Draft your own hero story

Child councillors, radio presenters and the child protection committees in support of LifeLine Childline and the Community Certificate programme at NAMCOL, this week attended an induction course in the use of a so-called Hero Book.
A Hero Book is a document, and a process, in which a child, young person or adult is invited to be the author, illustrator, main character and editor of his/her own life-book that is designed to help them set goals, and give them power over a specific challenge or obstacle in their life.
The Hero Book process works as a form of community mobilisation helping individuals to reflect on their inability to solve their problem, and then leading to a solution of empowerment and self-respect. Being the author and auctor of one’s own book and storyline leads to insight and to the mobilisation of a wider circle of external support and resources. At the end of the process, each person has a hand-bound storybook of their own making which is a kind of mission statement that incorporates a solution. At the same time, it is a roadmap that documents and reinforces problem busting strategies. The children go through the process of identifying heroes, setting goals, listing sad and happy memories, sketching phases in life, their road of life and also obstacles while searching for solutions.
The FNB Foundation has supported this project with an amount of N$915,230 over a period of three years from 2012 to 2015. Manager Corporate Communications at FNB Namibia Vicky Muranda, said “This is a first for the LifeLine ChildLine child radio presenters and child councillors and committee members. REPSSI has done similar trainings on the Hero Book with other NGO’s with whom Childline partners. In this first training almost 40 children are participating, ranging in ages from 8 to18 years and they are also from all walks of life, not only from under-privileged backgrounds.”