Africa and the Media

Every now and then I come across something that stricks me as interesting or worth sharing with others. This pariticular blog post from The New Yorker I found to be very interesting. With the negative stereotypes about Africa from the news or even people who do not bother to try to learn more about African countries, this post highlights some important things that were not mentioned in great detail in the American media. Check it out!

10 Biggest Positive Africa Stories of 2011

The children of Uganda

Wow! Over the past couple of weeks, I have learned so much about Uganda! From the various cultures, to the nonprofit organizations started by people like you and me to help women and children. As I continue to learn about Uganda and African culture, the article UNICEF-Uganda has planted a seed of something to further investigate. This article explains that the United Nations and faith based groups in Uganda are coming together to create a safer learning environment for children.  I find this to be very interesting because Children's Rights (which can be lumped into Women's Rights and of course Human Rights) are overlooked by a lot of the international community. Culture plays a lot in how children are treated and raised. Sometimes young girls cannot go to school because they have to get water for their family. Now, you may be wondering "Big deal. That's so simple!" but it's not if you live miles away from the main water source and have to make several trips a day. That very dilemma initiated nonprofits such as Blood:Water Mission to build water wells to help rural communities.

This article REALLY sparked my interest because I have been thinking about my community service project while in Uganda. I have spoken to many local Rotarians about a good community service project and have decided to work with orphans and children in Kampala.  Even though I have a desire to help women, helping children is just as important. I believe that if we want to break stereotypes and promote global understanding, educating and working with children is one of the best methods. I have also come across many nonprofit organizations that are doing great things in the region as well as local Rotary clubs that are partnering with organizations such as Arlington Academy of Hope and EDAPO (Economic Development and AIDS Prevention Organization). I plan on discussing more about these two organizations in a later post as I continue to speak with different Rotarians about the various projects in Uganda concerning these two organizations.

I urge everyone to check out the hyperlinks. Organizations such as the ones mentioned in this post are just examples of the wonderful things happening in Uganda to help those in need.

The Pearl of Africa

I received my country assignment from Rotary International and I will be going to Kampala, Uganda to study at Makerere University. Uganda (also known as the Pearl of Africa) is in Central East Africa and is most seen on the Discovery channel with the migration of Lions, Hyenas, and other Safari animals. It’s a fairly tropical climate and is land locked with Lake Victoria in the southern part of the country. That particular lake is where the Nile River starts.

Kampala is the capital and is the most developed part of Uganda from what I understand. Lately, Uganda has been on the media’s radar because recently President Obama has sent some military advisors to help train the Ugandan military. Uganda is also a place where many missionaries go to volunteer and spread the word. The country is mainly Christian and has a pretty good split on Catholic/Orthodox and Protestant Christianity.

Uganda gained independence from the British in 1962 and has since been on a quest to find its own form of democracy. This is what peaked my interest in Uganda. As an aspiring Human Rights Attorney, I want to better understand and get an on the ground view of a fairly new independent country.  There are stereotypes about developing countries…some good and some bad. This Ambassadorial Scholarship is to promote global understanding and cultural awareness and that is what I intend to do while in Uganda.

The journey begins....

Hi everyone! Thank-you for checking out my blog. This is my first post and I don't know exactly where to begin. I am at the beginning stages of being an Ambassadorial Scholar and I want everyone to know what I am learning before going aboard, while aboard, and even when I return to the states. So, to start off, I feel that it is important for everyone to know why I have chosen to apply for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship as well as how my passion for humanitarian needs developed. So sit back and enjoy this journey with me. If you have any questions, comments, or helpful tips please feel free to ask me. :)

Me, My Passion, and Rotary

The phrase “Service Above Self” is much more than three words.  They are three words that have been an integral part of my life since my early days as a Girl Scout, drum major in my marching band, and as a Hospice volunteer in McLean, Virginia.  I often ask myself how this desire to help and lead those less fortunate became a passion of mine.  I believe it is the result of growing up in unique circumstances being raised by my single parent father at a time when it was not a common occurrence. Life experiences required me to overcome many obstacles created by the absence of a mother in my life. I often viewed myself as less fortunate and did not always have a strong female to turn to for guidance. That situation is the foundation of my inspiration to help less fortunate women of the world.  My father has always encouraged me to reach for the stars and be sure to take as many of the less fortunate with you along the journey.  As a result, my eyes and heart have been open to listen, observe, and learn from the many good people in the northern Virginia area.  As fate would have it, a special person that I admire brought me to a Rotary breakfast one year ago and that event changed my life.  The Rotarians I met and the strong sense of community service inspired me beyond anything I expected.  I left that breakfast motivated to not only reach, but grab every star in the universe and take every less fortunate person I could find along for the journey. That journey led me to join the George Mason University Rotaract club where I served as the Chairperson of Public Relations. My involvement in the Rotaract club opened my eyes to serve not only the local community but also extent the Rotaract mission worldwide through the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

                I believe that the young people of today will play a significant role in solving the problems of tomorrow.  Current technology enables them to begin solving many global conflicts by building relationships across borders and being open to different cultures. The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship is a great opportunity for any young person who has a passion for community service and global understanding to develop into a world leader in humanitarian actions. This is precisely why I have chosen to apply to be a scholar. The Ambassadorial Scholarship will enable me to grow as a humanitarian and become a better representative for the less fortunate. My desire to help the less fortunate derived from my personal experiences. My life experiences of being raised by a single parent father after my mother abandoned the family have taught an important lesson. I realize that unfortunate events may cause people to be deterred from their dreams and goals.  This is often the case for those who are disadvantaged and lacking a supportive foundation of family, friends, religious or spiritual institutions, and community groups.  I have decided to commit my life to helping those who are in need, particularly women in underdeveloped countries. 

This drive to help those in need has led me to pursue a career in human rights law. Fair treatment and human rights are the foundation of foreign policies which may mitigate or worsen the unfortunate circumstances that people find themselves in around the world.  Becoming a human rights attorney would be one of the first steps on my path towards the goal of ensuring social justice for all. I have always enjoyed serving my community, and in doing so I have witnessed many appalling acts of injustice perpetrated on those least able to defend themselves.  As a result, I developed a passion for helping those less fortunate and found an outlet to do so through my commitment to community service. The range of my volunteer activities include volunteering with a Hospice organization while in college, volunteering as an election page while in high school , and providing free music lessons to disadvantaged students.  Towards the end of my college career, I became the Public Relations Chair of the George Mason University Rotaract Club. Although it was a challenging position, the friendships formed, smiles we brought to the faces of those we helped and assisted, as well as the many lessons learned have all made me a much better person today.  I plan to continue my membership with the Rotaract by joining the Washington, DC club and continue down my path of community service through other opportunities to help communities by some day becoming a Rotarian. 

Even though I have focused on constitutional law in my college career at George Mason University, I began to develop an interest in foreign policy operations of different countries, specifically to understand how history and culture play a role in the formulation of policy.  My curiosity to gain knowledge of other cultures soon compelled me to move beyond constitutional law. Additionally, this new interest in cultures has compelled me to study anthropology and sociology abroad. These fields of study will enable me to better understand how to interact with different cultures while observing the culture of the country that I would be placed in. The path to a successful ambassadorial scholar experience begins with well-matched country selection. I have chosen Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Australia, and Canada. Each country that I have selected differs greatly from the United States in its history, culture, and government. Those three attributes were my determining factor in selecting those five countries to study. Although studying anthropology/sociology would further my understanding of how history and culture affects policies, it is the interactions with the people of those countries that I look forward to. I find the diversity within each of those countries to be intriguing.

                Each of the universities that I have chosen connects the global community through its mission to promote cultural understanding and developmental needs of society.  Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and University of Ghana at Legon in Accra, Ghana instill the mission of addressing developmental needs. Whereas the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa and Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada draw on the diverse student body to enhance educational experiences. University of Southern Queensland in Australia also encompasses multiculturalism. Australia’s social policies are unique in that they were based on the many cultures within the country. By incorporating the citizens’ different cultures within its policy making process, it is able to be one of the leading countries in multiculturalism.  All of the universities that I have selected consist of a diverse mix of students and cultures that will assist in my understanding of the region as well as my studies in anthropology/sociology. By being able to interact with different cultures and observe the host countries own traditions and cultures, I will also be committed to humanitarian issues concerning the poverty and lack of education within each country. Each country was also selected based on its poverty rate and educational system.

                While aboard, I intend to commit to community service projects that raise awareness and help alleviate poverty and improve education. Global poverty has a female face; the alarming rate of women in poverty not only dwarf the potential of women but also the children they raise and in particular the girls. Families in poverty may not be able to send their children to schools that have facilities and supplies that are needed for a good education. This is why I would like to conduct book drives and fundraisers in conjunction with local Rotary clubs to raise money for the low income areas that lack the proper facilities and tools for proper education for children. I would also extend this project by helping in homeless shelters to meet the needs of those that cannot afford to live on their own. The  circumstances affecting the less fortunate are the reasons why the community service projects that I intend to carry out while aboard will include raising awareness of global poverty for women as well as the importance of education.

As an Ambassadorial Scholar and someday as an international human rights attorney, I hope to play a part in solving issues that currently plague various societies while also inspiring young women to dare to dream big and do something that will change the world and leave a positive impression on those that follow behind them. It is my keen desire that aspects of my life story may serve as part of the inspiration that may motivate and inspire the disadvantaged to believe in themselves and be prepared to seize and make opportunities, the weak to be strong, and the disheartened to smile and find the hope and courage to push forward to fulfill their dreams.