Saira (third from right) and Taekwon-Do classmates.
Last Sunday my personal and professional worlds collided, with terrifying consequences (for those who hide behind phantom firms at least).
It all started five years ago when my friend Stuart started a Taekwon-Do class. I went along in support and felt quite pleased with myself. Then my boyfriend, Nick, decided to go too, and said he wanted to keep it up. I didn’t complete more than ten PE lessons in my entire time at school – I am not sporty – but I couldn’t bear the thought of waving goodbye to him every week from the sofa. So I grudgingly went too.
I have moaned non-stop ever since, but stuck at it. And believe it or not I just passed my second Dan black belt grading. That’s right; I am not to be messed with.
At the start of the grading, we stood up to recite the oath, which includes the line “I shall be a champion of freedom and justice.” I allowed myself a little smile, because justice is at the heart of what we do at ONE.
Justice is why we’re fighting phantom firms. So money and resources that rightly belong to citizens of developing countries can be used to lift people from poverty. I delivered a poorly executed flying kick and thought “take that corruption, take that dodgy deals!” At least I thought that in retrospect, at the time I was just terrified.
Anyway, there are two messages you can take away from this blog. Firstly, it doesn’t matter if you’re scared, or think you’re weak, or even if you’re a bit lazy. If you believe in something, stick at it and refuse to be beaten. You might look and feel stupid and it might take years, but one person can achieve anything. And we’re not just one person; we’re 3 million fighting injustice together. That’s much less frightening.
Secondly, for phantom firms and all those who hide behind them, I am coming after you, with fists clenched and flying kicks at the ready. You have been warned.*
Channel your inner Taekwon-Do master and join us as we take on phantom firms – warm up by signing our petition.
*This should in no way be interpreted as a threat of actual violence; I am a pacifist and a chicken. But hopefully you get my point.