Circle of Life Ignite's Virtual Workshop

Circle of Life Ignite, formerly known as Sound Waves, is a compassionate organization dedicated to supporting individuals who have experienced the profound trauma of losing a child to youth violence. Founded in 2018 in response to a tragic incident, Circle of Life Ignite provides essential support to families, friends, and communities affected by such devastating losses. This case study highlights the impact of a recent virtual workshop hosted by Circle of Life Ignite, where participants explored coping mechanisms and shared their lived experiences of grief and trauma.

Workshop Overview

The workshop commenced with an insightful discussion centered around the theme, "Remembering Without Trauma." Participants engaged in open dialogue, acknowledging the unique challenges and emotional toll associated with the loss of a child. Key speakers, Lisa and Anton, provided invaluable perspectives drawn from their personal journeys and professional endeavors.

Participant Experiences

Mothers within the workshop expressed the depth of their trauma, describing it as "trauma of the highest level." Circle of Life Ignite's mission to support mothers navigating this devastating loss resonated deeply with the participants, emphasizing the critical need for compassionate assistance during such trying times.

Anton, a former offender turned youth worker, shared his commitment to breaking the cycle of violence in Coventry. Drawing from his own experiences and losses, Anton highlighted the importance of providing individualized support to at-risk youth. Despite personal tragedies, Anton's resilience and dedication to creating positive change were evident throughout his address.

Lisa, who facilitates support groups for grieving parents, shed light on the profound loneliness often experienced by those coping with the loss of a child. She emphasized the inadequacy of well-meaning yet insensitive remarks, underscoring the unique and incomparable nature of parental grief. However, Lisa also conveyed the transformative impact of Circle of Life Ignite's support services, providing solace and a sense of community to bereaved parents navigating their grief journeys.

Key Takeaways

The workshop concluded with participants reflecting on the power of collective support and resilience in the face of unimaginable loss. Insights shared by Lisa and Anton served as beacons of hope, inspiring attendees to embrace their grief journey with courage and compassion. Through its unwavering dedication and empathetic approach, Circle of Life Ignite continues to serve as a beacon of hope and healing for those affected by youth violence.

Conclusion

Circle of Life Ignite's virtual workshop provided a safe and nurturing space for individuals to share their experiences, seek solace, and find strength amidst adversity. By fostering open dialogue and community support, Circle of Life Ignite reaffirmed its commitment to empowering grieving parents and promoting healing in the aftermath of youth violence-induced tragedies. As participants continue their journey towards healing and remembrance, Circle of Life Ignite remains steadfast in its mission to support, uplift, and advocate for those impacted by the loss of a child.

Junior’s Story

Disclaimer:
This page shares a personal story from Sister Stella B Muma of Circle of Ignite about the loss of her son Junior in a violent incident involving a knife. Stella bravely shares her experience to raise awareness about the serious effects of knife crime. The stories may be upsetting to read, so please approach them with empathy. The parents hope that sharing their stories will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

“Junior was a good young man of whom family and school had great hopes. He was much loved by his friends, class mates, teachers and the community.”

Junior was born on the 29th of June at exactly 5minutes pass midnight. Born in PMI Bamenda, Cameroon, he was the eldest of three boys and from a youngster it was clear that his passion was going to be football, once he had managed to control his sweet tooth and love for biscuits and sweets. He went to nursery school and primary school in PNEU Foncha’s street in Bamenda, Cameroon. Junior came to the UK and quickly made friends. He loved all outdoor sports, and for a while he tried athletics, but his love for football won. If anyone wanted to know what type of person Junior was, all you needed to do was watch him on the football pitch. Quite, humble, dedicated, passionate and reliable. Most of his friends saw him as an ambitious, role model that always saw the best in people and knew what he wanted in life.

He had a positive effect on people lives and he was a role model for his community. He was a talented and driven young man who attended Walworth academy. His favourite subjects were maths and science. Our son Junior was a typical teenager who love school and was very active in the community. He was a happy child who loved to smile. He was very popular in the community and was always around other young people. He loved his brothers and spent time playing Xbox at home or they were out praying football. Juniors loved music and was part of the Walworth academy orchestra, his favourite song was west life and he love singing. He had so much passion for the game of football, he will write poems about football and spent most of his spare time playing football in the community. He was everywhere where they played football, his favourite football prayer was Messi and he was a strong supporter of Manchester United, and loved everything red and white. He will spend time in Myatts Field park training young people under Lambeth Tigers.

I remember when Junior was in primary school he was very embarrassed when I took them to school and wanted to kiss and hug them in front of the school gate. When we were close to the school he will go inside the school faster to avoid being kissed in front of other people.

The last Saturday before he passed on he and so many of his friends were at home playing Xbox. I cooked some Jollof rice for them and they had a lovely time together, l never thought that would be his last weekend with his friends and family. It’s was like a farewell party for Junior. I can never forget that weekend.

On the 27 of September 2012, lt was a normal day like any other day. My kids went to school. They came back home, changed their uniforms had their dinner and went out to play in the green at Secker House where we lived. Around six pm Junior came in the house l thought he was in his room, not knowing that he went back out side and continued playing football with the boys. An argument broke out between the boys playing football and some group of girls. Junior was not happy that they were disrupting the football match. They was an argument between Junior and one of the girls in particular. She got upset with Junior and decided to call her boyfriend who came with a knife and stabbed my son in the chest.

He ran from the back of the house where we lived and fell infront of Secker House. I was at home looking after my baby who was 3 months old at the time. My middle son came home crying hysterically and said to me mum junior has been stabbed and I don’t know if he will make it, l rushed out of the house and went downstairs stairs only for me to see him lying on the ground and the police and paramedics were already there. I was screaming and trying to get to him but the neighbours held me back. I wasn’t allowed to touch him. One of my neighbours throw water on my face and they held me down. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing it was like a dream. It happened so fast before my eyes. The paramedics were trying to keep my son alive. They were trying to resuscitate him, they tried all they could but to no avail.

My son was pronounced dead at around 9:45pm on the 27 of September 2012. I was taken back to our apartment and the police came in and asked to see Junior’s room and his stuff. They started their investigations.

I really didn’t know what was happening and couldn’t believe that my son had been taken from us. 27 of September will always be the worst day of my life. They called the doctor and arranged for me to get sleeping pills.

It was a sad day in Loughborough. People were angry and sad. The young people were hurt. The community organised a Virgil at the Loughborough community centre. It was so sad. Junior was a very sociable young man who love playing football with the youths in the community. Unfortunately his life was cut short.

The days and months that followed were really difficult for me and my middle son Fritz who stopped playing football. He was in stock and was withdrawn. Juniors and Fritz school and the entire community were really supportive. Loosing Junior has been the worst thing that ever happened to me. Life has been really hard. Each day is a struggle. I have suffered depression, memory loss, hair loss, broken heart syndrome, some days l don’t even want to get out of bed. His brothers have really struggled over the years especially Fritz because they were so close and spend much time together. They attended the same primary and secondary schools. Juniors has left a vacuum in our life that can never be filled. He was always smiling. He had the biggest smile. School friends recall seeing his smiling face around the school and described him as a very intelligent and knowledgeable boy.

“He was a brilliant kid, only 15, but he was always smiling. An asset- to loose someone like Junior this is very devastating”

It’s too late for my son Junior but it is not too late to safe our young people from the same fate. The people who stabbed Junior did not just snatch his life away but they always took part of mine away. Knife and gun violence has far reaching consequences, it more than killing and denying someone from their future.

At the time, the people involved thought they were hurting Junior , but in reality they ended up hurting me, his entire family, his school and a whole community. They cut short his life but you have the opportunity to make it. So please, stop the fighting, stop the bullying, stop the stabbing, stop youth violence. I do not wish your love ones to go through what I am going through. We have come together as a community to continue to create awareness of violence crime and the devastating effects it has on the community as a whole.

Sister Stella Muma

Circle of life ignite was created by a group of parents Sister Wendy, Sister Shiela, Myself and Sister Segen both work together. Segen loss her beloved son Solomon to knife crime in 2018. We have been blessed with the support of our facilitator Jedidah and our local MP Helen Hayes. Our efforts to reach out to parents and young people in our community especially those families who are struggling with the loss of loved one through violence crimes.