Last Saturday Ethiopian Orphan Relief volunteers and board members had a booth at The Day of the African Child in Portland, Oregon. We listened to amazing music, ate yummy African food and spoke to many people about EOR. There was wonderful African clothing, books, textiles and jewelry for sale. I purchased a beautiful beaded necklace made at a women’s cooperative in Kenya.
The International Day of the African Child has been celebrated on 16 June every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organization of African Unity. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. Ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot. More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured. This uprising was the beginning of the end of apartheid in South Africa.
I was only 6 years old in 1976….. I was proud to be at this event and felt my heart ache when I envisioned the strength and perseverance of those students. The event was a huge success and EOR will certainly be a part of the celebration next year.
Lauren
