Blackburn student in human rights mission to Africa (From Blackburn Citizen)

Blackburn student in human rights mission to Africa

11:30am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News By Emma Cruces, Reporter

A LAW student is heading for Africa to help combat human trafficking and highlight human rights issues.

Samuel Myhill, of Blackburn, who is studying at Leeds Metropolitan University is to visit Ghana this summer.

The 20-year-old former St Mary’s College and St Bede’s RC High School pupil, who hopes to work in family law, says that often, even shocking abuses of rights, like child traffficking are viewed as normal behaviour in some parts of the continent.

He said: “Sometimes victims of human rights abuse don’t even know there is such a thing as human rights.

“They don’t even think of themselves as victims.

“It’s also an issue for the people who abuse human rights. Many times no one has told them it is something that people elsewhere fight against. Sometimes it is so normalised it’s not even seen as wrong.”

Sam will be working by giving lectures and classes on the law and human rights in the country for a month.

He is a volunteer with global volunteering organisation, Projects Abroad, which specialises in gap year ventures and internships and will be working alongside human rights campaigners based in Accra.

He added: “This is a big challenge for me personally. I want to experience something totally different and I really hope my trip is a big success”.

Peter Slowe, director of Projects Abroad, says, “We are really pleased Samuel doing this. The people in Ghana are looking forward very much to meeting him and they definitely want him to bring some pictures of Lancashire with him.”