MALABO, Equatorial Guinea.
The educational community of Our Lady of Africa School, Equatorial Guinea, led by the Teresian Association, has joined in solidarity with the two hundred girls abducted in Nigeria and has demanded their release. Their last act took place on May 23. The following is a report from that country.
Dare to dream
"From this corner of Malabo and feeling the pain of the abduction of girls from Nigeria very closely, on Friday, May 23, we met again in the schoolyard to denounce the kidnapping and make a statement once again to declare that education is a right for both boys and girls.
A group of students from the third level of secondary school summoned the entire educational community to become aware of what is happening in Nigeria, an African country so close to Equatorial Guinea. The theme of the school year, "Dare to Dream " is waking us up to solidarity and is making us more aware of the unjust and painful events of our world.
On September 18, Lampedusa summoned us and this Friday, May 23, the Nigerian girls and their families who live every day with impotence and pain for their absence also called us together. After school that day, the bell rang to summon us. Gathered in a circle next to our banner, we heard details on the news. Later a brief manifesto was read on behalf of the equality of boys and girls and on understanding the various ways of thinking and believing. We prayed the Our Father together.
Upon completion of this simple and endearing gesture of denunciation, the bell rang again; we went home. We will not let this common prayer asleep; it will be a permanent alarm clock along the way we still have to walk to make this world a home for everyone."
Educational Community of Our Lady of Africa School