South Africa
2002 TFK Q&A: Nelson Mandela
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Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to the struggle for racial equality in South Africa. He spent 27 years in prison for opposing the South African system of segregation called apartheid (a-par-tide). He negotiated an end to apartheid in 1990, and in 1994 he became the first-ever democratically elected president. He stepped down in 1999.
Today, he is one of the most famous and deeply loved leaders in the world. Time for Kids caught up with Mandela at his home in Johannesburg. He shared his thoughts on children, South Africa and the future.
TFK: What is your typical day like?
Mandela: Everyday is like the other, whether it's a weekday or a weekend. I like sitting down, reading, talking to people—my children, my grandchildren. I'm reading now a book which deals with some of the heroes of the world. It is very inspiring.
TFK: What do children mean to you?
Mandela: Children are a treasure, the wealth of any country. They are the future leaders of society and the entire nation. But in order to play that role they must be given support. They must be given education. Their health must be looked after. And, above all, they must be given love.
TFK: What is life like for children in South Africa?
Mandela: We have just emerged, only seven years ago, from one of the most brutal systems of oppression the world has ever seen. We were denied all the rights of citizenship. And, therefore, the scars of the last three centuries are still visible in our society. We were deprived of the opportunity to send our children to the best schools. Nevertheless, our people are looking, are caring after their children. But you can't expect us to live up to the same standard as countries which have enjoyed these luxuries for centuries.
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TFK: What work is your charity, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, doing?
Mandela: We have raised funds to help institutions that are dealing with children. One of the things that we're concentrating upon is raising the status of disabled children. Many parents fear bringing their children out in public because they're disabled. What I did towards my last years of my presidency was to organize occasions where I could entertain disabled children. When you do that, and parents see the president of the country sitting at a table with disabled children, eating with them, and talking with them, they stop being ashamed of their children. They are able to see that their children are human beings, but with certain disabilities which can be attended to.
TFK: What has kept you going throughout your long struggle?
Mandela: The support I have gotten from society is very encouraging. That alone keeps one going. If there is anything that will kill me, is to wake up not knowing what to do. The fact that I know I've got a busy program and more to accomplish keeps me going.
