for the sun to appear at the bottom of the ocean. Whether it’s the environment, our communities, the survival of vulnerable populations, or our children’s future ambitions—problems won’t vanish just because we hit snooze. It’s time to ask ourselves: are we going to sit back and hope things magically improve, or are we ready to roll up our sleeves and tackle the mess head-on?
Waiting for a Hero? Plot Twist—It’s You!
Imagine a community waiting for someone to swoop in and save the day, like in the story of Dhul Qarnain and the chaos of Gog and Magog. When Dhul Qarnain encountered a community in distress, they begged him to solve their problem. Gog and Magog were wreaking havoc, and the people simply wanted a wall to hide behind.
“They said, ‘O Dhul Qarnain, indeed Gog and Magog are great corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?’” (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:94).
But Dhul Qarnain wasn’t about to hand over the solution on a silver platter. He made them work for it. “Help me with strength,” he said. In other words: no free rides. The people had to put in the effort to build the wall themselves. And even then, Dhul Qarnain reminded them that their barrier wasn’t a permanent fix. Problems like Gog and Magog don’t just go away. They’ll keep coming back unless you stay vigilant, maintain your defences, and take responsibility for your own future.
The moral of the story? You can’t outsource your life’s work. So, pick up the can, recycle it, repurpose it, or bin it—it’s your move.
The Go-Getter’s Creed
At Stewards.ONE, we believe in taking action where it matters. Our core values—courage, loyalty, integrity, truthfulness, and excellence—are more than just words. They are the principles that shape everything we do, guiding us as we strive for meaningful change.
Courage: The fuel that gets us off the couch and into the game. No armchair critics here.
Loyalty: The glue that keeps us committed when the road gets bumpy. It’s easy to quit; loyalty makes us stay. And it starts at home. Loyalty begins with how we nurture and support our families. By being loyal to our homes, we cultivate the foundation for a better society. When families stand strong, they serve as a launching pad for wider stewardship, allowing us to build stronger communities and a more compassionate world.
Integrity: Doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching. Or, let’s be honest, when no one’s Instagramming it.
Truthfulness: Speaking up with sincerity, even when it’s easier to stay quiet or add a little glitter to the truth.
Excellence: Striving for the best in everything we do, because doing things halfway isn’t the Steward way.
But let’s be real—values are great, but they’re like having a direction without a car. You’re not going anywhere unless you’ve got the skills to move forward.
Skills: The Secret Sauce
Values provide the compass, but skills are the engine that turns intention into action. Tackling the world’s challenges doesn’t start with grand gestures—it begins by mastering the basics. Whether students are studying Islamic Art, Mathematics, Science, or Language, these foundational subjects help build critical thinking, creativity, and analytical abilities, which are key to developing practical skills.
But we also recognise that education goes beyond academic study. At Stewards.ONE, learning is seen as a lifelong journey. That’s why our programs span beyond secondary school education and cover a wide range of areas, including Business and Career Development, Adult Learning, Community Courses, and Family Services. This holistic approach ensures that learners are equipped with the tools needed to make a meaningful impact at every stage of life.
What ties all our offerings together is the cultivation of essential, life-long abilities—skills that not only empower individuals but also drive societal change:
- Problem-solving: The ability to assess challenges, break them down into manageable parts, and devise creative, effective solutions.
- Communication: The art of clearly conveying ideas while actively listening to others, ensuring mutual understanding and collaboration.
- Collaboration: Working effectively with diverse groups, drawing on different perspectives and strengths to achieve shared goals.
- Discipline: The perseverance to stay focused, committed, and resilient, even in the face of obstacles, ensuring consistent progress.
From the subjects taught in our online school to the practical skills inculcated in our career and community courses, every learning experience builds the confidence and capability needed to tackle greater challenges and take meaningful action.
Where Do Skills Lead? A Path to Impact
And where do all these skills lead? They open doors to roles that directly contribute to society—such as midwives nurturing new life, teachers shaping the minds of future generations, tech innovators revolutionising how we connect and solve problems, environmental leaders safeguarding the planet’s future, healthcare professionals saving lives, social workers advocating for the vulnerable, and policymakers crafting laws that promote justice and equality.
These roles—and countless others—are the natural result of mastering essential skills and applying them through hands-on learning. Every step at Stewards.ONE leads to a future where learners are equipped to make a real, positive impact on the world.
Stewards Don’t Wait—They Act!
And here’s the radical truth: Stewards don’t wait for perfect conditions or for someone else to make things happen. They don’t kick the can down the road. They pick it up!
If we want to see a different world, we need to start doing things differently. The journey begins with education, skill-building, and capability development for families and communities. It’s time to make choices that truly solve our challenges. Be bold. Act decisively. Partner with us —let’s make a positive impact together.
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