Emily W learned much more than she ever could have expected

Last weekend we participated in Human Rights training and I learned so much more than I was expecting to from it.  I didn’t really have any sort of background in human rights other than the occasion history class that touched on it so I was pretty nervous about the weekend.  I was worried that I was going to be the only one lost and confused, but that was not the case at all.  Everything was really laid out well and I was able to learn a lot.  I learned what human rights actually are and the breakdown of the different kinds.  I also learned so much about different cultures and ways of life.  By being with people from all over Africa, I was given the opportunity to find out how people live and their stories. 

I think this weekend was incredibly significant for us.  It is important to know about human rights and the different ways they can be applied.  It is also important to know the ways in which some people are being wronged throughout the world.  Of course I knew that some countries didn’t treat their citizens well, but it all became so real when the stories were coming from real people sitting right in front of you.  You can read about the disparity of human rights for days on end, but I feel as though you cannot gain a true understanding of it until you meet the real people it affects. 

Emily learning from personal stories and well planned activities.

 My roommate had an amazing story to tell.  She moved to Cape Town from Zimbabwe when she was 12 and then her mom died when she was 16, which left her with three older brothers and no parents.  Due to family politics, she didn’t get her share of her mother’s diamond mines in Zimbabwe so she was left with almost nothing as a young teenager.  She got her life together and received a scholarship to attend a university, but failed three of her classes due to many different reasons and her scholarship was pulled.  She now has a job and is going to try to go back to school.  She is 21 years old.  I am 21 years old.  I could not believe how much different our lives are.  I don’t even do my own laundry at home or cook my own food and she has been by herself since the age of 16.  After talking with her I realized how much I have taken for granted.  My parents have been one of the biggest influences on my life and have led me through everything and I couldn’t image it any other way.  I almost just assumed that everyone’s parents were like mine and now I hope that I can take what I learned this weekend and be a better person.  Even if I just thank my parents more and make them proud, I would be doing more than I am right now.  This weekend definitely changed me for the better.

 

Prior to this weekend I didn’t know the country Swaziland existed.  This weekend really introduced me to a whole new part of the world.  Through the country presentations, I learned about the issues and culture of many different African countries.   I also learned about how much South Africa is still struggling when it comes to human rights. 

Emily receving her Africa Unite Human Rights Training Certificate from Ntombi Mcoyi

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was sleeping under the stars Saturday night.   A few of us decided to take blankets and lay out under the stars.  I have never seen so many stars in my life and although it probably wasn’t the safest idea, I absolutely loved sleeping outside.  We woke up the next morning and hiked to the top of a little mountain that had the most amazing view of the entire olive farm. I wish we would have had more time to explore, but I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. 

Participants in 2014 Africa Unite Human Rights Training Weekend