Breaking Walls 2019 Tangier Summit was meant to be a summer camp, or so I was told. Something I’ve applied to just because I didn’t want to say ‘No’ to someone who means the world to me — a mentor, a teacher, and a father. Although I’ve never been to a summer camp, I hated the idea from day one for some unknown reason; but, it only took me one day in Breaking Walls 2019 Tangier to realize – this is nothing like a summer camp. This is something we’ve never heard of or been through. This is a once in a lifetime experience.
It might be over. We might’ve gone back home. We might never see each other again but there are no goodbyes for us because what we call the end, is often the beginning of something much bigger.
As much as I’d love to go through everything we’ve been through during those two weeks that made it the best two weeks in my entire life but, unfortunately, no ink nor space is enough to share this mind-blowing experience. However, I might be able to share an astonishing story with you.
As young people, we often are self-centered, more concerned about money, power, status and having fun; and, less concerned about helping and connecting with the other. But if Breaking Walls is all about ‘Connect*Create*Change’ then this attitude had to be changed as well. Helping others is showing love but love has to be put into action and that action is community service. Community service asks us to give not money nor our valuables. It asks us to give ourselves, to share our empathy, sensitivity, love, and joy.
On the 6th of July, we have been separated into three different groups. Each group had different community service destination and my group was visiting ‘100% Maman’ Association — an Association for single mothers with one goal and one goal only: providing a better future for those mothers and their children. Our visit showed them it’s not their fault and that they’re strong enough to beat what they’re going through. Because despite how society treats them, it doesn’t mean it is right. It doesn’t mean they’re the ones who ruined their marriage. It doesn’t mean they’re the ones to blame for believing those false promises that they were given. It doesn’t mean that if society does believe that it is true, it is not and we were there to show them that.
In the morning, we went on a tour of their facilities to get to know the training courses they provide for the mothers which include sewing, embroidering and kitchen skills. We also got to know about the care they receive on a daily basis. The next thing I know, my fellow artists, ambassadors, and the director team fell madly in love with the products the mothers made and started buying almost everything on the shelves which resulted in a joy words can’t describe.
As for the afternoon, we arranged for the single mothers to come along their children over to the UNE Campus and have lunch together. Later we spent our time playing with the kids and the mothers themselves while showing them how much we support them and care for them even if no one else does. We showed them it’s not their fault and that they’re strong enough yet to beat the prejudice and struggles they’re going through now.
This glorious opportunity allowed not only them but all os us as well to have a sense of relief, and momentarily forget about our personal lives and problems because spending time with those gorgeous, innocent children and their moms transformed us into happier and more joyful individuals.
The impact I had on these young children, and the breathtaking smiles their parents flashed towards me when I interacted with them is something I can never put into words. There are no words that are good enough to describe it.
We did that because we care. We did that because we empower change. We might not get paid but not because we’re not worth a dime, but because we are priceless and we are what this world needs. No place is ever good enough for any of us to live in unless we make it that way.
