Our Pain 2 Power

Our cherished colleague, Edwin Afriyie, has endured a traumatic experience that we can’t ignore. In April 2018, he was subjected to excessive force by a City of London Police officer, who Tasered him on King William Street. This brutal incident left Edwin with head, back, and leg injuries as he fell to the ground, striking his head on a stone ledge. It’s heartbreaking to see one of our lead youth practitioners, a man who has dedicated over 20 years to empowering young people, suffer in such a way. Edwin has been a pillar of strength and commitment, going above and beyond for the young people we support at Our Pain 2 Power His work has positively impacted countless lives, and he stands as a shining example of compassion and resilience in our community. This incident underscores just how critical it is for change within policing, especially when it comes to the treatment of Black communities. Our founder, Gideon Buabeng works tirelessly with Metropolitan Police to push for accountability, transparency, and transformation within law enforcement. Officers must be held responsible for their actions, and we refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice. Change must come. It won’t be easy, but it’s essential. The police must do better for the communities they serve. #OurPain2Power #PoliceBrutality #LetTheYouthLive #EdwinAfriyie

Braiding Masterclass for young girls!💕 We are thrilled to share the success of the recent Braiding Masterclass, hosted by the incredibly talented and professional braider and coach, @theshaiieffect , in collaboration with @braidsgang & @ourpain2power Youth Organisation! 🎉 Our young participants received in-depth training on mastering the art of braiding, guided by the expertise and passion of @theshaiieffect ✨ The class covered a range of techniques, ensuring that each participant walked away with the skills and confidence to create stunning braids! All attendees were awarded a recognised hair qualification, opening up doors for future employment opportunities in the hair and beauty industry. 🎓💼 We want to extend a special thank you to The Shaii Effect for sponsoring this incredible opportunity for our young people. Your dedication has truly empowered our young people to build valuable skills for their futures. 🙏 We cannot wait for the next masterclass, which promises to be even bigger and better! Stay tuned for more exciting updates! 💕 #BraidsGang #OurPain2Power #TheShaiiEffect #YouthEmpowerment #BraidingSkills #FutureSuccess #ThankYou #EmpowerOurYouth #HairQualification #croydonyouth #selflove #braidingworkshop

Be sure to tune in people 💫

At Our Pain 2 Power, we believe that functional skills are essential for our young people, as they provide an opportunity to learn key skills that may be challenging in a traditional school environment. We make the learning process engaging and enjoyable by tailoring our teaching methods to meet their individual needs. Feedback from a mentee: ”I prefer this style of learning as my mentor supports me more and makes it fun for me to learn so it doesn’t feel like school but i still get to do my Maths and English” #ourpain2power #functionalskills #gcse

Sharing photos of my work with the Met Police has never been easy. Many of my friends, and even family friends, still carry the deep emotional scars from the hurt the Met has caused them in the past—and with good reason. In 2021, I, along with 11 other community members, including Dixie-Ann J. Doreen S-M B.Ed(Hons), NPQH, NLP Dip David Williams was selected by the Met’s Learning & Development team to be part of a new initiative aimed at exploring what true community-led policing could look like. Now, three years later, my understanding of the Met as a service has evolved from almost nothing to a deep, complex awareness. Yet, the emotional weight of that history remains, as does the challenge of reconciling past harm with the hope for meaningful change. Our work has grown so much over the years. What began as us training new officers has now expanded to include mid-level sergeants, and even senior sergeants. I know we’re now in discussions about educating borough commanders, which feels like a huge step forward. I’ve also had the opportunity to run sessions with the TSG teams—the ones called in during moments of high violence. These conversations are never easy, but then again, meaningful change never is. This isn't a quick fix; it's going to take years. But I remain hopeful. If the Met continues to truly involve London’s communities in shaping their policies and training, then there’s real hope that our children will have a different experience than I had and people before me—one that doesn’t mirror the pain and mistrust that so many of us and those before us have endured. cc: Our Pain 2 Power

The @braidsgang & @ourpain2power team had the incredible honor of hosting our ‘SELF LOVE & CONFIDENCE’ Workshop for Young Girls, in partnership with the MET Police @mpscroydonyouth and the @englandnetball 🔥🫱🏻🫲🏿👋💕 This empowering event was designed to uplift and inspire young girls from all backgrounds, helping them unlock their inner strength, build lasting confidence, and nurture a deep sense of self-love. A special shoutout to @sofnfreenaturals for the generous sponsorship, providing every attendee with Gift bags filled with luxurious self-care and hair care products. The joy on the girls’ faces as they received these gifts was priceless, and their excitement for the next session is already sky-high!😃 It’s vital that we continue to create spaces like this, especially when a staggering **61% of 10-17-year-old girls in the UK** struggle with low self-esteem, and **37% of adolescents** feel ashamed of their bodies. Low self-esteem doesn’t just affect their confidence—it can lead to harmful behaviours like substance abuse, eating disorders, and early sexual activity. 🫱🏾🫲🏻But together, we can change that. This workshop is more than just an event; it’s a movement to shape a future where every young girl embraces her power, walks tall, and believes she’s unstoppable🫱🏻🫲🏿💞 If you would like us to deliver this session to your young people or you would like to find out how more young people can join our mentorship programmes email us today using 📧 info@ourpain2power.com #ourpain2power #braidsgang #mpsyouth #youthorganization #croydonyouth #mentorshipprogram #surrey #merton #croydon #confidenceworkshop #selflove #braidgang #youngpeoplematter #girlsmentoring #youthviolenceprevention #youthatriskprograms #purley#empowermentevents #sofnfreenaturals #buildingconfidence #positiveselfesteem #riseupgirls #girlswithgoals #girlscandoanything #unstoppablegirls #empowermentjourney #bodypositivity #violenceagainstwomenandgirls #preventingviolenceagainstwomen

Gideon Buabeng - what an inspiration!!!

We are thrilled to share some inspiring feedback from one of our mentees about his experience in the #ourpain2power Mentorship Program. When he first joined us, he hadn’t been able to complete his GCSEs. However, with determination and the support of his mentor, he’s now taking functional skills courses and has proudly earned a Level 2 in Maths!🧮📚 This is an incredible achievement, and we couldn’t be more proud of the progress he’s making’💫 Though he was a bit shy about recording his feedback, what he shared with us was absolutely perfect. Well done! Keep up the great work!👏🏼👌🏼🏅

Our Pain 2 Power team recently led a workshop titled *’A Product of Choice’* for a group of young people at a PRU, which had a profound impact! The young people resonated with lived experiences and practical tips that was shared throughout the session, giving them plenty to reflect on The positive feedback from the participants and the MET Police further confirmed the workshop’s success and the difference it made. #ourpain2power #workshopforyoungpeople

Let’s start the new academic year strong 🕺- We’ll be posting what we have been up to over the summer 😊