d'mensions/the d'youville college Journal summer 2oo6

feature
THE DYC/AFRICA CONNECTION
listening
to the
voice
of the
voiceless
THE BEGINNINGS
As young, slender Sr. Theresina of Tanzania sat studying in
the DYC cafeteria, she became aware of a powerful presence
hovering over her. Dr. Amable Paulino, head of the business
department, pulled up a chair and casually asked, “Sr.
Theresina, tell me, what are you going to do with this education
in Tanzania” “‘Well, Doctor,’ I was saying, but in my head
I am wanting to run away, you have to understand, but it is
interesting because that is the beginning of everything…”
“So,” Dr. Paulino persisted, “tell me what you are going to do
with this education.” “Dr. Paulino, I am going to teach.” “To
teach what” “Children.” “Is that enough” “Yes.” “No!,” he
said. “Oh, Dr. Paulino, I use this education to teach sisters
in…” “How many are coming in” “One hundred fifty.” “How
many are educated” She answered, “Oh, Doctor, don’t ask
me that question. A couple of sisters are not educated but they
are still young, and I will use my D’Youville education to help
sisters get an education.” “Sister,” he said emphatically, “that
is not enough.” “Oh, my God,” she responded, “but inside my
conscience I am saying, ‘Oh, my God, what does this man
want’” He challenged her again, “Sr. Theresina, WHAT
ARE YOU DREAMING” “Dr. Paulino, my dream is to build
a school.” “For what” “For girls.” “Why” She confessed, in
her whisper-soft voice, “I started to tell him things I know you
do not tell to [a] man, and I said, ‘Doctor, I escaped [but it is]
because of the abusing of young girls that I am here.”
Immediately, Dr. Paulino appeared eager and interested in
knowing about the deplorable discrimination against young
girls in African villages. Calm and self-assured, Sr. Benedicta,
another of the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa attending
D’Youville, recalled, “He wanted us to actually tell him
what we thought we needed in our society. One of the things
missing, he observed, was education specifically for women
and girls and the other one was a market economy.”
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