ABOUT US- MISSION AND GOALS OF HREP In the violent world we know today, the cynic dismisses the potential to change destructive ideas held by humanity. The genocide in Rwanda demonstrated what happens when our most destructive ideas take root in a climate of political coercion, poverty and mistrust, and the basic humanity of others, even neighbors and friends, is denied. The cynic is correct to point out that these ideas are deeply ingrained in who we are, and silence the potential for change. Yet these ideas are not absolutes; as they are ingrained in the mind by people, so they can be replaced by new ideas, ideas that respect human rights, ideas that seek to look beyond ethnic or national identities, and ideas which, if sincerely internalized, can positively affect every aspect of society, politics and the quality of day to day life. • • •The mission of this organization is two-fold: we are dedicated to providing quality international educational opportunities to promising young African students, and we are dedicated to supporting these young leaders educate and open dialogue with their communities and country. By investing particularly in students with humanitarian ambitions, we seek to foster the values of human rights and their dissemination; leaders with these values can help to mitigate factors which lead to conflict, educate their communities of the importance of human rights and strengthen a global humanitarian community across borders. It should not be our role to force change upon someone’s life or society; we should be concerned, rather, with enabling a human being to change their own life and community, if they have the will to try. If humanitarian values are not shared by the targets of aid, such influence-regardless of motivation- is merely a band-aid; it addresses a symptom but not the cause. We believe that that an "enabling" approach minimizes the typical charity mentality that tries to help “disempowered” people without integrating them into the process. Many young people around the world have a strong desire to help such change, but don’t have the support to realize these goals. Education is expensive, and thus often impossible even for smart, motivated students. Spreading ideas about human rights is intimidating, difficult and even dangerous without others to help share the burden, internally and with the help of a respected outside community. What we seek to do is enable and support those who care deeply about human rights to take matters into their own hands by educating their communities and themselves, and thus promoting a framework of empathy and the respect for human rights that can prevent conflict. What do we mean by human rights?When we speak of human rights, we are referring to the rights proposed by the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and adopted by all members of the United Nations. In educating about human rights, we assume and present the notion that we are all endowed with rights which cannot be taken away, that these rights surpass ethnic and national boundaries, and that they are even at times outside the sovereignty of the state. This is a powerful and empowering concept. With this framework, we take particular focus on the need- especially in Rwanda- for reconciliation and understanding between people. Inter-ethnic and inter-state violence permeates the Great Lakes region, and the concept of reconciliation we speak of in the case of Rwanda must be more than the surface polishing we have seen thus far; the trauma and enmity goes deeper than this and will require a more serious approach. We believe that by using a framework for dialogue that surpasses the ethnic, political or national, and focuses on a shared humanity, young people can help each other and their communities move forward. The framework of human rights can be a powerful tool to help this process. The Human Rights Education ProjectThe Human Rights Education Project currently works in the northwest United States and the Great Lakes region in Africa, and teaches about human rights issues in local schools through presentations and discussions. Topics include basic human rights (from the U.N. Declaration), genocide, the rights of the child, HIV/AIDS and health issues, violence against women and more. The project seeks to inform young students about global issues, and provide the background for dialogue about local and global problems. The overall goal of such education is to 1), help normalize the discussion of human rights, and 2), empower young adults to come together to analyze and potentially challenge negative ideas that violate their rights or lead to communal violence. We strive to teach broad humanitarian values; our belief is that knowledge about the world, discussion and critical analysis can empower a positive evolution in the way societies view and interact with the world. HREP is coordinated from Portland, Oregon, and supports its sister program based in Kigali, Rwanda. The U.S. component teaches in Oregon schools about human rights and supports the Africa program financially and with resources such as web development and organizational/communications support. The Human Rights Scholarship ModelThe model used by the program currently in place at Lewis and Clark College combines institutional and private support for the African student. Tuition in this case is provided by the institution, while living expenses are provided by the fund. Thus, both the academic community and local and international supporters can help students who could otherwise never afford the cost of pursuing higher education the opportunity to study at a national, Canadian, American, or European institution of higher learning. This scholarship, in its current and future form, is not a free ride. Applicants are chosen based upon their academic potential and commitment to humanitarian and educational values, and will be expected to be involved in educating the community at the college or university where they are accepted. Upon finishing their studies, recipients are expected to pay back a portion of their scholarship, monetarily or through community involvement in education and human rights advocacy, in schools, through journalism and/or in organizing events with the project in the Great Lakes. Thus the benefit of the scholarship and education received will be passed on to future students, and the ultimate goal of the organization- human rights education and dialogue- will be supported and strengthened. |
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Photos by Romeo Umulisa