Young Palestinian finds hope in SA

An 11-year-old Palestinan photographer has drawn strength from South Africa’s struggle for freedom.

“I learnt about your history. That taught me I have to have hope because it shows me ... Palestine will be free‚” said Janna Ayyad‚ who has more than 246 000 followers on Facebook where she posts videos and images of conflict in the region.

Janna and two other young activists, Ahed Tamimi‚ 16‚ and Muhammad Nawajah‚ 12, are in South Africa to create awareness about the plight of Palestinians and interact with local youth.

The group is being hosted by‚ among others‚ the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.

On Thursday the three visited the Hector Pieterson Museum in in Orlando West‚ Soweto. “It was so good!’’ Janna said. Nadia Meer‚ who initiated the tour‚ said it had been “quite a process” for the youngsters to travel to South Africa‚ but “this is something they have been really excited about”. Each child has made international headlines for his or her work.

Janna started filming clashes of‚ among other things‚ children confronting soldiers when she was just eight years old.

In March she was awarded the International Benevolence Award in Turkey.

“My camera is my gun‚” she told Al-Jazeera last year.

“But the camera is stronger than the gun . . . I can send my message to people‚ and they can send it to others.”