The Indlovu Project

Unfortunately, my time in South Africa has come to an end, but I am, however, quite grateful for the opportunity I have had here. I have spent three and a half very short weeks living in Capetown's largest squatter camp and have experienced a lot. My days mainly consisted of accomplishing random tasks wherever my two hands were needed, from feeding and holding babies in the creche, to serving lunch in the soup kitchen, to gardening and painting or simply just playing around with the "neighborhood" kids. Although it is a huge area here, the director and manager here have done a tremendous job of creating a strong sense of community. Di and Byiswa have worked very hard to build this community outreach program and, in my opinion, have made a very successful one. The soup kitchen is opened each weekday lunch to feed the elderly, sick and unemployed, as many as 200 a day, and all for the cost of about $50 per week. In fact, soon, anyone will be able to go onto the Shaster Foundation website and donate a week at the soup kitchen in honor of a birthday or holiday, in return the person who is to receive the "gift" will receive a card human mind has such an ability to adapt to its surroundings that even in such a place as the squatter camp, we got "used" to what we saw. It became a part of the life we were leading at the time. And, for me, that is a dangerous thing. I think the reason that so many people stand aside and do nothing to help such situations is because they have not seen it first hand, or do not feel the desperation. We on the other hand were living there, yet I still found myself occasionally overlooking the crucial need for change there. I had to, and still have to, remind myself to not be complacent, to not just remember the sweet children playing in the streets, but remind myself that these sweet children were sick, playing barefoot in dusty streets covered in broken glass, that many were malnourished, and some with parents who would squander the money for dinner on their afternoon drinking session. Yes, there were beautiful people with pure intentions and just wished for better lives for their families, those are the people that I can't forget to remember. A community based on this is what Di and Byiswa are hoping for, are working for. I love that place, what it represents and what it is striving to achieve. I hope to go back next year and see all of the advancements they have made. Oh, and there is a 15 minute video that basically sums up the Indlovu project and the exciting things it hopes to achieve. As soon as it is accessible on the internet, we will let all of you know! Also, if anyone is interested in lending support to Shaster and Indlovu, visit the website at www.shaster.org.za