Our Trip to Africa
Kerri Hastings talks about the projects delivered during the 2011 trip to Africa.
Project 1: The Clinic amongst the Shacks
In the suburbs of Pretoria the highways and roads are aligned with thousands of aluminium shacks and concrete sheds. These ‘houses’ housed up to 2 families, with all of the family living, eating and sleeping in one room.
In order to visit the patients amongst these shacks, we painted the clinic which serviced the ill (usually HIV positive). We were then allowed to go on the care workers rounds. These care workers had 420 patients to care for in this small area. Those that had HIV, were often in denial claiming they had a cold. These people were hopeful and proud. I did not take any pictures of their homes, or of the people I visited as I felt it was inappropriate.
From the starving and needy, to the HIV positive, to the elderly with no family left, we fed, gave food and gave hope to these people. One of the people I visited was an old black lady in need of a bath. I, myself, bathed her in a tin bath with an inch of hot water (as she gave out my hands were too soft to do the job!).
I left the 2 days at the clinic with random emotions. From the shock that these shacks had fuzzy sky TV to despair that the beautiful hand crafted presses had absolutely nothing inside them. It hit home, everything was covered up.
Project 2: Food Parcels
We arrived to a Primary School and were introduced to 25 kids. On the outset, they looked perfectly normal. Until we were told:
The school lend the uniforms. Some children have to walk 3 – 4 hours home after school, were there mothers scrubbed their uniforms for the next day.
They were fed everyday at school but over the weekend & summer holidays they went hungry. It was not uncommon for these kids to faint of a Monday morning.
We gave these kids there food parcels & presents of school resources, and watched as they discretely nibbled for 2 minutes, to then put the rest in the their bags (they take the food from school home to feed their families).
Project 3: Painting an After School Centre for Orphans
and Needy Children
150 children used a VERY small space after school each day to be fed. These children circumstances all varied from either being orphaned, or were in homes of domestic violence. All children had poverty and suffering in common.
As space was limited, I organised to put educational tools ON THE WALLS, and asked the teachers and carers what they'd like.
We also cooked, fed and gave presents to these kids. The results broke my heart.
Project 4: The Elderly
Due to the political corruption in South Africa many of the Elderly folk's children had emigrated. Hence, these particular old white people were labelled the forgotten generation.
Just like in Ireland, these wonderful people are left to live everyday in repetition, with hardly anyone visiting them. Our aim was to bring the local school children with us, show the joy, and get them to realise that Charity begins at home.
We hand made heart key rings for the 120 people in the home. I sang and played the piano and visited the ill one's in their beds.
The audience we received was overwhelming. They said each day is the same as the next, and we had no idea how much love, hope and we shared with them. South Africans helping south Africans, and we were the catalyst.
Project 5: The White Squatter Camp
Due to the political unrest, black people do get a (tiny) grant. However, white people don't.
We visited a white squatter camp. One of the most uncomfortable and saddest parts of our journey. A lady called Paps opened her house, and bought an extra 10 wendy houses to house them.
Most of these people once had homes, jobs but due to circumstances lost of the above.
Photos felt inappropriate. Although these people were thankful, they were embarrassed and evidently all pride was hurt.
Project 6: The Old Lady in the Shack
There are some moments in life where you feel your heart burst, and you can't decide is out of happiness or despair. This was one of those.
We'd been told that an old lady up the road from our camp walked 2km on a zimmer frame to church every Sunday. It was winter. And was freezing. And she didn't have very much.
We brought 2 blankets and a grocery bag of food. Nothing prepared me for the scene I was about to see.
There she was lying in a bed, on the floor of a concrete shed. Beside her bed was a bin, with 2 sticks burning for heat and light. Her options: die of the cold or die of the fumes. She didn't speak English. We didn't speak Zulu. So as music transcends all languages, we sang. She clapped and cheered as each and everyone of us tried to ignore the lumps in our throats. She prayed hard every night, and It was described we were like Angels who answered her prayers. She hugged each of us so tightly I don't know where she was getting the strength. She was teeny tiny. With hardly any teeth. Again, no pictures, as I felt it was inappropriate.
Project 7: The Special School
We visited a Cerebral Palsy school, relying soley on charity for financial support. The feeling in this school was one of love, support and although many of the kids were confined to wheel chairs or couldn't talk, the work the teachers did was extraordinary. They rolled around laughing with us, in ignorant bliss of what their lives would be some day.