Andre '17 - Cullman Scholar in Togo

Dustin Meltzer '05
Through the generosity of the Cullman Family and the Cullman Scholarship program, students have the opportunity to travel around the world pursuing independent learning projects.
 
“Last year on June 6th I traveled to Togo, Africa for my Cullman Scholarship,” says Andre ’17.  “I was heading for a six-week trip to Lomé, the capital of Togo, located in the southern region. I arrived after 17 hours of travel, and was thrown into the culture of Togo right from the airport . . . I ventured into the city, visiting the main market, the beach, the shipping port, and lastly the Projects Abroad office, where I interned at La Ligue Togolaise De Droits de L’homme, a local human rights office.”
 
After overcoming an anticipated obstacle, Andre’s work with La Ligue Togolaise De Droits de L’homme was rewarding.  He recalls, “It was very difficult to communicate in French at first, but when there was no alternative, I overcame the language barrier and engaged with the work.” Andre continues, “My favorite part of the internship was the fieldwork, where I went on trips all over the city. I visited Amnesty International’s session for drafting the yearly human rights reports on the issue of torture, participated in the rewriting of the French law of 1901, and even had conversations with a rural radio station to raise awareness of human rights in that community. This work was fascinating, and I found it incredibly rewarding and interesting.”
 
The second half of Andre’s time in Togo focused on criminal justice and the proceedings of the court system. During this time, Andre had the opportunity to visit two prisons in Togo. He remembers, “My first visit was the Prison of Lomé. I interviewed the head of security and came to terms with some shocking statistics . . . In a prison, built for 650, there were approximately 2100 inmates. Overcrowding is a massive problem. Disease spreads uncontrollably in the confined rooms of the prison . . . The inmates slept on their side head to toe as they were packed into the rooms like sardines in a can.” Andre’s second visit was to a children’s prison.  He explains, “I gave a presentation to the children in juvenile detention. The conditions were adequate and the kids were very happy to have a guest speaker. . . I wondered if they knew the conditions they would face if they repeated these offenses as adults.”
 
During his time abroad, Andre also made time for sightseeing in the Northern mountainous region of Kpalimé, the jungles and mountains of the region, at the Tribunal Court of Lomé, and the Court of Appeal. He joined a friend group with whom he spent free time playing basketball and soccer, visiting the beach, and joining locals to help fish. Of his whole experience, Andre recalls, “Although my work was hard, I could not have been happier than in my six weeks abroad. The day I flew home I watched the sunrise over the beach and reflected on all that I had experienced over the past six weeks . . . I benefited greatly from the challenge of living, practically unassisted, in a third-world country. I encourage all sophomores and especially juniors to apply for a Cullman Scholarship. Find a trip that will push you – that is going to be hard.”
 
Thank you, Andre, for sharing your experience and stay tuned for more Cullman Scholarship news.
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