The Hefty Blog - Overview and Final week

Final Week in South Africa

It was only a fortnight ago, but let's see how memory serves..

In a nutshell: I tried to live every moment and enjoy each second of my final week, but of course it was tinged with the sadness of leaving, and speckled with fond farewells from the community partners and friends. In particular the coaches, who thanked me for my time and input over the last 2 months. I have a lot of respect for Bulelani and Nyaniso and by the end of my stay they had the same for me too.
Leaving GAPA was tiny bit heart breaking as some of the kids were just managing to remember my name. Two girls even had a competition over a couple of days about me - one wanted to call me Coach, but her friend wanted to call me Zak. So they kept repeating my 'names' and whichever one got them my attention was the winner. I kept switching up when I turned around and pulled silly faces which got them in fits of giggles! I couldn't leave GAPA with one last charge around the football pitch with the boys, Kholosa (a little boy who's name, which means trust) decided I was fun this week. He deliberately came to my table on craft activities and always wanted me to be on his football team! It was a challenge to set him up to score, but we made a great partnership! After leaving once the grannies didn't believe I was really going this time which was a lovely lighthearted farewell.

I remember being hailed by my colleagues that week as well - for (with the help of my fantastic volunteers) finally completing and writing up all the assessments at the 2 township primary schools! I've never really stopped to think about how many classes and 'learners' we teach out on the sports project. Until John thought to analyse the data sheet will fill in everyday. He found that on average we see maybe 3-4 classes everyday, which equates to over children. Every morning. So for two schools.. with grades 4 - 7.. with 2 classes in each grade.. that's close to 900 children assessed over 3 weeks. Good job team. I think the cake in a cup did keep everyone's spirits up!

Over my final weekend I went up table tops again and had an awesome last meals with my closest friends. Let's glance over the violent illness I had for most of it and get straight to overviews!

Volunteering Abroad

International volunteers are essential to projects like the ones I experienced in Cape Town, South Africa. Although they would welcome South Africans to the project with open arms it just doesn't happen. This led me to wonder why that may be. And led me to question why I had to travel half way round the world to volunteer as a coach in a primary school in a disadvantaged neighbourhood. Perhaps it's because I haven't been subconsciously bombarded with prejudice and taboos. I understand my country and my area very well, yet I wasn't prepared to volunteer at home. I probably have no idea how incredibly dangerous Khayelitsha and Langa actually are. I was always sheltered and stayed with the community partners, and have a very positive experience of working with people in townships. Inside looking out is very different from the outside looking in. My ignorance was actually my strength when embarking on my volunteer placement. It meant I had an open mind and gave people a chance, one: because I wanted to, two: because I had no idea what to expect. Going forwards I believe I would like to continue to volunteer and work with social impact organisations not only abroad but closer to home. Parts of Sheffield are among the most deprived in the U.K and although the background and challenges are completely different and present new challenges, they should deserve a chance too.

Becoming a Staff Member

What a journey I have had. Only in writing this and thinking about do I realise what I have done! Being an ambassador was a fantastic opportunity and one which I grasped with two hands! I grew into the role accepting new responsibilities and managing my new relationship dynamic with the volunteers. My favourite part however was in the morning where we had a staff meeting to reflect on the day before, so everyone was on the same page. I gained a new insight into the different projects and really saw the impact we were making. Such as the informal preschool centre getting recognition by the government and receiving new funding for her practise, thanks to the support we have given her and her team. The most impactful however was from the girl impact project. 

A young boy from the community partner had been sent to the local cash store (convenience store) to buy food. Along the way he was stabbed. There was talk in the community of vengeance against the attacker. However some of the teenage boys started to discuss and bring up points they had learnt from our volunteers. Discussing how to tackle to situation peacefully to prevent gangsterism and future conflict. A decision was made, and our forum for talking and role playing situations like this had just prevented violence. This is the impact we can make. A level of maturity and awareness was show by these boys that is admirable in adults, amazing.

On a more lighthearted note, volunteers get to live, work and gain a unique insight into a country and a more 'real' experience. Not to mention broadening your horizons with new experiences and relationships with people from across the world. I would thoroughly recommend it, you have no idea what doors it may open to you. 

Thank you South Africa for everything.

Drop In

I'm putting this blog out there because today, I finally unpacked my suitcase.. So my trip is officially over - despite the fact I arrived home almost a week ago! So I'm going to round of this blogger page with a hefty post, which should encompass everything from my final week, to an overview of being a staff member and volunteer at an international charitable organisation, as well as a quick note about my plans for the future.

But for now I'm touching base, I did find my way back home to the UK. My days at the moment consist of seeing family and organising my next adventure - skiing season in Canada! I will be blogging these exploits too on another page.
In the near future however I am going shopping to fill the gap in my gear tomorrow! I will also be seeing my little scouting group, who helped me with fundraising by buying my chocolate buns! I will be talking about South Africa and its history, and about my volunteer stories and sharing with them some games and songs that I learnt.

Finally, remember to stay posted for my big final blog and pictures! I will go through and add pictures to my past blog posts and will have to see if I can make a accessible folder at the side somewhere..

Until next time!

CatchUp: Weekend and Last week!

So they're tearing up the pavement outside the volunteer house and all the way down the street - something about new cables? Anyway, I have no clue if it is correlated or not but we've had at least 3 black outs in the last week. Which is not cool if you want to connect to the Internet and write a blog. Some people at HQ have started calling it TIA (this is Africa!) That being said.. Here we go!

The End of Last Week

More super fun sports in Khayelitsha and at GAPA. Notably at GAPA on Thursday we had our weekly meeting with the grannies which was particularly fun this week, as we were recapping the signing workshop we had taught them last week.  Apart of the 'each one teach one' initiative where the grannies and volunteers teach each other different things! Andreas, a Danish teaching volunteer worked in a special needs school where certain children didn't / couldn't speak, so they used some sign language to communicate with them. It was really enjoyable to learn and was wonderful to see everyone remembering together all the different words!

On the same day we had a numerous volunteer group as the 'Girl Impact' vols came to GAPA to speak with the older (9-14 year old) girls. Girl impact is an incredible project as it gives girls a forum to discuss things like early pregnancy, contraception, women's rights and puberty. Things that they normally wouldn't be able to talk about. Which is awesome.. But it left the other grade 4-7's (the boys) low in number when they came to do sorts with us.
So we used the situation to our advantage, and marked out a football pitch using the whole of the outside area, then made teams mixing 4 kids with 4 vols on each team, even using bibs! This sort of organisation is rare at GAPA which is normally a baby step away from caos, which made our football match even more special! I had the most amazing time! And so did the boys, even this week they have been coming up to me saying 'man of the match' pointing proudly at his chest, also star striker/goal keeper - after the names I kept calling them!

The whole of Friday was a highlight also! We stayed out in the primary school all day, that's right! No planning that afternoon because we went to street cricket! We closed the road outside the primary school from around 1:30 till 4 o'clock to hold an inter-school street cricket and street football tournament- it was incredile! We used old oil drums, painted bright orange as wickets, and proper 5 a-side goals to take over the street and play sports! Despite our equipment, the kids and the STOP sign we still had cars and buses winding through the street mid-game! It was insane, but it really felt like 'street' cricket, having to pause for a car enhanced the experience. Needless to say, it was a busy street with yet more schools adjacent to it. As the children were let out of school they stopped to watch and support the matches. Having spectators cheer, and to see the net ripple as you score a goal in football is a unique and magical feeling, to see the delight in all the players faces was truly special.

In addition the cricket games were just as unreal - you would think that when a kid smacks a ball over a couple corrugated iron shacks and stone walls that the batsmen will run for 6. But, the kids are up and over walls in an instant! Plus the local residents know the sports coaches and help find the ball for us! Some houses were playing musical, others cooking braai, it was a fantastic atmosphere and a unique experience that I will be one of the highlights of my trip for sure.

Weekend Exploits

I felt as though I had a nice, long relaxed weekend. Saturday comprised of the Old Buiscut Mill again for the delicious foods and iced tea. On the menu today was rice crispy, banana and Nutella crêpes, followed by Korean chilli rice noodles in a chicken chow mien. Not to forget the freshly chopped coconut that we drank and ate!

Sunday was more adventurous. Annika met Darron whilst walking her dogs at the TEARS project in Ocean View. Now Darron used to work at TEARS for 7 years! And now he owns a surf school - so he invited her and myself down for a lesson! It was 'lekker bru' which is Afrikaans for 'amazing bro!' He's such a cool guy who not only has the body of superman, owns a pizzeria and surf shop. But he also runs an outreach program for vulnerable children from 9-14 years old from the local deprived communities. I have a lot of respect for that man. When I can I will update this blog and talk more about the surfing and outreach program because it's really interesting and impressive, but right now the Internet cafe is closing!

Love to all my familly xxx until next time!