Chung Chi College’s student learning tours always emphasise a diversified range of experiences. In the “South Africa & Kenya Cultural Exploration Learning Tour” this July, participants visited two African nations, South Africa and Kenya, studying the issues of racial equality and women’s rights, participating in children’s services, and viewing the renowned “Great Migration” of wildlife.
Apartheid of South Africa: Exploration and Reflection
South Africa is one of the most prosperous nations in Africa, yet behind its prosperity lie years of apartheid history and inequalities that persist today. During this tour, Chung Chi students visited Johannesburg in South Africa to learn about the history of apartheid and the injustices suffered by the locals for many years. As we were born in post-colonial Hong Kong where most of the population is Chinese, it was difficult for us to understand how racial discrimination operates. Meanwhile, Black people in South Africa were long deprived of their rights due to their skin color. To better understand the experiences of the Black population, we visited various museums and interacted with local volunteers to learn about their thoughts and experiences regarding apartheid policies.
One of the most memorable museums we visited was the Hector Pieterson Museum. Upon entering, the first scene we saw was of graves scattered throughout the area to commemorate the young people who lost their lives in a protest against apartheid policies, the youngest among them being 12-year-old Hector Pieterson. The photo of his body being carried by another protester became one of the most well-known images of the protests. Such a profound scene helped us realise that the abandonment of apartheid was the result of years of suffering by the Black community as lower-class citizens, along with their struggles and sacrifices. In Hong Kong, despite rarely experiencing racial discrimination ourselves, we could still be more considerate of the difficulties and challenges that the minorities faced.
To understand how the lives of Black people were affected by apartheid, we interacted with local volunteers. Our conversations revealed that even though some volunteers were born after the end of apartheid, they still live with the impacts of past policies. One of them told us that his family was stripped of their land and money years ago, and it remains difficult to reclaim them, which makes him feel resigned and disappointed. In fact, the Soweto community, where we mainly stayed, is relatively poor with most residents being Black. In contrast, the White people there often wore glamorous clothing and rode luxurious vehicles. Obviously, many Black people still live in poverty, while White people have retained their wealth through the advantages of the past apartheid system. There is a long way to go for South Africa to achieve true racial equality. Luckily, volunteers still have hope and believe that their efforts may change society one day.
Students visited the Hector Pieterson Museum to learn the history of apartheid.
The Women’s Rights in Kenya
Kenya is one of the few countries where polygamous marriages are legal, allowing men to have multiple wives. Living under a patriarchal society, women in Kenya are often subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse, and forced female genital mutilation. The theme of our Kenya’s visit was gender equality, and, in addition to speakers sharing, we joined the local YMCA to participate in various activities with local women’s groups and to recognise how YMCA organises programs and activities that target women empowerment, enabling Kenyan women to achieve self-reliance.
Our Children Service
Other than communication, we also conducted local services in both countries. In South Africa, we were dedicated to children’s service and activity room renovation. The children’s service group hosted a series of games and craft teaching sessions for children, while the renovation group focused their efforts on renovating an activity room at the Soweto YMCA.
On the day of service, the children were rushing energetically, which made us fear a disturbance. Fortunately, with the help of local volunteers, they quickly became familiar with us, and we were able to play different interactive games with them. We also taught them to create handicrafts with shrink plastic sheets. After the activity session, we gave each child some snacks brought from Hong Kong, and the enthusiastic and warm smiles of the children made us pleased.
At the same time, the renovation group painted and decorated the activity room in two days. Despite the tight schedule, the renovation work was completed under our tremendous effort. The renovation group had less time to accompany the children, but all of us were delighted when we saw the astonishment from the children who stepped inside the new activity room. Maybe the fulfilled moment of helping others comes from the most joyful moments of those being helped.
Students were renovating the activity room of the YMCA office in Soweto.
In Kenya, we conducted our services at a primary school run by the Kenya YMCA, located in a slum at Kibera. When the coach drove into the slum, we were deeply moved by the scenes: metal huts were built close together with no sunlight shining between them, and garbage and dirt surrounded them. The chaotic and dismal environment halted the enjoyment on the bus. As many of us know very little about slums from internet, this experience was deeply educative.
We conducted our service when we arrived at the school. It was strenuous for the 31 of us to serve over 150 children, but we all generously contributed the service session: some of us taught the children handicraft skills and shared aspects of Hong Kong culture, while others played with the children on the dusty playground. Although a single day of service cannot alleviate their poverty, we hope to bring some laughter and joyful moments to the children.
Students taugh children to make handicraft in Kibera, hoping to bring them joy.
Stunning Experience of The Great Migration
After all the visits and services, we visited Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve to see the renowned natural spectacle: the Great Migration. This visit was not the core activity of the trip, but it was undoubtedly an anticipated event for us.
Before the safari, we had to travel to Maasai Mara from the capital city, Nairobi. During the 5-hour journey, some of us worried about the possibility of witnessing animal migration, as it sometimes depends on luck. Luckily, late July is the prime season for animal migration, and after two 12-hour safaris, we witnessed thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrating from Tanzania to Kenya, crossing the dangerous Mara River. We also met four of Africa’s “Big Five” – the lion, elephant, buffalo, and leopard. Missing the black rhinoceros, the final member of the “Big Five”, may provide an opportunity for us to revisit the region. As the unforgettable trip concluded, it will surely become one of the most treasured memories of our university life.
Student Reporters Lau Wai Pong, So Tsz Yau Elissa
