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Published: March 2nd 2008
One of these things is not like the others...
I've been told that we look like we could be related. What do you think?It's Been a While...
So, it has been a month since I last updated our Travel Blog. I apologize for the delay, it seems that life just got really busy as we found a place to stay, bought a car, returned our car when it fell apart, bought another car, and all the other details of setting up life in a new country. Now that things have settled down a bit, we will hopefully get back to more regular updates. I have tried to make up for the past few weeks by adding tonnes of pictures to this entry. (If you click on any of the pictures, it take you to a larger version of the picture and a slideshow of all of the pictures.)
The last two blog entries were mostly about the craziness that Shauna and I have encountered while trying to get used to life in a new country, climate and culture. But for this entry, I thought I should focus more on what we are actually doing here. (I realized that my writing has been a little too 'leisure' focused when my Uncle referred this as our "one year vacation".) Don't get me wrong, this
The After School Class
This is the "After School" class for youth 11-15 years old. Can you pick out Shauna in the crowd? experience is certainly about slowing down and learning to live life at a normal pace (for once in my life), but it is also about so much more. So here it is....
Shauna and I searched for a long time to find a place where we could help out and that could use our combination of skills. I had travelled a fair bit, but it was mostly short trips, just for fun. I wanted to do something with a bit more purpose. (Just ask my buddy Mike Dingle, who has heard me talk about it for years and always bugged me because I never seemed to put my money where my mouth was.)
Shauna had also travelled quite extensively and had the same desire to volunteer overseas. We talked about it before and after we got married, but knew that the time was not yet right for us as a newlywed couple. After we got married and settled into "life" the right time seemed to be getting closer and we decided that we should actually make the opportunity to do what we both felt we should do. So after much searching, we found an organization called the Seed
Simunye Time
Sumunye Time is a class for kids ages 4-10 each day after school. 100 kids + no airconditioning = an experience that you learn to love of Hope where we felt that both Shauna and I could put our skills to use.
The Seed of Hope
The Seed of Hope began in July 2003 when Derek (a South African) and Heather (a Canadian) Liebenberg raised their own support and moved from Canada to South Africa to help with the AIDS crisis. They set up the Centre of Hope in an old Bible College building in the local township of Bhekulwandle, which was abandoned in the 1990’s because of heavy fighting during apartheid. As they cleaned and fixed up the building, various programs were started.
The Centre now runs a host of programs aimed at meeting the needs of the local population. Each day approx. 100 kids, ages 4-10, arrive after school for "Simunye Time" where they sing songs, play games, and learn various things. They learn health related topics such as teeth brushing, the importance of hand washing, proper nutrition, etc., as well as other social topics such as getting along with others, honesty, acceptance, hope and responsibility.
At the same time there is an "After School Class" of 30-40 students ages, 11-15, who come to the Centre to learn English
The Seed of Hope
This is the old Bhekulwandle Bible School that was abandoned in the 90's and is now the home of the Seed of Hope. language skills, as well as social responsibility, and health topics such as HIV/AIDS awareness, drug and alcohol abuse, and the importance of positive relationships. After class, both the "After School" youth and the "Simunye Time" kids eat a hot nutritious meal cooked for them by volunteers from the community at the Centre. It is quite a sight (and sound) as ~140 kids cram into a room to eat their meal.
The Centre also has a weekly HIV/AIDS support group that was initally started with some of the parents of Simunye Time kids. There is also a sewing program where members of the HIV/AIDS support group can learn sewing skills and then use the machines at the Centre to make various products to sell.
Part of the AIDS ministry involves house visits for those who are sick. Each week a staff member and a volunteer travel out to homes to provide comfort and care for the sick. The Centre also gives out monthly food packages to the support group members, as many of them find it very difficult to provide for their families when they are so sick. The food consists of Maize Meal, Beans and other staples to
How many kids can a Jungle Gym hold?
I think that we may have exceeded the rated capacity of our playground equipment! get the family by month to month.
The HIV testing clinic plans have been put on hold because of issues with the missing documents to prove that the church owns the land. In the meantime the centre staff are looking at possibilities to do some testing with home HIV testing kits either in people's homes or at the centre with a volunteer nurse. For now Karen takes people to a nearby clinic who are sick to get tested and get ARVs or other medication, or the centre gives money for a taxi if they are physically able to get there by themselves.
The Centre is run by local staff, local volunteers, and a few non-locals, like us. So that's the majority of what happens here. I might be missing a few things, but that gives you a general idea of what is happening here.
The Legacy of Apartheid
The Centre of Hope is located in the rural township of Bhekulwandle. During most of the past century under the government’s policy of “apartheid”, the Black population were required to live in Townships outside of the major cities. Although this is no longer the political situation, many
Patiently Waiting
Here the kids are waiting for the afternoon program to start. people do not have the money, means, and/or the desire to move away from their families and community into the larger towns and cities. The gap between the rich and poor is so huge that it is extremely difficult for someone from the Townships to climb above the circumstances and live the lifestyle of the people literally across the street.
These townships are rural communities of primarily Zulu people, consisting of schools, community centres, roadside food stands, and houses. The township of Bhekulwandle has only a few paved roads and is considered, by most standards, to have a Third-world standard of living. Many houses are small and built with scrap material. Some houses do not have running water or electricity and some of them have water hoses or extension cords supplying them from one house to another.
The Township of Bhekulwandle borders the Durban suburb of Amanzimtoti. Amanzimtoti contrasts the Third-world conditions of Bhekulwandle and is comparative to many towns or small cities in North America. Shauna and I live in Amanzimtoti because there is no place to stay in the Township and non-Zulus are seen as a higher target for crime in the Township after dark. In
Enjoying a Birthday Meal
During the monthly "Birthday Party", the kids get a treat of hot dogs, chips and juice. Not as nutritious as the normal meals, but hey, it's a Birthday Party! the beginning Derek and Heather, who founded the Seed of Hope, were advised by the locals not to stay in the Township after dark. We have been very spoiled (by both Canadian and South African standards) to have found an affordable "flat" on the beach. It is a 5 minute drive to the centre and close to any grocery shopping or other amenities we might need.
(If you want to see exactly where we live, use the zoom feature on the map at the top of the blog to zoom in on South Africa. The red dot is placed on our apartment.)
It is really strange and challenging to see the poverty and health conditions of a rural township such as Bhekulwandle contrast the apparent affluence right next door in both Amanzimtoti and Durban. It is difficult to work all day in such a poor community and then drive home into a "regular" lifestyle. This helps to explain the high crime rate in the country, where people who are struggling for food, shelter and clothing are continually interacting with a culture that has so many material goods.
The history of Apartheid has really made me marvel at
Handwashing Stations
Each day we set up handwashing stations for the kids before the meal. We would like to get something built more permanently, but this will have to do until then. how easily we can put our own interests ahead of everyone else. And how by thinking that we are somehow better than others, we can convince ourselves that we are always right. You read in history books about things like that (Apartheid, Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Sudan), but I always thought that it was someone else that was the culprit. I am starting to see that we are all the culprit in many ways. But don't let me get too introspective...
Some Places are Famous for Giant Easter Eggs, or Huge Sausages. SA is Famous for It's Huge Crime Rate
As I mentioned, a huge issue in South Africa is crime. Violent crime is rampant here. South Africa has the highest murder rate in the world per capita (115 murders per 100,000 people). The next highest country is Brazil with a rate of 5 times less. Every day in the local news there are numerous stories of shootings, stabbings and robberies. Car jackings and muggings are extremely common here. In fact, to get insurance coverage on our car, I had to have an "anti-carjacking device" installed that shuts your car down if the door is opened and you
Handwashing the Old Fashioned Way
Shauna helps to wash hands at the new handwashing stations, set up before the meal. don't press the hidden button within 30 seconds. To me that's like having to wear a bullet proof vest so that you can get life insurance coverage.
Although the white population were the offenders during Apartheid, the tables have turned and the black population seems to be the highest criminal offenders. They are also the highest population, and on the whole, the most disadvantaged. There is rampant drug and alcohol abuse in many areas and this seems to fuel the desire/need for crime. This has led many of the white South Africans to emigrate to the UK, Australia, and Canada. In fact, between 1994 and 2004, one-fifth of the white population moved out of the country. We often get a bewildered look from people when we say we have come to volunteer from Canada. They can't understand why we would want to come here when the trend is to find a way to get away from the crime.
During Apartheid, access to quality education and high level jobs were limited to the white population and therefore this mass exodus has left the country lacking in many trained professionals. This has had quite a significant impact on the country
Distributing Donations to the Community
Gogo volunteers to sort and organize the clothing donations which will be given to community members. "Gogo" means Grandma in Zulu. I'm not sure what her actual name is, but everyone just calls her Gogo. as you can imagine. Although it seems discouraging to see so many skilled people leaving the country, I can understand the situation of families who want to leave a dangerous and crime ridden society and have the means to do so. Everyone wants to make the best situation possible for their family and this is no different. But, it does make you appreciate the people who have the means to leave, but decide to stay and continue to build into the future of their country.
HIV in South Africa
South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. In the Bhekulwandle township, it is estimated that 45%!o(MISSING)f the population have HIV. There is also an unemployment rate of close to 75%! (MISSING)This makes for some pretty difficult conditions for the people. Many children are orphaned and are raised by either their Grandma's or older siblings. A few weeks ago we met a 15 year old girl who is stuggling to survive while raising her 3 siblings in a tin roof shack on a hillside. Can you imagine having to drop out of school at 15 and trying to find a way to
The Sewing Room
Here ladies from the community learn to sew and also how to market their handicrafts. find food, clothing, shelter and safety for your younger siblings? What about being 60 years old and having to raise 10 or 15 of your grandchildren in a one room hut because all of your children have died and have left your grandkids orphaned? I can't even imagine that.
There is an entire generation that is missing here. The generation who are nomally the workers, parents, teachers and leaders of this country are absent, mostly due to AIDS. There are so many issues that come along with that. It is almost overwhelming when I think about it. Somtimes it feels like we are living in a World Vision commercial. But unlike a 30 minute TV special, this is real life and the reality for the people in this community.
So I guess, in a way this is a holiday for us. Because we can leave whenever we want and come back to Canada, where we know we will never go hungry and will always have a roof over our heads. Unfortunately, this is no holiday for the people here. This is life. They cannot leave. They must take what they have and make life work. And interestingly enough,
When in Africa, do as the Africans do.
It is amazing to see the stuff that the ladies can carry on their heads. Here Shauna is giving it a try with a basin of water. that is where things get encourging....
Life in a World Vision Commercial
In a place where there is so much hardship and struggle, there is also so much joy and hope. I have never heard people sing like they sing here. I have never seen people smile like they smile here. And I have never seen people inspire, like they inspire here.
A few weeks back, I travelled out into the Township with a couple of the Centre's Home Care staff. We needed to get some photos of families for a project that is running through the Centre. Various churches in Amanzimtoti are sponsoring families in the Township, helping to buy food, clothing, etc. So we were out taking photos of some families for the sponsor groups. One of the houses that we visited was that of the 15 year old girl who I mentioned earlier. I was absolutely heartbroken to see this young girl having to forego her own childhood to raise her siblings. Her siblings were attending Simunye Time at the Centre and so she climbed into our truck so we could take her to the Centre to photograph her family all together. At
New Boots
George and Richard work hard to keep the grounds looking great. They were overjoyed to get new workboots this past week. the Centre, she rounded up her siblings and stood them in front of a tree for the photo. She took her place, standing behind them with her arms outstretched around them, holding them in a group. She stood there so proud of her family.
The group that sponsors them had dropped off a bunch of stuff for the family and so we loaded it up and drove the girl and her siblings back home. As we carried the stuff into their house, I took a quick look around. It was a cinder block house with a scrap tin roof. It was about 10 feet by 15 feet with a dirt floor and a leaky roof. Inside was a double bed and a small cooking area. We placed the bags of items on the bed and Spar, one of the staff workers, opened up the bags to show the girls what was inside. Some of the bags contained staple foods, but the group had also bought a bunch of other stuff. Spar took out pencils and pencil boxes, coloured paper, and notebooks. Another bag had school uniforms for each of the kids. The girl and her sister sat quietly on
Wound Care
It is tough to keep wounds from getting infected in this environment. Michelle is cleaning and bandaging an open wound on a young girl's leg that wasn't healing. the bed as each item was taken out. They weren't saying much, but as we turned and walked up the dirt path back towards the road, I could here the two girls laugh with excitement as they went through all of their new stuff. I wish I could have caught it on video. It would have been so great for anyone who has ever sponsored a child, donated money, sent gifts, or packed a shoe box at Christmas time, to see the excitement in these kids!
Among the despair and discouragement in a community ravaged with AIDS and poverty, there are so many inspiring stories of people who are striving to overcome their dire situations. People here do not seem to feel sorry for themselves, instead they make the best of what they have, and seek joy in the simple things of life, that we find so routine.
Kids are Kids, Anywhere You Go
You should see the kids here! Each day, after the afternoon kids programs, before they go to get their meal, Shauna and I help to wash the kids hands. As a part of their "Hand washing and Hygeine" lesson, the kids were
Shauna and Thola
Thola teaches Simunye Time. One 21 year old girl vs. 100+ young kids and she wins everytime. It's amazing! all taught the importance of washing their hands before meals and after going to the bathroom. To reinforce the message, we have designed a simple system to help the kids wash their hands. It is quite the ordeal to get 140-160 kids hands washed in 10 minutes. The kids wash with soap and water in basins and then get rinsed off with running water. You should see the colour of the water in the wash basins by the end!
It is really cute to see how the kids take care of each other too. The really little kids (2-4 year olds), seem to always have either an older sibling or an older friend that takes care of them and takes them by the hand to make sure that they don't get pushed out of the line. It is really touching to see how these kids look after each other.
While travelling with my dad in Uganda years ago, he said that "Kids are kids, anywhere you go." That is so true, and I marvel at it every day at the Centre. Whether they are wearing designer clothes in Canada or old, ripped, dirty Value Village surplus shipped from
Captivated
Children listening to the Simunye lesson. overseas to Africa, kids are kids. Behind the scabies and lice and the fact that they are raising their siblings all alone, all kids are the same. They all love to sing and dance. They can all play with anything that they find. They all love to learn, and they all want to be loved.
The great thing about the Centre is that it's a place where kids can come and just be kids. For a few hours each day, they can forget about the struggles of life, not having to worry about finding a meal or if they are safe to play. They can come to the Centre, play and sing without worrying about life's difficulties, and do what kids do best....inspire the rest of us.
- Scott and Shauna
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Brian Merry
non-member comment
Your last blog entry
Wow. Life and be simply beautiful if we just appreciate each other. It was good to be reminded of this in your entry. Thanks Scott and you and Shuana take care. Brian