Interview with Margo O’Sullivan – Consultant to Misean Cara
Dr. Margo O’Sullivan, Director of Programmes and Co-Founder of Power Teachers Africa, recently completed a trip to Colombia as a consultant to Misean Cara, conducting a research study into education projects of Misean Cara members that provide services to migrants, refugees and forcibly displaced people, in five different countries.
Included in the study were two projects of the Marist Brothers in Colombia: Hearts without Borders in Santa Fe (near Bogota) and Maicao (near the border with Venezuela), for which Misean Cara provides funding and support. While there, Margo was invited to conduct an interview with the Marists, to discuss the kinds of education projects Misean Cara with migrants, refugees and forcibly displaced people, and to offer her reflections on the impact and importance of the Hearts Without Borders projects, especially on the children and students living in very difficult circumstances in impoverished migrant settlements in Colombia.
“The contexts for both projects are among the worst that I’ve seen. There are no public services, no water, no sewage. But at Hearts Without Borders, on limited resources, I saw so much good. There’s everything there for the children’s needs. The children are smiling, they’re happy, there’s no fear. The children are very confident, there’s no aggression, no violence.”
“You absolutely need the support of Misean Cara and other organisations because the need is so great, for financial resources but also whatever technical expertise they can bring.”
