International Day of the African Child

Jack, Melissa,  Me, Kasandra and Natan. 

     On Saturday, June 16^th we celebrated International Day of the African Child. The idea behind the celebration started in 1991. The celebration honors children who participated in the 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa. On June 16, 1976, ten thousand black children participated in a march to protest the poor quality of their education, demanding the right to be taught in their native language. As a result of the protest, many children were shot, most notably, Hector Peterson. Peterson has since become a symbol of fighting for a better future.

The celebration began midday with an elaborate lunch. All of the staff dressed up and wore construction paper hats and bow ties. Unlike every other day, staff performed kitchen duty without the assistance of the students. Quickly and effortlessly, the staff worked together to arrange the tables and bring bowls of food up to the Dining Hall from the Kitchen. As staff passed one another, smiles were shared. After carrying many bowls of food up from the Kitchen, I paused for a second to take in my surroundings. It was such a beautiful moment where I truly felt that all of the staff were happily working together for the benefit of the children. Once the tables were fully set up, students entered the Dining Hall. Excited about the variety of food (rice, meat, peas, fried potatoes, salad and juice), students couldn’t stop smiling. A few of the Directors gave speeches to the students welcoming them to African Child’s Day. They explained the history of the day and the significance of celebrating it. Following the speeches, one of the nurses, Nurse Jeanne, led the students and staff in a heartfelt and passionate prayer to thank G-d. Immediately after the prayer, the students and staff started eating the tasty meal. Excitement filled the air!

     After a great meal, female staff and students got ready for a soccer match. The boys staff versus students match would follow the women’s game. Not having played a soccer game since 11^th grade, I decided to take on the game full force. Totally out of shape and exhausted, I played the 30 minute game. While I wasn’t in my prime, I had a fantastic time. I even headed the ball, something I used to be scared of doing when I played on a team. Although we lost 0-1, it was a hard fight. The women’s team was very proud of themselves for beating the staff. The men’s team resulted in the same score.

     That evening there was a big concert in the amphitheater. Filling the tiered stone seats to full capacity, students and staff alike were excited to see who would perform at the event. Beginning with a speech by Alain, Director of Education and Philosophy, he spoke about the importance of fighting for one’s future. He recalled the incident in Soweto and encouraged all of the students to take their future in their hands and fight until they get what they deserve. It was a beautiful and empowering speech. Once the speech was complete, the performances began. Visitors from outside Agahozo and students in the Village performed different pieces: dances, spoken word, songs, plays. During one of the students’ performances, I looked around the amphitheater and saw many students standing up to dance and support their peers. It was such a moving experience to see peers supporting one another, dancing without fear of criticism or laughing. The comfort in the theater was outstanding. After three hours of talented performances and a long day spent, I decided to leave the concert early to get ready for bed.

     A fantastic day filled with lots of powerful messages. Students felt honored and had the opportunity to express themselves in different art forms. The staff worked together smoothly to support the students and show their boundless love. Altogether, a moving and empowering day! 

Jean Pierre and Alain all dressed up.

Mable and Mama doing service.

Two Senior 6 students and I.

The amphitheatre before the concert.