The kids that I'm working with are all 4 and 5 year olds, pre-school age. I've really been enjoying it because they are all very sweet and very starved for affection, so just giving a squeeze, a pat on the head, or high five feels like it's having some effect. Too, they're at the age when concepts like ABC's and 123's are changing from something they've memorized or sung about to useful tools and every once and a while you can catch the smile or the proud gleam in an eye when it's clicked that they can read a word, add two numbers, or understand my English instructions (all of the kids speak Swahili at home and many live with grandparents who speak no English).
All that said, the school is in desperate need of supplies. Much like the school that Krista mentioned in her post, there is no running water and just about one pencil per child. The kids love using molding clay because it's creative and interactive, but it's expensive here so, filled with energy and ingenuity and aided by our host family's cute kids, Morgan, Maureen, and Maurice, I decided to make homemade play-do, printed a recipe off the internet, and made great big batches of pink, purple, blue, and green play-do.
Last night it was looking pretty good, but this morning after I passed out a hunk of play-do to every kid in the class (about 40!) I realized that it hadn't really set, was too wet, and stick-to-your-hands-impossible-to-roll-or-rub off. It could be washed off but have no running water!!!!!!!
The play-do stuck to everyone's hands. All the kids panicked because the dough was not coming off. We had tears from the youngest ones, lots of hands in the air pleading "teacher, teacher, help", play-do stuck to the desks, hanging in kid's hair, and very eventually we had laughter...
Anyway, Teacher Cate (as I'm called) if I'm not being called "muzungu" (white person) by the cheekiest kids made her first flop as a teacher today. Tonight she's going to add some flour to the mix and hope that works, but if anyone has any play-do insight, I'm all ears!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
MALARIA!
Krista has just been diagnosed with Malaria to add to the thrills so send her lots of sympathy! She's a trooper! xx
Chasing Cate and Krista
*So, since our last comprehensive post...we went to lay by that pool, but it was cold. Apparently fall arrived in South Africa three days after we did! This was definitely another set back in our return-to-the-states-way-tan-to-make-everyone-jealous plan.
*Went to a benefit dinner organized by C's aunt Diana's family friend. It was delicious Italian meal, complete with a grappa tasting that benefited the Starfish Foundation. After the dinner we stayed with C's godmother Karin, who's a little fireball with more energy than the both of us combined, and her lovely husband Loew, as a closer launching off point to explore Cape Town. We woke up early the next morning to tour Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 16 years. We were about to load into the car when due to the early morning combo of malaria pill on empty stomach and eating yogurt K threw up. (The tally is currently C=75 and K= 10, K is gaining on C with much thanks due to doxycyclin!)
*Anyway, K toughed it out, Robben Island happened and it was amazing. Nelson Mandela and many other important political prisoners were imprisoned there (including our guide!) for much of the apartheid era in SA. It's nickname was "the university" because it became such a breeding ground for ideas about how a new South Africa should be run and even an opportunity to implement a more socialist and anti-segregation lifestyle model.
*We spent four days with C's gran in Simonstown braving the bold wind and hitting all of the highlights - Boulders (where the Jackass Penguins were full swing in mating season), Cape Point, Gran's favorite fish and chips restaurant, a picnic at Nordhoek, a visit to Uncle Peter, and interminable amounts of tea!
*We got brave and independent (after being mollycoddled by family for over a week) and hired a car for a week. Krista drove.
*We drove to Rawsonville where C's aunt and uncle have a beautiful vineyard. http://www.eensgevonden.co.za/Farmstead.html. We had some nice dinners and discussions, a long walk up the mountain, and an early(ish) jump into the swimming hole.
*We then drove to Wilderness on the Garden Route for two nights at a backpackers hostel on the beach. Here we picked up an adventurous, good looking, hitch-hiker-picking-up Brit and exemplary third muskateer, Max (or Maxine if you'd prefer!), who came with us canoeing and canyoning (they call it kloofing in SA) and provided us with this fun clip: http://gallery.me.com/yatesmax#100106
*We drove back to Cape Town and convinced Max and Sonya to climb Table Mtn with us which was steep, but well worth the effort and intense organization by all family members! To celebrate, we went for lunch at fancy Camp's Bay and then said sad goodbyes to our new friends and the beautiful city.
*Had a final dinner of Aunt Diana's delicious babootie, packed up, slept one last night in our borrowed house, and grabbed an early morning flight to Joburg.
*Spent the day in Joburg (very last minute, thank you for taking us) with Martin family friends - the Osborne's. Had time for a flick ( the new Hannah Montana, very soul nourishing, a bit homesick making, and completely age appropriate!) and a lovely steak dinner with Richie O and all his very important banking friends.
*Began an epic trip to find Laura Henson, Peace Corps volunteer extraordinaire, in Vilankulos.
*Took an 8 hr. overnight bus from Joburg to Maputo, Mozambique (a pretty sketchy thing to do in Africa apparently), a 11 hr. chapa (or chicken bus) from Maputo to just outside Massinga where the radiator burst. Charmed a NGO worker into giving us a lift into town where the triumverate of super PCV's saved us, fed us avocado sandwiches (much needed), taught us a few new GRE words (we knew most of them coming in) and were our guides to hitching in Moz.
*That said, we hitched the remaining 4 hrs in the back of police truck hitting or swerving to miss potholes approximately every 6 minutes while super Ali tried to convince the interested men in the front that all the girls aboard were married and super Chase and super Pat read difficult books in Portugese.
*Arrived in Vil, elated, and went straight to the beach.
*Spent night grooving with Peace Corps Mozambique volunteers who were preparing for Beach Beer Olympics the next day.
*Missed a majority of the Olympic events the next day due to a pre-arranged and fabulous snorkling trip.
*Joined BBO in the late afternoon, joined in the reveling of the volunteers still standing, and added a few interesting competitions of our own - the shimmy competetion, the pick-up-the wallet-on-from-floor-dance competition, and the midnight-swim-with-the-phosphorescents- who's-in?-competition.
*Played a pretty intense game of beach volleyball, had a delicious dinner at an oceanside resort, shopped the markets for our own kapalanas with Laura as a trusted guide, and left a little sad to say goodbye.
*Another chapa, punctuated by a lovely dinner with super Ali in Maputo, another overnight bus back to Joburg, a rearranging of bags in Joburg and a flight to Zimbabwe where some faulty landing equipment gave Cate a bit of a fright and Krista a reason to open her eyes for a sec and hold Cate's hand, but clearly proved to be ok.
*Arrived in Harare, picked up by C's cousin Christy and daughter Keira. Dinner with the whole Martin brood at Murray Martin's house. An evening pick up of the effervescent and good looking Mr. William Cathcart, Jr. who seems not to be bothered by his 24plus hr trip.
*A day of planning and recovering followed by a long weekend in Mana Pools, a game reserve in Zimbabwe, with a group of good people. Highlights include a hippo in the camp on the first night as Will is stubbornly taking off for an advised-against night walk, an elephant walking through the camp midday strikingly close to Cate alone in her tent, many scary animal-attack stories and delicious dinners by the camp fire, and some good animal spotting. Check out Will's article for the Charleston Mercury. http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=12145ed645d300c9&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1
*A sad farewell to Will, a day of K shadowing C's uncle, the now infamous Dr. Kevin who delivers babies by torch light and looks up surgeries he's never done online before performing them, and C visiting Aunt Gill's schools.
*A terrifying Air Zim flight (at a very low flying altitude) to Victoria Falls preceded and delayed by an official Zimbabwean welcoming ceremony to some Asian dignitary on the tarmac!
*Two days at a cool backpackers in Vic Falls, a risky canoe trip down the Zambezi on the lookout for lurking crocs and hippos the whole time, almost running out of money and not being able to use any ATM's in Zim as they've just switched to the US dollar and don't have enough currency, a flight to Nairobi where we're safe in the ghetto with a Pentecostal preacher as a house mom and projects that we're thrilled with!
More anon....
*Anyway, K toughed it out, Robben Island happened and it was amazing. Nelson Mandela and many other important political prisoners were imprisoned there (including our guide!) for much of the apartheid era in SA. It's nickname was "the university" because it became such a breeding ground for ideas about how a new South Africa should be run and even an opportunity to implement a more socialist and anti-segregation lifestyle model.
*We spent four days with C's gran in Simonstown braving the bold wind and hitting all of the highlights - Boulders (where the Jackass Penguins were full swing in mating season), Cape Point, Gran's favorite fish and chips restaurant, a picnic at Nordhoek, a visit to Uncle Peter, and interminable amounts of tea!
*We got brave and independent (after being mollycoddled by family for over a week) and hired a car for a week. Krista drove.
*We drove to Rawsonville where C's aunt and uncle have a beautiful vineyard. http://www.eensgevonden.co.za/Farmstead.html. We had some nice dinners and discussions, a long walk up the mountain, and an early(ish) jump into the swimming hole.
*We then drove to Wilderness on the Garden Route for two nights at a backpackers hostel on the beach. Here we picked up an adventurous, good looking, hitch-hiker-picking-up Brit and exemplary third muskateer, Max (or Maxine if you'd prefer!), who came with us canoeing and canyoning (they call it kloofing in SA) and provided us with this fun clip: http://gallery.me.com/
*We drove back to Cape Town and convinced Max and Sonya to climb Table Mtn with us which was steep, but well worth the effort and intense organization by all family members! To celebrate, we went for lunch at fancy Camp's Bay and then said sad goodbyes to our new friends and the beautiful city.
*Had a final dinner of Aunt Diana's delicious babootie, packed up, slept one last night in our borrowed house, and grabbed an early morning flight to Joburg.
*Spent the day in Joburg (very last minute, thank you for taking us) with Martin family friends - the Osborne's. Had time for a flick ( the new Hannah Montana, very soul nourishing, a bit homesick making, and completely age appropriate!) and a lovely steak dinner with Richie O and all his very important banking friends.
*Began an epic trip to find Laura Henson, Peace Corps volunteer extraordinaire, in Vilankulos.
*Took an 8 hr. overnight bus from Joburg to Maputo, Mozambique (a pretty sketchy thing to do in Africa apparently), a 11 hr. chapa (or chicken bus) from Maputo to just outside Massinga where the radiator burst. Charmed a NGO worker into giving us a lift into town where the triumverate of super PCV's saved us, fed us avocado sandwiches (much needed), taught us a few new GRE words (we knew most of them coming in) and were our guides to hitching in Moz.
*That said, we hitched the remaining 4 hrs in the back of police truck hitting or swerving to miss potholes approximately every 6 minutes while super Ali tried to convince the interested men in the front that all the girls aboard were married and super Chase and super Pat read difficult books in Portugese.
*Arrived in Vil, elated, and went straight to the beach.
*Spent night grooving with Peace Corps Mozambique volunteers who were preparing for Beach Beer Olympics the next day.
*Missed a majority of the Olympic events the next day due to a pre-arranged and fabulous snorkling trip.
*Joined BBO in the late afternoon, joined in the reveling of the volunteers still standing, and added a few interesting competitions of our own - the shimmy competetion, the pick-up-the wallet-on-from-floor-dance competition, and the midnight-swim-with-the-phosphorescents- who's-in?-competition.
*Played a pretty intense game of beach volleyball, had a delicious dinner at an oceanside resort, shopped the markets for our own kapalanas with Laura as a trusted guide, and left a little sad to say goodbye.
*Another chapa, punctuated by a lovely dinner with super Ali in Maputo, another overnight bus back to Joburg, a rearranging of bags in Joburg and a flight to Zimbabwe where some faulty landing equipment gave Cate a bit of a fright and Krista a reason to open her eyes for a sec and hold Cate's hand, but clearly proved to be ok.
*Arrived in Harare, picked up by C's cousin Christy and daughter Keira. Dinner with the whole Martin brood at Murray Martin's house. An evening pick up of the effervescent and good looking Mr. William Cathcart, Jr. who seems not to be bothered by his 24plus hr trip.
*A day of planning and recovering followed by a long weekend in Mana Pools, a game reserve in Zimbabwe, with a group of good people. Highlights include a hippo in the camp on the first night as Will is stubbornly taking off for an advised-against night walk, an elephant walking through the camp midday strikingly close to Cate alone in her tent, many scary animal-attack stories and delicious dinners by the camp fire, and some good animal spotting. Check out Will's article for the Charleston Mercury. http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=12145ed645d300c9&mt=application%2Fpdf&pli=1
*A sad farewell to Will, a day of K shadowing C's uncle, the now infamous Dr. Kevin who delivers babies by torch light and looks up surgeries he's never done online before performing them, and C visiting Aunt Gill's schools.
*A terrifying Air Zim flight (at a very low flying altitude) to Victoria Falls preceded and delayed by an official Zimbabwean welcoming ceremony to some Asian dignitary on the tarmac!
*Two days at a cool backpackers in Vic Falls, a risky canoe trip down the Zambezi on the lookout for lurking crocs and hippos the whole time, almost running out of money and not being able to use any ATM's in Zim as they've just switched to the US dollar and don't have enough currency, a flight to Nairobi where we're safe in the ghetto with a Pentecostal preacher as a house mom and projects that we're thrilled with!
More anon....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Help Wanted!
So the volunteering has started in earnest, and I think someone in Zimbabwe best described the difference between Africa and the rest of the world as:
In Africa you're a free-range chicken, and everywhere else you're in a cage.
Meaning there is more danger, but also more freedom. And in the case of this volunteering placement, there is more chaos, but more opportunity to really make a difference.
In Peru, I was slotted into an already established system. Granted it was a system that needed an overhaul, but that wasn't going to be achieved by me in 2 weeks, so I used the time to learn, observe, and give them another pair of hands.
This placement, however, with the Local Aid Organization (actually their official name) is much more...entrepreneurial. As Cate said, we're living and working in a slum (more on that later), and many years ago two women from this community started reaching out to people in the community with HIV/AIDS. Josephine, a social worker, and Elosy, a teacher, both eventually quit their jobs to do this full time. It's a grass-roots effort on their part and in my opinion the best kind of aid since it comes from people within the community who are familiar with its people and challenges.
Their outreach has come in many forms:
So, I've spent the last few days going on home visits (by 'home' I mean 10x10 tin-roofed shacks that house families of 5), teaching health and hygiene to the kids at the school (hard to tell them to brush their teeth twice a day when they don't have toothpaste!), and talking to Josephine and Elosy about what their priorities are and what they need.
I was planning on emailing my friends who have worked in development and with non-profits, but realized I should send this out to everyone because the more minds we have working on this the better! What the women have already accomplished is amazing, so we're just trying to figure out ways to sustain what they are doing and implement their priority programs. So if you have any ideas, please post them on here or email me at: krista.buckley@gmail.com!
Bead Program:
They'd like to have a way to sell these necklaces. Most of the local places charge a large percentage that makes it impractical to use that avenue. If anyone can think of specific groups that are already selling crafts made by women in Africa please let me know.
Other Income-generating schemes:
Their aim is to make these woman as self-sustaining as possible, so they are always looking for new incoming-generating plans like the bead program, especially since so many other groups are making necklaces also. I know it's hard from there to imagine what enterprises might be possible for this women, but throw your ideas out there! Some other things the women do are knitting sweaters for school uniforms, selling fish or groceries, etc.
Sponsoring a child:
We'd like to set up a website, either an independent one or through an established charity that already links donors up with children so their school fees can be paid. There are only 2 government schools for the well over 100,000 people in this slum, and they charge $63 a term which many people can't afford. So there are many 'informal schools' like the Glad Kids School that have sprung up to fill the gap. Glad Kids, which currently has 70 kids enrolled from ages 3-14, only charges $15/term but many kids can't pay their fees. We'd like to have the fees paid so that the teachers can receive a little stipend because it's hard to retain teachers very long on a volunteer basis. If you know of any website designers that would make a website for free for an NGO/charity let me know! Or of a good established one that might be taking on more students to sponsor!
Porridge Program Donations:
Many of the kids who go home for lunch don't actually get any food, because there isn't any. So they are trying to set up a feeding program so they can give the kids porridge once a day (I tried it last night...frankly I think I'd rather go hungry, but the kids seem to love it!). Someone in the community has donated the corn meal for the first term, another lady has given them an extra pot to cook it in, and I'm planning on buying the coals for cooking it and the bowls to serve it in tomorrow for the first month (it's about $100 to feed 70 kids lunch for a month). If you're at all interested in helping with that you can donate on our website: cateandkrista.com. I know most of you have already supported us a LOT, so no pressure, I just thought it would be a very direct way you could literally help feed a child if you were interested and I'll try to post some pictures when the program starts next week.
Sister School:
Ideally, for a sustainable way to support the school and the porridge program, I'd love to set it up with an elementary school in the US. The school is like an expanded version of the tin-roofed shacks with three classrooms and an office. They don't have running water or a kitchen to cook in (current plan is to cook porridge outside). So those are two improvements they'd like to eventually make happen, but they also struggle with daily issues of some kids not having any shoes, not being able to afford books, etc. Setting them up with sister school could ensure donations of old books, equipment, etc from US schools and also start a cross cultural understanding- so the kids in the slum in Kenya can see that there is another way to live and the kids in America can see how lucky they really are! Lots of schools already have this set up, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if any of you guys knew of a school that might be interested.
Ok, I'm going to go now because I've somehow found the most expensive internet cafe in Africa, but we'll fill you in our adventures (and misadventures) we haven't posted about yet soon. :)
Much love!
In Africa you're a free-range chicken, and everywhere else you're in a cage.
Meaning there is more danger, but also more freedom. And in the case of this volunteering placement, there is more chaos, but more opportunity to really make a difference.
In Peru, I was slotted into an already established system. Granted it was a system that needed an overhaul, but that wasn't going to be achieved by me in 2 weeks, so I used the time to learn, observe, and give them another pair of hands.
This placement, however, with the Local Aid Organization (actually their official name) is much more...entrepreneurial. As Cate said, we're living and working in a slum (more on that later), and many years ago two women from this community started reaching out to people in the community with HIV/AIDS. Josephine, a social worker, and Elosy, a teacher, both eventually quit their jobs to do this full time. It's a grass-roots effort on their part and in my opinion the best kind of aid since it comes from people within the community who are familiar with its people and challenges.
Their outreach has come in many forms:
- Counseling women with AIDS
- Home visits to make sure the women are ok, have food, and are taking their medication
- Working on starting a clinic in their office so people can receive treatment without having to pay to get to the hospital
- They started a school for orphans, kids with HIV, and other kids that have fallen through the government's school system since there aren't enough schools and the fees are expensive.
- Started a bead making program where they sell necklaces the women have made to give the women some income and to help pay the rent on their office ($75/month).
- Running workshops on business management and providing care for HIV+ children.
So, I've spent the last few days going on home visits (by 'home' I mean 10x10 tin-roofed shacks that house families of 5), teaching health and hygiene to the kids at the school (hard to tell them to brush their teeth twice a day when they don't have toothpaste!), and talking to Josephine and Elosy about what their priorities are and what they need.
I was planning on emailing my friends who have worked in development and with non-profits, but realized I should send this out to everyone because the more minds we have working on this the better! What the women have already accomplished is amazing, so we're just trying to figure out ways to sustain what they are doing and implement their priority programs. So if you have any ideas, please post them on here or email me at: krista.buckley@gmail.com!
Bead Program:
They'd like to have a way to sell these necklaces. Most of the local places charge a large percentage that makes it impractical to use that avenue. If anyone can think of specific groups that are already selling crafts made by women in Africa please let me know.
Other Income-generating schemes:
Their aim is to make these woman as self-sustaining as possible, so they are always looking for new incoming-generating plans like the bead program, especially since so many other groups are making necklaces also. I know it's hard from there to imagine what enterprises might be possible for this women, but throw your ideas out there! Some other things the women do are knitting sweaters for school uniforms, selling fish or groceries, etc.
Sponsoring a child:
We'd like to set up a website, either an independent one or through an established charity that already links donors up with children so their school fees can be paid. There are only 2 government schools for the well over 100,000 people in this slum, and they charge $63 a term which many people can't afford. So there are many 'informal schools' like the Glad Kids School that have sprung up to fill the gap. Glad Kids, which currently has 70 kids enrolled from ages 3-14, only charges $15/term but many kids can't pay their fees. We'd like to have the fees paid so that the teachers can receive a little stipend because it's hard to retain teachers very long on a volunteer basis. If you know of any website designers that would make a website for free for an NGO/charity let me know! Or of a good established one that might be taking on more students to sponsor!
Porridge Program Donations:
Many of the kids who go home for lunch don't actually get any food, because there isn't any. So they are trying to set up a feeding program so they can give the kids porridge once a day (I tried it last night...frankly I think I'd rather go hungry, but the kids seem to love it!). Someone in the community has donated the corn meal for the first term, another lady has given them an extra pot to cook it in, and I'm planning on buying the coals for cooking it and the bowls to serve it in tomorrow for the first month (it's about $100 to feed 70 kids lunch for a month). If you're at all interested in helping with that you can donate on our website: cateandkrista.com. I know most of you have already supported us a LOT, so no pressure, I just thought it would be a very direct way you could literally help feed a child if you were interested and I'll try to post some pictures when the program starts next week.
Sister School:
Ideally, for a sustainable way to support the school and the porridge program, I'd love to set it up with an elementary school in the US. The school is like an expanded version of the tin-roofed shacks with three classrooms and an office. They don't have running water or a kitchen to cook in (current plan is to cook porridge outside). So those are two improvements they'd like to eventually make happen, but they also struggle with daily issues of some kids not having any shoes, not being able to afford books, etc. Setting them up with sister school could ensure donations of old books, equipment, etc from US schools and also start a cross cultural understanding- so the kids in the slum in Kenya can see that there is another way to live and the kids in America can see how lucky they really are! Lots of schools already have this set up, but I thought I'd throw it out there to see if any of you guys knew of a school that might be interested.
Ok, I'm going to go now because I've somehow found the most expensive internet cafe in Africa, but we'll fill you in our adventures (and misadventures) we haven't posted about yet soon. :)
Much love!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Safe
We're safe in Nairobi, living with a lovely host family in what GVN aptly called an "urban slum". Internet in Africa has been patchy. In fact, electricity has been patchy, but we are alive and safe and happy! We survived two twelve hours chapa rides (some people call them chicken buses) in Mozambique, a rather harrowing flight to Vic Falls on Air Zimbabwe, a four day camping trip in a National Park in Zim, Mana Pools, where elephants came very close and Will tried hard to get himself killed, and canoeing on the Zambezi (avoiding crocs and hippos!). Volunteering starts tomorrow! I'm going to be working at an orphanage and Krista at a local HIV/AIDS clinic, outreach center. We'll try to report back as often as possible. Much love. xx
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