This is my sixth visit to Durban and every time I come not
only do I learn more about South Africa and its people but I also learn more
about myself and my values. This time, I have heard stories and met people who
have suffered great injustices and cruelty but I have also met people and seen
acts of kindness and selflessness which are beyond my comprehension.
Two experiences stand out among many. An afternoon at SISCO,
the street kids’ project, and a trip to Bobbi Bear.
On a previous visit to SISCO I met a twelve year old boy who
had the body of a six year old and an old man’s face. I gave him a pen and
paper to draw and he turned to me and gave me the innocent broad grin of child.
From this grew the idea to create a tree made from the children’s painted hand
prints to brighten up the empty offices that have no water or lighting in which
around 40 kids sleep every night. Many of the street kids that arrived were
teenagers but they loved covering their hands in paint the colours of the South
African flag and stamping them on sheets of paper. While the paint dried a
group of medics we met at Tekweni helped them to make paper aeroplanes which
they flew from the upper floors into the central atrium of the offices. There
was a lot of laughter fun and excitement. Our lives in the UK are sometimes
over complicated and to do something as simple and unsophisticated as play with
these kids and give them a few moments so that they can forget the hardships of
their lives in another way than using glue is something I will treasure.
The visit to Bobbi Bear also highlighted the importance of
how the simplest acts of love and kindness can make a huge difference. Jackie
and her team support abused children with a dedication that is amazing. I met a
four day old baby that was found in a black bag in a toilet three days ago, a
young girl who was brutally gang raped and a small boy recently abused. Jackie welcomes
and supports all these kids and with her team of professionals guides them
through traumatic times. On Saturdays they meet under a tree, some children do
crafts, others dance and the boys would have played football if they had
remembered the ball!! Money from Scotland gave the kids the rare treat of an
Easter egg and their all time favourite a KFC. Yet again, just holding a child’s
hand or sitting with them showing them how to make a piece of grass whistle by
stretching it between your thumbs and blowing makes their lives normal for a
while. In some instances it is not the grand gesture or huge amounts of money
rather it is the simple acts of kindness and humanity that we are all able to
give that uplifts and empowers other people’s lives.
My link with Edinburgh University enabled me to collect data
on code switching for a disabled student completing a Msc in Developmental
Linguistics from classes at Dloko and Zwelibanzi High Schools adding yet
another dimension to this ever expanding project.
The strength, resilience and courage of the former JGHS
students that are here astounds me and I can’t thank the girls enough for welcoming
me into their happy, crazy band of warrior volunteers. My experience has been
enriched by of course Alex but also by Jen Glass’ friendship and support and
all my new and existent Zulu family.
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