Isle students to take part
in global problem-solving
Fifteen Hawaii students are traveling 8,000 miles to discuss the world's problems, including AIDS and poverty, with hundreds of other young leaders from 189 countries.
The group Hui o Hawaii, a combination of teenage activists, journalists and performers, will travel to Morocco in August to participate in the World Congress of Youth.
The Hawaii participants, ages 15 to 25, have their own goals: They are focused on gender equality, eliminating AIDS and protecting Hawaii's natural resources, said Mae Mendelson, a volunteer mentor.
"They are very committed and passionate," Mendelson said. "Each student made a commitment to come back to Hawaii and organize projects in their community to help reach their goals."
The conference will provide the youth with the skills they need to begin community action projects. They will attend workshops to learn how to fund-raise, facilitate meetings and work with a legislature, Mendelson said.
Fayez Rumi, a Saint Louis School senior, was the first student to join the delegation. He is focused on tolerance and hopes to see an end to terrorism. His parents are from Bangladesh, but Rumi grew up in Hawaii.
"I want people to see that although people look different, their ideas can be the same," he said.
Terrorism is affecting America and Morocco, Mendelson said.
"The young people need to have hope," she said. "We are not going to be intimidated by the attacks."
Rumi is looking forward to what he calls an "opportunity of a lifetime" and is eager to work in the Moroccan villages as part of the youth congress service project.
"In Hawaii, we are very blessed with lots of clean water," he said. "We don't have villages where people are always sick, and I'm looking forward to improving lives there."
When the students return to Hawaii, Rumi's father Jan is determined to apply what his son has learned.
"I don't want them to just go and come back and just forget about it all," Jan Rumi said. "What we are trying to do is have these kids be the spark plugs for change.
"We adults want to channel their energy into action projects like a literacy program or a fish pond. That's the real benefit of going," he said.
The government of Morocco is taking care all of the costs once the group arrives, but the group needs to raise $20,250 for airfare.
"We are convinced that we can raise the funds," Mendelson said. "We're going, no matter what."
The group is selling Pizza Hut literacy cards, had a dinner fund-raiser and hopes the community will contribute.
"If we can get the community here to help out, we can get everyone there," Mendelson said.
Jan Rumi can't stand to think that some students may not be able to afford the trip.
"It would be such a shame to let an opportunity like this pass them by because we couldn't raise enough for the airfare," he said.
The Hawaii Intergeneration Network is accepting donations. Contact Mendelson at 497-6623 for more information.