Young Christian Students Movement Give Up Their Phones in Solidarity!

by hazelelponiSC · October 22, 2018

Members of the Young Christian Students (YCS) movement attending a workshop gave up using their cellphones for three days to show solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Wars in the DRC are fought to control mineral-rich areas, which include natural resources such as coltan and cobalt, used to make cellphones.

At the workshop, held at Christ the King church in Orlando East, Soweto, YCS organiser Fr Mokesh Morar recommended the film Mercy Congo by Paul Freedman on the DRC wars, and asked students to raise awareness among their peers.

Guidelines for Social Media

During the workshop, students adopted the mission of improving their own communities by actively participating in their affairs, raising awareness of social injustices in their communities, and working for social change.

They also discussed guidelines for social media, especially Whats-App, regarding appropriate use and time limits.

There were 42 participants from five different schools: St Martin de Porres in Orlando West; Immaculata in Diepkloof; McAuley House and Holy Family College in Parktown; and Summat College in the CBD. A volunteer facilitator from Bophelong/Vanderbijlpark working with three high schools there — Tsollo, Bophelong and Dr Oliphant — also attended.

“They had lots of fun, and without the disturbances of cellphones, increased their participation significantly,” Fr Morar said.

Students, some as young as 14, also practised their skills in chairing, minute-taking and report-writing, he added.

A new YCS Gauteng executive was also elected.