This Lent Catholic award recipient, Aaron Omotosho, aged 21, is speaking up for the voiceless by shutting up and staying ‘siLENT’. Kate Eastmond met him to find out why.
For Aaron Omotosho then aged 17, stopping at Manchester’s central library after college was an ordinary event, until one day something extraordinary happened - he met Pitchou, a young homeless asylum seeker and was inspired to act.
Aaron quickly realised the man spoke no English but was in desperate need of some food. From there, a friendship developed. Over the coming weeks Aaron put in place plans to make sure Pitchou was cared for. This included buying new clothes, contacting a local homeless charity who helped with finding local day centres, and even contacting lawyers to help him get on the right path to gather proper documentation. From those small beginnings, ‘Help Manchester’, a homelessness project was formed.
The project’s aim was simple: to encourage young people in the area to support day centres who feed and shelter homeless people. Supported by his college, Aaron promoted his work through assembly presentations. For Aaron, Help Manchester is personal as he sees homelessness so clearly in and around Manchester where there are 200 to 400 rough sleepers every year[1]. Aaron explains: “I'm fortunate enough to be in a position where I can do something to help people. But when I met Pitchou it made me realise that it could be anybody. That could be me. That could be any one of my friends, my family and I know if they were in that position, I would do anything I could to help them out.”
During Lent, Aaron will be joining with others who will be staying ‘siLENT’ with Million Minutes, aiming to collectively clock up 1,000,000 minutes of sponsored silence and in the process create a deafening silence for overlooked young people this Lent. All the money raised supports young people to change the world. Aaron is committing himself to 24 hours of silence by giving up his phone and social media accounts.
Aaron explains the difference he wants to make: “Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Sometimes we need a hands-on approach. It doesn’t have to be anything major. The smallest things can make a difference. With Help Manchester we just started doing things, we didn’t sit about talking, we were proactive. We had met a young man who was in need. We knew what we needed to do, and we got on with it. There is no better time than the present. That’s why I am joining siLENT. I’ll give up my phone and social media accounts for 24 hours and commit to action. I know every penny raised will go to help young people change the world.”
Through this action Aaron is directly supporting youth led grant-funded projects across the country. In his hometown of Manchester students with learning difficulties from St John Vianney SEN school have built an allotment project, funded by Million Minutes, which is helping feed young refugee families in the local area.
Aaron reflects: “Having arrived in the UK myself in 2011, I can sympathise with the refugees who live in my local area. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, my work in Manchester is a symbol of that, and hearing about what St John Vianney’s are doing, the students often overlooked themselves, they are doing their part too. Together we are making our world a kinder and better place to live. And for that I’m really proud.”
This Lent Million Minutes asks you to join with Aaron as together we all take real time to give up the things that fill our lives with noise and restlessness. Not only will you allow time for silence, the sponsorship you raise over Lent will enable Million Minutes to make a real difference to young people across the country without a voice, for whom silence isn’t a choice.
Join siLENT today: millionminutes.org/silent.
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-42609753