My time in Cape Town has awakened me to take notice of the problems South Africa faces regarding migrant and refugee rights. It’s truly been a reality check. The articles about problems in different parts of the world regarding refugees and migrants have become more of a general statement in the everyday newspaper. When I started my internship, I was suddenly sitting across from people with real problems and asking for help, which can be quite confronting. If I look at the impact I can personally make, it would be no more than at a micro-level. I can only make a difference in a one-on-one situation for the person who is sitting directly in front of me. This often means that I make clients aware of the importance of certain documents that they need in order to help them further. However, I also call schools to explain someone’s situation resulting in a child being able to get access to education the next day. If you hear that your effort made things work out, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction.
