Congressional Forum Speech

Good evening distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

I am Anna-Marie Müller and I am an African. I care deeply about my continent and its people. I am honoured to share tonight some of my thoughts about what making a difference could mean for me.

I grew up in Stellenbosch, a town known for its wine, mountains and university. Some of my childhood was spent in other university towns in Europe, as my father is an academic and our family accompanied him on fellowships and sabbaticals. In our home, my brother and I were brought up to nurture our curiosity. I love exploring the world – through books, travelling, dreaming. I look for stories and ideas wherever I go, and SAWIP has really added new dimensions to my life.

Since the selection camp in April, I have carried this green journal with me. Paging through it in preparation for this speech, I remember the range of important debates we have had as a team. The one thing that stands out to me about the SAWIP experience regarding leadership is the importance of creating conditions for others to self-empower. So I ask myself how I can be an enabler wherever I go.

I am a graduate student in Sustainable Development at Stellenbosch University. I like systemic thinking, holistic approaches to problems and finding pragmatic solutions. This fits in well with my field of study. I have a keen interest in food security and nutrition, as well as in resource economics and ecosystem services. Finding a way to make sense of these subjects, throwing in gender equality and access to education just to be sure there is enough complexity, has been my challenge so far.

To start answering my questions of “how”, I have identified a specific topic that I feel strongly about. It relates to how I see Africa positioning itself in the future. That topic is stunting. To explain it briefly, the 1000 days from the start of a mother’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday is the window of opportunity for growth and development. Physiological and cognitive stunting occurring in this period due to undernutrition has life-long consequences for an individual’s life. A child whose brain is underdeveloped can never compensate for that loss. It means he or she will perform poorly in school, earn less as an adult and definitely contribute less to his or her country’s economy. I feel strongly that we cannot expect long-term, sustainable growth in Africa when children experience this barrier. Hunger is a solvable issue. With current UNICEF data indicating 40% of Africa’s children stunted, we must commit to reducing the prevalence of stunting as a promise to future generations that we are concerned about the world we leave behind one day.

Tomorrow we celebrate the 95^th birthday of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Me being here today is part of his legacy. He dedicated his life to more than the freedom of the millions of people who were excluded through legislation and at the hand of the police. He also freed me, the young, white Afrikaans-speaking South African. I believe that allowed me to form part of a culture that transcends the colour of our skin and tongue we speak to our grandmothers. That culture is marked by the intent to make a difference, to continue fighting for freedom, to have compassion and be open to hear one another’s stories. In the words of Madiba: “For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”. To me, Mr. Mandela says democracy is having more than a good constitution. He is challenging me to contribute to freedom on a daily basis. I don’t believe the hungry or stunted are free. This challenge is my space to enable. It is how I choose to honour my own freedom.

Thank you.