The Future is Now: Students Reflect on Service Summit

\Written by: Students Hildana, Yanet, Malaika, and Teachers Ms Gillman and Ms Siham

The AISA Global Issues Service Summit (GISS) 2023 hosted by UWC Arusha engaged us in global issues in a way that has energized us and fueled our hope for the future of communities and nature across Africa and the world. During our five days in Arusha, we had the opportunity to learn about grassroots projects that are preserving natural habits, empowering communities and ensuring that sustainability is at the forefront of all of our thinking and acting.

Before the summit started, we had the privilege of spending the afternoon with Mzee Pete and Mama C at their second chance education centre, United African Alliance Community Centre (UAACC). Mzee Pete O’Neal and Mama C moved to Arusha in the early 1970s from Kansas City, at the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S. It was a surreal and didactic experience talking and having lunch with two inspirational people who are living history. Our afternoon was filled with stories that helped us understand what it means to stand by our values, live in exile and live and breathe service to their community.

At the beginning of each day of the summit, there were change-seekers from Tanzania talking about their journey in playing a key role in sustainable and technological development in Tanzania. The Keynote speakers’ inspiring talks revolved around the theme of the conference, “THE FUTURE IS NOW”, and each tackled the theme through their experience. However the main takeaway from the speakers was to seize the opportunity when we can, to never stop being authentic to ourselves and our feelings, and to be an ‘upstander’ rather than a bystander in the midst of the chaos that is happening in the world.

On the first day, we all participated in service day which involved planned activities where students and teachers were grouped to do certain tasks like tree planting, river clean-up and school initiatives. Some activities were more challenging than others, however the end result was worth it. Through this service day activity, our team learnt that ensuring sustainability requires commitment, intentionality and perseverance.

Each of our team members had a different experience whilst working with student leaders from UWCSEA in their sustainability teams. Sustainability teams are groups that meet every day at the summit, where students come together to talk about some of the prevalent socio-economic environmental problems the world gravely faces today. There were three days where students learned, reflected and formulated possible solutions for the problems that were given. And on the last day, representatives or the whole group presented their learning and thinking up on stage. For example,  the ‘indoctrination and identity’ team stressed the importance of building social confidence so that young people feel empowered to question received knowledge, argued that it is key to read a range of sources and acknowledge different perspectives on problems, and suggested an on campus fact checker for rumors as a solution! The ‘biodiversity loss’ team gave examples of how we can take a stand against captive breeding programs and cash cropping that leads to deforestation and educated us about the harmful nature of palm oil production. And the ‘Fast Fashion’ team gave us realistic alternatives to buying cheap clothes such as upcycling, thrifting and passing on our old clothes so they have a second lease of life.

Another key component of the summit were the student workshops. Our team led one on FEMO, a service club rooted in English tutoring that has just started as part of the TUT program, led by Malaika. As part of our presentation, we included a debate about the spread of the English language and some of the harm it can cause, as well as its benefits.  It was great to hear our participants’ varied opinions and thinking on the subject and I think we all left the session with more insight on the topic.

One of the most valuable lessons we have learnt was not from the lessons planned and given to us by the keynote speakers and the sustainability teams, but from the connections we made with other students. Building relationships helps you become more versatile and knowledgeable as you are listening and sharing personal experience. And these small relationships will create a strong network that you can rely on in the future.