Early wakeup calls have become a way of life for us here in Cape Town. We all got up and were ready to go today by 8:30AM heading to our volunteer sites. Nestled in the township of Nyanga is Emasithandane, also called “Emasi” for short. Brief facts about Emasi---it is a home/shelter that provides education, food and extra moral programming, for orphans; abandoned, abused and otherwise vulnerable children; and those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Currently there are 39 children living at Emasi, and the home provides a community feeding kitchen for an additional 25 children in the community.
From the exterior, we didn’t know exactly which building Emasi was because there was no sign in the front. Also, there was a construction site due to a new shelter being built that would be attached to the original building. When we first entered, I couldn’t believe that so many children all between 6 months - 17 years old were living together in two cramped and very small homes. We’d later discover that the new shelter was going to be a new location for the boys to sleep and more storage space for supplies. After our brief tour, we talked to the coordinator, Mbuyisi, who gave us a layout of the shelter and his expectations for us. Our role here was to entertain the children, light cleaning and hanging laundry, and help serve the children lunch if the cooks needed more help.
The children at Emasi were so welcoming and flew around the shelter like fire rockets because they were so full of energy. I loved it! They are in such a bad situation and within a poor community, it amazed me how happy and positive they all were. Playing with the kids was so tiring but worth it putting a smile on their faces and laughing with them. We played soccer, raced toy cars, jumped around, and even did a little singing in English and Xhosa. The workers and children are teaching us “Xhosa,” the popular language used in the area even though all of them speak English. Xhosa really cool and we hope to continue using it even after we’ve left Cape Town.
After taking a well deserved break from volunteering, the amazing Robert and Jawaya Shea came to have dinner with us tonight. They were great! They talked a lot about their HIV/AIDs camp that they have and are trying to raise money for to get an area for it. It was really an impressive presentation and they also talked about the different volunteer sites that we’re working at and how its important to realize that the small things we do: rather it be, taking blood pressures, greeting someone positively, or just lending a hand to someone in need, it all makes a difference even if we don't know it.
That’s all for now!
The children at Emasi were so welcoming and flew around the shelter like fire rockets because they were so full of energy. I loved it! They are in such a bad situation and within a poor community, it amazed me how happy and positive they all were. Playing with the kids was so tiring but worth it putting a smile on their faces and laughing with them. We played soccer, raced toy cars, jumped around, and even did a little singing in English and Xhosa. The workers and children are teaching us “Xhosa,” the popular language used in the area even though all of them speak English. Xhosa really cool and we hope to continue using it even after we’ve left Cape Town.
After taking a well deserved break from volunteering, the amazing Robert and Jawaya Shea came to have dinner with us tonight. They were great! They talked a lot about their HIV/AIDs camp that they have and are trying to raise money for to get an area for it. It was really an impressive presentation and they also talked about the different volunteer sites that we’re working at and how its important to realize that the small things we do: rather it be, taking blood pressures, greeting someone positively, or just lending a hand to someone in need, it all makes a difference even if we don't know it.
That’s all for now!
- Shevin
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