Making a Difference

Carthage alumna puts legal career on hold to help Namibian children

Two years ago, Amelia McCarthy, '91, was a prominent young attorney in Milwaukee. But she sought to accomplish more in her life, and accepted a leadership position through the Peace Corps with Oonte, a non-government organization operating a children's center in the African nation of Namibia.

At Oonte's official grand opening last September, from left, Amelia McCarthy, '91; Penehupifo Pohamba, the First Lady of Namibia; and Oonte Executive Director Petrine Shiimi. The First Lady was the keynote speaker.

"Being born in America — such a great country with unbelievable resources and wealth — I was extremely fortunate to have good health and get a great education from places like Carthage and Marquette Law School, where giving back through public service is so highly emphasized," Ms. McCarthy told the Carthaginian by e-mail from Namibia. "I simply saw this as my opportunity to try to make a difference in the world by giving back to those less fortunate."

In early 2009, in an e-mail to Carthage's Alumni Office, she announced her plans.

"While I am very excited, as this is something I have always wanted to do, I, of course, am also conflicted," she wrote then. "I will miss my family dearly, but I will also miss all of my close friends and colleagues here in the States (not to mention the comforts of home). That said, I can't wait to at least try to make a difference in the lives of people I have never met in a very far off land."

Oonte OVC Organization supports more than 400 orphans and vulnerable children with meal programs, psycho-social support, home-based care programs and HIV/AIDS awareness efforts.

J-Term trip touches lives

In January, just less than a year after Ms. McCarthy followed her heart to make a difference in Namibia, she met a delegation of Carthaginians at Ondangwa, the village in northern Namibia where she works.

Current Carthage students visited Ms. McCarthy and the students on a January J-Term trip. Read about the J-Term trip.

"They call it an orphanage, but it's not a residential facility," says James Unglaube, '63, vice president emeritus for college relations. "They just show up after school, mainly AIDS orphans, all the way from little kids to teenagers."

Mr. Unglaube was joined on the visit by music department chair Peter Dennee, '86, art department chair Anne Cassidy, and a group of students on a J-term study trip.

"It was wonderful," Ms. McCarthy writes of the visit. "It was so neat to watch the Carthage folks touch these kids' lives in many different ways. Prof. Dennee taught them a new song, which was quite an experience for the kids, as they have no formal choir instructor. The Carthage students also shared their own backgrounds and aspirations with them. Perhaps the most fun they all had, however, was just by playing many different games with the OVCs, which the OVCs loved. It was also great for me to see old friends from 'home' like Jim Unglaube, whom I have known for many years, and to make new friends like Profs. Dennee and Anne Cassidy and all of the Carthage students."

Drafting new child protection laws

Ms. McCarthy has had two tasks in Namibia. Besides administrative duties at Oonte, "I have also been able to use my legal training to assist with some of the drafting and redrafting of Namibia's Child Care and Protection Bill, which will provide much needed additional rights and protections for all of the children in Namibia. The Bill essentially rewrites Namibia's existing child protection laws, which all went into effect during apartheid and prior to Namibia's independence from South Africa. This new legislation will put in place various rights and safeguards to help Namibian children for generations to come."

This involvement began, she explains, at the request of Namibia's Legal Resource Center, which she described as comparable to a "national Legal Aid."

"The Bill will replace Namibia's 1960 act," she writes, "and essentially overhaul all laws relating to children in Namibia from children's courts, age of majority, a child's right to legal representation, foster care, child trafficking, adoption, children in need of protection and care, ability to consent to get an HIV/AIDS test, contraceptives and medical treatment, etc."

Ms. McCarthy delivers food and toys to a needy homestead before Christmas.

Describing her work on this project, Ms. McCarthy wrote last fall that "I have learned a ton about Namibian and African culture through this process and it really has been quite fascinating." While there have been occasional frustrations, "I also constantly remind myself that this is not my country — it's theirs. In the end, their opinion is the only one that really matters. So, all I can do is throw out questions to stimulate discussion and hope that will help them to make well informed decisions."

Fundraising efforts

In an e-mail last fall, Ms. McCarthy was pleased to report that former law firm colleagues and other friends had sent more than 10 boxes of sports equipment and uniforms for the children at Oonte.

"Not only do the kids LOVE this stuff," she wrote, "these donations permitted Oonte to reallocate funds ... to renovate a recently donated caravan (think gutted mobile home trailer), which will serve as a counseling center for the kids and a storage space for sports equipment and plastic dishes for the kids' meals."

"Going there is completely in character for her. She's a very passionate person, and the kind of person you like the minute you meet her. ... She's an inspiration to our students."

— Prof. Christian von Dehsen

Ms. McCarthy is also hoping to help raise money to build a permanent facility. Oonte previously operated out of vacant space in a former store, but the former owner sold the store and Oonte relocated to a nearby open field. Through recent fundraising efforts, including a visit by Namibia's first lady, Oonte was able to purchase the land on which it operates. The organization estimates a facility could be built for about $115,000 in U.S. funds.

One person who wasn't surprised by Ms. McCarthy's decision to donate two years of her life was Christian von Dehsen, professor of religion, who taught her two decades ago.

"We've kept in touch through the years," Prof. von Dehsen says. "Going there is completely in character for her. She's a very passionate person, and the kind of person you like the minute you meet her. We're all very proud of her. She's an inspiration to our students."

'Profound impact'

Ms. McCarthy is just past midpoint of her two-year commitment in Namibia.

"As you might expect, this experience has had a profound impact on me," she writes. "The orphans and vulnerable children that I see every day have so very little and face so many obstacles. Many have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS and have no other known relatives so they are left to raise their younger brothers and sisters by themselves in what are commonly known here as 'child-headed households.' Others are living in 'grandparent-headed households' as one of as many as 16 kids are trying to be raised by a single grandparent. These kids sleep on the dirt ground in dilapidated mud or wood huts (if they have a hut — some simply live under a raised pile of sticks with no walls); they have little food and few pieces of clothing. They have no toys and, of course, no TV, much less video games or a computer. Many, if they don't die, get terribly sick from malaria during the rainy season and many have seen their only shelter — a mud hut — literally get washed away by the rain.

"Yet despite all of their hardships, these kids are all so incredibly positive; they have such big amazing hearts and they find such joy in the smallest things. I work alongside incredible volunteers who are feeding many of these children the only meals they eat in a week. My job here is to support the volunteers, and help them figure out ways to implement their best new ideas. Each day I just try to think of things that can be done to create a little bit of 'hope' for everyone."

Prof. von Dehsen is eager to see what Ms. McCarthy will do next year.

"She's very straight-forward," he says, "and when she puts her mind to something, she sticks to it. She's got a great mind and a big heart."

Staying focused on Namibia's children

For now, Ms. McCarthy is keeping her options open.

"With the remaining time in my Peace Corps commitment, my focus is on continuing to partner with my colleagues at Oonte to help make a better life and future for these kids," she writes.

"My law firm, Gass Weber Mullins in Milwaukee, has been incredibly supportive of my efforts in Namibia, from agreeing to hold my position until I return, to regularly sending sporting goods, toys and clothes for the kids and collecting and sending funds for impoverished household holiday care packages.

"Unlike many of the kids I work with, I have plenty of opportunities to consider a year from now. For now, my focus really is just trying to do what I can to help these kids."