“The Saharawis deserve justice.” – Catherine Constantinides
Yesterday My Superhero, Humanitarian and International Climate Activist Catherine Constantinides, spoke to the SABC about the tensions between Western Sahara and Morocco and the lack of political will to ensure that Morocco ends its decades-long illegal occupation of Western Sahara. Watch Peter Ndoro’s interview with Catherine Constantinides on SA Today below:
Don’t dwell on those who can’t or won’t help you focus on those who do – my new rule
Today, twenty-four days into 2020, I have resolved to no longer dwell on those who can’t or won’t help me and to instead focus on those who do – I have ideas and projects all I can do is present them well if people help me implement them I will be delighted and so grateful and if not I will move on and find more people to present to I won’t spend hours dissecting why the people I thought could help me chose not to because it’s really not productive.
Different is cool but different is also hard – that’s what I’ve realized
People make me so sad . Today my sister and i were waiting outside the mall for our brother to come pick us up after movies The woman sitting on the bench with us: My son is also wheelchair-bound – it’s so nice of your sister to take you out. My sister clearly understanding how the woman’s words made me feel didn’t accept the woman’s praise: it’s ok I could win the Nobel Prize and the person seen out with me would be nominated for sainthood for simply being out with me it makes me so sad that the public assumes everybody who’s with me is with me out of obligation and not choice. Regardless of what I achieve in life most people will always see me as an object of charity and pity #RealitiesOfDisability
“There are some things that you can fulfil with money, but at the end of the day these are not the things that make you happy. It is the small things that make life good.” – Sebastian Vettel
The last weekend of 2019 was the absolute best firstly my cousin got married and secondly in between all the wedding festivities I even managed to sneak in a breakfast with my Superhero Catherine Constantinides and almost all the Constantinides’s it was 4 days after Christmas but I felt like it was Christmas all over again – there’s something about that family they are love, loyalty and kindness and whenever I’m with them I feel like I fit effortlessly.
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” – Seneca
Today is New Year’s Day and with that comes new hopes, new opportunities and new goals. Check out my life’s purpose and 2020 Goals below:
My Life’s Purposes
2020 Goals
(Note: Goals are subject to change with time and that’s ok because I will change with time)
“Make measurable progress in reasonable time.” – Jim Rohn
As we near the end of 2019 it is again time to review the goals I set at the beginning of the year
My 2019 Life Purposes and Goals in Review
My Life’s Purposes
2019 Goals
“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” -”
― Michael Altshuler
As we prepare to enter a new decade I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned from the current decade
7 Lessons of the Decade
1. Tomorrow is promised to nobody
2.We are defined by WHAT WE GIVE not what we have
3.Little Things are the BIG THINGS
4.People matter most and the right ones will love you as you are
5. Kindness is the compass that will guide you to happiness
6.People will say things about you, you can believe them or YOU
7.Fear is just a feeling
To my Refugee Children in the Sahara Desert. You will know that the United Nations is currently spearheading the first Global Impact Summit on Refugees under the leadership of the UNHCR. You will know that they have invited representatives from all refugee groups, nations and even minority refugee groups from all corners of the world. What they have not shared with the world is that the Saharawi refugees are the only refugees that were not invited and thus not present as such a global forum and platform. You will also know that when this was questioned it has been said that there are too many ‘Political Sensitivities’. I could write an entire thesis on why and how this is absolutely unacceptable, financially motivated and how this continues to perpetuate the unfathomable injustice being carried out my am elite few who continue to benefit from the status quo remaining as is. That is that an entire nation of people known as the people of Western Sahara continue to be sidelined by the opressive colonial power that is Morocco. They continue to pull the strings with their allies while the Saharawi people divided physically by the Wall of shame and kept apart: those living in occupied Western Sahara and those living as refugees forgotten in 1975 living in what was a temporary refugee camp and yet heading towards 45 years, there they still remain. How is it that you can go to bed at night as leaders when you pretend that #EveryoneCounts but deliberatly exclude the Saharawi due to political pressures. How then does the United Nations claim to be an organisation for all, when in fact it’s agenda is dictated by those who have access and resources to decide who gets invited and who gets forgotten.
To My Saharawi Children who live as refugees, to my children that know nothing outside of a refugee camp, I pride you I will keep fighting and I will keep pushing, because in my life time you will return home. I will not allow them to get away with this. You are my people and this is unforgivable!!!
Catherine Constentinides
Source of text: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3340706229333984&id=861076237297008
Catherine Con3stentinides is a human rights activist and environmental campainer from South Africa.
Follow her on twitter and Instagram @ChangeAgentSA
Like her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Catherine-Constantinides-861076237297008
You realize that there’s something to be said to limiting oneself, not just geographically, but also emotionally. That there’s a certain depth of experience and meaning that can only be achieved when one picks a single piece of creation and says, “This is it. This is where I belong.” – Mark Manson
Years ago I thought living fully meant travelling the world, making new friends and tasting new foods but yesterday as I sat chatting and giggling with babies at Breath of Life I had a feeling there, with them, I was living fully (if I get to travel and do other stuff that would be awesome but I won’t do it in search of the fullness of life because every time I’m with the babies and wonderful people at Breath of Life I’m reminded that I’m already living fully). Thank you to Michelle, Andrew and the Breath of Life team for all you do and for a 2019 full of beautiful moments I look forward to making more beautiful memories with all of you next year.
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”~Elizabeth Andrew
As a part of International Volunteers Day and KFC South Africa’s #AddHope my Superhero Catherine Constantinides and her friends got to visit Sizanani in Soweto to interact with the youngsters who receive warm meals thanks to the R2 that you so selflessly donate every time you visit a KFC here in South Africa.
