Something to ponder

As South Africa has just recently commerated 20 years since Nelson Mandela's release from prison and the huge changes that have occured in our country I began to reflect on what a privelege it is to be doing the work that I do. Just this week it struck me as I entered a home for a meeting how welcome I was in this home. I was there to observe and learn from a group of people very different to myself. I had nothing to offer except friendliness, respect, a smile and a willingness to learn. I began to realise that my generation and those who come after us are so privileged to be afforded these opportunities and how many of the older people who were severely affected by apartheid walk in a sense of forgiveness just as Mandela has done. We have plenty to learn from the elders in our communities, our own parents and grandparents and especially from those who have had a different life experience to the one that we have had.

Royal Treatment...

Thanks to the generosity and kindness of Wiebke Ortmann, Deniesha Pillay and their colleagues at the Royal Hotel in Durban 36 children from Matimatolo set off in a bus to Durban for a Christmas Party held in their honour at the Royal Hotel. Some of these children have not left their community before and the bus was strangely quiet all the way down to Durban. Upon arrival at the Royal the children were greeted by the friendly staff and ushered up to the dining hall. Initially the children were very quiet and withdrawn, however by the time dessert came around they had lost their inhibitions and were chatting and laughing, in amongst two to three helpings of pudding. After lunch the children were presented with party packs and individual gifts. After saying our good byes we got back on the bus and the change in atmosphere was incredible. The children spoke animatedly about the party and many opened their gifts and took great joy in showing them to the others. I really was touched by the hearts of those at the hotel who were so keen to make a difference in the lives of these children and who definitely have left a lasting impression on each one of the children.

What an achievement...

At the end of a long and busy year I was very encouraged to receive feedback from the Family Facilitators of the Sikhulakahle project in Mbuba that only 14 of the 120 families involved in the project still require documents such as Birth Certificates and Identity Documents. In a community where many families have not been able to access documents this is a great achievement and a massive improvement from when the project started. I have been so encouraged by this group of ladies who have tried their best to assist the families to access services that they previously thought were unavailable to them. In 2010 our hope is that we can assist these 14 families to access documents and thus ensure that 100% of the families in the Sikhulakahle project have the documents they need.

On the road again...

The 9th of November saw me once again on the road and out of Greytown promoting LETCEE's work far and wide. I had the opportunity of attending the 4th International African ECD Conference in Dakar, Senegal from the 10th to 14th of November. Together with two of the researchers commissioned by UNICEF to study both LETCEE and Lesedi's models I presented a poster on the research at the conference. What amazed me is how many people from various countries in Africa are attempting to implement strategies with a similar ethos to LETCEE and Lesedi but again in each community the interventions play out in their own unique way. People were very keen to engage with us to see how we implement our approach because even though most people see working with community leaders as essential many had given up as they had encountered so many difficulties along the way. Personally, we had the awesome opportunity of visiting Goree Island situated just off the coast of Senegal. This island was one of the hubs of the slave trade in Africa and it was sobering to stand there and ponder what had gone on in that place. It confirmed for me that whatever we do in life and whatever programmes we attempt,it must be from a human rights approach where all people's rights are upheld and where one individuals rights do not infringe on the rights of others.

A dream for the children in Mbuba...

We plan to create a toy library for the children in Mbuba. The project is listed on SASIX! Lets hold thumbs our dreams come true!
http://www.sasix.co.za/projects/view/VP-KZN-AUG09-0002/

A wonderful story

A wonderful story of our work, written by Yvonne Duncan from Unicef
UNICEF: Child-tochild learning in rural South Africa safeguards the right to play

A long walk home

This photo was taken by one of our visitors from UNICEF whilst visiting our projects in Matimatolo.

This picture really touched me... to imagine this little girl and her daily journey home after school up the very steep hill. It tells so much about commitment and eagerness to learn regardless of the tough circumstances.
For 5 years the school bus drove past the turn-off to this rural village to take me to school , and I didn't know what was beyond that point- that a mere few kilometres away there was such poverty. On many days we complained that our school bus was old and slow, and that we didn't feel like going to school, never did I consider that trip on the bus to be a priveledge - how much we took for granted!