In a world where integrity is often traded for survival, Hear Us, See Us offers a bold message: that identity and self-worth matter. Mary Magdalene Kofi, a Zambian creative and medical student, uses poetry and dance to inspire young people to embrace dignity over desperation. Through Ubuntu.Lab, she began shaping a narrative that uplifts, educates, and redefines what it means to succeed.
Raising Identity Through Art and Integrity
Mary Magdalene Kofi – Zambia
Mary Magdalene Kofi is many things: a poet, a dancer, and a medical student. But at her core, she’s a storyteller and a visionary. Driven by a passion for restoring self-worth, she joined Ubuntu.Lab to deepen her understanding of leadership and connection. “I wanted to learn more about what leadership is,” she reflects. “Apart from that, I wanted to get different viewpoints from different people and to network with others with a like mind.”
What she hoped to gain was not just knowledge, but meaningful connection. “Insight on leadership and [to] create effective bonds with people that can be seen through collaboration,” she says.One transformative moment came in a session when: “We learnt that to know where you’re going, you must know your history.” Another was experiential: “A powerful moment was when I practiced the sensing journey—listening empathetically with no judgement.”
The hub experience played a vital role in her development. “Being a part of the hub community helped me to sense, listen more, and be more enthusiastic about learning my history and creating a better narrative for the future in every sphere I find myself.” Through this process, she gained pride and presence. “As a result, I feel more aware, proud, and excited to belong to Africa.”
Her prototype, Hear Us, See Us, was born from a place of urgency and observation. “Identity is something I have seen people struggle with. In the sense that, people will do anything for money—like sleeping with elderly men—forsaking how they get the money.” She believes this stems from a fractured sense of self. “But I believe that if your self-identity is concrete, the means to the end is just as important as the end.”
She adds, “To raise awareness that it is not only about the quantity of money you can attain but the quality and integrity of how the money was attained.” For Mary Magdalene, this is personal. “I pride myself in seeing people reach greater heights because they worked at something themselves with integrity instead of doing self-degrading things like stealing or prostitution.”
The prototype is more than an idea—it’s a movement in the making. “So far, I’ve been able to have interactions with people that have enlightened me in regards to what bodies or organizations have similar motives and interests.” She’s also “been able to target the kind of community we wish to impact and gotten a hold of the mentors, teachers, and instructors that will be a part of this transformative journey.”
Looking ahead, Mary Magdalene and her team are taking practical steps. “We plan on securing a location where all activities will be done and become more aggressive with advertising the vision to the people that need it most.”
Her closing words are filled with depth and humility. “The Ubuntu.Lab transformative programme has been such a self-awakening journey. And it initiates the first step to sensing and co-creating with many people. I am filled with gratitude.”
While creating our prototype, we didn’t think toys and grass could tell our story — but they did. It reminded us that anything is possible when we work with what we have, right where we are.