This was given to me on the street in Hluhluwe. For about 3 pounds this doctor will help you with all problems mentioned.
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Doctor "fix it all"
This was given to me on the street in Hluhluwe. For about 3 pounds this doctor will help you with all problems mentioned.
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Pension day
On the first day of every month, the department of social development travel to communities to give the elders their well deserved pension money (of about 700-1000Rand).
As I walked to the school on the first Monday of May, I saw some cars with women offloading things just by the corner where I turn of to the school road. The corner that has our little corner shop which is the Supermarket of Nompondo village (where I live). I am told that today is pension day, so when I head back after school finishes the place will be filled with people. Exciting since Nompondo never really "fills" with people. Normally what you will see at the corner are few people sitting by shop, few waiting for lifts to town and of course the cows that inhabit the place. Come to think about it, that corner is actually the area that has most activity in this area (besides the schools of course).
After school finishes, I experience the little market in Nompondo, the once occasional market that comes with pension day. As soon as I have left the school area, I hear the swirl from a crowded place. After a few meters I see the market, its not big, but it’s looks exciting and busy. Old mamas\gogos (grandmothers) and other business men have lined up to acquire a good selling spot. The red ground is now colorful and alive. Mostly women are seated on their "kangas", selling all kinds of things ranging from face products, fruits, vegetables, second hand clothes, home made foods and few cars have live chickens for sale, then in the midst there are two Indian men that walk up and down the little road selling electrical equipments, one of them tries to flirt with me, asking whether I am married or not, I tell him I am but that only keeps him quiet for 30 seconds, then he goes on with question after question. I am forced to ignore all his questions and proceed my exploration of the mini market.
An elderly mama is seated under a small tree; her face is covered in the red clay that women smear in their faces to protect against the strong sun.
-Sawubona Mama (Hello Mama)
-Yebo (Yes)
-Unjani (How are you?)
-Giyapila (I’m fine)
-Giyapila nami (I am also fine)
That is most of the greetings I know in IsiZulu and can impress with. I end it there by saying Salagakhle- stay well.
As I continue walking back to Mbonise, where I live, I pass the same lazy cows that wander these roads. I think about the elders that come to receive their pension, but still work to contribute with the feeling of "owning" up to their responsibilities. To be able to support children and grandchildren for longer than the pension can sustain.
YEBO GOGO
The red soil is today covered with multiple footprints, the footprints of tired yet powerful feet. On the same soil lie garments and cloths in delightful nuances. As the women and men bargain and barter their goods, the sun smiles warmly upon them.
Bananas, chickens, vegetables, cows, and ointment -the market supplies to everyone’s needs.
A busy day comes to an end with the sun that is ever so red. A good day comes to an end with a lot having been said. News from afar and new stories to tell; it is now time to make that long journey home despite its length. A journey home with a little wealth, enough to feed the mouths of many.
Past, Future, Present, today there is that feeling of liberation, a mind free from worry, at least for a short while. Because today Gogo will buy that chicken and make the long journey back, tonight she will feed the family. All problems will feel distant and tonight she will feel like a hero. The marked footsteps tell the story, the story of a woman that toiled the earth she walks on, a women that made just and was made unjust. Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today she will continue walking because she is that hero, until that day..
Monday, 3 May 2010
Pictures from last weeks School launch
Last week I went to a launch at Dlilanga Secondary School. It is a new school that is now in the Star for Life programme, over the next three years. The school started last year, as there was a need for a High School in the area. Today 450 students are enrolled, but they only have a building with three rooms to it, one is used as a staff room. Some days during the school week, they use classrooms at a primary school that is 10 min walk away. They municipality promised them, a year ago, to extend the school. But all you can see today of that promise, is a pile of sand that lays next to small school.
Even though, the school is very positive and with the support from Star for Life they see that the school will be successful.
Here are some pictures from the launching of the Star for Life programme in the school.
The past week and weekend
It’s been long since I last wrote. I have been to busy living and reminiscing.
Its time for an update!
Last week I went to two school launches, at the launches there was so much joy and excitement of becoming a Star for Life school. With this they had a programme filled with songs, speeches and performances that were wonderful and inspiring.
The past weekend was calm, but still with few happenings. On Friday early afternoon, I went to “my” school and had a meeting with the “partnership society” students. This is a society I helped create a month ago. This coming weekend, Hlengiwe (the teacher I work with) want to take these 20 students for an educational fieldtrip to one of the Zulu battle fields. This battle field was one of the places where the Zulus fought the British for emancipation. Hlengiwe and I found out that the costs was almost 20 pounds per student (this incl. museum visit, tour guide, visiting the battle fields, transport and lunch), which way too much for the students to afford, and the school has no funds to provide for this trip either. In our society we are now trying to fundraise for this money. On Sat there was an activity day at the school, so we decided we would try and sell a few things to students and teacher. I went home to bake some Swedish cinnamon buns that we would sell together with other foods. We knew this would not give us a lot, but at least it would be a start.
Saturday morning I woke up at 7am, to help the family I live with plant seedlings in a big area of land that they cultivate. They had been up since 4 to plant and when I woke up they had got halfway. I spent 4 n half hours digging holes and planting tomatoes, green peppers, onion and cabbage. After planting them we filled buckets of water to water them with. Even though it was tiring, I liked the feeling of being barefoot in the soil and working with my hands to plant own food. After that I had to get myself clean from all the mud and head to the school with my buns. At the school “my” students were already busy selling. It was wonderful to see them so committed to what they were doing and the eagerness to sell as much as possible. At the beginning, when we started discussing the means of fundraising, they all seemed to see this as a “mission impossible”, as if they are incapable of raising any money, but as soon as they got into it they started thinking like true entrepreneurs. At the end of the day we made 410 rand (about 30 pounds), which was over our expectations.
When I headed “home” after helping the students, a friend from the office (Mdu) came to drop of a car. He stopped outside the fence and signalled me to fetch him water. I quickly got water and went down with it. He stood on the other side of the gate and told me he had just carried a dead body in the van and this was just their traditional belief, he had to cleanse out any evil spirit that might have followed. He took the water and poured it over some leaf branches that he was holding. He then sprinkled the water from the leaves inside the car and on the outside of the car. Thereafter, he washed his hands before he drove the car through the fenced gate.
On Sunday morning, I was awakened not only by the rooster, but by songs that sounded more like enchanted screaming. I looked over the road to the hill on the other side and saw a group of people standing together, dressed in some kind of “churchly” outfits. I asked the girls what was going on, they said it was a funeral ceremony. I understood it must have been the body Mdu had carried in the car.
Sunday afternoon I picked up the school choir (from the school I work at); they were going to perform to some Swedish guests at a private game lodge. I brought them to the place where I stay to practice. They are AMAZING. Sunday, the whole day evolved around getting them to the reserve. At 19.45 they sang to around 20 Swedish guests during their dinner at the Game Reserve. They were so confident and by the looks of the visitors they managed to impress and amaze. Am so proud of them! At around 9, I drove a few of them home.
I only have 9 days left in S. Africa. I feel sad thinking about it, but at the same time I really miss my family and friends and can’t wait to see them. At this moment I dread the 12th of May, which is the day I have to get on the airplane and make the long journey home to the “cold”.
Its time for an update!
Last week I went to two school launches, at the launches there was so much joy and excitement of becoming a Star for Life school. With this they had a programme filled with songs, speeches and performances that were wonderful and inspiring.
The past weekend was calm, but still with few happenings. On Friday early afternoon, I went to “my” school and had a meeting with the “partnership society” students. This is a society I helped create a month ago. This coming weekend, Hlengiwe (the teacher I work with) want to take these 20 students for an educational fieldtrip to one of the Zulu battle fields. This battle field was one of the places where the Zulus fought the British for emancipation. Hlengiwe and I found out that the costs was almost 20 pounds per student (this incl. museum visit, tour guide, visiting the battle fields, transport and lunch), which way too much for the students to afford, and the school has no funds to provide for this trip either. In our society we are now trying to fundraise for this money. On Sat there was an activity day at the school, so we decided we would try and sell a few things to students and teacher. I went home to bake some Swedish cinnamon buns that we would sell together with other foods. We knew this would not give us a lot, but at least it would be a start.
Saturday morning I woke up at 7am, to help the family I live with plant seedlings in a big area of land that they cultivate. They had been up since 4 to plant and when I woke up they had got halfway. I spent 4 n half hours digging holes and planting tomatoes, green peppers, onion and cabbage. After planting them we filled buckets of water to water them with. Even though it was tiring, I liked the feeling of being barefoot in the soil and working with my hands to plant own food. After that I had to get myself clean from all the mud and head to the school with my buns. At the school “my” students were already busy selling. It was wonderful to see them so committed to what they were doing and the eagerness to sell as much as possible. At the beginning, when we started discussing the means of fundraising, they all seemed to see this as a “mission impossible”, as if they are incapable of raising any money, but as soon as they got into it they started thinking like true entrepreneurs. At the end of the day we made 410 rand (about 30 pounds), which was over our expectations.
When I headed “home” after helping the students, a friend from the office (Mdu) came to drop of a car. He stopped outside the fence and signalled me to fetch him water. I quickly got water and went down with it. He stood on the other side of the gate and told me he had just carried a dead body in the van and this was just their traditional belief, he had to cleanse out any evil spirit that might have followed. He took the water and poured it over some leaf branches that he was holding. He then sprinkled the water from the leaves inside the car and on the outside of the car. Thereafter, he washed his hands before he drove the car through the fenced gate.
On Sunday morning, I was awakened not only by the rooster, but by songs that sounded more like enchanted screaming. I looked over the road to the hill on the other side and saw a group of people standing together, dressed in some kind of “churchly” outfits. I asked the girls what was going on, they said it was a funeral ceremony. I understood it must have been the body Mdu had carried in the car.
Sunday afternoon I picked up the school choir (from the school I work at); they were going to perform to some Swedish guests at a private game lodge. I brought them to the place where I stay to practice. They are AMAZING. Sunday, the whole day evolved around getting them to the reserve. At 19.45 they sang to around 20 Swedish guests during their dinner at the Game Reserve. They were so confident and by the looks of the visitors they managed to impress and amaze. Am so proud of them! At around 9, I drove a few of them home.
I only have 9 days left in S. Africa. I feel sad thinking about it, but at the same time I really miss my family and friends and can’t wait to see them. At this moment I dread the 12th of May, which is the day I have to get on the airplane and make the long journey home to the “cold”.
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