Shelter

Marcella took this photo in 2006 while visiting a family in Nkandla.

There are so many things that I have taken for granted in my lifetime. Water was mentioned in an earlier post. A safe, warm shelter is another.

A common misconception is that Africa is always warm. While this may be true in some geographic regions close to the equator, it is not the case in other areas. Nkandla, located in South Africa, is situated in a mountainous region, with an estimated elevation of 3700 feet. Nkandla winters are cold with wind, fog and occasional winter precipitation.

Imagine living in a mud structure that is falling apart. Or, a hut with a gaping hole in the thatched roof. When the wind blows, it blows inside the home. When it rains, it rains inside.

I'd like to say that this is uncommon, but unfortunately it is a difficult reality for far too many children and families in Nkandla.

Velangaye 2006

Nkandla is very rural, and Velangaye is located in a remote area of the community. The distance between home and school is very far for most learners.

For some of the learners we met in 2005, living on the concrete floors of two empty classrooms was their only hope. It afforded them the opportunity to study at night with their teachers and peers. This extra work just might make the difference in their matric scores and their chance of being accepted at the university.

In January, 2006 (the start of the new school year in South Africa) The Africa Project donated money that was used to refurbish several classrooms, including the two that were the makeshift boarding rooms for some 30 students.

In addition to the paint and window repairs, The Africa Project purchased 30 mattresses from a local merchant, who was so moved by the effort that he donated another 20 mattresses to the cause. Sr. Hedwig found another donor to provide bed frames for the mattresses so the children would be off of the ground. Homemade curtains were hung on the windows, providing some privacy (and making it a little less scary at night.)

When we visited the school later that summer, the students beamed as they showed us their new living space. The bright (pepto bismol) pink walls were a bit of a shock to us, but the girls loved the color. "It is so warm, don't you think?"

Make no mistake, these improvements were small in comparison to the needs of the school. But it meant a lot to the children. And it was a great first step.

Shoes

When we met "the boys," we were struck by their horrible living conditions (the three tiny mud structures) were collapsing) and the fact that they were on their own.
I didn't notice his shoes right away. Then I looked down.

Sola

Sr. Sola is known as "magogo" ("grandmother" in isiZulu), a term of endearment bestowed upon her by everyone in the community who knows her.

Sr. Sola is one of the original Nardini Sisters who came to Nkandla, South Africa 55 years ago. A nurse by profession, she worked in the Nkandla hospital and in the community as a midwife until she retired in her mid-60's.

After retirement, Sr. Sola continued to be a major force in Nkandla, organizing the development of community gardens, founding the sewing school, and later the Sizanani Huts - a beadwork and basket weaving program that provides a source of income for women in the community.

Sr. Sola will turn 90 on January 16 but does not plan to slow down. She gets up before the sun rises each day and after her morning devotionals and breakfast, she opens up the Sizanani Huts. She spends her day with the women of the community who come to drop off their finished beadwork or baskets and to pick up the supplies they will need for their next projects. Some women stay at the huts to work on their projects, enjoying tea and biscuits - and time together - while they work. Others return promptly to their homesteads to care for their families. They will work on their projects as time permits.

Sr. Sola is one of the most amazing people I have had the privilege of meeting in my lifetime. Recently, one of our youth board members said that she still believes in superheroes. Sr. Sola has made me a believer too.

Babanango

HIV/AIDS leaves far too many children without parents or other adults to care for them. Supporting child-headed families is one of the most urgent issues in Africa. This little one is the youngest of the "Babanango Girls," a child-headed family we met during our first visit in 2005.

Velangaye 2005

Our first visit to Velangaye High School was on August 3, 2005.

We came as strangers, visiting first with the principal and his student parliament. We then toured each classroom and the campus and were shocked by the conditions and lack of resources.

We were the first outsiders to ever visit this rural high school. They could not believe we were there. One student named Simphiwe even challenged us, asking why we came and what we planned to do now that we knew.

This was a relatively short visit, just an hour or so. But it left a lasting impression. Simphiwe's question resonated because she was right. Now that we knew, we had to do something to help but we weren't sure what that meant.

Since then, The Africa Project has sponsored many projects and programs at Velangaye (I'll write more about those here). Our partnership with Velangaye is very important to us. And as part of the Velangaye family, we are no longer strangers when we visit.

The Garden Hose

Have you ever thought about the value of a garden hose?

I never gave it much thought. I cannot recall a time when I did not have access to a hose or (more importantly) water when needed.

The first time we visited Lindiwe's homestead, she was watering her garden. Lindiwe was one of the fortunate villagers who had a water tap at her homestead. Most of the families in Nkandla still have to travel to get water every day.

Water is a vital resource. It is needed for virtually every aspect of living. Gathering water for basic needs (cooking, cleaning, laundering clothes) on a daily basis is a daunting task. I am told by those in Nkandla, that fetching water often has to be repeated each day. Those responsible must walk great distances, usually down into a ravine or valley where the river is, to fill their buckets. Then, they lift the gallons of water on to their heads and begin the uphill journey home.

So, for Lindiwe, having a water source at the homestead cut out hours of work each day. It also made it easier to maintain the garden, providing a much needed food source for her family.

As we approached, we saw that Lindiwe had a very short hose (less than 3 feet) that did not reach her garden. Lindiwe devised a method of watering her garden that was rather clever. At the point where the hose stopped, a narrow trench was carved in to the dirt, extending all the way to the garden. It ended at a deep hole that served as a reservoir. From there, Lindiwe and her daughter filled the buckets with water to feed the thirsty plants. This too, was backbreaking work even for the healthiest, strongest among us. I cannot imagine how exhausting this must have been for Lindiwe who was HIV positive. It was 2005, and the antiretroviral medicines had not reached Nkandla yet. Lindiwe was pretty sick, but she pressed on with the help of her daughter.

We knew right away that there was a simple solution that could lighten Lindiwe's load (and her daughters.) We visited the local hardware store and bought two garden hoses. We joined the hoses and attached a spray nozzle. We delivered this tool a few days later and Lindiwe was so grateful. Of course, her daughter was thrilled, running down to water the garden with her new toy.

Who would have thought that a garden hose would mean so much? I never did. But it just goes to show that sometimes the littlest things make the biggest differences.

Arrival

Our first trip to Nkandla in July, 2005 almost didn't happen. In fact, half of our team never got there.

It all started after we arrived in Washington, DC early Saturday morning, only to learn that our flight to South Africa had been canceled due to the South African Airline (SAA) strike. The next several days were spent trying to get a flight out. Finally, we were told to be at the airport Monday at 4:00 am for the one flight that SAA would be sending back home. At about 1:00 or 1:30 pm, we finally boarded the airplane. We were all so excited.

However, our hopes of getting there were soon dashed. After taxiing to the runway, and while waiting for final clearance to take off, a passenger noticed jet fuel pouring out of the plane. Soon, the aircraft was surrounded by emergency vehicles and we were told to gather our belongings and exit the aircraft "immediately."

At that point, half of our team said enough. The other half, still determined to get there, boarded the same airplane the next day. At last, we were on our way! And yes, we were all pretty nervous.

We arrived in Richard's Bay (not part of the original plan) in the early evening on Tuesday. Thankfully, we managed to find a bed and breakfast that could take all of us. All the struggles of the past few days vanished. We were in South Africa and the next day, we would be in Nkandla.

On Wednesday, Sister Hedwig drove to Richard's Bay to meet us. We arranged for our rental car and began the 2 hour drive with Sister Hedwig leading the way. This street sign marks the final turn to Nkandla. It was a sight to behold and we were so happy to arrive, safe and sound.