McCain Global Leaders visits the South on Changemakers Tour

It was an emotional yet encouraging tour for seven Africa and Middle East-based fellows from the McCain Institute’s McCain Global Leaders programme when they visited the country last week.

The Southern Courier met with them at the Apartheid Museum, Ormonde on July 28, accompanied by McCain Global Leadership senior programme manager, Scott Nemeth.

They are Zyh Akumawah (Cameroon), Reham Al Saidi (Palestine), Wubrest F. Adamu (Ethiopia), Angeline Makore (Zimbabwe), Mohanad Adnan (Iraq), Baccus Roberts (Liberia) and Samah Mansur (Egypt).

They were in Johannesburg to meet with non-governmental organisation leaders and participate in Changemaker Tour modules based on the theme of providing peace and security through understanding and reconciliation.

Their tour included meeting with the staff from the US Embassy in Pretoria, visiting Soweto (Kliptown, Mandela House and Hector Peterson Museum), Constitutional Hill Human Rights Precinct and Apartheid Museum.

Nemeth said the trip to the country was impactful to him and the leaders. “The Apartheid Museum tour was emotional as it connects them to their countries. Some have gone through the same period as South Africa. Also, it hits home as we have for the longest time the problem of race in America. We can relate to what happened here,” he said.

Akumawah, a medical doctor from the organisation Easy Health said they work with communities, especially in rural areas where they promote ‘telemedicine’ (using mobile phones to connect and help the people) and improve the health system in her country.

“Our country has been in a conflict for over five years and we want to influence the change. We have separatist freedom fighters where the English-speaking Cameroonians feel marginalised by the French-speaking ones who are in majority. The people in the villages are suffering as a result.

“From these tours, we’ve been doing here I feel honoured and emotional. At the Constitutional Hill Human Rights Precinct I heard the words ‘We people of South Africa’ and ‘Ubuntu’ here at the Apartheid Museum. I know that the country is united. I also want this for my country – to speak with one voice. This country is like a big brother to us. We look up to it, as it has influenced a lot of change in the rest of Africa.

“In this programme, we learn to be leaders with strong characters because if you have a character it will not easy to get into corruption or tribalism,” she said.

Adamu who is a human rights lawyer by profession, shared the same sentiments. “At The Constitutional Hill Human Rights Precinct I broke down and cried. The story was emotional and traumatic especially when I entered the prison room. I couldn’t sleep at night. And to think that the sacrifices were voluntary boggles my mind. I couldn’t finish the Soweto tour, it was overwhelming.

“With all this, I had mixed reactions of courage and honour. These freedom fighters could have just abandoned the struggle however they continued to fight. This is why I also have to ask myself what I will do for my people. In my profession I serve the people, that is why I chose this path,” noted Adamu.

About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University

Inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s legacy, the McCain Institute at Arizona State University is non-partisan and fights to secure democracy and alliances, defend human rights, protect the vulnerable and advance character-driven leadership in all communities around the world.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good. ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surrounds it.