Gap Year Students

Isaac


Today turned out to be a fair success after a slow start due to the standard confusion of arrangements that seem to plague South Africa.

The plan was to go with Eric, a former Zwelibanzi learner who came to Scotland a few years ago, and Teko, a friend I've just met this year, on an outreach session with Abdul from SISCO. Both of these guys are currently taking a break from university due to financial issues. Taking a break from studies until you raise the money for the next year is very common here. Eric is studying social work and Teko is reading psychology and seeing as neither of them have a job just now we thought this was a great opportunity for all of us.

We were surprisingly only an hour late in beginning when we all finally met up with each other. Abdul lost his phone so disappeared along the way so Russel helped us by leading the outreach. I was carrying my laptop and as many valuables as possible with me as we entered Point. The office, where I'd planned to drop my things, had been locked. To even carry your mobile phone or any coins on you in Point is unwise, especially as a white but thankfully we were with Russel and SISCO is known in the streets of Durban as 'good guys' so I came to no trouble.

The first group we came to was of around ten. They were mostly older although I recognised one boy who we worked with at Umthombo. Another one of the group who were sitting and standing in a dusty alley decided I was Jesus and got on his knees to ask Jesus for two Rand.

A third young man of the group was deep in (Zulu) conversation with Russel and then Eric and Teko as well. They were telling him what the organisation was about. The young man spoke with great articulation and with a manner and posture which made me think this guy should really be a professional speaker; Teko told me the he was saying he did actually matriculate high school. Instead he is living on the streets. I can't help but wonder where he slipped through the cracks but all of us who have been over here I think would agree that for some reason it's not that surprising.

After the outreach I went to the office to begin our admin work. Nana (another volunteer), Abdul and myself will take on this job so the two of them can continue it when I leave. It's going to be difficult and mind numbing for a while but will all be worth it in the end.

One of our many appearances on the wall of SISCO's drop in centre