MY AFRICAN DREAM
Today is Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday. Today is also Mandela Day, an international day adopted by the United Nations. The central theme is “Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day”
I spend the morning with the kids of Albert Street School in Jozi catering mainly for refugee children of which more than a 120 are orphans. Standard Bank made a donation today towards the end of year examination fees which the teachers had to fund from their salaries in 2010.
During the function Hillary Mudziviri, a form 4 pupil, presented his African Dream to those gathered in the church building. This included Bishop Paul Verryn, a number of Standard Bank senior personnel, his teachers and his school mates with cameras flashing in front of a television crew.
“It is my pleasure to address you all on a crucial matter” he started with his speech shaking like a leaf in his hands. How else for a young teenager addressing a gathering for the first time and tackling heavy issues to boot;
“The state of education in the whole world is appalling, especially in Africa. In the SADC (Southern African Development Community) it is a disaster. Yes, it is right to blame the former Colony regimes but we need to ask ourselves what the new government have done to improve the lives of the many suffering children in Africa.
Children from marginalized communities are still denied the right to good education, our schools have poor infrastructures, no learning materials and very poor, if any co-curricular and extra-curricular facilities. Highly qualified teachers, especially for science and mathematics are placed in private schools for the rich, leaving the poor schools with nothing at all.
Many children in African countries with stable economies like Namibia, South Africa and Egypt are denied access to education due to the lack of proper documentation, no clear family backgrounds and money. Thousands of these children are roaming the streets as I speak right now, sniffing glue, begging or selling, many of them are used as labourers and most are sexually abused and finally destroyed by HIV and AIDS.
So my dream for Africa is to see a stop to this.
I tell you ladies and gentleman, in my dream for Africa; we must cultivate our own capabilities as Africans, because nothing comes for free. As we all know, rabbits cannot fly; eagles can’t swim and squirrels don’t have feathers. So stop complaining and comparing Africa with other international developed continents. Instead let us build and work on improving Africa.
In my dream for Africa, I have a feeling of hope and empowerment. I know sometimes we as Africans face failures and disappointments, but we must find ourselves visualizing to handle the situation, because as Africans we have a large sense of reality vibrating within our veins.
Imagine an African continent without criticism, racism and hatred. An African continent working together to free us from crime, abuse, civil wars and poverty. Not an Africa where you can see slavery in her shadow, which stains Africa with blood.
Since Africa is the birthplace of our spirits, I dream that Africans one day will become engineers and architects of our own economies and not let others plan our structures for us. We have to be smart as Africans.
My brothers and sisters let’s rise to the trials of life and never give in to hopelessness or despair. Let’s make our minds work for us rather than against us. Africa shall be at peace.”
You go Hillary.
I haven’t edited this. The message is clear and insightful coming from a child who, like all the kids and teachers of Albert Street, is taking responsibility for their destiny against tremendous odds.
That is why I got involved a year ago with Albert Street and started thinking about the Field of Dreams library which is fast becoming a reality. The refurbishment of the old minister’s manse is very close to completion. Amecon Construction is doing the hard yards at present in their spare time. This past weekend they worked on Saturday and Sunday installing the ceiling, all at their own expense. Only the floor tiles needs to be laid a final coat of paint, after that the racking can be installed and the books put in place.
Thank you to all those that helped make my Mandela Day commitment of 2010 becoming a reality. This is only the start however. The orphans needs to be fed on a daily basis as they CANNOT fend for themselves, it is not right that they go hungry. There are two classrooms to finish. There are proper school desk and chairs required.
Albert Street is a small plant that needs careful nurturing and my African Dream is that this will be the start of many inner city schools that will provide street children, orphans, refugees, whoever are in need education and hope of a chance of success.
Happy birthday Madiba, may you legacy live on