2nd place pic...

This one is not to bad either...estos ninos son tan lindos para palabras!

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Faces of (Caras de) Robanyane Toto II

This probably my favorite picture which I've taken thus far here in Africa. These are the faces of the students here at the school where I was assigned. The light, the color, the kids' expressions...love it.

En Castellano:

Esto es mi foto preferido que he tomado hasta ahora aca en Sud África. Estas son las caras de los estudiantes aquí en la escuela donde fue asignado. La composicion, la luz, las expresiones suyas...me encantolo!


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Bakgethwa Home-based Care

Today I went to go meet with Gloria, Gaobodiwe, Boitshwarelo, and Patricia (as seen in that order in the above picture) at Bakygethwa, a home-based care organization here in my Northern Cape village. They are a full staff of 22 and receive all their funding from PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and the Global Fund, the Kgotla (the Chief's office) sometime will give them money, but other than that they get no financial help from the community. But at the same time what would they have to give them – something of course I could help them work on, fundraising. Nonetheless, this is a great group of women who hold in their hands an incredible way to help their community. They are also on their 10th month without pay, still they continue to service their patients.

The target groups for Bakygethwa are "The Sick," orphans, HIV/AIDS, TB, Cancer and any other chronic disease patients. In their files at the office they have easily over 300 patients they see. On a typical day the group will do home visits to 2-3 patients. They work alongside the local hospital here and get referrals from the hospital and vice versa Bakygethwa will bring patients in need of a doctor to the hospital. The majority of these women are not professionally training, there are some retired nurses within the group, but all have basic skills on how to help patients and when to refer to a higher level of attention. Their main task is to monitor patients and make sure that they are taking their medication correctly and regularly. One of the biggest challenges that exist is that many of their patients, who may be doing well on the medication, will decide to move to one of the larger towns, like Upington, in search of work and then disappear from their system and then fall ill since they have defaulted on their treatment.

Bakygethwa's other main priority in the community is the monitoring of the about 150 orphans. They help them with supplying them with clothes and food and provide assistance when they need to apply for the Foster Care grant, which they can receive up to the age of 18. The child (or grandparent taking on the child) may get accompanied with a community based care worker to go to SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) to apply for the governmental grant to walk them through the process. They have a specific doctor that they have established a relationship with who will see the orphans when needed. The women will hold events for the orphans on days like Children's Day, or bring them on field trips to places like the bigger cities nearby, like Kimberley. The women also mentioned that it was often the case that they may help the children apply for other social grants for when they become pregnant with their own children as a teenager.

When I asked about the challenges facing the community, I felt like I opened up the flood gate as a slew of items began to be rattled off from their mouths. They began to go off on the lack of jobs and skills of the community residents and the downfalls of rural life leading people to take to housebreaking and take up risky sexual behavior out of boredom. I was told that girls in middle school and high school will enter into relationships with older men, who they called "Sugar Daddies." "You know these high school-ers, they only want nice things, and these men will provide them with these." The women told me that they see a growing case load of HIV in the community in men and women in the 25-40 year range.
When I asked them about contraceptives, they told me that they only hold male and female condoms on the premises. The Global Fund provides Bakygethwa with 2 huge boxes twice a year; at least they get something useful for the community despite not getting paid by them. I looked over to the box of the condoms popping out of a small box in the corner of the small front room we sat in and wondered when was the last time any of the kids are my school were referred over to the Bakygethwa office as a place to find contraceptives. They did tell me that they start young with their sexual lives here, so I asked if they had a relationship at all with the school with any life skills lessons, and they shook their hands. Why not? The women replied to me, "We were told last time that we were a distraction to the students." I couldn't believe it, I couldn't think of a better way to help the children with life skills lessons and hit the nail on the head about teen pregnancy while pushing the availability of services at their headquarters and expanding their notoriety in the community. Something to look into, I told them I would talk to the principal since even if it was just participating at World AIDS Day in December I think would be a great idea for them to combine forces.

From here we moved onto a darker subject: rape. The women were not scared to share any details of this topic to me, I admire that highly. They told me of 2 recent cases of young girls in elementary school getting violated – how horrifying. I was told that it is in cases like this were the cases are very serious matters where the hospital, police and social workers are all involved. The girls were moved out of the community and assigned a social worker and victim empowerment services. I was told that when rape occurs in the high school age group the cases often go unreported to the police and that even when a case is made, the victim with eventually go back and withdraw the case. I had read and listened to several pieces on NPR about this before I came to South Africa about how the country has one of the highest incidences of rape in the world. I was glad to be talking to people who finally brought this up this with me.

From there we moved on to another taboo topic: rampant alcoholism. I asked about the existence of any type of support groups or services for people suffering from alcoholism or with a family member who is an alcoholic and I was met with all sort of reasons of there not being any. Principally, that "The Sellers" or shabeen and tavern owners would be outraged. Going hand in hand with alcohol abuse is domestic abuse. I was told that there are no support groups for this either and this is something that happens behind closed doors and you stay out of. Cases brought to the police are often dropped and women remain "quiet because they don't want to destroy their marriage."

I sat in the room and talked a little bit longer with the women about the community and how I hope to learn more from them. I got out of my chair and said I needed to make my way back to the school and bid them farewell. They brought me to the door and thanked me for coming and I asked, "you all look so lovely in those shirts can I take your picture?" They said of course and I snapped with my phone camera. "Okay, I'm off," I said, "I will try to get you a copy of this eventually, and keep up the good work! You really are doing great work here!" And that was it, my first step into the world of how community based healthcare works here…wow. I really want to do something that combines my love of public health and helping to empower these students and teachers. So many unknowns, but then again this is just the start, I thought and walked off into the hot African afternoon sun.

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"Shoo...Refilwe, you are BLACK."

The seasons have officially turned...I think. It is finally becoming summer here and it's getting HOT! My small little Black Dog fleece I found so many years ago on the floor of a ski lodge in Vermont, which I have been wearing religiously, I have finally cast off. I was getting pretty bundled up here in the mornings and now I can leave the house with a light shirt and then walk home in the scorching afternoon sun. I now get why the villagers walk around with umbrellas in their hands, since although we are all of color here we CAN burn.

The 10:10 AM buzzer went out off for Break today and I walked out of the officer over to the tree outside the school where Kentsenao sits under a tree and sells her snacks to all the kiddies. They run out of the classrooms at the sound of that buzzer, which sort of mirrors the shrill fire engine siren of the U.S., and out the mass of learners goes, bombarding Kentsenoa's small wooden table from which she works. They buy cooked chicken feet, candy, Nik Naks (sort of like Cheeto's), and my personal favorite, Fat Cakes (which sells for 1 Rand = $0.11 and will get you FAT - I need to slow down on those).

Kentsenoa is great. She is a single parent and has 4 children, one of which is adopted which is pretty common here. She comes daily to sit outside the school and sell the children food and snacks to help supplement her income. She is Treasurer of the School's Government Body and a familiar face at the school.

She came up to me today and says, "Shoo...Refilwe, you are BLACK."

That's it.... I've OFFICIALLY gone from being "Coloured" to being Black. Living in South Africa where racial tension and classification is something so recently felt from the time of Apartheid, it's hard for my experience here to not be shaped by the color of my skin. It's ok since I think dealing with stereotypes and people's perspectives of me because of my color is something that I am familiar with...having grown up the only person of color in an all white household. But I love my skin color, it's beautiful. Gracias Mama Isabel y Papa Severo! Talk about community integration...it's on.

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"Simply make hay while the sun shines"

I thought this might amuse you mom, I'm sitting re-grading English papers for the Deputy Principal's 7th grade class.

The first time I saw these papers I was ripping them apart with my red pen. Now they are (mostly) clear.

I warned the Deputy Principal after each student left from their meeting with me, slightly belittle from all the X's and cross-outs I had made on their paper, these some of the brightest students in her class whose essays had been pulled to read at the graduation ceremony for their class. I warned her that I had been raised with a mother who was raised by a writer and she too had raised me with a firm hand on grammar rules (that do not apply to blogs typed on a small Blackberry keypad).

What I loved so much about this one essay was how it ended. The young author, Kutlwano, wrapped up her paragraph with the challenges that they will face in the coming move to high school and the need to not be shy of the new opportunities coming their way. She used a great new idiom I had never heard: "Simply make hay while the sun shines."

To just simply make the most of the opportunities before you while have the chance really speaks to me. I hope to do that for the next 2 years here in Africa and I hope that this school and community makes use of me as well.


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The only way to WAX your floor! / La única manera de ENCERAR de tu piso

With KNEE PADS!! O a decir en la lenguaje de mi tierra madre almohadillas para las rodillas jaja! Como dices esto en Quechua papa?

I learn new customs every day about, how can I say it..."Presentation." What is the "right" way to wear clothes to church, how to sweep you sandy front yard, how to dress when you go to town, and especially how to clean your room the CORRECT way in Africa.

En Castellano:

Cada día aprendo nuevas costumbres que tratan de ... "La Presentación". ¿Cuál es la manera "correcta" para llevar ropa a la iglesia, cómo limpiar tu patio de arena, la forma de vestir cuando vas a la ciudad, y sobre todo las formas correctas de limpiar tu habitación en África.



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Tiempos de la comida

En los dias pasados he visto mucho cosa que encorpan la tema de la comida. En general, la comida es muy diferente aqui. Casi cada noche comemos un plato llena de una cosa se llama "bogobe" es como una avena muy gruesa y es el pedazo central de cualquiera comida.

Hoy prepare un plato de salsa de aguacate (or es "palta" en Peru?) con ajo, sal, tomate, y cebolla por mi familia aca y se murieron de hambre.

Ayer y hoy mataron en la escuela, donde de momento estoy dando asistencia, una vaca y 2 cabras. Fue la primera vez que he a visto unas cosas asi, supongo que estas matanzas son normal a Papa Severo quien es del campo, pero a mi....ooooy me muero. Estuve casi al punto de desmayarme! A la vaca le dieron una puñalada a las espalda debajo de cabeza en el cuello y se murio en una instante, me dio miedo...y la vida y las cosas que hacemos por comida.

Mañana va a ser una gran celebración para el Día del Patrimonio Mundial. Todos los maestros en la escuela me han preguntado casi cada dia, "¿qué vas a usar para celebrar tu pais de nacimiento?" Todo lo que podía decir es que tengo mis vaqueros americanos. De todas formas el traje tradicional de los pueblos de la selva es demasiado para los niños algo como La Tigresa del Oriente o Selva jaja!

Bueno es la hora de dormir aqui! Abrazos por los niños y dile a Ellin que mi panzona esta muy bien y posiblemente creciendo!!


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Afrikan Sun

The sun was beginning to set but I still had about 2 hours left of sunshine. I tied my sneaker stepped out of my front door and headed for the road. It had been awhile since I had run so I started off slow. In the warmth of the afternoon light, I soon started to hit my stride and put in my earphones and turned on my "Marathon move it!" mix. I could have been anywhere by the sound of these first few lines.

All of a sudden I hear a humming in the background, so I took out my earphones and turned around. "Fifi! Fifi! Wait!" they yelled. "They" being a small group of girls, who couldn't have been older than 9 and 12 years, from the Northern Cape village where I now live in South Afrika or as some may call "Afrika Borwa." "Fifi" is the nickname for my new African Setswana name, Refilwe ("Rre-feel-weh"), which means: "gift has been given to us."

The girls stumbled down the rocky dirt road in their sandals and casual afterschool clothes, huffing and puffing, "Wait Fifi! We are coming!" I smiled and told them to come along. We ran about 100 meters and then all the young girls began to mumble and groan loudly, "Ke Lapile! I must stop!" in their thick Setswana accents. I giggled and told them that I was going to continue on and they could stop if they wanted. So, I waved goodbye, turned my gaze forward, and ran ahead. I looked back once and saw the sad expressions across all those beautiful dark chocolate and caramel faces. Their bright wide white eyes which all beamed with happiness, now looked confused. I felt like I had abandoned them…but I picked up my pace and continued on down the dirt road.

As I headed away from town the houses dotting the side of the road began to disappear, soon I was alone and out in The Bush. The low laying brush lined the road allowing me to look out across the semi-arid terrain, which eventually would become the sands of the Kalahari Desert. The sun set over Mama Afrika – beautiful. The sky just looks so BIG here, it's amazing. I began to zone out like I usually do when I'm out running >>>Am I really here? A journey that began in Washington DC, with a stopover in Atlanta followed by a 17 hour flight across the Atlantic to South Africa. Is this for real? Here I am running through the great land from which Man first walked out of to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and eventually onto my homeland the Americas. Evolution is so incredible. To think that my ancestors once walked these same roads of Africa…Wow.>>>

I am jolted back into reality when I hear the snort of a donkey. Ooh those precious ditonki (or donkeys in English), they wake me every morning promptly at 5:57 AM without fail (apparently the roosters here are on holiday). I turned back for a split second and see a man sitting behind two donkeys on a cart. I grunt back at the donkey and keep on pressing forward down the dirt road. I get back into the zone when AGAIN I am disturbed once more. The donkey cart which was behind me a moment ago now begins to gain on me. The thudding of the huffs grows closer and closer. I think to myself I will not let this stupid donkey cart out run me! I then turn to look at my competitor, yet instead of looking into the snouts of the donkeys, I see the bright warm glow of the faces of the young girls who had at first corned me on the road and insisted I run with them. They had hitched a ride with a passing man's donkey cart going my direction. Where there's a will, there's a way…and this youngster have it, they had found me! From the cart they yelled and cheered me on, laughing and giggling with those loving and honest smiles. I got the "sharp" (pronounced "chop" or with the Boston accent "ShaaaHp") thumbs up from them. How precious - my new cheering and support squad in my village!

That was it. My first REAL African moment. The moment I realizes I am here, I have arrived and this is just how it will continue and unravel over the next 2 years (or more).

NOTE: these girls have continued to show up every day at my house at 4:30 PM with one more friend every time. I may be taking my afternoon Afrikan Fiesta Siesta, but they will go "ko ko, ko ko, ko" (their form of "knock knock") on my door till I'm up and dressed for a run. These girls want to run – I love it. Furthermore, it looks like I have unofficially started my first afterschool project! Boot Camp with Suzie D! We do a 30 to 40 minute run, followed by 10 minutes of stretching or yoga, 10 minutes of mixed calisthetics and abdominals. Be there or be square!

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Look what I found on my door step...

Mosetana o robala. English Translation: A sleeping child. Y en espanol: una nina que duerme.
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