Excerpts from the interview:
* On one of her campaign trips to Africa:
"In Rwanda, I’d been warned that we might see disturbing things, and that some people might be close to death. So I had a bit of apprehension walking into the first hospital. But I soon realised that you’re standing before people. They might be very ill, but they’re just people like everyone else. Suddenly you’re not aware of how you’re feeling, how you’re going to look. If you let your guard down and stop being aware of yourself, you’re able to really connect with people and listen while they tell their stories."
* On the strength of women:
"I’ve always found that women have power in numbers. We draw strength from the support of other women. In some cultures, girls can be seen as a burden to a family because of the need to pay out a dowry when they marry, and they are vulnerable to all kinds of abuse. When I visited shelters for female victims of violence in India, I found that a lot of the women had been raped, even at home. That’s still very taboo. Even in the United States, it’s hard to talk about being sexually abused by your husband or your boyfriend. So being able to find solace in support groups makes a huge difference."
* On her newfound appreciation of the simple things:
"You do gain a certain perspective when you see how people get by with so little and how they’re just happy to have simple things like a well with clean water nearby. I felt lucky just to live somewhere that has running water. Suddenly a toilet seems such a luxury. It’s miraculous! You really are thankful for the small things."
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