Becky and I were out of control silly today~ I think it's a couple of things.
#1: we are both ridiculously silly in general and have realized that we often read each other's minds.
#2: we are totally exhausted.
#3: we are dealing with a combination of feelings that is impossible to explain~ sadness, relief, excitement, and that rotten feeling of having to say goodbye to phenomenal people who we may never see again.
Endings are tough. And so...today we dealt with our weirdness by taking care of the little last minute stuff we needed to get done.
Last weekend Becky and I found some fantastic craftsmen who make bead/wire work and she asked one of the guys to create a Y out of beads and wire. Ricky had spoken to us about the possibility of finding someone to do this type of thing and so Becky did! She connected with Norbert last weekend, drew him the logo, and we went back today to check it out. It was perfect! Becky shared the design with Ricky and he seemed to really like it, so we hope that Norbert, who lives in Khayelitsha, can do some serious business with the YMCA, creating this amazing piece of art!
We also went over to say our FINAL goodbye to Rosie and her crew... it was very sad to give our last hugs (the hugs are always plentiful at Rosie's!!) and it was very hard to leave Auntie Rosie... perhaps our hardest goodbye.
And tonight Ricky, his wife Natalie and their gorgeous daughter Chelsea hosted a pizza dinner for us at their beautiful home in Lakeside~ a really nice town in between Cape Town and Cape Flats. A bunch of the gang from the YMCA that we've worked with were able to come~ Mo, Andrew, Sonya, Monique, Norman, Lucille and Bertram... this was a great way for us to say our goodbyes and have some much needed closure with our YMCA group.
These people all do such incredible work and have welcomed us into their community with open arms, answered our endless flow of questions, given us directions 7 million times, and become good friends of ours. The kindness, generosity, patience and love that we have felt from this group will never be forgotten.
That being said...as sad as it is to leave this place and these people we have grown so attached to, we are getting VERY excited about coming home and sharing our stories with all of you~ we are also looking forward to hearing your stories that we have missed while we've been away...
All of you~ our incredible family and friends~ have been with us on this journey the entire way. It is impossible to express our gratitude to all of you for your endless support and love. The spirit of UBUNTU is alive and well...
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Molweni
Well folks, it's about that time. Today was our last day at the YMCA, tomorrow will be our last day in Mitchel's Plain, and Sunday will be our last day in South Africa. Very strange.
We began our day at the YMCA, waiting for our last meeting with Ricky to discuss our observations of the past 6 weeks. We were hoping to catch everyone at the Y so that we could have a proper goodbye, but unfortunately Friday's are quiet and only a few of our friends were there. While our meeting with Ricky went well, we left the Y lacking closure.
Feeling a bit unsettled we headed to Heinz Park for our final goodbye to Auntie Rosie. Thank goodness we went. When we arrived Auntie Rosie was beside herself. She had just returned from sitting in a clinic for 3 hours with a 6 year old boy from Heinz Park. He and his 3 year old brother were removed from their home this morning. The older boy had been beaten and starved and their parents had deserted them. Auntie Rosie was of course taking them in, making it six boys she is now raising. On top of all of this, a mother and her 5 children just moved into the shack out back. Lastly, Auntie Rosie showed us into a room where a terribly sick man was resting. His body was deteriorating and it was clear that his days were growing very short. This was overwhelming. Unfortunately, he was not the first man we had see in that condition in Heinz Park. It was not until later that we understood that the suffering man in the bedroom was Auntie Rosie's son. How this woman is standing is a testament to how truly amazing she is.
Susannah and I left briefly to run errands for Rosie and pick up juice for the sweet boys who had just been removed from their home. After giggling with the boys and watching the youngest eat apples, and bread, and peanut butter, and chips, and anything else we gave him, we suddenly realized we had our closure.
We left for dinner at the waterfront. After eating we returned to the car just in time to catch a broadcast of a program that had been recorded on Woman's Day (yesterday). The program was featuring women in the Cape Flats area, more specifically our Auntie Rosie. She was speaking about social work and her past life in District Six. Listening to her speak was the perfect gift to end our last day of work in Mitchel's Plain. We couldn't feel more honored to know this beautiful human being who is doing so much for others.
So as we begin to pack our bags and say our goodbyes, it is the spirit of those like Auntie Rosie that we will be making extra room for in our suitcases. While we are excited to return home to our people and our lives, this parting is truly a difficult one.
We began our day at the YMCA, waiting for our last meeting with Ricky to discuss our observations of the past 6 weeks. We were hoping to catch everyone at the Y so that we could have a proper goodbye, but unfortunately Friday's are quiet and only a few of our friends were there. While our meeting with Ricky went well, we left the Y lacking closure.
Feeling a bit unsettled we headed to Heinz Park for our final goodbye to Auntie Rosie. Thank goodness we went. When we arrived Auntie Rosie was beside herself. She had just returned from sitting in a clinic for 3 hours with a 6 year old boy from Heinz Park. He and his 3 year old brother were removed from their home this morning. The older boy had been beaten and starved and their parents had deserted them. Auntie Rosie was of course taking them in, making it six boys she is now raising. On top of all of this, a mother and her 5 children just moved into the shack out back. Lastly, Auntie Rosie showed us into a room where a terribly sick man was resting. His body was deteriorating and it was clear that his days were growing very short. This was overwhelming. Unfortunately, he was not the first man we had see in that condition in Heinz Park. It was not until later that we understood that the suffering man in the bedroom was Auntie Rosie's son. How this woman is standing is a testament to how truly amazing she is.
Susannah and I left briefly to run errands for Rosie and pick up juice for the sweet boys who had just been removed from their home. After giggling with the boys and watching the youngest eat apples, and bread, and peanut butter, and chips, and anything else we gave him, we suddenly realized we had our closure.
We left for dinner at the waterfront. After eating we returned to the car just in time to catch a broadcast of a program that had been recorded on Woman's Day (yesterday). The program was featuring women in the Cape Flats area, more specifically our Auntie Rosie. She was speaking about social work and her past life in District Six. Listening to her speak was the perfect gift to end our last day of work in Mitchel's Plain. We couldn't feel more honored to know this beautiful human being who is doing so much for others.
So as we begin to pack our bags and say our goodbyes, it is the spirit of those like Auntie Rosie that we will be making extra room for in our suitcases. While we are excited to return home to our people and our lives, this parting is truly a difficult one.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Sawubona
Another rainy day... I guess that we are experiencing a classic Cape Town winter: gorgeous enough to sit on the beach one day and freezing and rainy the next. Becky and I took advantage of the rain today to get some paperwork done and catch up on some much needed sleep!
As our time here winds down I am feeling a mix of so many emotions.
I am excited about coming home and getting back to work at Classical with my amazing students. Being here has helped me to realize (even more!) how much I love what I do and how important and the work of public educators is. I can't wait to jump into my 4th year (whoah!) at school...
I am also very sad to leave here. In such a short time I have fallen in love with the cast of characters at the Y, the millions of amazing people that we've encountered, the views from the car on the way out of town into the Cape Flats, the changing landscape, etc. My brain is filled with so many pictures, so many poems about this amazing, impossible-to-explain city. I feel like I will be forever changed from this experience in a very different way than I have from my past trips to Cape Town. Spending time in Cape Flats, and in some ways, the experience of being able to leave Cape Flats every day and ultimately forever, has forced me to accept my self in terms of my race, my class, my gender, my place in the whole crazy oppressive cycle in ways that I have never had to think about in such intensity before. It has been a humbling, confusing, frustrating, fascinating, incredible journey...
Humans amaze me... they always have, but now more than ever. What we can tolerate, what we can overcome and struggle through, what makes us happy, and how powerful the connections between people can actually be. I am convinced that if people just stopped and actually saw one another, not just looked at, but really took the time to really see each other and listen to one another, this world would be at least a little bit better. I know that is the most simplistic and unoriginal thought of all time...but I believe it to be true.
In Zulu: Sawubona (used for good morning, good night, general greetings) is literally interpreted as "I see you"... "I recognize you as a person"... pretty intense.
On that note... Be well!
Much love, Susannah
As our time here winds down I am feeling a mix of so many emotions.
I am excited about coming home and getting back to work at Classical with my amazing students. Being here has helped me to realize (even more!) how much I love what I do and how important and the work of public educators is. I can't wait to jump into my 4th year (whoah!) at school...
I am also very sad to leave here. In such a short time I have fallen in love with the cast of characters at the Y, the millions of amazing people that we've encountered, the views from the car on the way out of town into the Cape Flats, the changing landscape, etc. My brain is filled with so many pictures, so many poems about this amazing, impossible-to-explain city. I feel like I will be forever changed from this experience in a very different way than I have from my past trips to Cape Town. Spending time in Cape Flats, and in some ways, the experience of being able to leave Cape Flats every day and ultimately forever, has forced me to accept my self in terms of my race, my class, my gender, my place in the whole crazy oppressive cycle in ways that I have never had to think about in such intensity before. It has been a humbling, confusing, frustrating, fascinating, incredible journey...
Humans amaze me... they always have, but now more than ever. What we can tolerate, what we can overcome and struggle through, what makes us happy, and how powerful the connections between people can actually be. I am convinced that if people just stopped and actually saw one another, not just looked at, but really took the time to really see each other and listen to one another, this world would be at least a little bit better. I know that is the most simplistic and unoriginal thought of all time...but I believe it to be true.
In Zulu: Sawubona (used for good morning, good night, general greetings) is literally interpreted as "I see you"... "I recognize you as a person"... pretty intense.
On that note... Be well!
Much love, Susannah
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Lots of Catching up to Do....
The weekend has breezed by... Becky and I have had a tremendous one! In fact, there's lots to catch up on.
Last week we were incredibly busy with YMCA visits~ we went to some more schools and even were able to visit 2 primary schools to see what the Community Health Workers are up to. These are YMCA employees who are stationed in primary schools with school nurses. They do lots of preventative education programs with students and regularly measure students height/weight to monitor for malnutrition. We were able to meet 2 phenomenal women who clearly love their jobs. Janine, at Ridgeville Primary, served us a beautiful lunch and gave us loads of information about the position. In her k-8 school there are about 500 students and only 12 teachers!!! Carmelita, at Spring Valley Primary, introduced us to a class of 5th graders (over 40 kids) who allowed us to ask lots of questions and, in turn, asked us lots of questions... perhaps the most impressive thing about all of these students was the way in which they greeted us: each with a firm handshake and great eye contact... very cool.
The primary schools are filled with a joy and feeling of optimism much more palpable than the high schools that we have visited...
Last week we also spent time with Bertram, an amazing Y employee who runs programs in Ravensmeade, an area outside of Cape Flats, but a (sort of) branch of the Y. He took us to an area called MC Beukas~ a small government sponsored settlement of "wendy" houses (small pre-fab wooden shack/houses) established for blind people. While this was set up with the best of intentions, there are 20+ families living in this tiny area with ONE tap for water (which, by the way, is located outside in the mud... so imagine being BLIND and needing water...hmmmm)
Initially, they also had no electricity, which is one of the things that Bertrum has helped them with... they now have electricity at least.
He also took us to check out the library where he is starting an afterschool program (2 days a week) and will be working with low-literacy students from the local primary school during the days. Bertrum is a go-getter and initiates work for himself! He is doing great stuff...
In this particular area there is a big field with a make-shift circus tent-like structure in the middle of it~ about 17 families live in here (also with one tap). We went over to speak with them and they allowed us to check out the inside of this giant tent~ which is basically just beds lined up~ it was shocking. After all of this rain, everything was soaked and moldy, and it was actually hard to breathe inside. Apparently this group of people is refusing to move into housing that they are being offered... it's complex.
Last week we also went back to our beloved Heinz Park and met with Aunty Rosie again... we dished up some food and handed out more blankets to elderly and sick people that Rosie had identified in the community. It was pretty intense to visit these families~ sick dad dying of AIDS lying in bed surrounded by his small children~ puts some things in perspective.
Rosie, as we have said, is really something... she is so positive. She is 66, has 8 children, 24 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and knows EVERYONE in Heinz Park. During the day she does a "feeding scheme" at the primary school (a beautiful new building)...
We were also able to visit our good friend Sonia at Heinz Park primary school to check out the sign language dance class she teaches. The kids were so cute! They were so serious about learning the signs for the song and were very proud to show us their moves.
The weather over the past 3 days has been absolutely beautiful... well deserved after all of that rain! And Becky and I have been taking full advantage. Friday we visited the District Six Museum which was phenomenal~ a beautiful and intimate memorial to the families who were forcibly removed from their homes in a funky/vibrant area (it was funky and vibrant b/c of them!) and relocated to the Cape Flats. These families literally watched their homes in the downtown of Cape Town be bulldozed so that a "whites only" neighborhood could be created. We were particularly interested in visiting the museum b/c we have spent all of our time in the area where people were forcibly relocated during Apartheid. (Auntie Rosie lived in District Six, for example)
The museum was a work of art...
Appropriately, while we were there, some protesters marched by (on their way to Parliament) to demand refusal of relocation from their homes in Langa (one of the original townships) to government homes in Atlantis~ a newly established area WAY outside of Cape Town. They were singing beautifully and peacefully marching to make their point: awesome.
Friday we were also able to stroll along Long Street which is in downtown Cape Town and peruse some shops, eat a nice lunch, and then visited the V & A Waterfront which is the tourist mecca of Cape Town~ shops in the harbor, boats everywhere, etc... before heading back to Janna's house for a nice Shabbat dinner and relaxation.
Saturday was another beautiful day! Becky and I hung out on Kloof St., had coffee in Lakeside (which is where Ricky lives) and then met up with some of the women from the YMCA for a tour of Khayelitsha~ a township in Cape Flats of over one million people, almost all of whom are black Africans. (Mitchell's Plain is predominately "colored" people because during Apartheid these groups were also separated...)
We picked up Monique and drove to Thabisa's house, in Khayelitsha. We hopped into a taxi (an experience in itself!) and drove all around the area (we also picked up another friend: Ayanda, who also lives in the area)... the drive was awesome: it is a vibrant, HUGE place~ overwhelming to the senses!! People were out everywhere: hanging out, braaiing (including sheep's heads!), selling their wares, chatting, dancing, etc... I loved it.
We visited with Thabisa's uncle (who is a traditional herbalist/healer) and then went to find Vivian Zilo who my friend Monica said I needed to meet! Monica met Vivian on 2 of her trips down to Cape Town and had some cards for me to deliver...
Vivian is one of those incredible people that made me feel like I had known her forever the moment we met. She embraced me in a giant hug and then led us all through small alleyways to her house. Vivian started a true grassroots enterprise about 3 years ago: she runs a soup kitchen out of her house, which has evolved into a support group service. When her house burned down last year, Monica and others have raised money to help her rebuild... she is currently living in a new house and they are in the process of building a bigger place which will serve as a shelter/orphanage for kids in need. She was so excited to tell us about all of her projects and showed us her newspaper articles and pictures of her volunteers (2 of whom are from UCONN!)
Meeting Vivian was a treat...and I am really excited about all of the work she is doing. She just got officially registered as a non-profit organization and her projects are growing...
Saturday night we went to the Grand West (a massive casino with a movie theater, restaurants, and an ice rink!) because the girls (Monique, Ayanda, Thabisa, and Luzille) rarely get to go out and Thabisa wanted to try ice skating for the first time. So, Becky and I brought them out! In Cape Flats there are very few women who drive (none of the women at the Y drive) and so they depend on taxis~ which stop running at night. Needless to say, their independence is limited and I have become somewhat of a taxi-driver for everyone at the Y on this trip!!!
And today... it was almost HOT. We went for a power-walk along the beach front in Sea Point (Becky has been sleeping over at Janna's for the weekend) and then Becky and I headed for the Green Point Flea Market to do some souvenir shopping!! FUN... we ended up checking out the bead/wire works guys in Constantia b/c we heard they are incredible. It was true: these Zimbabweans (who now live here due to the dire circumstances in Zimbabwe) are incredible craftsman and I went NUTS. The whole influx of Zimbabweans is a huge issue here~ tons of refugees coming to a country to where the residents are struggling to survive. It presents lots of problems and is the talk of the town.
We finished off our day watching the sun set over the ocean in Camp's Bay, sitting on the beach. Not bad.
We have one more week! Becky and I have lots of work we are putting together for Ricky and the Cape Flats Y~ recommendations, reflections, game and song book, and we are working on a staff manual for him. In between working on that stuff, we have some more sites we want to visit and a few little sight-seeing things to do! It should be a packed week...
Needless to say, we continue to be overwhelmed. Our perspectives are constantly changing~
It is intense.
Much much love to you all!!
PS: a special shout-out to Margaret Antonitis (also known as Maggie A) one of my amazing co-workers and friends from Classical... she sent along a HUGE care package full of magazines and bubbles and candy etc... THANK YOU! what an awesome treat.
Last week we were incredibly busy with YMCA visits~ we went to some more schools and even were able to visit 2 primary schools to see what the Community Health Workers are up to. These are YMCA employees who are stationed in primary schools with school nurses. They do lots of preventative education programs with students and regularly measure students height/weight to monitor for malnutrition. We were able to meet 2 phenomenal women who clearly love their jobs. Janine, at Ridgeville Primary, served us a beautiful lunch and gave us loads of information about the position. In her k-8 school there are about 500 students and only 12 teachers!!! Carmelita, at Spring Valley Primary, introduced us to a class of 5th graders (over 40 kids) who allowed us to ask lots of questions and, in turn, asked us lots of questions... perhaps the most impressive thing about all of these students was the way in which they greeted us: each with a firm handshake and great eye contact... very cool.
The primary schools are filled with a joy and feeling of optimism much more palpable than the high schools that we have visited...
Last week we also spent time with Bertram, an amazing Y employee who runs programs in Ravensmeade, an area outside of Cape Flats, but a (sort of) branch of the Y. He took us to an area called MC Beukas~ a small government sponsored settlement of "wendy" houses (small pre-fab wooden shack/houses) established for blind people. While this was set up with the best of intentions, there are 20+ families living in this tiny area with ONE tap for water (which, by the way, is located outside in the mud... so imagine being BLIND and needing water...hmmmm)
Initially, they also had no electricity, which is one of the things that Bertrum has helped them with... they now have electricity at least.
He also took us to check out the library where he is starting an afterschool program (2 days a week) and will be working with low-literacy students from the local primary school during the days. Bertrum is a go-getter and initiates work for himself! He is doing great stuff...
In this particular area there is a big field with a make-shift circus tent-like structure in the middle of it~ about 17 families live in here (also with one tap). We went over to speak with them and they allowed us to check out the inside of this giant tent~ which is basically just beds lined up~ it was shocking. After all of this rain, everything was soaked and moldy, and it was actually hard to breathe inside. Apparently this group of people is refusing to move into housing that they are being offered... it's complex.
Last week we also went back to our beloved Heinz Park and met with Aunty Rosie again... we dished up some food and handed out more blankets to elderly and sick people that Rosie had identified in the community. It was pretty intense to visit these families~ sick dad dying of AIDS lying in bed surrounded by his small children~ puts some things in perspective.
Rosie, as we have said, is really something... she is so positive. She is 66, has 8 children, 24 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and knows EVERYONE in Heinz Park. During the day she does a "feeding scheme" at the primary school (a beautiful new building)...
We were also able to visit our good friend Sonia at Heinz Park primary school to check out the sign language dance class she teaches. The kids were so cute! They were so serious about learning the signs for the song and were very proud to show us their moves.
The weather over the past 3 days has been absolutely beautiful... well deserved after all of that rain! And Becky and I have been taking full advantage. Friday we visited the District Six Museum which was phenomenal~ a beautiful and intimate memorial to the families who were forcibly removed from their homes in a funky/vibrant area (it was funky and vibrant b/c of them!) and relocated to the Cape Flats. These families literally watched their homes in the downtown of Cape Town be bulldozed so that a "whites only" neighborhood could be created. We were particularly interested in visiting the museum b/c we have spent all of our time in the area where people were forcibly relocated during Apartheid. (Auntie Rosie lived in District Six, for example)
The museum was a work of art...
Appropriately, while we were there, some protesters marched by (on their way to Parliament) to demand refusal of relocation from their homes in Langa (one of the original townships) to government homes in Atlantis~ a newly established area WAY outside of Cape Town. They were singing beautifully and peacefully marching to make their point: awesome.
Friday we were also able to stroll along Long Street which is in downtown Cape Town and peruse some shops, eat a nice lunch, and then visited the V & A Waterfront which is the tourist mecca of Cape Town~ shops in the harbor, boats everywhere, etc... before heading back to Janna's house for a nice Shabbat dinner and relaxation.
Saturday was another beautiful day! Becky and I hung out on Kloof St., had coffee in Lakeside (which is where Ricky lives) and then met up with some of the women from the YMCA for a tour of Khayelitsha~ a township in Cape Flats of over one million people, almost all of whom are black Africans. (Mitchell's Plain is predominately "colored" people because during Apartheid these groups were also separated...)
We picked up Monique and drove to Thabisa's house, in Khayelitsha. We hopped into a taxi (an experience in itself!) and drove all around the area (we also picked up another friend: Ayanda, who also lives in the area)... the drive was awesome: it is a vibrant, HUGE place~ overwhelming to the senses!! People were out everywhere: hanging out, braaiing (including sheep's heads!), selling their wares, chatting, dancing, etc... I loved it.
We visited with Thabisa's uncle (who is a traditional herbalist/healer) and then went to find Vivian Zilo who my friend Monica said I needed to meet! Monica met Vivian on 2 of her trips down to Cape Town and had some cards for me to deliver...
Vivian is one of those incredible people that made me feel like I had known her forever the moment we met. She embraced me in a giant hug and then led us all through small alleyways to her house. Vivian started a true grassroots enterprise about 3 years ago: she runs a soup kitchen out of her house, which has evolved into a support group service. When her house burned down last year, Monica and others have raised money to help her rebuild... she is currently living in a new house and they are in the process of building a bigger place which will serve as a shelter/orphanage for kids in need. She was so excited to tell us about all of her projects and showed us her newspaper articles and pictures of her volunteers (2 of whom are from UCONN!)
Meeting Vivian was a treat...and I am really excited about all of the work she is doing. She just got officially registered as a non-profit organization and her projects are growing...
Saturday night we went to the Grand West (a massive casino with a movie theater, restaurants, and an ice rink!) because the girls (Monique, Ayanda, Thabisa, and Luzille) rarely get to go out and Thabisa wanted to try ice skating for the first time. So, Becky and I brought them out! In Cape Flats there are very few women who drive (none of the women at the Y drive) and so they depend on taxis~ which stop running at night. Needless to say, their independence is limited and I have become somewhat of a taxi-driver for everyone at the Y on this trip!!!
And today... it was almost HOT. We went for a power-walk along the beach front in Sea Point (Becky has been sleeping over at Janna's for the weekend) and then Becky and I headed for the Green Point Flea Market to do some souvenir shopping!! FUN... we ended up checking out the bead/wire works guys in Constantia b/c we heard they are incredible. It was true: these Zimbabweans (who now live here due to the dire circumstances in Zimbabwe) are incredible craftsman and I went NUTS. The whole influx of Zimbabweans is a huge issue here~ tons of refugees coming to a country to where the residents are struggling to survive. It presents lots of problems and is the talk of the town.
We finished off our day watching the sun set over the ocean in Camp's Bay, sitting on the beach. Not bad.
We have one more week! Becky and I have lots of work we are putting together for Ricky and the Cape Flats Y~ recommendations, reflections, game and song book, and we are working on a staff manual for him. In between working on that stuff, we have some more sites we want to visit and a few little sight-seeing things to do! It should be a packed week...
Needless to say, we continue to be overwhelmed. Our perspectives are constantly changing~
It is intense.
Much much love to you all!!
PS: a special shout-out to Margaret Antonitis (also known as Maggie A) one of my amazing co-workers and friends from Classical... she sent along a HUGE care package full of magazines and bubbles and candy etc... THANK YOU! what an awesome treat.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Rosie's Angels
Hello Everyone! It's Becky and I am finally blogging! Susannah and I are in Cape Town for the day as our plans were cancelled at last minute. We have been spending a bit more time in Heinz Park this week with Auntie Rosie and I wanted to share some of my photos with you. I am really enjoying documenting with my photo and now that Susannah has lost her camera, I am the sole provider.... so enjoy please.
To all my people out there who have been reading and wondering where I was, hello and I miss you all!
I have been really fascinated by the shoes (or lack of) while in the townships. When I took this picture, it was m,y first time in the presence of Hienz Park children in which they all had shoes. This was taken in the brand new Hienz Park Primary School where I am sure the learners (students) are required to where shoes. I couldn't help but wonder where they had found shoes; siblings, cousins, trash piles. My own toes cringed at the sight of so many feet squished into the wrong size.
You can find these "surgery" spots every few blocks. Don't worry Dad, they do not actually do surgery here. I finally inquired this week, they are only for seeing a doctor or dentist.
We helped (well I was taking photos) hand out soup and bread to the families of a squatter camp on the outskirt of Heinz Park. A new rain storm was on its way in as we hastily handed out everything in our car from blankets, to bags of clothes, to this soup.
These guys were in the process of building a new shack for the man on the left. That is his wheelchair. You can see how cramped these shacks are, about the size of a half bath. On a lighter note, they were very excited to have their picture taken, as almost everyone is where we have been working. After showing them the photo on my digital camera, they often tell me to, "Put that one in the newspapers!"
This is a "combie". These vans can be seen everywhere you go, each one personalized as we see above. These are the form of public transportation in Cape Flats, called taxis. Drivers allow as many people in as can physically fit, actually seeting is of no importance, and they go just about anywhere. We will be giving these a try tomorrow (agian Dad, don't worry).
I am going to leave you with this photo as it sums up a lot of what we have been seeing in the townships and squatter camps. While you may be having a hard time putting all that we talk about into reality, just imagine what a 3 day rainstorm will mean for this little girl and her blistered feet.
I am learning so much here.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Only 2 more weeks...
The rains continue...on and off, for the most part, but it's caused some problems for lots of people living in the informal settlements. The latest count I've heard is the dislocation of around 30,000 people from their homes and that's just in the Cape Peninsula... pretty crazy.
Friday night Becky and I had the opportunity to go check out some of the damage to homes in Heinz Park, one of the areas that we have fallen in love with. With Ricky, the director of the Y, we met up with Aunty Rosie, the unofficial mayor of Heinz Park. She runs a shelter/orphanage for kids she takes in from the streets... right now she has 7 children living with her (she is 66 years old...) and is absolutely amazing. She has the most incredible energy and spirit.
Aunty Rosie took us to a couple of "backyard dwellings" in the area that were affected by the rains. In Heinz Park alone (a small area) there are over 4000 families living in these dwellings, essentially shacks built in the backyards of the government homes that were built in the area. These are made of wood scraps, metal scraps, etc... and, needless to say, don't stand up well to heavy winds and rain. One house we went into had a massive pool of water covering the entire floor, they had to put boards down to create a little bridge to walk on... 13 people live in this particular 2 room shack. 7 adults and 6 kids. Standing in there with all of the water in the cold air, it was pretty hard to imagine how they would all fit...
The group's consensus was that these people needed some blankets, to say the least... and so we got some. My dad, the amazing Mike McGlamery, and his students at the Gengras Center raised $1500 for the Cape Flats YMCA... pretty awesome. We decided to use some of this money to buy blankets and tarps for some of the families in Heinz Park who are in desperate need... there was no doubt in my mind that the Gengras kids would feel great about this contribution. So, Becky and I went to find a deal... after a little bit of searching, we found a really nice assistant manager at a store called "Game" (kind of like Kmart) who was willing to give us a 60% discount when we told him about our mission... we bought all 64 blankets they had in stock. Ricky went to the hardware store for the tarps and we met back at Aunty Rosie's place around dinner time.
We were able to get the blankets/tarps out before we went home for the evening... it was a great feeling and nice to put smiles on the faces of some incredibly nice people... a great way to start the weekend!
Also I fell in love with one of the boys at Aunty Rosie's... he's a 1 and 1/2 year old named Ciyabonga... gorgeous!!!
Friday was also our friend Mwaka (Mo) 's 21st birthday... so on Saturday we went out on the town to celebrate!! Sonia and Mo (both from the Y) and Becky and I got a room at a backpacker's lodge in downtown Cape Town for the night and went out on Long Street which is a fun area of town... very cool. We had a great time and it was awesome to be able to celebrate with Mo. The only bummer of the night was that my bag got snatched! They were kind enough to leave it but only after taking my camera, phone, and umbrella... the good news is, they didn't snatch me or Becky or anyone else...just some replaceable, material items. They even left me my bank card!! So, it was an un-traumatic robbery.... and we are all fine. (my camera got stolen the last time i was in south africa, too... i'm starting to think i'm not meant to have a camera here!)The only piece that wasn't replaceable were the pictures we took in Heinz Park while giving out the blankets... but those pictures will be forever embedded in my memory...
We fly out 2 weeks from today... whoa! Time has flown by... and just as we are starting to really understand the dynamics and needs at the YMCA, we will have to leave to come home! In the meantime we will be doing sessions, visiting some more sites, and making the most of the next 2 weeks.
We always send love...but here is also a HUGE thank you to all of you who are faithfully reading this blog. It means a lot to us to know that friends and family at home are interested in the daily happenings of our lives on this exciting trip. Don't forget there will be an event happening on August 23rd to celebrate the relationship between Hartford and Cape Flats. Becky and I will be presenting our pictures, stories, etc... we hope you all can make it.
Much much love, Susannah and Becky
Friday night Becky and I had the opportunity to go check out some of the damage to homes in Heinz Park, one of the areas that we have fallen in love with. With Ricky, the director of the Y, we met up with Aunty Rosie, the unofficial mayor of Heinz Park. She runs a shelter/orphanage for kids she takes in from the streets... right now she has 7 children living with her (she is 66 years old...) and is absolutely amazing. She has the most incredible energy and spirit.
Aunty Rosie took us to a couple of "backyard dwellings" in the area that were affected by the rains. In Heinz Park alone (a small area) there are over 4000 families living in these dwellings, essentially shacks built in the backyards of the government homes that were built in the area. These are made of wood scraps, metal scraps, etc... and, needless to say, don't stand up well to heavy winds and rain. One house we went into had a massive pool of water covering the entire floor, they had to put boards down to create a little bridge to walk on... 13 people live in this particular 2 room shack. 7 adults and 6 kids. Standing in there with all of the water in the cold air, it was pretty hard to imagine how they would all fit...
The group's consensus was that these people needed some blankets, to say the least... and so we got some. My dad, the amazing Mike McGlamery, and his students at the Gengras Center raised $1500 for the Cape Flats YMCA... pretty awesome. We decided to use some of this money to buy blankets and tarps for some of the families in Heinz Park who are in desperate need... there was no doubt in my mind that the Gengras kids would feel great about this contribution. So, Becky and I went to find a deal... after a little bit of searching, we found a really nice assistant manager at a store called "Game" (kind of like Kmart) who was willing to give us a 60% discount when we told him about our mission... we bought all 64 blankets they had in stock. Ricky went to the hardware store for the tarps and we met back at Aunty Rosie's place around dinner time.
We were able to get the blankets/tarps out before we went home for the evening... it was a great feeling and nice to put smiles on the faces of some incredibly nice people... a great way to start the weekend!
Also I fell in love with one of the boys at Aunty Rosie's... he's a 1 and 1/2 year old named Ciyabonga... gorgeous!!!
Friday was also our friend Mwaka (Mo) 's 21st birthday... so on Saturday we went out on the town to celebrate!! Sonia and Mo (both from the Y) and Becky and I got a room at a backpacker's lodge in downtown Cape Town for the night and went out on Long Street which is a fun area of town... very cool. We had a great time and it was awesome to be able to celebrate with Mo. The only bummer of the night was that my bag got snatched! They were kind enough to leave it but only after taking my camera, phone, and umbrella... the good news is, they didn't snatch me or Becky or anyone else...just some replaceable, material items. They even left me my bank card!! So, it was an un-traumatic robbery.... and we are all fine. (my camera got stolen the last time i was in south africa, too... i'm starting to think i'm not meant to have a camera here!)The only piece that wasn't replaceable were the pictures we took in Heinz Park while giving out the blankets... but those pictures will be forever embedded in my memory...
We fly out 2 weeks from today... whoa! Time has flown by... and just as we are starting to really understand the dynamics and needs at the YMCA, we will have to leave to come home! In the meantime we will be doing sessions, visiting some more sites, and making the most of the next 2 weeks.
We always send love...but here is also a HUGE thank you to all of you who are faithfully reading this blog. It means a lot to us to know that friends and family at home are interested in the daily happenings of our lives on this exciting trip. Don't forget there will be an event happening on August 23rd to celebrate the relationship between Hartford and Cape Flats. Becky and I will be presenting our pictures, stories, etc... we hope you all can make it.
Much much love, Susannah and Becky
Friday, July 27, 2007
Finally some visual aids...
....and the rain continues. Winter is in full effect: heavy rains, high winds and no insulation or heat ANYWHERE! It's one thing to be cold, it's another thing not to be able to get relief from the cold... and that's the reality of millions of people in the Cape Town area. Yesterday, the rains were so heavy at times that the roads in Cape Flats became quickly flooded. Cars were stuck, people were wading in water up past their knees through intersections. At one point, I had to drive up on the sidewalk in an effort to get around a massive flood... this morning we heard that over 10,000 people were flooded out of their homes in one area of the peninsula.
Yesterday we had a really cool time visiting some of the other sites that the YMCA is involved with. First we went to the Mitchell's Plain courthouse (where we could not take pics, and Becky almost got thrown out of court b/c the bailiff thought she was a journalist!) and met with the YMCA volunteers who work as counselors for victims/witnesses. They prepare them for court, help them with witness protection, etc. We were able to sit in a court room (although it was all in Afrikaans!) and observe the process... guys in for drugs, assault, etc. And we took a tour of the cells below the courtrooms... yikes. Sister Moses (below right) was scared we were going to get trapped down there! Apparently some guys escaped from these same cells last weekend... but they appeared to be contained yesterday. The place was dismal and depressing.
We also visited the Y's ARV (Anti Retro Viral) Clinic and learned about the counseling they do with HIV patients who are receiving treatment. Amazing stuff... and then headed to the non-medical site and met with the crew below... these women work day in/day out bringing people in for on the spot HIV tests. They are actually present with people doing pre/post test counseling as they face a moment that may change their lives. They aim to test 20 people a day and usually reach their goal... this was a particularly great group of women to meet with... they are doing such intense work and maintain such a positive outlook.
Part of the process for qualifying for ARV includes meeting with a patient advocate~ someone who visits the home, assesses the situation, counsels the patient and advocates for the patient within various arenas... Amena, below in the white head scarf, is a patient advocate for the Y. She is a true dynamo and shared lots of stories about patients and the trials and tribulations of the job. Amena spoke with such passion about her work... it was AWESOME in the true sense of the word. She and Sister Moses took us to visit one of her patients... Lydia, 63 years old, who has been living with HIV since 1997 and just began taking ARVs 2 years ago. She is doing incredibly well and was so sweet, inviting us into her home to sit and talk with she and her best friend of over 30 years. It was a very cool afternoon of women hanging out!!
Here's the crew! Becky, Teran, Luzille, Amena, the nurse, and Sister Moses (who coordinates all of this great work for the YMCA... she is a sweetheart deluxe.)
And here is one of our all time favorite sweeties: Mwaka! Also known as Mo... she and Becky have become great friends and Mo (a Y peer facilitator) is someone neither of us will ever forget. She is hilarious, loving, spontaneous, and all-around wonderful. Mo is engaged to Andrew (a Y volunteer from England) and is awaiting her visa/passport so she can move to England and get married. Andrew is also great... and we hope to be invited to the wedding!!
In the last post, I wrote about some of the peer educators from Samora Machel... here are a few of the kids from the group at Zisukhanyo. They also worked as volunteer counselors during the holiday program a few weeks ago. In the front are Sidwell and Ziyanda (stay tuned for a poem written by Ziyanda..she's quite talented.)
This is the group at Heideveld High where Becky and I ran the session on gender roles. They were so into it... here the girls are brainstorming ideas about "the ideal woman". Today at the weekly peer education facilitators meeting, Sandile noted our session as a highlight for him. It was a highlight for us as well!
And last, but not least... here are Janna, Mayran and the fabulous Gabriel Spiro. These guys are my hosts and incredible friends. I have fallen in love with Gabriel, who is so sweet. Janna and May are pretty sweet too... don't get me wrong, but the baby takes the cake.
Much much love... and send some positive energy for sun/warm weather here!
Yesterday we had a really cool time visiting some of the other sites that the YMCA is involved with. First we went to the Mitchell's Plain courthouse (where we could not take pics, and Becky almost got thrown out of court b/c the bailiff thought she was a journalist!) and met with the YMCA volunteers who work as counselors for victims/witnesses. They prepare them for court, help them with witness protection, etc. We were able to sit in a court room (although it was all in Afrikaans!) and observe the process... guys in for drugs, assault, etc. And we took a tour of the cells below the courtrooms... yikes. Sister Moses (below right) was scared we were going to get trapped down there! Apparently some guys escaped from these same cells last weekend... but they appeared to be contained yesterday. The place was dismal and depressing.
We also visited the Y's ARV (Anti Retro Viral) Clinic and learned about the counseling they do with HIV patients who are receiving treatment. Amazing stuff... and then headed to the non-medical site and met with the crew below... these women work day in/day out bringing people in for on the spot HIV tests. They are actually present with people doing pre/post test counseling as they face a moment that may change their lives. They aim to test 20 people a day and usually reach their goal... this was a particularly great group of women to meet with... they are doing such intense work and maintain such a positive outlook.
Part of the process for qualifying for ARV includes meeting with a patient advocate~ someone who visits the home, assesses the situation, counsels the patient and advocates for the patient within various arenas... Amena, below in the white head scarf, is a patient advocate for the Y. She is a true dynamo and shared lots of stories about patients and the trials and tribulations of the job. Amena spoke with such passion about her work... it was AWESOME in the true sense of the word. She and Sister Moses took us to visit one of her patients... Lydia, 63 years old, who has been living with HIV since 1997 and just began taking ARVs 2 years ago. She is doing incredibly well and was so sweet, inviting us into her home to sit and talk with she and her best friend of over 30 years. It was a very cool afternoon of women hanging out!!
Here's the crew! Becky, Teran, Luzille, Amena, the nurse, and Sister Moses (who coordinates all of this great work for the YMCA... she is a sweetheart deluxe.)
And here is one of our all time favorite sweeties: Mwaka! Also known as Mo... she and Becky have become great friends and Mo (a Y peer facilitator) is someone neither of us will ever forget. She is hilarious, loving, spontaneous, and all-around wonderful. Mo is engaged to Andrew (a Y volunteer from England) and is awaiting her visa/passport so she can move to England and get married. Andrew is also great... and we hope to be invited to the wedding!!
In the last post, I wrote about some of the peer educators from Samora Machel... here are a few of the kids from the group at Zisukhanyo. They also worked as volunteer counselors during the holiday program a few weeks ago. In the front are Sidwell and Ziyanda (stay tuned for a poem written by Ziyanda..she's quite talented.)
This is the group at Heideveld High where Becky and I ran the session on gender roles. They were so into it... here the girls are brainstorming ideas about "the ideal woman". Today at the weekly peer education facilitators meeting, Sandile noted our session as a highlight for him. It was a highlight for us as well!
And last, but not least... here are Janna, Mayran and the fabulous Gabriel Spiro. These guys are my hosts and incredible friends. I have fallen in love with Gabriel, who is so sweet. Janna and May are pretty sweet too... don't get me wrong, but the baby takes the cake.
Much much love... and send some positive energy for sun/warm weather here!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
