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

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.

1. 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.



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



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



4. 2 & 3 are major factors in the transmission of HIV and the fact that women have higher infection rates than men.



5. 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.



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



7. 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.



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



9. 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.



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



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



12. 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.



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



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



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



16. 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.



17. 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.



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



19. 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.



20. 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).



21. 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.



22. 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.



23. 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



24. 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.


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

Soweto

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.