Date of publication: Sunday 1 June 2025
Every child is sacred – Honouring Ken Campbell
The early years: Ken at the Manger Meal with his sons Joshua and Kerdeem Photo credit: Sarah Onyango
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Ken Campbell – Community Father
by June Girvan. J’NiKira Dinqinesh Education Centre – Every Child is Sacred
“Thank You, Ken Campbell, on this Fathers’ Day. Thank you for being a “Honorary Man of the Village”; for being there for our sacred children, enabling our aspirational mottos of Ottawa and our Order of Canada: Advance Ottawa – En Avant and “They (our generations) desire a better country.
Ken was recognized for the Honoured Man of the Village that he is, at the 2020 Manger Meal held at Christ Church Cathedral to mark National Child Day. The Manger Meal gives thanks, in gratitude for those among us who, in the spirit of “Joseph”, “shepherd” and “magi”, go the distance for the wellbeing of the sacred children of the community; protecting them from whatever “Herodic” forces that threaten to derail their life’s calling.
In accepting due recognition, as an Honoured Man the “Village”, Ken wrote: “My mission is to develop the greatness in our children through playing, learning, discipline and imagining, rooted in the richness of Afrikan traditions and cultural expressions
Without doubt, each child is sacred. Each child embodies the gift of life and love. Each child represents the future. As such, each child must be treated with dignity, love, respect. Each child must be nurtured so they can grow up to reach their full potential.
Every child has individual talents and special needs. By providing positive role models and a nurturing environment that promotes education, teamwork and family values we help our children to become the best they can be. Above all, we help them to see themselves as truly unique and gifted as well as to appreciate and value others, as sacred.
The ancient African proverb, ‘It take a village to raise a child’, teaches the eternal truth that no child, man, woman, family is an island. This proverb teaches the importance of community cooperation, shared responsibility and a social network.
The “village” here is composed of family, extended family, good neighbours, social networks and society at large. It means that everyone is somehow connected and plays an important role in shaping our children’s upbringing and education. This African knowledge proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, captures both our organizational commitment to serving children and the individual’s commitment to a child.
Each of us, as parents, must commit to ensure that our children grow up being knowledgeable about their history and culture, which inevitably leads to positive self-esteem. In addition, this allows the children to care; to give back to their village, having learned at an early age the importance of our collective work and our shared responsibility.
This wisdom teaches the importance of community cooperation, shared responsibility and social networks.
Above all, we help or children to see themselves as truly unique and gifted, as well as to appreciate and value others as sacred.
My mission is to develop the greatness in our children”.
This Father’s Day, 2025, as Jaku Konbit prepares to mark its 25th anniversary, Ken is living out his mission; his dream to develop greatness in our children; help them to develop the greatness that is within Self. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a great man to aspire to develop greatness in the next generation. In gratitude, I salute Ken. As a “Woman of the Village”, I say, Thank you, Ken! Thank you!