The Purpose Driven Holiday of Eddie Ozols Supporting African Children and their Communities

Christmas Greetings 2011 from the Ozols

2011-12-23T13:53:00.000+11:00

Christmas Greetings to all our family and friends in Europe, Africa, North America and Australia

These two photos exemplify the meaning of Christmas. While some people in these photos are paid, most are volunteers in South Africa, supporting people living (and dying) with HIV/AIDS. In our material world, pause and give thanks for the blessings we enjoy wherever we are.

Seasons greetings
Eddie and Linda

2011 has been a year of significant change for the Ozols
family!

85th birthday celebrations with the family Oct 2010

While 2010 ended with plans for an overseas trip mid 2011, this was put on hold after Linda's father Roger entered hospital on 4 January following a sudden deterioration in his mobility which eventually resulted in the need to place him in aged care. Prior to discharge to aged care a brain tumour was diagnosed as the cause of the sudden deterioration and he remained hospitalised until he died on 30 May. This time was very special to Linda and the rest of the family who were able to share many memories with him as he faced death confident that this was a new beginning for him.

The beard coming off with a travelling barber engaged

In February Eddie had an epiphany, making the decison to leave the public sector after 39 years. Within a month he had four approaches (the first within a few days) to join non profit agencies and in May after giving his boss plenty of notice, joined Lifestyle Solutions, a support service for people (lifestylesolutions.org.au) as the NSW Disability Development and Change Manager. The highlight of his farewell was a challenge to shave off the beard before he left. The last day was fun filled with activities including a travelling barber who took off the beard after Eddie's Target of $1000 for African AIDS Foundation was reached. A brief holiday at Nelson Bay was enjoyed before starting the new job in May.

Stephen Bomford, Headmaster at St Peter's
Campbelltown highlighting Linda's qualities

Linda's birthday this year was celebrated with family and friends from various areas of her life. The principal of her current school and the previous school deputy, attended as did friends from Young World Singers and a Vietnamese family who we have known for 30 years.

Nell, Linda, Eddie Ashley (rear) Rowan, Merrin, Corinne (f)

Sadly Roger died on 30 May. The funeral was pre-planned by Roger ten years ago and his forward planning meant he left clear instructions for Linda to ensure all arrangements were understood. Those who knew him will understand that he was well prepared for everything. Merrin flew home from Canada for the funeral service and this afforded us the first opportunity since 2006 to have all our family together for a photo opportunity together with daughter in law Nell, wife of Ashley.

Felix at 9 weeks

After over eight years with Macquarie Bank Ashley decided to move to a smaller company. After tendering his resignation he was required to take 3 months "gardening leave" before he was allowed to start with his new employer in September. Ashley and Nell had their first child - Felix Roger - who was born on 12 October. Ashley was able to have a week off to assist when Nell came home from hospital despite only a month with his new employer.

Having completed his degree mid year we were pleased to attend Rowan's graduation as a Bachelor of Project Management in October. This was the completion of four long years including travel from Manly to Penrith by public transport for lectures. He continues his cadetship with Buildcorp working on the rebuilding of St Barnabas Church on Broadway. Rowan's girlfriend will be joining us for the extended family day after Christmas.

Home for a week in June for grandpa's funeral, Merrin returned to Canada where she has lived and worked since February 2009 with long term partner Carl. They left Banff for the summer and worked at Tofino on Vancouver Island . In between seasons they travelled with a group and had an extended holiday in Mexico before returning to Canada where they now have work in Fernie for the current winter. Merrin has commenced a Journalism Degree - her long held ambition.

After significant consideration (a discussion with dad helped) Corinne decided not to continue at university. She holidayed with long time friend Laura in Thailand after semester 1 (this was a long term commitment from years ago) and on her return headed to Queensland to the Gold Coast in August, obtaining a job with patent attorneys.

She has settled in to her new position and was able to purchase a unit given the depressed market where

she lives. She has a boyfriend Mitch who will be joining us for Christmas.

Being "empty nesters" Linda and Eddie were able to attend a number of theatre productions during the year, had a weekend in the city as a gift, courtesy of our children and managed to get to Auckland for a World Cup Rugby game against Ireland - a memorable experience. Being grandparents has meant we are seeing Ashely and Nell more often as we get to know our grandson. Linda continues in her role as administrator at St Peter's Anglican Primary School - a position she is enjoying because of the people she works with.

Part of the festivities at the wedding included eating Zulu chicken
and pap (a cornmeal food) with some male guests using only hands

Eddie took leave at the end of November to travel to South Africa and Kenya undertaking work in his pro bono capacity as Overseas Project Coordinator for African AIDS Foundation. During the time away he was able to attend the wedding of Bongi Radebe who stayed with us last year when visiting from SOuth Africa

Philakahle 2011

2011-12-20T00:25:00.002+11:00

These are some of the Philakahle staff who deliver various support to people in the Okhahlamba area. The ladies to the left are the Home Based Carers who coordinate the Referral Network. They come in weekly for training and meetings from the villages.

My last day at Philakahle was spring cleaning day. A special meal was cooked marking the end of the year and also I was invited as this was my last day in South Africa.

A Zulu Wedding

2011-12-06T05:51:00.001+11:00

On Sunday 4 December 2011 I attended the wedding of Bongi Radebe and her fiancée Isaac Shabalala. Bongi has been instrumental in the development of the African AIDS Foundation School Partnership project between St Peters Anglican Primary School and Intumbane Primary School in South Africa.

All ready to start the wedding ceremoy

The wedding was a simple affair in the Shabalala home which comprises a number of buildings in a typical Zulu kraal where extended famly share the ground but have their own living quarters. Pastor Titus, Lutheran Pastor at Escourt about 100kms away conducted the ceremony.

There were four medical students with me from University of Western Sydney and they were able to get a better understanding of Zulu culture and prac tice which is changing slowly. .

However apart from the Australian contingent there were less than 15 adults in attendance, most being siblings and extended family of Isaac and some of Bongi's friends from Intumbane.

We arrived about 11am having made a number of enquiries about the location from locals. There are no street addresses - simply unsealed roads off the main road. It was not easy to find. Bongi greeted all of us with her usual big smile and introduced us to those present which included four of Isaac's brothers, one of their aunts, a sister of Isaac and her children plus friends of Bongi including Thuli from school and a number of others helping with the preparations. As we sat waiting for things to commence, Isaac spoke to us and told us how fortunate he was to be marrying the woman he loves. It was clear from his discussion that he saw himself as privileged to be marrying Bongi.

The wedding took place in the lounge room of the main house. Everyone except Bongi and Isaac and the pastor were seated. Much of the service except for the vows was translated for our benefit in English. Once Isaac had said yes the Pastor had a bit of fun (and Isaac looked very worried during this time) when he said "well eveything is now up to Bongi. Will she say yes and confirm this man's future as a good one or will she say no." Everyone was laughing except for Isaac and Bongi looked like she was just wanting the question asked.

A worried Isaac as the pastor delayed asking Bongi if she took this man etc...

Eventually the question was asked and Bongi had no hesitation in responding in the affirmative. There were tears from both and Bongi on more than one occasion wiped Isaac's face. The homily was from Ecclesiastes 9:9 and a passionate exhortation was given to them both about the future ups and downs. Then the exchanging of rings took place with Isaac stooping on one knee to place the ring on Bongi's finger.

The meal was served with us Aussies being served first. One of the students asked the question why were we eating when no one else was? Bongi explained the order was we were the special guests (and acknowledged as such during the ceremony by the pastor), then the women served the men (who in true Aussie style were seated outside under a tree) and then the women and children ate (women were seated in the kitchen).

There was no formality and no speeches after the ceremony. The afternoon was spent just chatting and socialising. We Aussies we privileged to speak to people about village life and culture. The wedding was a long time coming and my visit provided the convenient reason to have a low key wedding without the huge party which may have included 500+ guests.

The women in the kitchen

With the boys

Rolling pap in my hands

I was called out to join the fellas late in the afternoon around the tree. There I saw a wooden dish known as an igwembhe filled with a chicken roasted on flame abd pap which is corn meal mixed with water and a staple of the African diet across many cultures. This was my first experience of eating by hand since my childhood. I was taught how to roll the pap into a ball and took pieces of chicken (which turns out to be Zulu chicken, a leaner and brown free range bird about six months old) which were more flavoursome than what we eat at home.

Bongi lives against the spectacularly beautiful backdrop of the Drakensberg

6 year olds help build their own school

2011-11-30T14:26:00.001+11:00

On 29 November I visited a number of schools as part of a project African AIDS Foundation is developing. A small unregistered school developed by the local community was an awareness raising visit. As South Africa struggles to overcome the past and develop infrastructure this visit too the KwaNkosana district highlighted the challenges being faced. The school is two small classrooms for 60 or so kids in kindergarten and Grade 1. As you can see the classrooms are still building sites. Staff from the nearest school drive up and take classes on rotation morning and afternoon.

The photo below is all that exists apart from some toilets being developed 50metres away. The school has no chalkboard, lacks fencing to keep the kids out of the deep ravines nearby which I imagined as raging torrents in wet weather, cement to finish off the existing structres, desks and other essentaill items such as educational materials.

The pictures below and above tell the story. During a break the kids help out by carrying the large blocks to the location where toilets are being constructed. Remember 5and 6 year old kids

Keeping up with the Jonses

2011-11-29T13:18:00.001+11:00

Like so many of our friends and neighbours, we sometimes find ourselves comparing our lives to those of others. And most often, we look at those who make more and have more than we do.

As the old adage says, we look to “the Joneses.”

But who are the Joneses really?

Consider this: If you make $43,500 a year, you’re in the top 12% of earners in the world.
That’s right. The world.

So maybe we should turn this whole Jones thing around.

88% of the world is comparing itself to you … and me. WE are “the Joneses” to 88% of people on this planet. And yet, where do we most often look for comparison? The other 11%!

I’m not saying we should compare at all. We shouldn’t. Life is about much more than material things. But, just for a moment, let’s entertain this thought of keeping up with the proverbial family.

•If you make more than $2 a day, you are the Joneses to 1.2 billion people.

•If you have a warm bed to sleep in at night, you are the Joneses to the billions who are sleeping on cold, hard ground in makeshift huts and tents.

•If you drive a car to work every day, your number plate might as well read “RICH” to the billions who have to walk miles just to get access to clean water, medical care, education or even food.

•If you finished high school, you might as well be “Dr. Jones” to those who have no chance of getting an education.

•If you eat three full meals a day: Jones. Jones. Jones.

So should I run out the front door yelling, “I’m rich! I’m rich!” as if I just won the lottery? Probably not. But that’s what the rest of the world may think.

Just a little perspective.

27 November 2011

2011-11-28T14:41:00.000+11:00

First day in ZAR found me at Winterton about 22kms from Bergville. The chairman of Philakahle is John Green the Anglican minister for the area. I was invited to speak an saw this hanging go up for the first Suday in Advent and the first Sunday in the church Calendar.

This is quite a beautiful building outside and inside is wooden floors.

Sunset looking tot he Drakensbergs from my bed and breakfast

Pic of the Day

2011-11-28T03:20:00.000+11:00

This was the view heading down to Bergville on the N3 from Johannesburg on 26/11/11

2 days to go

2011-11-25T00:04:00.000+11:00

A lot to be doe prior to departure. Still packing. I have 3 laptops to give to people. One for Intumbane and the new school Nqobile which I am visitig. I am taking a fourth laptop for work use and keeping connected. Itinerary looks very busy.
AAF board last night gave approval to join Australian Charities Funds http://www.australiancharitiesfund.org.au/
and commence a workplace giving program.
Work - never ending. So much to do and so little time to do it. A colleague talked me out of taking a project to Africa to complete. We are contracting instead

University of Western Sydney Medical Students Africa Bound

2011-11-15T00:30:00.000+11:00

Macarthur based international development agency African AIDS Foundation and Global Health Awareness Western Sydney (GHAWS), have entered a partnership which will see fourth year medical students from the University of Western Sydney undertake their electives in Africa.

African AIDS Foundation, which supports young people impacted by the AIDS pandemic in Africa, was approached in 2010 by students from GHAWS on behalf of the University of Western Sydney Medical Society about the possibility of spending time in an African hospital during their forthcoming elective in December. Dr John Schwarz, a Camden based medical practitioner was able to assist by helping arrange a placement at a rural Zulu hospital where he was medical superintendent from 1975 to 1984.

“Four students will undertake a five week placement which will allow them to learn about medicine in a developing nation, where resources taken for granted in Australia are not readily available,” said Dr Schwarz, who travels each year to Africa to monitor projects supported by the people of Macarthur for the last ten years.

GHAWS representative Soondoos Raashed stated “This is a very exciting time for GHAWS and our students. We are a young medical school with even younger student groups and as such we have been very fortunate to encounter organisations such as AAF who are willing to help us not only further our education, but also to help us contribute to society as medical professionals in training.”

AAF has provided the four students with an orientation to what they can expect while on placement in Africa. The students will undertake a two day orientation to medicine in a developing environment at a teaching hospital in Durban prior to commencing their placement on 5 December at Emmaus Hospital, four hours south of Johannesburg in an area surrounded by Zulu Villages. The students will be accommodated at a youth camp near the hospital.

Top photo - Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley and Zainib Cheema with John and Rosalie Schwarz. Lower photo Kat Irwin practicing plastering

University of Western Sydney Medical Students to Africa

2011-11-12T06:44:00.000+11:00

Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley, Zainib Cheema with Johna and Rosalie Schwarz founders of African AIDS Foundation

Kat Irwin was in Lismore on placemment when the above poto was taken. Seen here doing plastering practice.

One of the things I am doing on my forthcoming trip is liaising with Emmaus Hospital where AAF has arranged for four medical students from UWS to spend an elective placement for five weeks. The following is the press release being distributed to inform the community about this project.

For more information check out African AIDS Foundation’s website http://www.africanaidsfoundation.org.au/ or phone 46580555 or GHAWS http://uwsms.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=78&Itemid=169

Photo – Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley and Zainib Cheema with Dr John and Rosalie Schwarz. Kathryn Irwin is the fourth student travelling to Africa.

Tax Deductibility ....at last

2011-11-09T22:09:00.000+11:00

A three year project encompassing three months working in Africa with African AIDS Foundation's in-country partners and significant work in compiling evidence to satisfy AusAID that AAF is an organisation that can deliver development projects overseas in an accountable manner has been finalised today. The Australian Government through AusAID, the Tax Office and Treasury has confirmed that AAF meets the strict criteria to manage overseas projects. Well done South Africa, Kenya and the AAF Board

Africa Bound 2011

2011-11-09T16:10:00.000+11:00

Heading off again to Africa on 26 november for 2 weeks. Lots to do. University of Western Sydney Medical Students Association has four Med Students going to Emmaus Hospital for a five week elective and I will be there on teheir arrival to ensure things go smoothly for them
Visiting Intumbane School plus the two new schools which have partnered up with Wollondilly Anglican college and Broughton Anglican College and get those partnerships moving.

Meet with Philakahle Board to discuss current and future projects and visit current projects to see how support in Australia is assisting African kids. As well as that will meet with a Zulu chicken and egg farmer to look at possibilities for small business enterprises in the villages raising chickens.

Hope to get to Spion Kop Game Reserve and a game of golf as well as visiting people I met last time.

On 8 December off to Kenya for a whirlwind four days. Attending a meeting to discuss a microfinance project which we may have a donor interested in supporting. Will also discuss current projects we have in Kenya and spend time with Bernard our partner who does amazing work in Kenya.

Back home and work on 13/12/11

African AIDS Foundation's 2011 Fundraising Dinner

2011-10-09T22:44:00.000+11:00

Mamuka Zimbabwean singers and dancers

MC for the evening Luckson from Zambia

The hall looked fabulous

Two doctors from Africa and Australia in serious discussion

2011 dinner - Eddie Ozols - Picasa Web Albums

2011-10-09T15:59:00.000+11:00

2011 dinner - Eddie Ozols - Picasa Web Albums:

'via Blog this'

African AIDS Foundation fundraising dinner was held on 8 October 2011 attended by 160 people. This year we had a strong African theme with a Zambian MC and Zimbabwean Youth singers and dancers.

Mad about Africa!

2011-09-15T03:58:00.000+10:00

Staff and students at St Peters Anglican Primary School Campbelltown Australia have a partnership with Intumbane Primary School South Africa and are currently raising funds to build a library for their 800 Zulu friends in South Africa. At a recent fete and a secret item was announced at the end of the auction which was bidding to have the right to throw the ball at the dunking apparatus to have the Headmaster dunked.
Headmaster Stephen Bomford has promoted the partnership with his school and been very enthusiastic about his students understanding that their world extends beyond the comfortable lives they live. This partnership has brought a global understanding of poverty to children as young as kindergarten who are learning of their privileged status in the world. The video shows just how mad everyone at St Peters is about Africa!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muhoCcfrWfs&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stpeters.nsw.edu.au%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D78%26Itemid%3D1&feature=player_embedded

Red Week 2011 (1)

2011-07-22T23:33:00.000+10:00

Red Week 2011 (1)

Red Week in the University of Newcastle!

Medical Students from the University of Newcastle gathered together in April to support the global movement to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. Speaking to over 500 medical students plus the wider university community, they sold hundreds of ribbons, condom roses and over 1000 cupcakes. There was a Trivia night, a Global Health shortcourse, personal insights from Dr John Schwarz, founder of the African AIDS Foundation and a Red Party to finish the week off, which is part of a national initiative co-ordinated by the Australian Medical Students Association Global Health Committee. The whole week raised just over $4000 for the African Aids Foundation. Thanks to everyone who got on board!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150161697003602.299102.363679948601

HIV a disease of the Poor

2011-07-22T00:23:00.000+10:00

Poverty is the cause of HIV and other health related concerns in developing nations

Eddie Ozols' last week at ADHC

2011-05-01T21:32:00.000+10:00

I left the NSW Public Sector on 15 April 2011 after 39 years. I had three occasions when I was farewelled - Wednesday 13/4 was an afternoo tea attended by a huge number of people (?60), a dinner on Thursday night and final exit activities to qualify for a Certificate of Exit. I indicated I did not wish to have a ift but for those who wished a donation to the Intumabne School Library fund to build a library for this school in KZN South Africa would be appreciated. A monetary gift was presented to me on Wednesday. At dinner on Thursday I was asked how much i would take for my beard to come off and having stated $500 this amount was collected withing 5 minutes prior to dinner. On Friday I was "paraded" around the building having to undertkae various activities with an "official" photographer. As part of ths people were asked to alos donate to the the Intumabne fund. All in all $1000.60 was collected as part of my farewell from colleagues. The collage is an amalgam of my last three days being farewelled including the shave on Friday.

Guest Speaker at Narellan Community Congregational Church 20 Feb 2011

2011-03-20T21:06:00.000+11:00

Hope for Africa's children
I was invited to speak at the Narellan Congregational Community Church on Sunday 20 February 2011.
I presented on poverty and how AAF is dealing with HIV/AIDS by addressing issues of poverty through our projects

Click on the link to learn how rich you really are compared to the world's poor.

Latest news on HIV Treatment in South Africa

2011-01-23T08:22:00.000+11:00

South Africa is rolling out Anti Retroviral Therapy according to the following article
http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/regions/easternandsouthernafrica/#2

Africa Fest 2010

2010-11-28T17:19:00.007+11:00

Our stand at the festival

Tabitha a Kenyan living in Sydney for the last ten years

The Kenyan stand

Two African women enjoying the day

African AIDS Foundation participated in the Annual African Culture Festival at Hyde Park Sydney on Sunday 21 November 2010. Apart from selling some Zulu jewellery we were able to publicise the work of AAF to many people and sign people up for our E- newsletter.

United Nations Annual Report on AIDS

2010-11-27T14:14:00.000+11:00

http://issuu.com/unaids/docs/unaids_globalreport_2010

The UN produces an annual report on the state of AIDS in the world. It contains a lot of information. From page 180 you will see data on each country

Nana Wielded A Wicked Walking Stick

2010-11-07T22:28:00.000+11:00

Nana Wielded A Wicked Walking Stick

How much do we need to live?

2010-11-05T07:49:00.000+11:00

http://www.smh.com.au/world/couple-give-away-lottery-millions-20101105-17g4q.html

While many in the western developed world strive for more, here a couple coming to the end of their lives share what is important

African AIDS Foundation Newsletter October 2010

2010-10-02T08:32:00.001+10:00

This newsletter has details of Tal a volunteer in Kenya and info about the school partnership between South Africa and Australia

http://www.africanaidsfoundation.org.au/m/2915?contact_id=1292197&utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailflex&utm_campaign=AAF_News_October_2010&utm_content=view_in_browser?utm_medium=email&utm_source=mailflex&utm_campaign=AAF_News_October_2010&utm_content=Click_here

AAF Founders visit South Africa in 2010

2010-09-23T23:56:00.000+10:00

John and Rosalie Schwaerz recently visited South Africa
Each year John and Rosalie visit to monitor projects supported by African AIDS Foundation.
This video is from 2009. A link to their recent rip will be posted when available

Latest figures on AIDS is encouraging

2010-09-18T07:17:00.000+10:00

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fow.ly%2F2FG3r&h=0e774

Are you Rich?

2010-09-11T17:42:00.004+10:00

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/StudyRevealsOverwhelmingWealthGap.aspxWhile many in the developed world complain about their economic situation and are seeking to improve their prosperity the article from Microsoft Money puts into context how wealthy we are.

The research indicates that assets of just $2,200 per adult place a household in the top half of the world's wealthiest. To be among the richest 10% of adults in the world, just $61,000 in assets is needed. If you have more than $500,000, you're part of the richest 1%, the United Nations study says. Indeed, 37 million people now belong in that category.

Are you RichSee the full article at

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/StudyRevealsOverwhelmingWealthGap.aspx
The women in this photo live on less than $2 a day. They undertake work in their communities tending to the sick and dying and supporting orphans in their villages. These food parcels were provided to them by African AIDS Foundation to recognise the valuable contribution they make to their communities. Though they are poor in material terms they have a wealth we do not understand.
African AIDS Foundation is an Australian NGO supporting African Children and their communities

Be part of the Solution - Support Africans impacted by AIDS

2009-11-23T16:09:00.002+11:00

The sign says it all!

25 things I have gained/learned or appreciate following my time in South Africa

2009-05-08T20:31:00.009+10:00

It seems everyone on Facebook is doing things in lots of 25 so here goes my effort at reflecting on the experience as a volunteer working amongst the Zulu community in KwaZulu Natal South Africa. The photo above is of the people I worked closely with for my te weeks in Bergville KwaZulu Natal SA.

Ntombifuthi Hlatshwayo, Mamsy Khumalo, Busi Sechaba, Carol Irish, Vusi Maphalala, Joseph Kunane, TK Khumalo, Thembi Ngcongo. Great people.

As someone who has never been very patient I learned that Africans have a differnet concept of time. Waiting is normal. This is not a positive reflection but is the reality for many South Africans (both black and white) who have to negotiate systems and services that do not have a capacity to deliver in reasonable timeframes.

Zulu women live in oppression & bear the major responsibility for most household tasks.

Zulu men maintain a position of privilege as males and expect women to be subservient.

2 & 3 are major factors in the transmission of HIV and the fact that women have higher infection rates than men.

HIV will take generations to reduce to levels comparable to other African countries. SA has an infection rate of over 18% (30% in KZN) yes 18% no misprint here.

In spite of their poverty the people I met and worked with were an amazingy resiliant group of people and generally positive.

South Africa has a long way to go to repair the disadvantage that its black population suffered under the Apartheid regime especially in rural areas.

Zulu culture and practices (polygamy and the way it deals with death etc) need to change so that poverty can be overcome.

Volunteering was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone. Flexibility with a capital F is required as plans can often be changed at short notice.

Government services are incredibly bureacratic. However as it emerges as a mature administration and is adequately resourced this will improve.

South Africa must have the best airport entry system in the world. No paperwork to fill in - just present your passport and smile.

South Africans are appreciative of all that foreign donors do for them. I was overwhelmed by the thanks I continually got for the smallest things I undertook.

Want to be a volunteer? There are many training opportunities available.

Kid, kids kids. Everywhere. Smiling, happy faces, sad circumstances, poverty, orphaned, vulnerable. Yet always smiling. See my movie on Youtube "Children of Africa."

Men are noticeably absent in day to day life. Many are away working but they were not involved in volunteering in their communities.

Take any opportunity to see what you can. A casual invitation to an Umsebenzi braoedened my undersatnding of Zulu culture more than any book could have done. And they were honoured to have me crash their party.

Race is still an issue and as a white I was often treated as someone special by Zulus because of the colour of my skin. A negative perhaps but also demonstrating for many Zulus that white people are pepared to visit their homes and meet them in their communities so I saw this as a positive in "race" relations.

White South Africans live in fear (needlessly I believe). South Africa has a promising future.

Our tour guide at Robben Island exemplied a really positive attitude and the spirit of Mandela. Despite five years on the Island he had no bitterness and spoke about all people working together to build the country.

The World Cup has created an amazing spirit of optimisim in SA. Everywhere you go and every radio news bulletin has a countdown to the WC (must be less than 400 days now I think).

South Africa's churches play a major role in the country both as provider of services and support and also as advocates trying to keep the government accountable.

I have come to love South African music. From not knowing who Marian Makeba was when first asked I have come from SA with a number of CDs of the music of the people. Great stuff.

Do not underestimate the power of gardens to transform lives. I met many people for whom the establishment of a vegie garden literally helped save their lives

The children of SA require protection against being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Prevention is better than cure. Being left an orphan means a lot more resources than supporting aparent with HIV to stay alive.

Would I go again? I sure would. One of the best experiences of my life.

Soweto

2009-05-08T20:10:00.013+10:00

Busi and her "sister"

One of the soccer stadiums in South Africa being built for the 2010 World Cup. Soweto has its own Orlando Stadium

Mopanya Mall Soweto with Busi - See script below

In case there is any doubt where I am

One of the hundreds of markets in Soweto

My South African friends may recognise this name. It was a main road in Soweto

Dube train station - Soweto has many suburbs. It is bigger in population than Joburg.

Busi outside one of the schools. From kindergarten the kids are taught about AIDS as you can see from the background

The South African government has built three million houses since 1994 to house the population. Busi's parents had this house given to them (along with the other 3M people. It was built to lock up and they had to put up the walls etc. Many of these older houses are now quite elaborate as people have done extensions to the. A real positive for the government and best of all no costs to maintain them as people own them and are responsible for them.

Busi and her dad. She has never lved with her parents since young

The HIV message at the school

Busi's aunt's (who she calls mum) house where she has lived for over forty years still has washing facilities outside but no-one was complaining

Busi's sister (cousin) who she grew up with

Her mum (aunt)

Another "sister" we visited at work.

Many people have a negative view of Soweto however I managed to get to Soweto twice on this trip. First weekend on my arrival went with Ans a friend from Sydney doing work at the Hillbrow Anglican Church. This blog features photos from mt trip there with Busi a young girl from Bergville who comes originall from Soweto. This was a real inside view of Soweto. It is no longer the rundown township of the 80s and 90s and in fact has quite a bit of good housing and an amzing shopping centre. I felt a lot safer in Soweto than I did in Joburg.

Robben Island

2009-04-28T06:52:00.001+10:00

Nelson Mandela's cell

The Malay section in Cape Town

What can I say

Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope)

2009-04-28T06:50:00.000+10:00

Table Mountain was windy

But beautiful

Our tou guide at Robben Island was there for five years. No anger, no recriminations at all

St Peters School - Intumbane School Meeting

2009-04-11T06:20:00.001+10:00

This was the scene greeting us on arrival

Linda Ozols from St Peters School presented with flowers

Bongekele Radabe and Linda Ozols

The beginning of the End - a farewell dinner

2009-04-07T02:34:00.003+10:00

A treasured gift

Thembi presenteda gift

Vusi made an amazing speech

Carol's dining room transformed

Wednesday and Thursday spent working on the AAF project. At the apartment all day except for lunch with Christine Mennell in Winterton on Thursday.
Wednesday morning went to Bergville Primary School to talk to a group of kids who said they would like to heat about Australia – mainly grad 3&4. Lots of questions from the photos I had and what I thought would be a half hour went for over an hour and a quarter.

Dinner Wednesday night was something else. Carol had arranged a dinner for me to farewell me and next week being Easter meant it was on tonight. A dozen people from Philakahle staff and board and Jackie a student from Pretoria got a candlelit dinner. Vusi Maphalala who I know the least and had the least to do with made a speech which had me in tears. The reference to the “old man” was a sign of respect not of my age. He said he could see I was an old man who moved fast (sounds like I am at work) and said some really nice things. My response was about having learned a lot more from these guys than they from me. I was humbled and appreciated this time here as a contrast to our material wealth in Oz and their self sacrifice every day I was with them. Also I indicated I knew visitors were difficult to accommodate and I was appreciative of their warmth and openness. Present tonight were from the Board John Green, Mumtaz Asmal, Monika Holst and staff were Vusi, TK, Ntombifuthi, Mamsey, Busi, Carol, Thembi, Phum.

the beginning of the end - Canadians in town

2009-04-07T02:25:00.003+10:00

Ntombifuthi and I looking at spreadsheets

Thembi wowing the Canadians

Tuesday was my turn on devotions. Mathew 6 – hypocrisy.
Lots of preparation with the Canadian International Dev Agency arriving. Final run thru presentation with Thembi who was no longer the shy quiet Zulu and was looking very confident. Set the hall up and running the clock only to learn the Canadians were an hour late. On arrival it transpired the head of CIDA in Canada (DG equivalent in NSW PS parlance) was one of the people visiting. Presentation excellent. I sat at the back and just provided a few cues. Hard to believe this is the first time this young Zulu has done a powerpoitn presentation. Lots and lots of questions from the Canadians. It was apparent they did not understand the cultural context. They then went to visit a garden and speak to someone who was HIV+. Lunch was cancelled as they were there for well over an hour and half. A two hour visit panned out to nearly three and a half and they went to Durban without lunch. All happy with the day.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in the office. Ntombifuthi asked me some questions about how AAF wanted finances reported and variance budgets so spent a bit of time explaining what it was the Treasurer of their Board was asking her to do.
Thembi, Tk and I then spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.

A busy Monday

2009-04-07T02:05:00.004+10:00

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Feedback later that night was very positive. Thembi Tk and I spent till 7pm working on a monitoring report for AAF back home. These guys work hard.
Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.

A busy Monday

2009-04-07T02:05:00.003+10:00

The Kindy class ayt Intumbane

This is one very skilled nurse

Monday 30 March
Went to the clinic at 7.30am for my second rabies shot. Meds had not arrived from Emmaus so was told to return later in the day. Just what I needed.
Went to Intumbane to take photos of each class. Spent time talking to Bongke and the principal about the St Peters waterpump and went through the quote I had picked up on the way suggesting the school should look at its resources as St Peters were paying for the pump and installation and the irrigation needed to be a school project
Got through 16 classes in 90 minutes setting up each group in their class with teachers. Kids are just so well behaved and responsive. Aussie teachers would die to teach here. Got away about 11.30. Rang and cancelled lunch with Christine Mennell as I had to spend time with Thembi and TK helping with the presentation for the Canadians tomorrow and had some other things including my rabies shot to attend to so the drive to Winterton was out.

Got to clinic still no rabies shot so the very nice 70 yo (yes 70 yo) nursing sister gave me my shot using someone else’s medication and said she would repay that person when mine arrived. She explained the SA pension she got from all her working life was inadequate so she just keeps on working ( I assume there will be many in the west in the same boat after the WFC).

Went through the presentation with Thembi and did some editing. Got her to run thru and gave her some feedback. The quiet shy Zulu girl four days ago was developing some confidence. Monika wanted to go through it with her so I left her to do that on her own. Dinner Monday night just with Carol as no other guests tonight.

Zulu Dog Bites Man - Rabies, Hospital and Treatment

2009-03-31T06:15:00.002+11:00

On getting back to Bergville I asked about rabies and rang the doctor I had seen about my BP. The receptionist was saying that dogs are immunised and if treatment for a human is required it was a long process of many injections (yuk). I thought the likelihood of getting rabies was low so rang Bernard Gaede the Medical Director at Emmaus Hospital. He agreed it was a low risk situation, rabies was rare and if the animal acted out of character it was a risk I could bear. I asked about symptoms and he said it was too late once symptoms of headaches, nausea, frothing at the mouth and seizures occurred. On hearing this I decided to have treatment and so went on his advice to the clinic to get a referral to the hospital.

KZN Hospital Rivals Sydney Hospital

I was dreading having to go to Emmaus Hospital. However I am glad of the experience as there were lots of lessons and if you could imagine SA without a HIV problem where 18%( repeat 18% it is not a mistake) have HIV then the health system probably would not be too bad taking into account the rural context First I had to go to the Municipal Clinic. There an older Zulu RN filled in a form for me. She then looked at my dog bite and wanted to dress it. I suggested this was unnecessary and so I got the form to take to the hospital.
Lesson one was the drive to Emmaus Hospital. This hospital is 24 kms from Bergville and serves the municipality. The next closest hospitals are 45 and 50 kms away at Ladysmith and Escourt. I am a middle class visitor to SA and I have a car to transport me to receive medical treatment. Most Zulus bitten by a dog would not bother to worry as they have no means of transport except walking or taxi at prohibitive costs. This explains the difficulties many have accessing basic medical services or keeping up treatment for HIV and getting monthly medication.
Once at the hospital I was checked by a security guard who looked in my boot before allowing me to proceed.
Lesson number two was dealing with an unfamiliar system. I had Mamsy with me. I handed my form to the man in a box outside the OPD. He took all my details again and wrote them on a dog bite form. He then directed me to an office around OPD. When I knocked on the door I was told I had to go and get two more forms. Back to the entrance where at the door was a clerk who dutifully entered my details in a log book, filled out some more papers and took my BP (113/52 so I guess the medication is working) and made up a file. I was asked what was wrong with meand in full view of all pointed to my leg which she examined and made some comments on the form. Lucky it was nothing too personal I thought.

Dutifully armed with three lots of papers I was directed to the seats and obviously told to wait. I quickly discovered that the system worked on a first come first served basis. I was the only non Zulu in the waiting room so my presence caused a degree of curiosity from staff and other patients alike. I set in for a long wait. As one person was taken in to see the doctor all people moved to the next seat. I was able to see I was number 15 so guessed it would be a few hours.
The others waiting comprised mainly kids under two who looked very sick. There was guy who looked like he had TB or AIDS as he was wasted and a student who tried to push his way along by waiting outside the room the doctor occupied. At one stage Bernard the doctor came out looking stressed shouting for some help to hold down a patient for a lumbar puncture. I briefly wondered if I should offer but thought better of it and my limits as a volunteer (besides which I nearly passed out last time I saw a lumbar puncture). The young student standing outside at a later stage got a song and dance from the doctor who then pointed to the queue directing this young Zulu to the end.

The woman next to me had a child less than 12 months who looked very sick. I was conscious that possibly half the women waiting here were HIV positive based on data from KZN Health.

The queue moved slowly for a long while but one it got moving it seemed to move quickly and before I knew I had made it to the front row. Only six more ahead of me.

Each time one of the mothers with her infant went into one of the consulting rooms there were the anguished cries of babies I guess having blood drawn. Eventually Bernard called me in, had a look at the leg and said it was probably a risk not worth taking although it was very minimal, signed the form and sent me down the hall. A male nurse was waiting and he had already seen my form and filled in what I needed which was a course of five rabies injections. He got the injection package out of the fridge, drew the medication and injected me in the arm. All over in two minutes, I was given my form, directed back to the municipal clinic where I was to return on 30/3, ¾, 10/4 and 24/4 (when I am in Capetown). All over and all done with inside two hours, I think people in Australia won’t believe I was “processed” inside two hours as I know it would not happen at home. My afternoon totally wrecked I went back to the office to finish off the business planning workshop for Saturday.

More Garden Visits

2009-03-31T04:07:00.008+11:00

This woman was 3kms from home and does this everyday on foot.

This 10yo and her mother were 2.5kms from home when I picked them up. The 10yo was quite accomplished in carrying a load

Looking very please with themselves. This trip saved them a morning

This woman harvested chillies which are drying out.Last year she estimated she made R1000 ($160A) by growing chilles

The woman on the right is 91 b1918

What do you find walking dow a country road in Dukusza? What else but a band of Zulu singers and dancers

This is hard work. After pumping water the garden was over 50m walk

In their community garden which feeds destiture people and orphans

Just a photo I thought but I ended up giving these ladies a lift and learning a bit about how they got fuel for cooking

The cabbages were planted in January

Friday – started agenda and PP presentation for Business Planning workshop Saturday. Went out with Mamsy to two gardens.En route saw women carrying wood and stopped for a photo. Ended up giving them a lift of 2.5km and 3kms for the 66yo who had the biggest pile. There was a 10yo with the first woman who had her own pile.

The first a community garden which was operating at Dukuza. This was a large garden with a large cabbage section. I am guessing the garden was 20m x 10m in size and would have required a lot of work. Three women greeted us and were obviously expecting us.

The man working in the garden told me he was 66yo. Apart from cabbages there were some spinach and tomatoes. While there was a pump about 50m away I was told this was too difficult to use and so a community pump was used. We walked across the road to where land has been set aside for a new community garden which will be huge. This is being promoted by the Social Development Council and funding is required for fencing which will be costly. The existing garden was established in January which surprised me when looking at how advanced the cabbages were. This garden is supplying a soup kitchen for destitute families and orphans in the area. Food is in short supply and the tripling of food costs in the last twelve months has motivated the establishment of this garden. Talking to this fellow he said something quoteable = “we are dying like flies out here!” The impact of AIDS

The next garden was within three kms of where we were however on the way Mamsy pointed out Zulu Culture – about a dozen girls an women dressed in Zulu dress carrying a drum walking down the road towards the school A photo opportunity for a tourist! The women obliged by removing their smocks revealing the full colours of their outfits.

On arrival at the next house which was off a track with a woman carrying a box on her head, she on seeing us turned around and I followed her in to where the houses were. On arriving a little old woman who I was to learn was 91 (b1918 she told me) was almost doing cartwheels on seeing us arrive. She had a huge grin and on getting out gave Mamsy and I a huge hug and then kept slapping her hands together, smiling and laughing. There were three houses and the main house was larger than the other two. The garden surprisingly was bigger than the community garden I had just visited but not all planted out. It had cabbage, and lots of chillies which were harvested and sold. There was a metal sheet which had cut chillies drying and I tasted a seed which was as hot as any chilly I have tried. The seeds are then crushed to form a powder. I was offered to small bags and paid R10 for them which brought huge smiles but I had to say no to the huge pumpkin being offered. Outside this garden in what appeared just field was a long cleared area about 1.5m wide and 20m long planted out with potato. Around the house there was also millies (maize) growing.

On returning to the house area I peered over a stable door which was an entry into the house when I felt a nip on my ankles and then four dogs howling fiercely at me which scared me more than the bite. Initially the bite looked as though there was no damage but eventually a small amount of blood trickled out on both sides of my right ankle. The women were apologetic saying sorry sorry repeatedly. I told them not to worry wondering in my mind if I had been immunised against rabies. We concluded our meeting by going into the house while the women sang a song, a prayer was said and we were off. On asking Mamnsy about the reception I was told I was the first white person to visit this woman in her home.

Week Eight - Another ordinary week - The end is near!

2009-03-31T03:49:00.003+11:00

Busi the volunteer at the office and Mamsy the Gardens Facilitator

Some of the people training at Zamimpilo having a break

An ambitious change agenda

Zamimpilo kitchen upgrades

Vusi with sixty kids in the youth lifeskills program

Friday 27/3/09

This week has flown. Less than two weeks before Linda’s arrival and I am starting to feel the pressure of getting things completed. I had blocked out next week to give m etime to fianlise my main project but have a visit to Intumbane Monday, helping Thembe Tuesday with some work for Canadian funders, speaking to a group of third graders on Wednesday about Australia and going to Ladysmith with Thembe Friday to talk about funding for Home Based Carers.

That’s next week This week has been busy.
Monday, meeting with Monika about future funding. Then went to Zamimpilo to review the work they have done and to take some more photos. Met DoH people there doing a month’s training on HIV. They are on stipends and t was interesting to learn their expectations of employment when they do get work. Some expect R6-7000. I heard Busi taking them on about the unemployment rate in their villages and perhaps they need to be more realistic. Complaints about Zamimpilo ranged from over crowding, poor quality of food ( Iwish I had been invited to have the lunch they were having – a 7 colour plate as Busi described or Sunday meal), overcrowding (they have dismantled the bunks to make them singles so they have caused their own problem) and it is too quiet which I think is a positive.

Drive out and back saw the Drakensbers as clear as I had seen them. Locals say March and April are the best months. Back for a 3pm meeting with one of the partners reliant on Philakahle. Went till six. Director from Joburg was under pressure with changes of Philakahle’s and buying time. Their agency offered nothing.

Tuesday was spent doing a debrief with TK and Thembi about the meeting yesterday. Was due to go to Intumbane but it was cancelled due to a teacher’s strike which is happening everywhere in the area at present. Spent time helping Thembi with the Home Based Carers letter and general administration stuff including the agenda for Satrday’s workshop I am facilitating as well as looking at Capetown accommodation. Tuesday afternoon to Ogada with Vusi Maphapala who operates the Youth Values Based Life Skills program. The drive out to the school where the program operates was interesting given the road he had to travel in a 4WD. About 60 kids attended. They were attentive then stayed for a drink and bread

Wednesday to GGA to finish off the Business Plan and to assist Debbie with the funding proposal.

Thursday was spent editing a PowerPoint presentation on Philakahle with Thembi and finalising arrangements for the HBC letter to District DoH. She has arranged a meeting next week in Ladysmith which I will attend with her to seek stipends for these (mainly) women. Lots to do Friday which is clear after a few garden visits with Mamsy

A day in Newcastle and an alternative view on Zulu "culture" of multiple wives

2009-03-25T06:46:00.004+11:00

Sunday was a contrast to Saturday. My friend Moses from Sydney (hello Mo) had worked with a guy 20+ years ago who is now an Anglican minister at Newcastle about 150 kms from Bergville. Up at 600 hours and away to Newcastle where I met Tsietsi rector at Newcastle. The Anglican church here is large and modern. Clearly this was a white church in the Apartheid days but there were few whites when I arrived. By the time the service got going it was clear that it was a Zulu congregation with about 10% whites. The service was fairly catholic but contemporary (if that makes sense).

After the service his daughter Ndembiseng aged 12 came to ask me over to the rectory. We spent a good hour and a half chatting and I was invited to lunch. The discussion was far ranging, covering African politics, economy, apartheid history as well as church. We had an interesting discussion about being thankful. He talked about his ministry history and his testimony is worth writing up. Lunch was spent getting to know Rachel his wife who still works at Dundee. They have been here since December.

I asked about my experiences the previous day when I met the guys who had multiple wives and the different opinions between the two about it being cultural. Tsietse said the second guy was right that it was not cultural and had been a practice allowed by concession which had become abused. There is no history in Zulu culture going back of men taking multiple wives. He supported the view that culture is being used as an excuse by men to have multiple partners and it sounded like the second guy was wrestling with his conscience about what he has done, realising the wrongfulness of it not only for himself but also the impact it will have on the future of his children. He felt the practice came down to sin and this guy knows from the perspective of knowing right and wrong that he is doing the wrong thing. He also indicated that my experience with these guys yesterday is not uncommon and there are many men who use privilege and status as men to do as they will.

After lunch a walk around town past the hospital. He mentioned the road the hospital is in is used by young girls to prostitute themselves, getting into cars of unknown men. He commented on the risks this posed and what they must be coming from to take the risk of getting into car. We then drove some 20-30 kms out of town to two townships Madadeni and Nidamba The history of these places was interesting. Over 20kms from Newcastle an industrial area was between the two. This was so blacks in the apartheid era had no reason to come to Newcastle apart from major shopping. The townships were massive. Population estimates were not provided but seemed to be in the tens of thousands. Most lived in modest western style houses with the occasional rondavels which Tsietse explained were used by people who were Spirit and Ancestor worshippers.

We called into the Anglican church here and I met Tony the minister and his wife and two kids. Tony explained the church here gets about 300 each Sunday. They support 500 orphans in their community in various ways and have plans to build a new orphanage. Many of the orphans are cared for in granny headed households. It appears the death rates from AIDS is increasing and there are more and more orphans.

As we drove back to Newcastle discussion continued and I saw for myself the massive industrial area that bisected the city of Newcastle and the Townships. The township had its own hospitals. However schools and places of technical education had closed down to accommodate government offices. The decay of South Africa was evident. A new sign near a road newly built was pointed out and I was told a minor road was recently opened with a massive celebration for locals which is supposed to have cost over R1M ($160,000). Tsietse has no faith in the current government having the capacity to improve services. Poor governance and corruption are taking its toll on the country.

We ended up back at his place. It was a longer day than I had expected. It answered a lot of yesterday’s queries about the Zulu culture and its abuse of women by men. HIV will continue if men do not change their practices. It was as though I had spent a day with a guy I had known for many years. A day I will remember for a long time. A beautiful view of the Drakesbergs as I drove home on sunset

I met a man who had four wives and was shocked until I met a man with six wives!

2009-03-25T06:25:00.002+11:00

Man on left with four wives and on the right the man with six girlfriends

As I was leaving to go to the Umsebenzi I noted my inviteed had not yet left so I joined them to talk as I did not want to go out myself. This happened to be absolutely fascinating. These guys are all connected locally through family or village ties. As I am want to do I asked questions about family and children. One guy has four common law wives as he explained. I explored this in some detail to learn his father had three wives, was a traditional healer and his mother had never gone to school and his father to about third grade. They lived at Hambrook, one of the villages in what is called 11 Settlement area. People there and in other villages were offered land in exchange for moving from their traditional villages. When asked how he supported four wives he retorted quick as a flash, without so much as blinking that they all worked to support themselves and the five children he has fathered. They all lived separately and as I jokingly asked how he managed to maintain relationships he in all seriousness told me how difficult it was initially. The first wife knows nothing of the second wife until he has paid the lobola and is officially paid. The new wife is made fully aware of the second, and the third and so on. The other guys were having a joke with him as well but this guy was very serious and talked about Zulu culture and family tradition and that this is still common amongst Zulus. After about an hour or so I followed these guys out. Luckily I did not plan to leave at midday as they suggested as the starting time (This is Africa) and so at about 3pm we went out.

I took a guy out who was the only non police officer amongst this group of six men. He was a school teacher (Maths, IT and English) and the discussion with him was more fascinating then the previous one. He told me he had six children to six different “girlfriends” who he admitted he still had relations with. Some not very often as they have moved to different part s of SA and so contact is infrequent. However he still maintains contact and sees his children and tries to provide support for them on his teacher’s salary. He also admitted that the relationships were sometimes strained as they all know of each other and there is some jealousy. After telling me all this he told me he did not accept the comments made by the previous guy about this being a cultural issue. He is aware of the HIV message as the National Teacher’s Union is running education sessions to combat the high death rate amongst teachers due to HIV/AIDS. He reflected that what he has done is not right and when I asked him when he had come to this conclusion it seems it has been a gradual matter of reconciling old practices with modern ways and he sees that HIV needs to be addressed and culture is no excuse for the practice of multiple sex partners. Whilst he is aware of condom use, once people are considered “married” as he is there is almost a prohibition on condom use! He acknowledged however he or any of his partners could cause the other six to become infected as there is an understanding among the women that they also may have other sexual partners. When I had asked this guy on the deck if he was married, one of his mates stated “he would not know where to start!” Our discussion explained this comment. He believes that the HIV message needs to get out to save young people from possible infection. He told me he had been tested last year and was negative but he needs to be tested again! This conversation was extraordinary and goes a long way to explaining the complexity of overcoming the HIV problem which is huge in SA with an infection rate of 18%.

Umsebenzi - My first Zulu Party

2009-03-25T06:11:00.004+11:00

Saturday was an amazing day. I watched Rugby in the morning. Four Super 14 matches from Breakfast. I had moved into the house yesterday as the apartment was required by some Zulu guys down for the weekend. On talking to one of them he told me they were down for a function with their colleague. As I asked more about it I learned that it was a cleansing ceremony at Green Point for the memory of two family members who had died. It was a two cow ceremony reflecting two deaths. I was invited and checked whether this was serious and so made arrangements to go out.

We arrived at the Umsebenzi, which is like a memorial day for the deceased. The host was a Mr Shabalala who is at the guest house I am staying at. It was his uncle and cousin who died last year. The uncle of heart failure and the cousin of AIDS.
I met numerous brothers and sisters of the deceased brother some of whom were children of the father (it appears the father had a number of wives also). The host showed me to the rondavel where the cow slain two hours previously was laid out. This was apparently the uncle’s house now occupied by some other relatives.

The cow was laid out with its head prominent. It was explained to me that the whole beast will be eaten and then the men will eat the head last. I asked and was told the head represented the head of the family which is why only males can eat it. This whole afternoon was a party atmosphere. There was Zulu dancing by the women, singing and eating and lots of drinking. Women opened beer bottles with their teeth which just about made me pass out. Talking to three educated Zulu women who were teachers with gold fillings in their teeth I was horrified as one and later another opened a beer bottle with her teeth. As sun was setting a tent was being erected which was apparently for the church service which would start at 9pm. The guys I came with and some others kept checking if I was OK or comfortable and said they would arrange to escort me back to town. I replied each time I was fine and I was fascinated with everything. The women cooking on wood fires with massive pots, the kitchen preparations, the dancing, kids dancing to rock music and generally talking to people some of whom came from as far as Pretoria to provide support to the family. A meal was served soon after I arrived comprising beef, rice, beans, beetroot and some other things. Alcohol appeared in plentiful supply and one or two people clearly had more than their fill. There were two guys one of whom was a brother of the deceased who was clearly mentally ill. His family told me he smoked too much dukka. Another guy who also appeared mentally ill came up later in the evening with some dukka in his hand. It just grows freely. Clearly his brain had fried I told him and he needed less weed and more medication. By about 8pm my companions told me we were going. The road into this place was atrocious and I was not looking forward to getting out. I had a car full this time and we got out. The guy in the front spoke about how appreciative the family were of my attendance and talked a lot about Zulu culture, his and his friends inability to dance and understand some of the culture and that I would enjoy the annual dance festival in northern Zululand. I certainly got the message that it was a big thing to have a white person there and the family were honoured to have me as I was honoured to have been invited.

An ordinary week

2009-03-20T07:25:00.003+11:00

Wednesday 11/3 spent three hours with Thembi and TK discussing a change management plan for their Program. Helped them draft a letter for the Board to approve as well as the actual plan for them to present to tomorrow’s board meeting.

Thursday – email from Rosalie about an Australian student wanting to do a two week placement in a school in KZN. Left a voice message for this woman and a text message asking her to email. Spoke to Bongi who is interested in pursuing this so will visit there tomorrow. Car door handle is broken. To Al’s repairs just out of town. He will order a new handle and let me know when it is in. The car has been useful and an ideal asset for volunteer use.
Board meting went well. Monika is trying to instill financial discipline in staff and other Board members.

Friday to Intumbane. Discussed possible placement with Bongi and Clement the deputy principal. Bongi drafted a reply while I went for a walk around the school. The gardens have been planted out with winter veges. Bongi and kids were in there at 6am this morning doing this! Rest of the day a bit of a write off. I am tired and just wanted to go home and crash. Office was frantic after lunch. Lots of pressure. Spent time with JK to help him with ideas about fundraising overseas and using contacts he has. Contacted GGA as no response to email sent early in week about workshop next week.

God's Golden Acre (1)- Cato Ridge

2009-03-16T16:04:00.004+11:00

Monday 9/3 early departure for God’s Golden Acre at Cato Ridge. Picked up two guys who were headed to work in Durban with a 9am start. They had worked for the company as drivers for 30 and 22 years. Glad I picked them up as I would have been looking for Cato Ridge prior to PMB but in fact it was 30 kms past PMB and I got there with their directions.
Was met by Gwyn as I don’t think I was due till 9.30. Given the start of the tour. Debbie Young then arrived and completed the tour. Over 300 kids and families on sponsorship.
70+ kids in residence. Buildings are very comfortable even though they are institutional. Lots of programs. Debbie runs the YP programs and life skills etc. Long talk with her. Zulu Warriors tour is planned for July 2009. The theatre they have is an amazing building. Went with Charlie an English volunteer to the valley where we did three home visits. First to a house where a granny in her 90s was built a new concrete house. Her old rondavel still stood outside - unliveable but could have been repaired. Then to a house where a baby had been removed on Friday. The mother is skin and bones and death will be a release for her. HIV+ status diagnosed in September when pregnant. She told no one and the baby was born in November. She has been sick for a month and deteriorating. Despite her status she did not seek ARV treatment. This woman is clearly dying. How many more like her in this valley who will die painful and shabby deaths for the lack of basic transport and help to access services.
Then to lunch with Heather Reynolds, Charlie, Debbie and Gwyn and Patrick is Heather’s husband. Lunch developed into a long discussion about funding and Heather I sense stayed longer than she had planned. When I left before six I had been through the funding proposal with Debbie and Heather and had agreed to facilitate a workshop for her staff next week originally on funding but this turned into a business planning workshop.

A long drive home on roads where I have never seen so many trucks. Carol and others were still at dinner when I arrived at 8.15pm

A weekend in and around Bergville

2009-03-15T22:30:00.008+11:00

Weekend 6-9 March
So tired that I planned a quiet weekend around the cricket. Saturday seemed to fly and I dozed off and on all day. Dinner at John Green’s with the Bishop and Helga Holst Med Super of McCord’s Hospital Durban, sister Monika and Dr Bernard Gaede from Emmaus Hospital. Interesting discussion about the state of SA, failure of government services, political issues and violence in the political process. The Bish is political if nothing else and is seeking to push for accountability of elected officials and government services. Walked home. Bergville is dead quiet at night.

Sunday to Rookdale Catholic Church – all Zulu. No priest – whole service conducted by two women including communion. Then to Winterton Anglican where I caught the tail end of the service. I helped with the BBQ and had lots of people coming to speak to me. Cricket for the afternoon until three Zulu girls who I had videoed on my first Sunday arrived at my invitation to watch the videos. Took some more videos. Carol went through her CD collection so it was an afternoon of videos and music.

Philakahle Gardens

2009-03-14T00:01:00.005+11:00

Tuesday 10/3 was possibly the highlight of my trip so far. Went on six visits with Mamsey to families in the Green Point area who have or are establishing gardens. Took some vieo footage on my camera as I spoke to women who all are benefitting from the gardens. The first lady Sbongeli was amazing. She spoke about how the vegetables she grew helped maintain her immune system and although she had a patch she was extending it as she had a large fenced area. She also ran a little crèche for 24 kids whose families paid A$3.20 a month for five mornings a week. She certainly did not do it for the money. Each visit was a drop off of fencing material and it was clear rhe equipment was delivered in “intalments” commensurate With effort to date on preparation of the ground. A trench method is used to retain soil moisture due to the dry winters. Five more visits across unformed paddock tracks. Another memorable one was the 39 yo HIV+ woman looking after her deceased sister’s four kids and the yield she obtained from a small tomato patch with tomatoes that we would have yanked out as over their productive life. She was being helped to establish a large plot. These gardens were amazing and it is not until you see them, modest as they are and see the empowerment and difference they make in people’s lives before you can appreciate how powerful these are as a tool in maintaining people to lead purposeful lives.

The Bishop, the Trout, The Chickens and the Boys Choir

2009-03-12T07:30:00.002+11:00

Tuesday 3/3/09 The Bishop and I caught a trout each as John rowed the boat and we trawled. Quite exciting catching trout. Then BBQed them on the Weber before two massive steaks and Boerwors were put on. I went to bed at about 9.30 pm absolutely stuffed. Best sleep since I arrived in South Africa and up at six. Wednesday - A fish with John. A cold wind and overcast sky replaced the early morning sun, and I was glad I had long pants and a long sleeve sweater on as my hands were frozen on leaving the lake. However the fishing was good again. John caught two and I one with one that outsmarted me. As with the previous evening morning prayers using the Anglican Prayer Book. A new experience for me.
We got away by 11.30am and had a stop at a café on the way the off to an egg farm owned by a Zulu entrepreneur Seo Mtweta. Tour of the farm and his farm was interesting. From there a long drive to the Drakensberg Boys Choir School for the concert which was not my cup of tea but amazing to see a school like this in the middle of nowhere. Kids from all over Africa and I did enjoy the first half. We left to go to a prearranged evening meeting with the Bishop at The Cavern Resort in the northern Berg.

Sunday to Rookdale Catholic Church – all Zulu. No priest – whole service conducted by two women including communion. Then to Winterton Anglican where I caught the tail end of the service. I helped with the BBQ and had lots of people coming to speak to me. Cricket for the afternoon until three Zulu girls who I had videoed on my first Sunday arrived at my invitation to watch the videos. Took some more videos. Carol went through her CD collection so it was an afternoon of videos and music.

The Home Based Carers Workshop

2009-03-12T06:59:00.002+11:00

Thursday I was scheduled for a workshop I had offered to run for the executive of the HBC Association. 12 women, myself, Thembi and TK. Using the AAF workbook this turned out to be a great day with the women contributing a lot of ideas. This would be one of the most satisfying pieces of work I have ever done. The interpretation slowed everything down but I finished at 2.30 pm tired but satisfied. I was asked to return to finish the proposal with them and made that commitment.

No Millionairres in this slum _ Nyeri Kenya

2009-03-08T02:38:00.008+11:00

The slum visit was fairly confronting. As poor as the people in Ruarka are this was far worse as pictures will convey. People literally living on top of one another. The tin structures around Ruarka look palaial compared to this slum. The Nyeri Church provides support to orphans but has not yet developed an organised HIV program although it is clearly required from what I saw frm the people we visited

Kenya 6 in Text

2009-03-05T07:58:00.000+11:00

26/2/09
In Nyeri for the night having visited a slum at Nyeri which grew up around the Baptist Church. Spent today on the long route to Nyeri on 40kms of dirt as Bernard wanted to show me his vision of the valley where he was born. The most interesting part of the trip was calling in on his mother and sister who still reside in the house he grew up in. His 74 year old mother welcomed us and was concerned I did not take tea (Kenyans drink more tea than the British). Mango was also laid out which was delicious. An indigenous mango which had not been cross bred. Her house is a small house of two rooms with cooking facilities outside. The daughter had a room in a separate house where she lived with her two kids. She also had a kitchen. Bernards father was buried 10 metres away – a Gikuyu tradition since Christianity came to Kenya (prior to that bodies were placed outside before death and left for the hyenas). There was a chook cage with four chooks, a cow and plenty of fruit trees. Bernard was one of twelve – the eldest died in the Mau Mau rebellion when his mother was imprisoned for feeding the rebels. I got the Kenyan view on history today and Bernard’s view is that without the uprising in 1952 independence would not have come ten years later. There are ten other siblings. An older brother David also died. The rest are alive and support her and s.

The slum visit was fairly confronting. As poor as the people in Ruarka are this was far worse as pictures will convey (see separate photo blog). People literally living on top of one another. The tin structures around Ruarka look palaial compared to this slum. The Nyeri Church provides support to orphans but has not yet developed an organised HIV program although it is clearly required from what I saw frm the people we visited.

Booked into the Banana Leaf Motel. Service was atrocious, no hot water (should I have expected any) and clearly potential for a lot of work t be done in staff training. Staf were pleasant and it was not their fault. They need someone to organise the system. Dinner with Peter (Nyeri Pastor) and his wife and sone Jospeh. Tilapia not as good as that on Sunday.

Drive back to Nairobi nexy morning I dozed off and on not having slept well the previous night. Scenery ranged from stunning to signs of lots of erosion due to hills being deforested for cash crops and charcoal. Bernard stopped and bought a bag of manges which must have held 25 or so for $1.60.

Afternoon at office finalising proposal for AAF. Lots of people in and out for counselling and lots of volunteers around. The CFAP and OVC volunteers do their paperwork on Fridays. Esther showed me how they keep records on clients. Very impressive record keeping depite no computers.

Bernard’s daughter Shirley home for long weekend from school. Dinner that night had eight including Shirley and two others Juliette and Demaris another neice from Nyeri who wants to study in Australia. Bernard spent time checking courses on internet but fees a re prohibitive for study when the well paid Kenyans earn only $A500 monthly and course fees for international students are $A10000+.

Dinner was very pleasant and it was sad to leave this home. We left next morning at 5.30 for the airport. Hardly a car on the road but many people walking to work. Bernad explained that for a day labourer who may earn 200Kes a bus in was 30Kes and home 50Kes so people walked a lot.
The flight home was interesting. Sat next to a Malian optometrist who spoke French and next to him a Kenyan banker going to Joburg for business. Very interesting discussion about politics in Kenya. His wife is a lawyer doing work on human rights in Kenya.

Kenya 5 in Text

2009-03-05T07:54:00.000+11:00

I had discussed with Bernard spending Wednesday on his proposal as I wanted to ensure he had something to finalise which could go to AAF for consideration. Dropped at he church office at 9am. The construction work is amazing. Twenty guys on site moving tons of gravel and sand by hand and making concrete and scaffolding by hand. By afternoon all the support pylons had been hand poured.

The day essentially spent talking to Margaret and Jane about the OVC program and commencing the proposal. I also showed Bernard the Channels of Hope Program from KZN which he said is exactly what he is looking at doing. I spent the day essentially writing. I was amazed at how much I got through. Rose came by at lunch time to assist Jane with accounting. Rose is studying her CPA and is not far off finishing. It was interesting to observe Bernard interact with these people the last two days. Patient in his explanation of how things should be done, why this was required emphasising all the time the need for proper recording so others who may have to fill the breach understood from the books exactly what is happening. Bernard spends time in the office and I am not sure if they are prearranged appointment but he gets many people coming to see him for counselling. I got a proposal with three program objectives substantially drafted. Margaret and Sam assisted me with the activities and were keen to contribute their ideas. I hope I have not raised their expectations too much.

Dinner tonight turned out to be with Jesse and Paris who live just down the road from Bernard’s. I had called in Monday night to say hello briefly and felt it a bit rude leaving after a short time so said I would visit after work Wednesday. Lo and behold they had arranged with Mary and Bernard for us all to go for dinner. It was an interesting evening learning about their culture which is still strong. As middle class as this couple aspire to be (both are accountants) I heard they still went through the dowry system but it was cash not cows. They have two kids, Faith and Joy and Rose from the church is Paris’ cousin. One of the kids put a wedding video on from a wedding they had been to in November and it was interesting to observe that and talk about it. Judy and Maureen were also there. Maureen was surprised to hear we had mobile phones in Australia and assumed Kenya was the only country in the world to have acquired mobile phones.

Dinner at Paris nd Jesse's

2009-03-02T05:07:00.001+11:00

Picasa Web Albums - Eddie

2009-03-02T03:37:00.000+11:00

Picasa Web Albums - Eddie

Kenya (4) in Text and photos

2009-03-02T03:04:00.003+11:00

The last few days with Bernard have been spent discussing his ideas about support for children affected by HIV. My aim is to get a proposal drafted by Friday. As I watch the morning news a story about HIV in East Africa has a UN adviser suggesting that he biggest bang for the buck is male circumcision. In Kenya the rate of infection is 6.1% and studies are showing that circumcision appears to be the reason for less infection in Kenya than in Southern Africa. Bernard explained that circumcision is still traditional and boys at 13 to 14 are routinely circumcised in accord with tribal custom initiating boys into adulthood.

Thursday
I am up at 5.30 am having been unable to sleep since 3.30am. Even a chapter of Obama’s book was not enough to put me to sleep. The last few days have been interesting, challenging and satisfying.
Tuesday was spent with Pastor Sam Mwangi and Esther Wachira who work on the Care for AIDS Program. Presently they are visiting all 80 people in the program at their homes while the church building is built. Normally the participants attend Tuesdays or Thursdays where meetings are held at the church on HIV related issues and education and training as well as worship takes place. On the other days Sam and Esther visit the program participants at home to provide support including food support.
I visited two homes. The first had people from neighbouring houses and a meeting with five took place over about 1 ½ hours. At the end each participant was given a voucher for 150Kes at a local food store.
The next visit after a thirty minute walk was to a shanty house where a woman named Margaret lived. She looked as though she had lost a lot of weight. She has TB in addition to HIV and the other three ladies there are providing support and encouragement despite also being HIV+. Then I took both Sam and Esther to lunch while waiting for Bernard to collect me from the town called Banana. Esther is unpaid and does this ministry six days per week.

From there to the church where I spent the afternoon with Margaret whom I had met on Sunday. She co-ordinates the OVC program which is not exclusively HIV related. Koinonia has support for children from Romanian Baptists. There are currently 170 kids in the program which ranges to support in the way of food, education fees and uniforms, health and renatl support. The philosophy is to keep kids with any family in preference to them going to institutions. We walked from the church to 3-4 houses where people lived in rooms perhaps 10 feet square. Fred had six children and cared for them alone after his wife left him. He gets what day labour he can for half days so he can be home in time to prepare the evening meal. I met a number of women from Western Province for whom this life was preferable to their life there. After hearing of the cultic way people with HIV are treated there I can understand why these women have let their homes. Of the three one woman was married with a husband who was working.

Margaret is a qualified Social Worker who assists in the OVC program daily. Like many of Kenya’s graduates she is unable to get paid employment. We spent a long time talking about the program and its need for a co-ordinator so it can be extended. All children are visited monthly to monitor their progress.

We visited James on the way to dinner. He had eaten with us at Bernard’s place on Sunday night. He appeared then to be fairly sullen and uncommunicative. When we arrived however he had a big smile on his face and welcomed us into his room. The room is perhaps one of six in a long corrugated iron building (a big garden shed) divided into rooms of about 3m2. Inside were two double bunks, at the end of one was the cooking pot (charcoal) and a table James had made. There are four boys here ranging from 12 to 17 who are abandoned. Bernard had arranged the room for them and they basically care for themselves. James has an apprenticeship as a carpenter and should earn an income in a few months once he has learned sufficient. The other three boys are at school. All school fees, rent and food for these boys are covered by the OVC program otherwise they would be on the street. I could not get over the difference in James and how chatty he was.

Dinner that night was to a Chinese restaurant. I had invited the Kabarus and also Sam and his family to be my guests. Nine of us in a 4WD was manageable.The restaurant was in the Village Markets where we had stopped on Sunday for groceries. I had failed to appreciate for either family how special this night was. Sam’s three kids had never before seen a shopping centre (modest by Aussie standards) and to see the look on the faces of these kids (Patience 9, Dennis 5 and Joy 2) was unbelievable. Apart from Bernard none of the others had ever been to a Chinese restaurant. Bernard did the explaining of how it all worked. Some spring rolls to start and then three different rices, and three different main dishes including two sizzle plates. Ordered another sizzle plate of chicken. It was a pretty special evening especially to watch these kids in a restaurant and eating ice cream at the end.

Kenya (3) in Text and photos

2009-03-02T01:55:00.006+11:00

Monday We drove through a squalid village called Karanjee where people lived in huts which would not afford much protection against the winter cold. Someone stopped Bernard as we drove up one of the streets and it turned out they taught at a school set up for OVC that taught some of the children Bernard’s program supported. French money keeps this very modest school function. We visited Mary’s pre-school at Limuru which goes up to 5 years of age. These would be the best behaved kids in the world. Polite and courteous and studious even at three years of age. I was taken to each class and spoke to kids and various children from the OVC program were pointed out to me.

Lunch to Brackenhurst, a large guest house for up to 300 people set up by the Southern Baptists. After lunch to the Kenyan Baptist Theological College library. Bernard is the former principal and everyone we met greeted him warmly. Unable to access internet here so I went to Brackenhurst to do some research on AIDS in Kenya for the proposal. 40 minutes internet allowed time to download some recent information. From here back t the school to pick up four kids to take them home (see separate blog with photos titled Lucy Wanjiku).

Home, a race up the hill with Judy and Maureen (see separate blog Australian Hack outpaces two Kenyan sprinters half his age). We visited a couple who lived around the corner I had met the day before at church. Jesse and Paris are both accountants with two children. Paris had just prepared dinner for the girls and gave us some Mukimo (mashed potato, maize beans and greens). The girls ate all theirs but I barely dented mine. Both work 8am to 5pm. Jesse at a golf resort (owned by one of the politicians) and Paris for a property company (also owned by a politician). We stayed till about 7.30 pm returning for dinner which comprised mashed avocado, fried spinach (recipe in my head) and a casserole of maize and beans plus rice. Very tasty and one could become a vegetarian when eating like this.

Kenya (2) in Text

2009-02-28T23:51:00.000+11:00

Photos from previous post are reflected in this text

Sunday morning was church at Bernard’s church. Spent time in Bernard’s office which is a rented room next to the church land. This houses part of his library (I am sleeping with the rest).
Church service was very different from the Zulu church of last week. Clearly a lot more poor people with a number of committed professional people attend this church. This reflect’s Bernard’s priorities to reach the poor and vulnerable. The church relocatd it’s tin shed premises about 100m up the road two weeks ago in preparation for a new building. The slab had been laid the day before and friends in Sydney were financing the first stage of the construction. Land is 100x 50 feet so it will be a three story construction in time. A crew of people transferred chairs, lecterns, plastic flowers etc up the road ready for the service which commenced at 10am and had people arriving to gradually well this building to overflowing and kids doubled up on the plastic chairs.

The service went for three hours and under the tin roof it was very hot. Lots of singing, people coming out to share their story either in song or spoken word and Sam the assistant pastor speaking a number of times before Bernard came to bring the sermon which was in English (the rest of the service was in Swahili) and interpreted in Swahili.

After the service Bernard, Mary and I went for a drive to Limuru for lunch at a former colonial hotel which has seen better days. Lunch was amazing and the tilapia fish I had would rate as close to the best ever. A whole fish served with rice and vegetables for $6.

After lunch to the Rift Valley. We climbed to 8000 feet and the valley below was an amazing spectacle as from our height it dropped to a vast plain of over 300kms in no distance. On the way back we travelled via the school Mary operates at Limuru. There were a myriad of “private” schools from the time I left the airport. As Bernard explained the public education system cannot cope and has classes of over forty and poor outcomes. Many children attending cannot speak English which is the language of instruction and the official language with Swahili. Bernard’s programs target vulnerable children and support them by maintaining them at home while attending school and sometimes boarding school. They are able through his church to fund fees and other expenses for these children who otherwise may not be able to remain at home. By the time we drove home I had to ask if the clock in the car was right as 6pm had come and the day had flown.

Dinner was prepared by Judy. We were joined y Maureen, Bernard’s niece from Nyeri who came to visit for a week. Both girls are awaiting final high school results from November exams which will determine their futures. There were also two other guests for dinner, Juliette and Stephen, both teenagers Bernard had assisted. They live in rooms Bernard rented. Juliette operates a small vegetable stall not far from here. Stephen is studying a trade. Dinner was a beef and bean dish with rice and chippata which are like roti bread and vegetables.

Kenya (2) in photos

2009-02-28T23:09:00.005+11:00

Kenya (1)

2009-02-28T22:43:00.004+11:00

This was sunrise enroute to Joburg airport having left at 4am

21 February 2009

Arrived at Kentatta Airport about 4.15pm. This replaces Detroit Michigan (Easter 1998) as the worst airport in the world.. Arrivals and departures on the same level, lack of signage and although I was able to withdraw Ksh from the ATM when I purchased water from a store in duty free they did not have change and gave me $US after having to go and find change for my 1000 Ksh note (A$20). Then the process of getting through immigration took the best part of 1½ hours even though I was tenth in line and they did not accept Kenyan currency for the US$50 for the visa..

My host Bernard Kabaru must have just about given up on me as he was nowhere to be seen and me with no contact detail. We eventually found each other. The drive through Nairobi at 6pm Saturday was a shock. Nothing could have prepared me for how under developed this city is. Factory workers were walking home as we passed the industrial part of the city. Traffic jams on a Saturday afternoon as we inched through traffic to Bernard’s home in Ruaka in Central Province. Small businesses dotted the roads on both sides and Bernard pointed out that behind the façade were slums the likes of which I had not previously seen and which I would have an opportunity to see during the week here.

Bernard lives in a secure gated estate. By Australian standards it is extremely modest but as I was to learn the middle class are aspiring to these types of houses. Bernard’s house was entered via gates opened by the security man where every house has walls about four metres high. The walls in the estate are of granite as are the houses. Most like Bernard’s are rented. At his gate Bernard tooted the horn and the double gate was opened by his niece Judy and the car parked in the small front yard. Bernard had explained on the way to his home that Nairobi had only had an hour of water during the previous week so many people, he included had been out purchasing water. This is the dry season and the water supply for Nairobi is quite low and supply is inconsistent.

I met Bernard’s wife Mary. Judy is the niece of a brother and his wife who both died. My room was where his library is stored temporarily and was comfortable. Amazingly the water returned after my arrival which Bernard puts down to me coming!

A cold shower was manageable. It is hard to believe that being on the equator it was not warmer but we are 5,500 feet above sea level and that keeps temperatures down. I slept well even managing to return to sleep after the 3am call from the rooster.

Thusday 19 Feb

2009-02-27T02:42:00.001+11:00

Thursday – Another office day. However Broadreach were visiting for two days from Joburg and Thembi arranged a meeting with them. A separate report to the Board will be provided which will form part of the evaluation. A very good feedback on Philakahle’s effectiveness.

A guy named Marcus had some clothes to donate so went out with him and collected them from his home at Bethany. He told me he was the last surviving of five children. One died prior to his birth and the other three in their thirties. He was a fairly upbeat character who is clearly trying to improve his lot in life. He is hoping for work at Ladysmith. Lives with his mother who is disabled. Her social grant is their only income. He was interested in Australia and hoped to visit one day. Given most of the people in the programs I have met are women he was a standout. The clothes we collected had been there for some years and were the clothes of his deceased siblings.

The rest of Thursday was office stuff. The Board met at 3pm and I was invited to sit in. John Green thanked me for the photos sent to him about Zamimpillo. Board was interested in feedback on staff meeting. I have arranged to lead a planning workshop for staff and board members in March. Meeting arranged with Monika for an hour tomorrow. Thursday night for dinner had the French back so the Spaghetti Bol I had made last week was served up. I added some fresh rosemary and some more tomatoes to spin it out and the verdict was very positive from everyone. Definitely one of the best I have made. A Swedish PhD student Rebecca was staying for the first time.

Care for AIDS Team Ruaka Kenya

2009-02-25T15:42:00.001+11:00

We were dropped off at the first house 2 kms from Banana town
Some singing starts the meeting
Esther doing some admin with clients

The area we visited housed a number of people

Zamimpillo Training Centre

2009-02-21T19:39:00.001+11:00

Intimbane School Moayeni Valley

2009-02-21T19:37:00.000+11:00

Spion Kop

2009-02-18T16:16:00.003+11:00

Spion Kop

2009-02-18T16:16:00.002+11:00

Spion Kop

2009-02-18T16:14:00.002+11:00

Zulu Church Ladysmith

2009-02-18T16:12:00.003+11:00

Funeral of Masondo

2009-02-18T05:35:00.000+11:00

17/2/09

Saturday spent at funeral of Masondo. Six hundred on my count inside the church and outside. It was hot and I had to go out after about 21/2 hours due to the heat The cortege left about 1pm (started 9am) with a Zulu singing contingent leading the hearse down the road very slowly. People attending the funeral were dressed in uniforms. As explained to me the ladies at each church have their own uniform. Masondo was a minister with theo quals of the United Reformed Church of South Africa.

Afternoon spent just relaxing on the balcony and reading and dozing. Went to Bingelela resort on north side of town. Able to watch the Rugby (Sharks and Bulls). People are keen on their rugby. Got talking to various people. A couple working on the Ernie Els golf estate about 20kms away who are landscaping.. This is a development where small holiday homes start from R4M (or A$700,000). Another group were represented by a teacher who taught in a private school of 25 kids in the mountains. One of six teachers thet teach the kids of resort owners and workers. On guy from Joburg for weekend is a tour guide. Got some tips on Capetwon from him. Another guy a stone mason at the golf estate.

Sunday morning to Ladysmith for church. Only white person in congregation. All very friendly from the time I stepped out of my car. Very hospitable. The pastor remembered me from the funeral the week previously. As I anticipated music was fantastic. They had a band which enhanced the Zulu voices.

Lunch was a chicken burger. Then to Spion Kop where I spent over two hours which surprised me given how small the area was. Back about 4pm to find that a couple of detectives were in the unit for the night. They were from Joburg and investigating the armed robbery of tourists at a resort in the mountains. Apparently the tourists were held hostage for three hours and stripped of money, jewellery and passports. An interesting evening spent discussing Australia (they were very interested in what life was like), local politics and the election and lobola which is the dowry to be paid by the groom’s family.

Lobola

2009-02-18T05:33:00.000+11:00

Lobola
Earlier on Sunday 15/2 I had picked up a hitchhiker who told me he had to pay 11 cows for his girlfriend before he could marry her. Thus far he had paid for five and was struggling to get another six on R2000 (A$350) per month as a toll collector. He did not support lobola which is The young detective from Joburg had a different view. He also had to pay 11 cows but suggested by working hard it showed the family of the prospective bride he was worthy of her.. As I was to learn the next day however this is a means of keeping women enslaved.
Christine Mennell had a number of women she worked with at Isibani who were abused not only by their husbands but by inlaw who tended to view them as slave. One of the volunteers from Isibani proudly told me her lobola (paid to her family) was 11 cows because she was a virgin. Apparently girls are tested to confirm their status so prospective husbands get what they paid for. This is still strong amongst the Zulus but declining amongst other groups in SA.

Funeral Preparations in Zulu culture

2009-02-15T00:58:00.001+11:00

Funeral Preparations in Zulu Culture (2)

2009-02-15T00:53:00.002+11:00

End of week 2

2009-02-14T17:34:00.001+11:00

14 February 2009
The rest of the week has flown. No journal since Monday and here it is Saturday.

The French students stayed Monday might. John, a Congolese refugee was new and shared the apartment with me. It was an education about the history of the tribal and Belgium imperial politics of his country. Having fled in 2002 he has been fortunate in being able to undertake Post Graduate study while working in the hydrology area. The downpour the previous evening continued through the night eaning they were unable to get to the field site so they moved back to PMB and will return for a few days next week.

The rest of the week was focussed on reviewing documentation as part of my main task with AAF Australia. Wednesday was memorial service day. I have done a separate blog about this and posted photos as well as communicating to those overseas who knew Masondo. Thursday was meant to be a visit to Isibani but this was postponed the previous night as Christine had Health Dept officials visiting at short notice. “African time” is as I am learning very flexible. In the morning we learned at staff devotions of some family unhappiness about the memorial service and discussion about Masondo’s cause of death. While I focussed on my work lots of activity in the office. Nthombi the Finance Officer is the person all staff refer to for everything. It is amazing that she gets anything done. She also has the scanner attached to her PC which doubles as a copier. The new photocopier I had ordered arrived as we were going home. I had time to set it up. It will transform Nthombi’s life as well as the office functions (and make my task easier).

Dinner Thursday night had prickly pear as a desert. As I explained to Carol in NSW we have a Prickly Pear Commission charged with eradication of this cactus based weed. Here it is harvested and sold! Read a few chapters of Obama’s book. Reading it in the midst of being in South African culture and politics helps to understand some of the issues I am confronted with daily.

Friday morning is posted separately under funeral.

The rest of Friday was fairly chaotic. Masondo’s brother was in as he had been on Thursday and discussions were held with staff about assistance with the funeral. TK had prepared the order of service and was printing out twenty colour copies. The new copier came in handy to provide the black and white additional copies required. I had a meeting with Zosia the Canadian wanting some feedback on a proposal she had been working on. Quite an impressive document, well researched but needing some editing. I did comment that it was not only Australians of her age groupwho had difficulties with the English language and spelling.

John Green came by the office and had an English clergyman with him – Howard Worlsey who is Diocesan Director of Education for Southwell. An unexpected and serendipitous discussion. He has 70 schools in his diocese. I spoke to him about my leave and what I was doing here. He was on a flying visit but he was interested in the school to school partnership being established between St Peters Campbelltown and Intumbane and how that might work. I gave him details of School Trade. Who knows what may become of that discussion. I like the 4.30 office closure. Local staff have buses to catch (called taxis but really 15 seaters) and some live up to fifty kms away and then have up to 15 minutes walk to teir villages.

Friday afternoon was spent relaxing. Dinner tonight at the Bowling Club where a film about Hansie Cronje was to be shown and the choice was steak or tripe! This is unlike Australian Bowling Clubs. An old building told of the former glory of its membership. There are no pokies. Dinner was prepared by some of the women. Everyone knew each other – possibly forty people in all, mostly senior and retired citizens and all white. I spent some time talking to a guy who had Super 14s tickets for 21 March to watch Waratahs and Crusaders.. Divorced he is pursuing a relationship with a SA woman living in Sydney. His three adult children liv overseas and as I am learning that generation are doing so to pursue a career unavailable to them in SA and will never return. The white population has declined by 1 Million in the last five years.

A discussion with a farmer reveals he harvests 8 tonnes per hectare of prime hard wheat annually. Last harvest was 700 tonnes. In Oz we are struggling to get 2 tonnes/hectare. In addition he runs 800 Santa Gertrudis cattle and organised the SG International Conference in SA some years ago.

The overwhelming account from white South Africans is of the need for enhanced security with crime out of control and of a fear of the future. Zimbabwe’s economic decline looms large in the psyche of many whites. And yet many of these people are generous in spirit, donating to social support programs for the poor and expressing support for the economic uplift of black South Africans. Still they watch from the sidelines, the economic powerhouse as government services and infrastructure decline as their priorities are not the priorities of the current civil administration. Apartheid’s legacy affects all SAs in different ways.

I came away tonight conscious that I am living, walking and observing two worlds. The Zulus at Philakahle and elsewhere have accepted me as I clumsily try to learn a difficult language and try to understand their world. Tonight my white skin was a passport into the world of a diminishing minority, who shared some personal matters as well as their concerns with me. The question is how do these two worlds reconcile their differences? Perhaps our meeting with Masondo’s widow provides some clue.

The dinner of braised steak was delicious. Straight off the farm. I declined the tripe (politely)

Memorial Service for Sibingosene Masondo

2009-02-12T07:29:00.000+11:00

Thembi Ngcongo delivering the tribute to Masondo on behalf of Philakahle staff

Memorial Service of Sibingosene Masondo

2009-02-12T07:13:00.000+11:00

I was asked to join the Philakahle staff at the service who had written a song farewelling their colleague. So to all my friends who think I can't sing the Zulus made me sound pretty good

Home Based Carer Presentation

2009-02-11T00:26:00.000+11:00

35 Home Based Carers were presented with food parcels as an acknowledgment of their work as Home Based Carers on 10 February. The packages of food would last a month for an average family and consist of oil, rice, flour, sugar, samp (a maize), milly meal and beans.

Home Based Carer Presentation

2009-02-11T00:19:00.000+11:00

Thembi Ngcongo introducing Carol Irish at the Home Based Carers presentation

Naming of Ntshebe Ozols

2009-02-11T00:16:00.002+11:00

Today was a presentation to the Home Based Carers who provide support to people in communities affected or infected with HIV/AIDS.
There were 35 people of varying ages (1 male) who were provided with food parcels as acknowledgement of the work they do as Home Based Carers. I was asked to speak and acknowledged the important work done by these people on behalf of the African AIDS Foundation Board. The Home Based Carers liaise with the Community Support Team, provide education and information to people on Anti Retro Viral medication, provide feedback on support issues for families and liaise with other sections of Philakahle which provide support for gardens for people which maintain their health. In addition HBCs look after sick people and provide relevant referrals to Health Dept or the Philakahle CST. This work is funded by African AIDS Foundation Australia. The photo below was acknowledging me as the AAF representative and calling me by my Zulu name Ntshebe

Isibani

2009-02-10T15:52:00.000+11:00

Christine Mennell, an Australian who worked previously at Philakahle invited me for lunch. She is working at Isibani a project based at Winterton. There were a few changes to the original arrangents and eventually ended up going to a camp site near Spionkop where Sophie the driver of Isibani was spending the weekend. A beautiful campsite in the middle of nowhere along the river. Sophie (English born, Australian raised and SA by marriage) had Anne an English accountant taking time off to volunteer ther as well as Ros an English woman, married to a PhD student studying the role of traditional medicine in healing. Kids everywhere. I think Ros had two, Sophie must have three and there was a young (malnourished) orphan Sophie had staying as he was requesting an asthma puffer every two weeks. Her solution was to have him live with her to figure out what was happening. It was established he did not know how to use a puffer so a spacer was acquired and he had not had an asthma attack in a few weeks. As an orphan he did not get well cared for within his extended family. There are many kids like him so a care centre is planned to provide feeding for kids.

Sophie is a go getter. Isibani lives in a hall left in trust by a farmer for community purposes. She is negotiating a twent year lease from the NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed). She has a businessman contact who has acquired a full commercial kitchen from Joburg for free. She has had funds from Australia donated to build the clinic and associated buildings and needs to plan for ongoing recurrent funding. I am going to spend Thursday with them to look at assisting with a proposal for AAF to provide support. The Khetani area where they work has huge numbers of malnourished kids.

Potjie Koi

2009-02-10T03:32:00.000+11:00

Saturday evening from 5pm was spent at a Potjoie Koi run by the Dutch Church at the primary school. This was the end to an all day fete. I arrived as a group of men was modelling female attire which had the crowd in stitches especially as the pastor came out in various forms of dress. A serious discussion later with this man who came to speak to myself and Zosia and Michael and asked the question “what do you say to people back home about South Africa?” An interesting discussion about past history and the current legacy of apartheid and the white emigration from SA. There has been a net decline of 1 million whites as many have left in the last five years.

Sunday morning was an 8am service at the Anglican church. Small congregation as many away for various reasons. Female assistant minister took the service including communion. No restrictions in SA on women priests. I enjoyed the service and the minister in particular. Morning tea afterwards found me taking to the Zulu kids who were friendly and chatty. A couple of the girls wanted to sing for me and I enjoyed listening to them. I asked if the could teach me the SA National Anthem and got plenty of laughs as I struggled with the pronunciation of the indigenous words in the first two lines. My ambition is to master the anthem in my time here.

A Zulu Funeral

2009-02-09T23:37:00.000+11:00

After a walk from about 5.45am around town ( and observed the security that most houses have in town but will save for another post) and to the outskirts I had breakfast and then Sindy from World Vision arrived for a lift to the funeral. She has lived with Mam Dube for over 20 years and is like family. The drive to Ladysmith was scenic. Rolling green hills and fields of corn and Soy with cattle, dotted with Zulu villages and townships along the way. The numbers hitch hiking is testimony of the poor transport system.

We arrived at the funeral late after getting lost. The funeral service was held in the front yard of a house in a new estate on the edges of Ladysmith. A large marquee covered the back and front yards. The back was where the food preparation took place. Plastic chairs were supplied on both sides of the fence and the casket was at the front. About 150 people were in attendance and though late we were by no means the last to arrive as many who travelled from as far as Joburg joined us. At the front were a row of pastors from various churches, at least seven. An MC led the service and the program listed 24 people to speak.

Between each speaker, the MC spoke, telling jokes, praying, leading singing and then introducing the next speaker. Some spoke for 10-15 minutes and others for only a few minutes. There were no tears until the end when the female members of the family spoke and a group of about a dozen sang a song. I was later told there had been a service the previous evening and some of the speakers listed had spoken there. Sindy and I were seated in an uncovered area. I went to the car to retrieve my water bottle as it was hot (my right arm is sunburned as is my face). At midday there was a huddled discussion as time was running out. The program seemed to stop suddenly as chairs from one side were moved and people went to the back. An announcement was made about a collection being taken for the family and people were invited to the cemetery. All in all three hours service at the home.

At the cemetery there were three marquees set up for three burials to take place, ours being the first. Lots of singing which was fantastic again. I was next to a woman I had sat near at the house who had a fantastic voice and led much of the singing here. A small homily from a pastor, more singing and the coffin was lowered into the grave and a number of poles (about twelve) were placed in and over the coffin, followed by a woven floor mat before the earth was shovelled in and gravediggers stamping the earth with their feet. I wandered off as this was surely going to take a while and wandered around the graves. Overwhelmingly those buried in recent years were in their twenties and early thirties. The occasional person in their fifties to seventies. A whole generation wiped out by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

I was called back by Sindy as people left to return to the house. A ceremonial handwashing as people filed in to be handed a food box with meat, rice, vegetables and plastic cutlery. I was asked to sit at the head table where we were served on plates. One of the pastors had come from Joburg. His relationship to the deceased was a family member was in his congregation. I wandered out the back to see a full mobile kitchen with the biggest cook pot I have seen. On opening the lid the Sotho woman invited me to jump in. I reminded her those days were over and she laughed. However it was the main cooking pot, still loaded with meat. Other pots not as large did the rice and veges. I was introduced to Mam Dube’s children and some of her grandchildren. They have done well as a nurse, social worker and uni students.

As people left they were given food boxes. There was still lots left over. Traditional Zulu custom requires the deceased’s family to accommodate and feed people coming to pay their respects. Dying is an expensive business for the living. I was thanked many times by family members for coming. It was a useful insight into how death and grieving happen in Zulu culture as well as the huge cost. I was told that families go into debt to ensure they follow custom in dealing with the death of a family member. The whole process today was six hours in total. This was additional to a service the previous evening.

The end of week 1

2009-02-07T16:18:00.000+11:00

Saturday, 7 February 2009
Yesterday was an office day. I decided to start on the OADGS application which is the prime project I have to complete while I am here. After a week I have collected a lot of information from Philakahle about projects and the AAF funding over the last four or five years.

Before I started this however the daily staff devotions had a video done for Canada which featured Sibongesini who died. So staff were able to view this in the context of his death earlier this week and it gave me an indication of who he was. Then to the bank to get some cash to pay for my accommodation. I can’t remember the last time I queued for an hour only to be told I could not use my debit card to withdraw cash over the counter. This was after the staff had phoned Joburg. Went to the ATM and had to make three withdrawals (each incurs a fee with my bank) as the maximum withdrawal is R2000 to get the required amount.

The rest of the day was in the office poring over documents, and starting to type up the 2009 application between answering the phone as staff were involved in a series of meetings. Home at 4.30pm. Saw Thembi who works on the CST down town and spoke to her about her weekend. Spoke to my friend Trevor Smith who is still in Joburg. He was asking lots of questions about my impressions after a week and about Bergville. Dinner tonight was with Michael (an Aussie) and his wife Zosia (a Canadian) who will have been here six months when they leave in April.

The weekend is full – a funeral Saturday morning of Mam Dube’s (she is a Philakahle Board member) niece. A poikie ( check spelling) which is an Afrikaaners cook off from what I understand and a charity fundraiser.

Dancing with Mosqitos

2009-02-07T03:04:00.000+11:00

Thursday 5 Feb I got to the office for the daily staff meeting and devotions. I was asked to lead and discussed Eph 4:1-3 in the context of unity especially at a time of grief and encouraged each person to be understanding of each other as we process grief differently. Word has come that the funeral has now been moved back a week which means another week as people get on with their work whilst also anticipating the funeral which is apparently going to be very big.

I spoke to Linda (my wife) this morning and then had to ring my bank. My card is going to expire at the end of Feb and I need to have a new debit card by then. Helped Carol with some admin around the newsletter and getting it out as well setting her gmail account up with addresses and address lists. The morning flew. Phum arranged for me to drive her to Escort after we visited Mam Dube’s as she flies out in the morning to return to College in Capetown. Christine Mennell rang to set up a time to visit her project at Isibani near Winterton. She is seeking AAF funding for it. Arranged the visit for next Thursday. Mam Dube was not home so Phum undertook to talk to her about my changed accomm plans and speak to me tonight.

After dropping Phum at Escort and ensuring she got a lift ( she knows all the tricks) I stopped at a truck selling avocados and bought a bag of 15 avocados for R20 (about A$3) which is equivalent to buying two avos in Oz.

Reviewed a large file of funding proposals in the afternoon. The info required for my project is all there. Son Ashley rang from New York and had a chat with him as distorted as it was at my end. The global financial crisis has slowed down work but he remains confident. I like the idea of closing the office at 4.30pm. Perhaps we should review our flexible arrangements in Australia. Prepared a calendar for my time here so I have some sense of what I am doing and when.

I was able to take the file home and review it together with some Post It notes Carol gave me while sitting on the verandah of my unit, under a tree drinking a coke and eating some crisps. Dinner tonight had an additional person Nono at the table. She is a Zulu woman working for Univ of KZN as a field worker on agricultural projects in the area. She had two farmers’ meetings today. Lives during the week in PMB and returns home weekends. Sylvan was sick tonight but managed to wolf down a big meal. I suggested it was a fever (starve a cold –feed a fever). The French are coping and not afraid to ask questions about my English. Seraphine had asked me when I was responded “I am not too bad” if this was a good thing?

Asleep at ten despite intentions of reading a chapter of Obama. Awake at 1am having had the Bergville mosqitos annual ball on my body. Slept the rest of the night with a mosquito coil which I have not seen since campingdays.

Understanding Death

2009-02-05T03:03:00.003+11:00

A grieving Phum is comforted by Zoisa from Canada

To say today has been a big day would be an understatement.
My third day here and a third death of someone directly related to the organisations working here. Mam Dube’s niece was mentioned yesterday, Sindy who works for World Vision has a funeral Thursday for a family member. On arriving at the office this morning I was greeted by Carol and John both distressed and with tears who advised me of the death of Sibingosini who had started with Philakahle in 2004 in the Channels of Hope Program.
A convoy of staff and pastors of local churches went to his father’s house. I was able to join for what is the traditional Zulu grieving process. About 25 people were seated in the small living area of this Zulu house. Joseph from Philakahle commenced by introducing John Green the Board member who is an Anglican minister. John spoke first to the family identifying with their loss as well as the huge shock of grief felt by all at Philakahle and World Vision. Then followed a series of people speaking of what he meant to them – at leasy a dozen people, work colleagues, pastors from the local churches with whom he networked and finally his brother speaking on behalf of the family. In between speakers there were songs led by Joseph. To hear Zulu women sing is an unbelievable experience and very moving. As I was to learn during the day this was the first of many such events and Phila was organising to buy food to feed guests who will come to sleep. The funeral won’t happen till the following weekend so it is a long mourning period.

There was an association of Home Based Carers (HBC)being established in the hall. This brought a conversation by the GP who was concerned about an event being planned to recognise HBC next week which might cause some divisions as other carers joining this association are from different networks. The suggestion was to allow the carers themselves to suggest how to deal with the issue.This resulted in a meeting I attended later in the day.with the committee of the HBC Association who discussed the issue. In the end it was decided to leave the event next week as is. They have however accepted an offer to assist them is seeking funding which I will try to do over the next few weeks.

People in and out of the office all afternoon. Many in tears and upset at the death of someone who was very much loved by all.

I also had Bongekile from the school that will be partnering up with a school in the Macarthur area (St Peters). I advised her of the interest St Peters has in forming a relationship with her school and gave her the letter from the Principal of St Peters. I have indicated I will arrange to visit next week. Bongekile is a member of the Phila Board and speaks exceptionally good English.

I have been here three days and am wondering about all the work to be done. Apart from the week in Kenya there is visits to other agencies AAF supports near Durban.

The weather today was in the low 20’s and very pleasant. I am not as tired as earlier this week.

First two days

2009-02-04T22:20:00.002+11:00

The Drakensberg from Cathedral Peak Hotel Overlooking Cathedral Peak

Breakfast with Phum my first morning

4/02/2009 6:29 AM

The last two days have flown. The heat is tiring and draining and I had opened the PC at 10.30 last night and then went to bed.

Monday started with breakfast with Phum at 7.30. Catching up on the year since she went back to SA and College to study. We discussed who various people are in Philakahle and then she took me to Philakahle and commenced introductions. The office is a large Zulu rondavel divided into offices housing a number of projects. World Vision rent space for a number of their projects. World Vision are based across the road and I was introduced to various staff there. V has quite an infrastructure. Met an Australian guy Micheal married o Ziosa (pronounced Zarsha) who are volunteering with WV. He is doing IT training and I was impressed with the computer training room when I visited to see half a dozen Zulus learning various MS Office programs.

Phum then took me to Cathedral Peak for lunch. Rang Linda from there to advise the hotel there is fully booked at Easter. Phum spoke to Linda as well.

On the way back called in to see Mam Dube with whom plans had been made for me to stay. The access track had been affected by heavy rain in the previous week. How we got down and out again was a miracle. She had lost a niece a few days earlier and was grieving. It was agreed I would not come till next week. However after some thought and discussion later that evening my accommodation plans changed and I decided to remain at Anthony’s B&B where I had stayed Sunday night.

Dinner at the B&B was an international affair. Carol Irish who operates the business is widowed, having moved to Bergville with husband Anthony who has since died. It is a comfortable house and serves a hot breakfast daily and dinner each evening. At dinner Monday were two French post grad students based at Uni of KZN Pietermaritzberg. Seraphine is a PhD in eco hydrology and he is a Masters in soils. Phum was with us for dinner as was Carol who by day is assisting at the Philakahle office as manager while a new manager is located.
Tuesday was up for brekkie at 7am. Was about to leave when Phum phoned to tell me Vusi was coming over to change the reg plates on the car. Apparently this occurs when ownership changes. I have use of this vehicle for my stay in Bergville and will allow me freedom to move around.
Took all my files to the office, met Carol and Ntombfuthi who is the Finance Officer for Phila. I am sharing the office with them.
An executive meeting from 10am concluded at 1pm. Discussed the organisational structure and projects and future plans. Will be writing up some position descriptions and project plans as well as reviewing previous project information for the main purpose of my visit which is to seek tax deductibility for AAF. Ntombi and I walked to town during the lunch break. As I was later to learn whites avoid town and I was the only white during our time there. She had to go to the Post Office which had a queue 50 deep outside waiting to enter. Lucky she only wanted to get the mail. Then to the bank where she appeared back in no time. Again when I poked my head in there were about 80 people seated waiting to be served (at least seats were provided as it looked like a day out for people in there). We went to a clothing store where she was looking at school uniforms for a niece. This store was just like the store my mother went to when I was young with boxes in the wall which had the various stock items. It appeared to specialise in school uniforms of which there were many (kids cannot attend school without the appropriate uniform).From there to the Spar supermarket where I bought more water. I also bough from a roadside stall BBQed corn which Ndombi ate as well as we walked back to the office. She called in to see the local GP about a staff member who was hospitalised. The walk back to the office took us past two mortuaries and funeral directors. A third was further up the street and as I learned later at dinner there are 8-10 mortuaries in town as the rituals surrounding death take ten days to complete before the burial.

The afternoon was spent poring over records for the work am doing. Zoisa came down looking for Carol and invited me to dinner some time. She and Michael have been here since October and have a flat in town.

The office closes at 4.30pm so I had to ensure I was ready to leave then. Ndombi was very helpful during the afternoon. There is no photocopier so she had to scan everything to copy which was a disruption to her.

Sat outside reading my Obama book between dozes. The heat is tiring. The French guys arrived. Seraphine sat at the other end of the pool going through grasses collected today. Her research has to do with the effect of cow dung on soils, erosion and dung beetles and their impact on the growth of the grass. An interesting discussion but science is not my forte.

Dinner agin with the same group including Phum who came over again. An enjoyable evening discussing all sorts of issues including death rituals of the Zulus. I am off to the funeral on Saturday of Mam Dube’s niece. My accommodation arrangements were finalised and I will be in Carol’s flat which was vacated today by the visiting police. A good night’s sleep with a fan and without a sheet. It would not get below 20 at night.

The drive to Bergville

2009-02-02T15:27:00.002+11:00

Jill and John Green

2/02/2009 5:14 AM
To Durban with Kulula Air who offered “free oxygen” from the masks that came down and suggested that adults fix their own masks before attending to children and “hooligans who act like children.” On leaving we were reminded to make sure we took all our possessions as anything left would “be shared equally between the cabin crew,” and if you are leaving something “make sure it is nice.” A pleasant flight and a great sense of humour. I slept for most of it.

Met at Durban by John and Jill Green.
John is the Anglican Minister at Bergville and a member of Philakahle board. Jill is principal od the primary school which has 65 boarders. A pleasant three hour drive to Bergville. The land is beautifully green, punctuated with hills, grazing and pastures, cornfield, Australian native trees and water. Two dams were over spillways they have had so much rain recently. Through fog for twenty minutes, observed a beautiful sunset behind the Drakensburg ranges which looked spectacular. A history lesson on Africa, its politics, apartheid and its legacy, Anglican church history and discussions about the work in and around Bergville. I dozed a few times – the legacy of waking at 3am the last two mornings (which is actually 6am Sydney time when I get up anyway).

We stopped for dinner at a restaurant Thokozisa near Winterton. Outdoors under thatched covering. John likes a red wine which accompanied my African spiced chicken breasts with veg. A great introduction to my time at Bergville.

John has lined me up for a board meeting Tuesday and a night away “Fish with the Bish.” Bishop of Natal will be in town early March and a men’s group are heading away for a night. I was dropped off at a B&B run by Carol who is currently temporary administrator at Philakahe. A brief intro and discussion before heading to bed and crashing. Sadly awake at 3.50 am and unable to sleep again but an improvement on my two previous nights. Beakfast wth Phum in the morning.

Hillbrow Church and Care Centre

2009-02-02T14:50:00.010+11:00

Ans in grandmotherly pose!

The young girls dorm - six to a room

The young girls section at the Care Centre

The music team - Michelle in the long dress is a Zimbabwean studying at Uni. The girl next to her lives at the Care Centre

Michelle came to help lead singing at the homeless service

The homeless men's service and lunch. Note how young many of these guys are.

The Zulu songs were fantastic

1/02/2009 2:39 PM

At ORT for the flight to Durban
Today has been a fairly interesting day – of contrasts in some ways. The Hillbrow Church service was fairly inspiring. The musicians were fantastic and it would be hard to go past the three females who sang. Nothing like African music. A number of the songs were sung in Zulu and one didn’t need to be fluent in Zulu to be uplifted by the songs. Apart from Ans I was the only white in a congregation of about 200 people, clapping, swaying and singing rhythmically. There are numerous African countries represented in the congregation. I counted off at least a dozen – Cameroon, Malawi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Botswana and others plus different SA language groups although it would seem Zulu appears the dominant language and the ones that others from different countries learn.

Afterwards attended the homeless service in the hall. Fairly confronting talking to guys who for the loss of a job in less than three months found themselves on the street. One or two were fairly upbeat, others had had jobs which they had lost and very few that I could see were long term homeless people. Most were fairly young and there were only a handful over thirty. One guy Muzi had HIV and had just started on ARVs three weeks ago. He was wanting to set up a support group as he was in contact with guys who are sick and refusing to be tested and he knows the outcome for them. Lunch was nutritious and plentiful and for many of these guys the only hot meal between Sundays.

Then off to the Care Centre which is an annexe of the church. 47 kidd and teenagers living in an old hotel. The younger kids in rooms of six with a carer full time in a room off to the side who cares for them six days a week. Off the carers’ room was a kitchen. The younger girls were having lunch when I arrived. Talk about cute. An orphanage by any other name I wondered if there was any alternative to this form of care until I was told about one of the churches that had set up a large mail box to receive children no longer wanted or able to be cared for. This was a response to the eight month old child found in a rubbish bin. Whilst I saw poverty close up today Ans reminded me that the poverty in KZN is far worse. The problems appear insurmountable.

Leonard on Keyboard is youth pastor. He is from Malawi

Members of the Zionist Churches wear distinctive uniforms of many colours.

Johannesburg and Soweto

2009-02-01T07:55:00.019+11:00

My first full day was spent with my friend Ans who works at the Hillbrow Anglican Church. After breakfast at Kensington apartments where I stayed and a brief walk around the area we cspent the day visiting Soweto, the CArlton Centre to look at Joburg from the tallest city building and then went to a flat owned by a blind woman who accompanied us today.
Ans and I ended the day at an amazing restaurant set up in Zulu style. I was falling asleep as she drove me home at 8.30pm - jet lag is kicking in. Sunday morning I am goig to church at Hillbrow where I ahve been asked to speak athe homeless persons' service as well as being interviewed in the main service.
Sunday afternoon is off to Durban where I will be collected and driven the two hours to Bergville. A guest house tonight before setting up Monday in a Zulu village.

They even had face painting for adults

Our beautiful waitress Senzile "Ptience" Dube

Tradional Zulu custom before eating

The restaurant was huge and literally had hundreds of tables inside and out following the lake and the park. We seated ourselves outside with views of the lake.

Moyo Restaurant is Zulu and these waitresses are dressed in Zulu dress.

It was amazing watching this mother tie her child on to her back.

Moyo Restaurant where we had dinner

Zoo Lake - an oasis in the middle of Joburg.

The view from Ans' apartment - Hillbrow is where the large tower stands.

Lots of construction sites

From the "Top of Africa" viewing deck CArlton Centre Joburg 51 stories high

A suburban shopping centre in Joburg

Sowto is getting one of the six stadia being built for 2010 World Cup

The mining industry is what brought the blacks to Joburg and drove the townships establishments

Hills in the background are from the waste of the mining industry

More commerce

Moving bricks - lots of building going on in Soweto

A shop of some description

There was lots of green in Soweto

One road in and out of Soweto - Just like in the apartheid days.

Images of Soweto

Outside the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Soweto where there are hundreds of churches to serve the four million people living there.

Just down the road is Desmond Tutu's house. Soweto is the only address which has two Nobel Laureates living in the same street. Despite the security Soweto appeared much safer to me than Joburg.

Mandela's house in Soweto was closed for renovation. It is classified as a cultural siteof significance. He lived her prior to his imprisonment and wife Winnie owns it

My friend Ans who showed me around today, Zarina and her cousin Rafiz

The towers symbolise Soweto

I was accompanied today by Zarina Khan, a blind friend of Ans who naviagates in motor rallies, ridesa tandem bike and has held down a full time job for over twenty years. She has also been overseas a few times. She equatd disability with wheelchair.

Addressing the HIV AIDS issue

Hector Pieterson was the twelve year old boy who was the first shot in the Soweto protests against introduction of Afrikaans language into schools in 1976. He was the symbol of resisatnce to apartheid which saw 600 killed - many school students included. The end of the line is where he was shot

This beautiful Sotho woman explained it took her and a friend four days to do her hair. She operated the Shack cofee shop nextto the museum. She grew up in Soweto she told us

Images of Soweto

Traders outside the Hector Pieterson museum Soweto

Some are more creative asthetically in keeping unwanted people out. On my walk this morning I saw at least half a dozen houses with gardners and maids arriving to start work. Gardens are immaculately maintained.

Security is everywhere in Joburg. The pet food industry must be profitale from all the dogs I saw this morning. BIG!

In any other city the houses in this street would be worth millions of A$ but I was told by my host at the apartments a half acre parlike block with a house of mansion size would be worth as little as $A300K less than ten minutes fro the city

High walls are common topped with electic wiring
A 5 minute walk from my accommodation revealed a prosperous middle class area. This si still predominantlt white.

Kensington cottages in Joburg - $A55 a night. Quite adequate and comfortable.

Dinner with Trevor Smith

2009-01-31T15:48:00.005+11:00

Trevor and Gail's SA house

Trevor - A prisoner in his own home. Note the strength of these steel doors

Boerewors and chops for dinner. It was pleasant sitting around while this cooked just having a chat and getting the views from Trevor on SA.

Dr T Smith Master Chef

31/01/2009 3:37 AM
My body clock is still adjusting to the time lag. I guess the sleep on the plane may have not helped.
Joburg airport did not have the feel of busyness that Sydney does. No documentation required to be filled out at all. So cleared immigration and customs in ten minutes. However on reflection the arrivals hall was much bigger than Sydney and upstairs where the shops were was very spacious. There were many people but not Sydney Airports crush feeling.
Got a Sim Card for the phone and one for the laptop modem I was loaned last weeks (thanks Jennifer). Lulu at the Vodafone shop was very helful. Picked up by Peter from Kensington Cottages and driven to my lodgings for the next two nights. Phoned Scott on the way to make connections with his dad Trevor who had to leave unexpectedly last weekend to see his mother.

Security is the predominant impression as we turned off the highway through the suburbs. Peter explained people sign up to have security guards employed 24/7 to patrol a stretch. High fences topped with electric wires and signs on many fences warning of familiar companies (Chubb and ADT) providing armed responses. Security guards with small guard houses in suburban streets staffed with men with guns. Signs warning “Criminals Keep Out.”

The apartment is spacious and adequate. Peter made a thermos of brewed coffee and offered to drive me for dinner to nearby restaurants. Phoned Ans about Saturday’s arrangments for SOWETO. Phoned Phumzele Ndlovu who was more excited about me being here than I was. First night at Bergville will be with Carol Irish and Phum will have breakfast with me Monday.

Trevor rang and I went to his house for a BBQ. Scott picked me up. The irony of this meeting was Trevor suggesting less than a month ago that he should be coming to SA with me. Anyway big hugs and handshakes (my daughters have nicknamed Trevor Bernie Mac from the TV series). Met Trevor’s daughter Simone and her boyfriend Justin. As we walked through the house saw family photos of years ago. Lesley Anne and Philipa were easily identifiable from their individual photos. A 25 year old photo of Trevor and Gail at his graduation reveals how little Gail has changed.

Trevor had the BBQ going (charcoal) and was preparing the Boerewors (spiced Afrikaan sausage) and chops. The kids all left and we spent some hours eating and drinking as Trevor reflected on life in modern day SA. His house is like so many – a prison in which people lock themselves away from the society which threatens them. An electric gate opens to let one into the house. The front door is steel fabricated grilles leading to an entry room. Every window is barred with the same sort of grills to keep intruders out. An electric fence, internal steel security doors and the sleeping zone fenced off by security doors at night when people are sleeping so if someone does get into the “living” areas they have to break into the sleeping zone. Of course the boom gate to get into the estate, attended by 24 hour security is the first line of prevention and the dogs the last line before actual entry to the house completes the rather sad picture. Despite all this the house was broken into in broad daylight less than a month ago. So of course Trevor worries about his two kids here. This is how most people living in any sort of reasonable housing in Joburg must live. So while freedom came with the end of apartheid, Trevor and many like him have traded political freedoms for a sort of security and economic apartheid.

Trevor and I

Trevor and Gail? No scott and Simone are dead ringers for their parents

Simone, me, Trevor and Scott in Observatory

Trevor drove me back to Kensington. He sought directions from police on patrol who guided us to the road we needed to go to. Very impressive. While the streets were beautiful to drive along so late at night the constant concern about the dangers was reflected in virtually no activity and few cars on the roads. To bed around midnight.

On Board South African Airways with the friendliest cabin crew in the world

2009-01-31T15:02:00.003+11:00

30/1/09 15.30 SA time
You will be pleased to know I am up to page 65 of Obama’s book. No more commentary other than to say he really is easy to read and the story is fascinating
About an hour from landing in Joburg. The SAA flight has been excellent. Probably the most colourful flight attendants of any airline I have flown with. Beautiful smiles and personalities together with the five colour scarves the females wore.. Most attendants were male including a very cheerful Zulu for whom nothing was a problem. Listened to music mainly and got to hear four African voices – Miriam Makeba, Siphokazi (fantastic), Ashanti and Angelique Kidjo from Benin who makes the French language sound worth learning.
The captain has just announced we are crossing the coastline above Richards Bay and given us the time in SA which is above. I have just changed my laptop time so I am running on local time. SA is nine hours behind Sydney
Great four hour sleep and I guess I listened to Siphokazi throughout.
No real feelings other than of anticipation. I remember my first time in Europe and the feelings that came flooding through as I approached Riga airport – landing on the soil of my father’s homeland for the first time. This is an adventure that I am looking forward to. Less than thrity minutes and we will be on the ground.

Just prior to landing the friendly and happy flight attendants agreed to a photo. The Zulu guy was going thru a rubbish bin of paper towels discarded from the bathrooms as a woman was desperately searching for a ring she had lost. Not too many airlines where that sort of service would happen.

Departure from Australia

2009-01-31T14:59:00.002+11:00

30/1/09 10.30 am.
I am enroute to Perth,with Qantas, having had breakfast, read the SMH and commenced reading Barack Obama’s book. Having read the preface and the first paragraph of the intro I have thought about his words thus far and reflected it will be a long read if I think too much after each para.

So yesterday at this very time I was sitting at work in a room full of colleagues discussing the regional business plan. We spent a long time discussing the CALD and Aboriginal parts of the Regional Plan – areas I am leading with a colleague.

“….as well as America’s hunger for any optimistic sign from the racial front – a morsel of proof that, after all, some progress has been made.” (Commenting on the interest of publishers following his election as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review).

Powerful words so true of Australia as well.. Our relations with Indigenous Australians has always been on our terms. Mick Dodson’s comments on Australia Day caused a mild degree of controversy and two letters into days SMH certainly put the Aboriginal perspective in context responding to a critic of Dodson’s earlier this week.

So in our business planning meeting we were challenged about this. Government services for over 200 years have failed to understand the history and context of Indigenous aspirations and perspectives. Can we do it now? It seems we have some genuine commitment at the top – a 5% employment target. Ambitious yes. Times seem to have changed and there seems to be some real political will to put the years of rhetoric into a reality that might bring some justice.

”She travelled the world, working in distant villages of Africa, helping women buy a sewing machine, or a milk cow or an education that might give them a foothold in the world’s economy.” (Commenting on his deceased mother)

I am about to do something similar. Not for ten years but as apart of a holiday. For me it is about having a break from work and doing something hopefully useful and helpful rather than living as a tourist photographing buildings and places that I will never look at again. I expect I will get more out of the experience than I contribute. I will be immersed in a different culture, get to learn a bit of history and meet many interesting people. Hopefully my main objective with AAF will be accomplished along the way.

Back to the book (hopefully for more than one paragraph.

Day of departure

2009-01-30T00:02:00.001+11:00

High dramas last night with a car that did not start, late dinner as a result.
Leaving 8.10 Friday 30 January. Arrive J'Burg 5pm Friday.

All packed and ready to go (well almost)

2009-01-29T05:58:00.002+11:00

Less than 24 hours to go before the trip tto the airport starts.
Flat out at work this week. Hopefully will get it all done today.
Only literally have to drop in the toilet bag in my bag and zip it up and am ready to go.
Dinner with family tonight and then off in the morning.
Learned yestrday that my friend Trevor flew to J'Burg on Sunday to see his mum who is not in great health so a faint possibility of catching up with him Friday.

The final weekend

2009-01-25T08:29:00.004+11:00

As I went for a walk yesterday morning the sunrise with its tinges of red had me wondering about the African sunrises and sunsets. The images I have seen to date suggest that African colours are much brigher than here in Australia.

Saturday was a busy day. It is a long weekend here and so many things to finalise. Breakfast at Bowral with friends wanting to catch up prior to my departure. We at the the Elephant Boy Cafe where I had the best breakfast I have had in years not only food but atmosphere was good. Left Bowral to head to Kiama at 11.30am. Temp was 27"C and by the time we got to Kiama it was 39'C one hour later. Spent time with Linda's parents, showed them some clips from the African Aids Foundation Video which they found interesting. From there to an engagement party in 40'C heat at Albion Park.

Home at 56.30 and alll the good intenets to pack dissipated as I relaxed and slept off the day.

Today must get packed and sorted. WOn't have time this week.

Tomorrow is breakfast wth friends at Turramurra and afternoon tea with neighbours. My work week is a write off and people asking for meetings are getting after five invites. Tuesday is dinner with staff and Thursday will be a family meal out and Friday is departure time 8.10am. Lucky I ave a domestic flight to Perth otherwise it would be 5am at the airport.

Into the Last Week

2009-01-22T05:55:00.004+11:00

Have booked my flight to Kenya for a week from 21-28 Febrary. Itinerary with Bernard looks full including visit to Nyeri wich is his tribal homeland at thebase of Mt Kenya the second tallest mountain on the continent and in Kenya (Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania).

Have added tot he reading list while away. Bought this book in Berlin in 2006 after visiting Auschwitz. Weisel survived, his father did not. A very powerful reminder of what happens when injustice is allowed to go unchecked.

It will be a busy week. Need to prepare for a handowver at work and finalise packing. Will have to take a larger case - the backpack was not big enough for files nd papers etc.

The packing has begun

2009-01-17T17:04:00.004+11:00

A christmas gift from my daughter. It is appropriate to be reading this book in Africa on the man who holds so much hope for the world.

After the Christmas story the Sermon on the Mount is the best known and often misused aspect of Jesus' life.

I did an assignment some years ago on the "Stanford Prison Experiment." Zimbardo has written a book in hindsight on an experiment that would not pass an Ethics Committee today and refelcts on how what he learned informed the Abu Ghraib abuses in Iraq and how good people can become evil through the failure of systems.