Ending African stereotypes
PE woman will take Ubuntu message to Oslo
NOZIBELE Qamngana is a pioneer in the campaign to end negative stereotypes associated with African countries. And now the 24-year-old will have an opportunity to share her views at the Africa for Norway conference in Oslo next week.
Speaking from the Ubuntu Education Fund office in Zwide, Qamngana said she was fully committed to stamping out all negative stereotypes about Africa harboured by the international community.
“Yes, to some extent we’re poor. Yes, we are facing various issues . . . but our birthplace should not be discriminated against. Everyone should receive the same opportunities,” she said.
Qamngana will also have the opportunity to debate the way in which African countries are portrayed in the Western media.
She said the invitation to the conference had come as a bit of a surprise after organisers saw Ubuntu’s website and Facebook page and sent an invitation based on what they had seen.
While organising the visit, Qamngana and the Ubuntu Centre were told about the Golden Radiator Awards which are given out for videos produced by NGOs.
The organisation decided to enter a video it had created in partnership with a UK-based film production company, entitled Should your birthplace determine your future?
The three-minute video looks at children growing up in affluent regions compared with those growing up in rural areas.
It shows how people make do with what they have, regardless of the situation they find themselves in.
It also tells the story of how a young girl who lost her parents was able to rise above her circumstances with help from the Ubuntu Centre.
The Golden Radiator Awards will be handed out during the conference.
One award goes to the fundraising video that best uses creativity to create engagement.
The campaign aims to break stereotypes. Qamngana said stereotypes often came about because of development issues in townships and because some NGOs “take pictures of our children half naked to make their point”.
“We want to bring this argument to the international community,” Qamngana said.
The main outcome she hoped to achieve at the conference was to make the international community more aware of the reality of many South Africans and Africans in general, as opposed to them believing what was portrayed in the media.
“Firstly, we would like to present ourselves in an international context, to showcase what South Africans and Africans are doing, with the people working together to achieve great things,” she said.
“Furthermore, we want to show that such opportunities are testament that the world is becoming smaller and smaller, and [there are] opportunities to go on an international stage and present positive stories about your country.”
Qamngana is herself a beneficiary of the Ubuntu Centre, an organisation that nurtures children from preschool to university.
She has worked there for the past 21 months and is completing her BA honours degree in development studies
Ubuntu co-founder and senior adviser Malizole Gwaxula said: “We feel honoured that Ubuntu is represented at such a platform and we’re confident that Nozi will do a great job in representing not only Ubuntu but the rest of South Africa and Africa as a whole.”