TH: You have been Skillshare International Botswana (SKIB)’s Patron for less than a month, but you know so much about the organisation. Why the passion?
LSH: I have been following the work of Skillshare International Botswana for some time. And I’ve been greatly impressed with how the organization is committed to making a difference in people’s lives, regardless of their personal circumstances. These are values which align very closely with my own.
As for the passion – I have been drawn to the issue of equitable access since I was a student at New Mexico State University. It was a very unique experience living in a border town, and seeing first-hand the sacrifices many families were making, often crossing the border into the U-S under challenging circumstances, just to give their children a chance at a promising life. And now living and working in California as a Journalist for 15+ years, I’ve really come to appreciate the complexities of this issue. And I feel strongly about giving people the tools they need to reach their fullest potential in life.
TH: When was your first encounter with the organisation and how?
LSH: I was actually scrolling through Facebook one day when I saw a post by our Director Tiny Healy. She had shared a post on Skillshare International Botswana’s page about a “No more teenage Pregnancy” campaign at the refugee camp in Dukwi (the campaign was funded by the American Embassy). I saw young people engaged with each other and using their voices to advocate for safety among their peers. It instantly reminded me of my days as a volunteer for PACT (Peer Approach Counselling by Teens). It’s a similar campaign I was involved in as a student at Bokamoso Community Junior Secondary School, which used the voices of young people to raise awareness about teenage pregnancies, and HIV/AIDS.