We are very pleased to announce that Ms. Tracey Osogo has been awarded the Tutu Ubuntu Scholarship for the Spring 2020 Voyage. Ms. Osogo will sail on the voyage with all program fees covered, along with a generous stipend which will support her towards visa/vaccine reimbursement, Field Program registration, and on-ship services.
Tracey Osogo comes to us as an International Relations and Security Studies major from Daystar University in Kenya, where she is currently on the Dean’s List. Tracey spends a great deal of time volunteering for local organizations that focus on child advocacy and access to quality education.
Of “Ubuntu,” Tracey writes, “Ubuntu is the spirit of togetherness, regardless of one’s sexual orientation, nationality, race or even gender. It looks beyond who we are at face value and brings together everyone to stand for the other. In a world where individualism is the norm and capitalism is deeply rooted, then Ubuntu is almost extinct. I come from Kenya- where a majority of the leaders are only interested in what is of benefit to them. But not all is lost- there still is a population of citizens who come together to build each other and build the state: mothers who plan visits to the home of a new mother to show her the do’s and don’ts, community members who will come together to mourn the death of a member of society. And even in the face of drought, a large number of my country people came together to 11 Million USD to help those severely affected.
I believe the SAS program provides the perfect platform for the execution of Ubuntu, both at sea and on the land. We might not necessarily be able to relieve the captain of his duty to steer the ship ‚Äì but Ubuntu has everything to do with the little things. Like checking in on your cabin mate to find out whether they are comfortable, helping those on board who need help with settling in and finding their way around, taking up a community project in the various ports we get to visit and even just praying with a community and speaking some hope into them. Four months is a long time to be away from home and it can be very depressing for one who is not used to it, but if we uphold the spirit of Ubuntu, we sure can make the voyage worth every memory made.”
We are very eager to welcome Tracey on board the MV World Odyssey in January. Please join us in congratulating Tracey!
