Ubuntu in the Home

Within the last month, my volunteer work at SAFFI has taken a unique and exciting turn. SAFFI has recently partnered with the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and has also secured a grant from Swedish donors. These events have allowed SAFFI the opportunity to implement an outreach program entitled “Ubtuntu in the Home: Ubuntu in Intimate Relationships.”

Ubuntu is an African philosophy that is translated as “I am what I am because of who we all are.” It explains that because our humanity is inextricably bound up with that of one another, you cannot be human all by yourself. We are all interconnected and what you do, affects the rest of the world. “When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”

The point of this project is to sensitize and educate religious leaders regrading the root causes, implications, and consequences of domestic violence. By getting religious leaders on board, we are hoping to establish support services within these religious communities. For far too long, silence has surrounded the issue of gender based violence. This program will hold abusers accountable for their actions while offering interventions, support, and information to all those affected by intimate partner violence.

This past week, SAFFI and the Legacy Foundation have hosted a training workshop for a group of 10 facilitators. Starting in July, these facilitators will take their acquired skills out into the religious communities. By the end of the yearlong project, we hope to have secured commitments from 20 religious leaders, pledging their dedication to this cause and implementing support systems in their congregations.

Although it will be hard for me to leave SAFFI at such a pivotal moment, I have also appreciated the opportunity to see all the hard work that has led up to this moment. I am both excited and hopeful for the future of this organization. 

Khayelitsha

With it being right in the middle of our finals month, here at the Kimberly House, tensions have been running a bit high. By the time the end of the week rolled around, everyone was in dire need of a break from the unending study sessions, group work and late night paper writing. Patrick, the caretaker at the Kimberly House, invited us all over for a braai at his home in Khayelitsha, the largest township in Cape Town.

Patrick's English is a bit hard to understand; and honestly, half the time I don't even know if he is speaking Xhosa or English (the other half of the time I am pretty sure he isn't speaking either, but rather chatting away in some incoherent tongue). That being said, when Patrick extended the invitation to spend a Saturday afternoon in his community, the only detail we actually comprehended was that we were to be picked up at 11am that upcoming Saturday.  

After being picked up, we first found ourselves not at Patrick’s house, but at a nearby community center. Here some of the youth performed traditional African dance accompanied by singing and drumming. After this wonderful performance we proceeded to travel to Patrick’s house, by means of a parade nonetheless. Once in Patrick’s neighborhood, the dancing continued while the food was prepared. Everyone joined in on the dance- men and women, young and old, white and black. What we had thought was going to be a simple meal with Patrick’s immediate family, turned out to be an entire community event. I spent the day teaching the children Spanish and English while they tried to teach me Xhosa; I had my hair styled my hair at least 5 different times by 10 different children; I attempted to learn African dance; and gave more piggy back rides than I can count. 

Although this community lacked the material assets that many westerners are accustomed to, I saw the pride on each of their faces as they watched their children dance. The rhythm and music served as a unifying force; it surpassed language barriers and overcame racial, cultural, ethnic and religious divisions. We were united in a day of celebration- and by the end of the day, the passion, life, and light that emanated from this community was overwhelming and inspirational.

As our van pulled out of the neighborhood at the end of the day, there were nearly 40 children chasing along side us; waving and reaching for final high fives through the van’s windows.

The 3 Peak Challenge

This past weekend, 11 of my roommates and I embarked on The 3 Peak Challenge; a challenge to climb Devils Peak, Table Mountain and Lions head all in one day’s time. We left the house at 5:15 am and had reached the top of the first mountain, Devil’s Peak, by 7:30am- just in time for sunrise (which we couldn’t watch considering we were amidst the clouds). Although we completed the first leg of the hike in pitch-black darkness, I managed to fall only once…and there wasn’t even that much blood!

After a “graceful” descent down Devil’s peak, we began the climb up the highest of the three mountains. Setting a personal record in a time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, we were at the top of Table Mountain by noon. Despite the 5 layers of clothing I had packed, I was still caught off guard by the frigid temperatures at the top of the mountain. After quickly snapping a picture to prove our achievement, we quickly began our descent, eager for warmer temperatures back at sea level.

By the time we began to climb Lion’s Head, my quads were on fire. Trust me…Division I Varsity Athletics training does nothing to prepare you for this challenge. Don’t ask me how, but an hour later, I found myself perched at the highest point of Lion’s Head looking out over downtown Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean.

Our total hiking time was 10 hours and 40 minutes and my self-esteem was soaring. That is, until the cab driver (no, I was NOT about to walk my butt home) informed us that just a few months ago, a man completed the challenge in less than 5 hours... Yea, uh maybe next time?

Peak #1: Devil's Peak (3,281 ft. elevation)

Peak #2: Table Mountain (3,558 ft. elevation)

Peak #3: Lion's Head (2,195 ft. elevation)

Visitors

This past Sunday, my mother and grandmother (aka ‘Bucca’) came to visit me here in Cape Town. My mom received a proper greeting by being pooped on by a South African pigeon, which is indeed good luck, seeing as Bucca’s lost suitcase safely arrived at the hotel later on that evening.

We began our excursions on Monday with a tour of the Robben Island prison where, in addition to getting a great historical lesson, Bucca and mom learned a lesson in South African bus etiquette; regardless of how full a bus might be, there is always room for another body (they still haven’t seen the half of it).

The following day, we awoke early for a tour of my house in Observatory before proceeding onto Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It was here that we began the Skeleton Gorge trail, which leads up Table Mountain…and two minutes later, we had already stopped for our first water break (which we continued to do every 20 steps or so).  After hours of hiking, we finally caught sight of the top of the mountain. Sadly, me being the airhead I am, I somehow lost the trail path and despite having climbed up rocks, waterfalls and ladders for nearly 2 hours, we were forced to turn around just shy of the peak of the mountain. Whoops…

Our next adventure took place on Wednesday with a 4:45 am pick up time for a shark cage diving adventure in Hermanus, South Africa. Despite my attempts to convince her otherwise, Bucca was the self-appointed sidelined photographer while my mother and I struggled into our wetsuits in preparation for the dive. After nearly 30mins of diving, mom had quite the adrenaline rush when a 16 foot shark, in attempt to eat a fish which happened to be floating in front of her face, swam full speed directly into the cage, jaws wide open and all. And those teeth are just as big as they are in the movies, FYI. Needless to say, that was the end of our diving for the day. (I would also like to note Bucca’s fascination with seaweed. However, her actual remark while referring to the seaweed was “Wow, look at all those birds! What kind of birds are those, do you suppose?”)

As if I hadn’t tired them out enough already, the three of us spent the morning at the Lotus Park cresh (preschool). With 120 children squeezed into a classroom comprised of 2 train cars, it was beyond hectic to say the least. But Bucca did manage to learn some great new dance moves from the 3-year-old girls, which I am sure will be making a debut in Minocqua this year.

Despite having done so much already, mom and Bucca still have 5 days left in Cape Town. Hopefully we have all the bird accidents and shark attacks out of the way.