Brotherhood
“Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival.” – Carlos P. Romulo
After a laborious but rewarding morning of setting the structure of a termite mud house, it was time for a short break from the hot African sun. We were sitting in a group, sharing the crackers that we brought, as two young boys from the village watched us. They pointed at us, trying to get our attention to play with them. I gave one of my crackers to the youngest boy, and he flashed an illuminating smile in return.
This photo was taken in the Summer of 2019, in the remote African village of Mwandi in Zambia when I was there volunteering for Home for AIDs Orphans. I was with a group of volunteers, helping build mud huts for orphans to live with elderly village women because they had no one else to look after them. The isolated village of Mwandi was scattered with these thatched-roof, termite mud houses. The sand paths that weaved around each hut had foot imprints from the many children that roamed the village.
During one of my breaks, I snapped this photo of two orphan boys as they watched us build their home with just our hands and a couple of shovels. The oldest boy in the photo was 14 years old and from the same village as the younger, two-year-old boy in the photo. Although they were not related by blood, they shared a commonality: they were both AIDs orphans. As AIDS orphans, they were born into a life with no parents to look after them, and many of them had no siblings. Other families in the village take in these orphans and care for them until other arrangements with the organization Home for AIDs Orphans are made. This organization works with numerous elderly women who are widowed without children and provides them with housing and necessities in exchange for taking care of these AIDs orphans.
The first lesson I learned from these two boys was that someone doesn’t have to be blood for one to love and care for them. In my life, I have created many strong and important relationships with people who I care deeply for. Experiencing these two boys and their connection has completely changed my perspective on my relationships with others. I treat those I care about and love like they are my family even if they are not my blood. As I reflected on this image and what I learned, I came across this quote (which I feel is perfect): “Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival.” - Carlos P. Romulo. I have taken this quote to heart in my life and especially during my new adventure of starting boarding school this past year. The transition to boarding school was definitely a challenge for me. I was lucky enough to find close friends relatively quickly to help me through my transition and bonded especially closely with two friends who were also new additions to the school. Looking back on my first year of boarding school, I have recognized that I would not have had an amazing year or an easier time transitioning to my new life without these relationships and friends supporting me. These relationships were what helped me through this tough time and made a place that once felt foreign to me feel like my true home.