Kumnandi Ekhaya - It Is Nice At Home

Three elders warming up in the midday sun in NU 5 on a cold winter day.

People Are People Through Other People

The Sizamile Soup Kitchen In NU 5

Between 20  to 40 people of all ages come to the Soup Kitchen in NU 5 to get a hot meal on Wednesdays. 

The Sizamile Women's Group was established in 2005 by 19 women. The soup kitchen was launched in the same year.

A letter was handed over to us when we visited them so that we could read their story.
We want to use their own unchanged words to re-tell it to you:

" We started this project ; a certain old man came to us and asked for food. He was so destitute although he receives grant. The grant is insufficient to fulfill his needs. We met as women to solve the problem, we established a soup kitchen in order to meet with this problem. We collected some cash and bought rice, mince-meat and vegetables.

Many of the destitute came to have some meals. They were rationed from Monday to Friday. Four of the women withdrew they could not afford to give money to buy the food items. Only the eleven of us who is still on the project.

We decided to cook for them once a week. We chose to feed them on Wednesdays. The number of them has risen to 40. Six of them are bed-ridden. We visit and feed them at their homes. We are feeding the elderly people."

The government of South Africa as a young democracy has established an extensive social grant system over the years to support and help the people that have been disadvantaged under the Apartheid system and as an answer to the needs of those who are living below the minimum income level or who are in the true sense of the word destitute. 

There are a variety of social grants available for the elders, aids orphans, HIV positive people, disabled people and many more.

The necessary distribution of these grants initially instituted because of the high level of unemployment has now led to another social phenomena. The grants are often not used for their original destined purpose but they help to feed complete families. A social grant or a pension of an elderly person might help contribute to bring the grandchildren through school or pay electricity and water. A cycle that is incredibly hard to break.

This soup kitchen was set up in the spirit of UBUNTU.

Ubuntu is an African Word.

In the Xhosa language Ubuntu means " People are People Through Other People".

Reference to the word Ubuntu is made on all levels of government in South Africa and in all social circles.

We dare to say Ubuntu is most alive and strong with the people who are still very close to earth. 

With the working class.

 " The Salt Of The Earth ".

We call them the Heroes of Daily Life. Our book is about them.

These courageous women have meanwhile created an NGO and have applied for funds with the Department of Social Development. But they are still funding their activities with their own funds.

The younger ones who can, take care of the others who can not care for themselves anymore.

The Spirit of Ubuntu is alive in every NU in Mdantsane.

To the  two ladies who are the initiators of this group Mrs H. Mandleleni and Miss. T Bokoloshe

  WE SALUTE YOU !

Release It Into Song

There he was, sitting alone on a bench in the back of a church whose walls were painted in a bright orange.

The only man who was watching about 20 elderly women who where celebrating a late Mother's Day in June.

Coming closer I could see his face. 

I have always believed in coming closer.

I have always believed that the simple fact that you decide to come closer enriches your life.

When humans get older their faces become like paintings conveying a little bit of the spirit that has lived and is still living in this body for a whole life. Even if we ourselves don't like our changed physical appearance when looking in the mirror, as an artist I think it is beautiful. Over time our faces become alive.

I can not tell you how many times, while working on this book, I would have loved to pause and stay a little longer and hear someone's story right through to the end. 

Even when just catching a glimpse of someone on the street I often feel like saying to that person: I would like to listen to your story from the beginning right to the end - if you would like to talk. 

I can not count how many times I had that wish in my life. Often you can pause and listen but many times you have to move on. 

I really do not know who he is and I had not the time to get to know him.
But I have this beautiful photo of his face which is like a painting of life itself

The Young Ones

When I last visited my friend Pelisa ( middle) at the Ethembeni Old Age Home, I was lucky to meet two very dynamic ladies who had powerful visions for the future and great stories to tell. And you know by now how much I love to do portraits of people and their dreams.
It inspires me to see other people's determination and reminds me to follow my own dreams.

Mrs.Mandleleni and Mrs Tom were paying Pelisa a visit. She is the visionary, manager and founder of the Ethembeni Old Age Home. Both women were seeking practical advice from her concerning the creation, funding and management of self-help initiatives. And both ladies have just founded two self help groups. They are not shy at all to undertake such a demanding task although their are not in their teens themselves.   

Mrs Tom is the founder of the Simbambisene Service Center for the Aged. 

She says: I want to teach the women skills.
 I have started to train them in the art of traditional bead-work.
Women have to have the chance to learn something in life.

 Our groups are young, she explains, but we take it step by step.
And we have Pelisa, she says, she knows so much.
I have seen this every often and this is the spirit of Mdantsane.
People do help each other.

And they have truly found great advice with Pelisa, a lady who has followed her dream with unbelievable motivation and whose determination has brought the only Old Age Home in Mdantsane from a pure idea into life.

Mrs. Mandleleni is the creator of the Sizamile Women's Group.

We teach women about their rights in life.

Women have to know about their rights in life, even if they are old, she explains to me.
This has been neglected for far too long.

I was promised that I would be allowed to visit their organizations next week. 

But of course my visit had to be prepared.

CAN YOU BE EVER YOUNGER THAN THIS ?

THE TEST OF TIME

Portrait Of Strength And Humor

These portraits are symbolic for two of the inherent characteristics of African women

                 

strength and humor

CONTRAST

Mdantsane is steadily growing. People are still flocking from the rural areas to town.

And the place many come from.....

is in most cases very different from the one that has been left behind

and adjustments takes time

especially for the elders

THE CLOTHES LADIES

are never short of work.

Take My Picture

55% of the community members are unemployed, about 25 % are workers and 20% are depending on either a disability grant, child support grant or old age grant made available by the government.

DANCING TO GOSPEL

MEET ETHEMBENI

Against some western beliefs ' SELF HELP " is a concept that is already embodied in African Societies and does not have to be taught to the people by developmental organizations.

" The situation of the senior citizens in this country requires that they be taken care of. As we look at this, we discovered that abuse starts at home and ends up in loan sharks. The chances of elderly people to have their freedom are minimized by exploitation, violence and insecurity. This is when we identified the problems they are facing. Some individuals were neglected because their children were suffering from HIV/AIDS and this affected the elderly people emotionally. As we worked closer with them we further noticed that some of them were abused because of their pension grant. Ethembeni helped most families around as some elderly people were left alone while their children were at work and their grand-children at school."

( Origin and Existence of the Ethembeni Old Age Home, Pelisa Welemu) 

Proud Care-givers in their uniforms at the Ethembeni Old Age Home

The Ethembeni Old Age Home has been our port of entry into Mdantsane and we would like to dedicate a chapter on this formidable institution.

The house in NU 2 were 28 old people have found a safe home

The Ethembeni Old Age Home was founded in august 2004 as a non-profit organization. Pelisa Welemu, the co-author of this book started cooking soup and sometimes lunch for elderly people of NU 2 in Mdantsane. The Uniting Reformed Church was approached the same year for their unused mission house. Services were offered to the elderly people and some of them decided to stay because they felt neglected and abused in their community and society. Beds and linen were borrowed from people who could and wanted to assist the home. 

A resident's room inside the home

" WHEN PEOPLE BEGAN STAYING IN THE HOUSE THAT WAS WHEN OUR HOME STARTED."

But it gives much more than a mouth-full to the elders. It means security, shelter, care,company and warmth.

Most of all company with the ones that are like you and understand your needs, desires and hopes.

THE SEWING SISTERS OF THE CHURCH

       AND OUR BREAD GIVES US DAILY

Entrepreneurial activities sprout everywhere. In every street of every unit. They are no limits in terms of creativity, improvisation, the use of space and logistics and in the way business is done. There is an unbreakable spirit of self-help and help-each-other attitude amongst the citizens of Mdantsane.

The TWO SEWING SISTERS have set up their business in a church. 

The importance of networking has not to be explained to the people of Mdantsane. This small business was created when the Ethembeni Old Age Home received a donation of brand new modern sewing machines and had no immediate use for them.

But two ladies with exceptional sewing skills and ambitious attitude were already seizing the opportunity and with the church's permission to use the space during the week a small sized business was created in a couple of days.

The space is enough to expand and who complains if he has a whole church as a workshop. And their skills are quite considerate. Where have they learned sewing,,, by themselves of course.

And it is not surprising that this demanding business was started by the two ladies at an age where some others might be turning thoughts about retiring and the way they will spent the rest of their lives. There is no slowing down here in this part of town and we have never heard  the expression " too old " which had a relieving effect on us. The spirit in the township is the opposite to some European countries where everything has to happen when you are young.

The success of their business is based on the fact that they do know their costumers, that they have found their market and that the quality of their products is of a very high standard. There is mutual understanding and respect for each other and a shared love for peanut butter and Rooiboos tea.

The recipe is easy, they say:  " TRADITIONAL WILL NEVER BE OUT OF FASHION ".
And do it as the costumers want it. !

But although cherish the way a lady dresses.....