First week in Soweto

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My home for the month of June

My 16 hour journey to South Africa wasn’t one of those horrid flying experiences you hear about all the time; the TSA lines were actually quite short, no crying babies on the fight or obnoxious strangers attempting to make small talk so that they can end up sleeping on your shoulder. Still, I had a sense of fear of the unknown and it had taken a whole day of flying for me to accept  the fact that I was leaving my NYU bubble and that it was about time I got out of it! Arriving in South Africa, I just had a feeling of calm as soon as I passed through customs and was welcomed so warmly by passport control ( no sarcasm surprise surprise, they were extremely friendly)!  I looked around for Tony, the founder of Tsogang Sechaba who so graciously offered to host me in her home. Seeing her for the first time, I just knew she was one of those people whose presence is always be known in a  room; tall, strong and fierce, she was sporting a South African World cup outfit and we instantly clicked when we met.  She brought along Poppy, her right hand here at Tsogang Sechaba, Poppy is the strong silent type until you meet her and realize she is just a big softie whose voice is calming and presence reassuring.  She is one of those people who can keep her cool under pressure and I soon realized that is why she makes such a great team with Tony. 

Poppy doing her dance and being thankful for being able to provide these single moms with clothing for their newborns.  "God is good "-Poppy

On our hour drive to Soweto from Joburg, Tony asked me everything and anything;  as soon as she  found out that I was an only child, had lived abroad before and was a Taurus she had an African name picked out for me, 'Lerato" which means loved. She said it was something she just knew about me and that was why I was sent here to help her and the kids. She said she could sense that many people were waiting for me back home and that no matter where I was,  I was confident with my decisions and  the journeys I took  because I knew I had people in my life who genuinely loved me. –Who says things like that 5 minutes into meeting someone? Tony does. I have learned a lot about Tony this past week but I think that's a another post all on its own.

Our amazing cooks preparing food for the kids

 The rest of my week consisted of  early mornings and  joining the staff of 40 social workers, caregivers,  cooks, volunteers and office staff in prayer and song ( I can’t sing to save my life but I do make sure at least to clap on beat). Tony addresses the staff and updates them on any news or areas of focus for the day and then we say a short prayer and start the day.  I wouldn't characterize myself as a religious individual however, I highly respect the people I work with for their  faith, it is  what keeps them doing the courageous and often times trying and heart wrenching work they do. I didn't expect this to be a spiritual journey but I get the feeling it might be one as well. 

 I pretty much followed Poppy around like a lost puppy  for the first two days then the jet lag wore off and I came into my own. Every day I seem to be learning something different about what it takes to sustain an NGO here in South Africa where it seems the country would be in complete chaos without them. The most important is that titles at a grass root level NGO are just for paper purposes; everyone becomes interchangeable depending on what job needs to get done. Egos must be put aside in order for things to get done and they really are here. Poppy is a social worker and works with the Department of Social Development however, if a cook doesn’t show up to work she will pick up an apron and get to work. Each day they feed over 1000 children. They disburse their staff and have a few cooks go to different schools but at least 200 students come to the center everyday to eat because often times it is their only meal of the day.

Officially part of Tsogang Sechaba

I think that one of the best  aspects of this job is that not only do I get to see all of this firsthand but I'm actually able me contribute ideas of my own and implement them! It’s exciting yet terrifying at the same time because each project I work on directly affects these children; grant proposals, social media updating, funding opportunities...it all becomes more urgent when you see these kids on a daily basis. There's so much to be done, the work is endless. Speaking of the kids, they amaze me with their strength, spirit and spunk! I disappointed them immensely when I told them Beyonce wasn’t my personal friend or in my contacts list or Justin Beiber "the beibs." We’ve come to an agreement that they will teach me Zulu, Zutu and the 9 other official languages of South Africa with the exception of English of course in exchange for me teaching them Spanish and a few dance moves, guess which one I probably won't follow through on...

It weighed about 10 pounds but that didn't stop her!

It was a chilly day but we were all so happy to be a part of it

Today seemed like the right time to start this blog considering it is Youth day in Africa. In Soweto, SA  the people are focused on honoring the victims of  the Soweto Uprising of 1976;  a student led protest under the time of Apartheid.  It turned gruesomely violent when the police got involved and killed over 300 children.  Yesterday, a local radio station came and hosted an event for the children where they performed dance routines, learned about the importance of this day and also received goody bags to take home, they were beyond ecstatic!

Goody bags!

 Tomorrow is an extension of today’s holiday and Tony is going to take me to visit  The Mandela family home museum where he lived with his wife and children before being imprisoned for standing against Apartheid. There is so much history here and though it doesn't conjure up feelings of happiness, it is important to know it in order to understand why  things are they way they are now. I look forward to hearing Tony's stories as well, considering she met Mandela and was part of the protests. Her words are more powerful than anything I could ever read from a book.

 I seem to learn something new every hour of the day here and it’s an overwhelming, sobering and humbling  experience. Every person has a story and as long as they want to share it with me, I want to hear it.  I’m realizing how important it is to be like Tony says a visionary and to dream big. It’s idealism with a dose of reality and they come together to create something truly wonderful and it’s so great that I get to see it in action.