Suzie Mandier, by Fernanda Chapado

This is Suzie: she is a French eighteen year old girl on exchange in Germany. Although

she is only eighteen, she is a great example of a global citizen. She is up to date with

news on climate change, newly restricted food ingredients and recycling methods.

And last summer she spent two weeks in Africa building ecological toilets for Togo

citizens.

Q: How did the project come to life?

A: The organization that took us there is a local one, from my city in France. This is a

project that had been going on for three years, but we were the ones who asked

whether we could go to Africa and “do something”, so they told us about possible

work plans. We were sixteen volunteers: eight from France

and eight from Togo, so it was also a great cultural

exchange. I think that was one of the highlights of the

project.

Q: How did you feel during and after the project?

A: At first I didn’t really think about the project, because while you’re doing it you’re

concentrated on everything that goes on there. A lot of things happen because it’s

another country, it’s a very different culture. So this project is a very little part of a

much bigger plan. For me it was a means to discover many other things, especially

human bonding.

At the end of the project, there were some villagers who approached us and said

“thank you very much for what you have been doing; it’s important for us because

water is life and thanks to your toilets our water is safe and there is less and less

possibility to get sick”. You can imagine how happy we were to hear that! When we

built the toilets we didn’t know exactly how the villagers would manage, whether

they’d use the or not. So it was very emotional for us to hear that, and it made the

project more real, more tangible.

Q: Would you go back to Africa and repeat the project, get involved in a new one

or was it just a one time thing?

A: I talked about that with an African volunteer, and I

remember she said “when you begin volunteering you

can’t stop”. Because it’s just too beautiful to discover

new countries, new people, make really fast and close

relationships because you have almost the same ‘aim’:

you want to help others. It’s like a way of thinking, a

life style, for the majority of the people who do it. So

yes, I think I will keep on doing further projects like

this one. Maybe in Africa, or in South America, or in

East Asia.

Q: And why do you choose those particular parts

of the world and not, for example, France, your

homeland?

A: I think France doesn’t need it as much as the other countries. I think that if I stayed

in France and did a project, for example, aiming at poor families, I’d feel it’s good, but

it’s not enough. I believe that the French government can handle these things better

than how they are doing in third world countries. And I truly feel it’s my responsibility

to go and help, to do what I can. Still, it’s not that the French government is doing an

excellent work…

Q: And how do you think that can be changed?

A: If we change our political system in such a way that every citizen can raise their

voice regarding important government decisions, then we will be in true democracy. If

citizens really want to improve on the general State wellbeing they will want to vote

for or against that or this measure.

On another level, I think that it’s not only the government who has the power to do

things. Nowadays, with more means of communication you can get in touch with

people of Peru, India, Uzbekistan, Canada, etc. If everyone is connected, there are

more possibilities of getting through the people. There’s a new paradigm on the

horizon: we can meet each other but that is no longer necessary to “join forces” in

favor of a particular cause. There are platforms like Change.org or groups on Facebook

like Transition 2013 in which nobody meets but we all work towards the same

purpose. The problem is that they are not enough either. For instance, on Change.org,

petitions are heard by politicians and some change can be achieved, but this only

happens with those petitions that are signed by thousands of people. Just a few of

them get “a real answer”.

Q: With the occurrence of new technologies and

social networks, do you think that more people are

getting interested or aware of local and/or global

issues?

A: Yes, I think that, little by little, people are more and

more aware of, for example, climate change. But in

order to achieve change there are some factors to be

considered. For instance, I buy organic and local food

and I recycle, but I know I can do that because I can afford to do

it (because I realize that organic food is not always cheap), I make time to do that, and,

especially, I have an excellent education in that respect. My dad rides his bike instead

of the car even in rainy days. I truly think that the most important part of change and

the will to improve the world stems from education.

Q: Then everyone can be part of the change, no matter their age or status quo;

on which level they do it depends on their education?

A: Exactly. Our actions are like tiny water drops. Together, we can make an ocean… or

a tsunami!

Q: And how do you think you help in creating awareness or in “educating”

others to contribute to change?

A: Well, I am always telling others to turn off the light when they leave a room, or that

they should not buy this or that product at the supermarket because it contains X or Y

ingredient and it’s bad for health or it’s bad for the earth, like palm oil. Also, when I

watch documentaries that I like, I send the link to my friends; I think that when people

are informed they think and they change. At school we learn Mathematics and

Grammar, but they don’t teach us how to eat healthily or how to take care of nature or

the environment. I believe that is a wide gap that is urging to be narrowed.

Q: Thank you, Suzie. Is there something that you would like to add?

A: Just that no one should be discouraged in doing their part for the better of the

world. And that we must remember that things do not end at “I take my bike instead

of my car, I already did my part”. Instead, together with reducing pollution and gas

emissions by riding the bicycle everywhere, there are also wealthy companies that

contaminate 24-7. Then, that is also what we have to bear in mind. Change doesn’t

stop with us, it begins with us.

“Nichts ist f[ ur den Menschen etwas wert, was er nicht mit Leidenschaft tun kann.” Max Weber.

“Sé la gota que horada la piedra”

“Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières”

“You may never know what results come of your actions but if you do nothing there will be no results.” Mahatma Gandhi.