Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/96437
I sat there wide-eyed and open-mouthed in a combination of horror, disbelief and anger. After watching Hotel Rwanda, I was deeply disturbed. I had never before fully grasped the idea of genocide and its lasting effects. It was so overwhelmingly tragic that I felt there was nothing I could do to help and even if I tried, I wouldn't make a difference. As years passed, the horrifying scenes slowly faded from my memory. But every foreign aid infomercial was a reminder of the images of bloodshed and civil unrest in the movie. I can recall attempting to donate a portion of money I received for Christmas to Feed The Children. I would also urge whoever was around to make a donation or sponsor a child. I could not imagine having to deal with the daily struggles they endured, such as a sleeping on an empty stomach or searching through refuse for food. When the hopeless faces flashed across the television screen, I felt great compassion and was grateful for the lifestyle I've been blessed with. Nonetheless, I still felt small and unable. In my mind, I could have no real impact on their circumstances, and eventually I thought about their situations less and less. It wasn't until guest speaker Dr. Mardge Cohen's presentation at Latin this fall that I decided to step up and try to help improve the lives of others around the globe. Cohen, an AIDS specialist who started a foundation in Rwanda, was visiting as part of the LIFE program. During her compelling presentation, Dr. Cohen informed the audience how the genocide still affects people more than 15 years later. She spoke specifically about Rwandan women who likely contracted HIV from the brutal rape, torture and violence they endured. She told us about her work as medical director for Women's Equity in Access to Care & Treatment (WE-ACTx), which seeks to increase the access for women and children to primary and supplemental health care and treatment. Throughout her presentation, Dr. Cohen was able to show us how every little bit helps. I left with a fresh outlook and being a new member of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND), I jumped at the opportunity to visit Rwanda this summer. There, a group of Latin students and myself will volunteer at the WE-ACTx summer camp. This is a camp for children of Rwandan women infected with HIV. It will be our job to run the activities for the kids – with the goal of giving them opportunities that they would never normally have. Currently we are working on raising $10,000 to support the camp. From this experience, I hope to not only change the lives of others but to leave with a newfound sense of accomplishment, humility, and a hunger to continue to help others. By the end of the trip, I plan to have a new mindset and never again think that I cannot make a difference. "Dr. Cohen was able to show us how every little bit helps. I jumped at the opportunity to visit Rwanda this summer." Standing up for the people of Darfur; Dr. Mardge Cohen presenting at Latin for the LIFE program in November. Latin School of Chicago 39