Last Day of School (for me, for this trip, that is!)

It's been another warm day in KwaZulu Natal and I was early to school this morning as I had lots of deliveries to make.  Thanks to the wonderful support you give us, we have been able to add a few little extras to First Step Right this visit.  I went to "Build It" early to collect some bags of compost for the school veggie garden, they have plans to grow onions, beetroot, spinach, courgettes and butternut squash!  I played a game with Grade R this afternoon, giving each child one of these five words in turn and then asked them to stand when their veggie was called out to see how well they grew!! They thought this was quite good fun (sadly spinach didn't do so well as most of the children who were "spinach" forgot about it)

GAGA supporters also provided 150 new cups and bowls for the children, as well as pencils and erasers, some wall charts for the early years classes and some items for hygiene too, like buckets and toilet brushes.  Thank you all so much for your regular donations as these help us to plan for this type of replacement items.

As it was my last day with the school for this visit, I also brought some fruit for the children and the teachers.  Some of it supplemented the lunch today and the rest was an afternoon break snack.  Here are some of the Grade R children enjoying their bananas! There are two Grade R classes, these are their teachers, and we had a lovely time this afternoon singing songs in the shade of one of the trees in the playground.  The children joined in enthusiastically with "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "The Wheels on the Bus" amongst other songs.

Today was a little different from a standard Thursday, as there was a parent's meeting from 10 am in the school.  This first meeting of the year was very well attended and, as every person who has Primary School children with recall, the parents all gathered in the school and perched on the little chairs! The meeting started with a wonderfully melodic song of blessing and a brief prayer.  The meeting covered all of the administrative items that are common in schools the world over, a reminder to put names in school uniform, a request to support their child with their homework...but not to do it for them!  There was also a discussion about learning to read and some hints for the parents of smaller children to point out words on packaging around the house and signs on the streets and a request that the older children practice reading for at least 15 minutes a night. 

All of these items were well received, first Gael spoke in English and then Khanyisile repeated it all in isiZulu.  I took a small time to say hello from GAGA and to express how much our supporters enjoy hearing lovely stories from First Step Right and how we are delighted to work in partnership with the school team, themselves as parents and their lovely children.  I didn't say too much as it was getting really warm and stuffy in the classroom and the parent's had been in the meeting for a while!  Then followed a question and answer session, and the ubiquitous request for member of the Parents' Committee.... as in schools all over, initial nominations were slow to come but eventually all of the posts were filled!



The children were outside during the Parents Meeting and some of the teachers were singing and dancing with them under the shade of a tree.  They had all run around in the sun for a long time and it was a welcome relief for them to be in the shade for a while.  As the parents left the meeting the children ran to see their Mum or Dad or Gogo.  As expected some of the smaller children wanted to leave at the same time as their carers, not really understanding that there was some of the school day left to complete!

 

"It makes you realise that people are the same wherever you go."  Nicholas Lea

Thank you to the staff and children of First Step Right for making me so welcome in their school!  I can't wait to come back and see how they are all progressing and how the veggie garden is growing!

 

 

 

Meals on Wheels

What a fabulous day I have had today, following the 1000 Hills Community Helpers Meals on Wheels initiative as they made one of their visits to the Sithumba area.  The meal of minced beef and veg, rice and beetroot is made in the kitchens at 1000 Hills Community Helpers and it is loaded onto the trailer.  The team join Patrick the driver in the pick up and I followed along behind in the backie with Modise who was to be my guide for the day!

 We headed out along Layby Road and continued as far as the hammerhead that is the full extent of the tarmac road and therefore the full extent of the available taxi routes.  Luckily we have good vehicles and so continued on the dirt track until we arrived at the Primary School.  No sooner did we draw up outside the gates than the children could be heard, their excited chatter as they caught the delicious aroma of the meat sauce on the air!  The team set up the servery and in no time there was a long line of children excitedly queueing up holding out their plates.  The meal was rice with beef mince and vegetables, a side of diced beetroot and a cup of squash. The children clearly enjoyed the novelty of being served from the trailer and they enthusiastically ate their lunches.  There is a kitchen at this school but this service supplements the school's food budget, as they do not need to cook on the day that the Meals on Wheels arrive.  Whilst the team were busy serving the long line of children, Modise, Elsie and I headed off on foot into the valley to visit some housebound patients and take them food and healthcare supplies (dressings, nappies and incontinence pads).
In total we visited six homes, of varying condition and facilities.  Our first stop was to a 74 year old lady "T" who had suffered a stroke which left her unable to move her left side.  She is being cared for by her daughter and her pension is the only household income.
The lady in the orange top has two children and is a single Mum, her youngest was at school when we visited but her daughter, who is 17 was asleep in the bed.  She was a healthy child until she was two years old but then she began to show symptoms that were thought to be related to epilepsy.  "N" is now completely bedridden and without a wheelchair her Mum is unable to get her out and about.  Next we met "S" an eleven year old girl who was born with her disabilities, her Mum passed away when she was a baby and she is now cared for by her Gogo. The love the Gogo has for her granddaughter is evident in this lovely photo, and her other granddaughter who attends the nearby secondary school (which is next to the Primary where we were running the lunch service) popped in to see her sister and Gogo in her lunch break.


 We headed back up the track and could see that the children had all now been fed and so we gathered up the remaining food parcels and healthcare supplies and Modise, Elsie and I got back in the backie and moved across to the other side of the district.

Here we met "O", he is a 98 year old man who has a large open sore on his right shin.  He lives with his family in a small settlement on the valley side and is cared for by his energetic, ebullient 65 year old wife.  She has learned how to clean and dress his wounds and her ministrations are paying off, as his wound is closing up and healing well, albeit slowly.  Her neighbour was visiting, which was fortunate as she was due to be our 5th "house call".  This lady is 55 years old and has gastric ulcers, she also has limited mobility due to swollen legs and she currently uses a branch as a stick, if she can get a walking stick she will have improved comfort and may be able to be more mobile.  The availability of medical equipment like walking frames, walking sticks and wheelchairs is limited but having these items could dramatically improve the quality of life for the frail members of this community.  Modise takes notes about every visit and photographs to help with the assessment of needs back at 1000 Hills Community Helpers.  He has a wonderful way with his patients and their families.  He listens to their needs and asks searching questions to ensure he fully understands the situation.  He is patient, empathetic and thorough.  Our final stop was with this 77 year old lady.  She has balance difficulties and slow reactions so if she looses balance and falls she is likely to go down face first as she cannot react quickly enough to put out her hands to break her fall.  She is cared for in the day by her daughter and another family member, who works in the day, stays with her at night.

After all the house calls were completed we headed back to the 1000 Hills Community Helpers where I chatted for a while with Dawn, the Founder. She was able to give me very useful advice in respect of some of the challenges and strategies for charitable organisations and NPO's operating in South Africa.  Talking to the people who do this day in day out is invaluable for developing a deep understanding of the situation and for gaining advice and ideas of ways of working that will be most effective for the long term. 

I was sorry to say goodbye to Dawn and the team at 1000 Hills Community Helpers for this trip.  They have shown me immense kindness, patience with my questions and given of willingly of their time and experience.  I look forward to seeing them all again on my next visit.

A couple of amusing aspects to the day - firstly the football team made up entirely of cows....

 and secondly, my relief that I am not the only one with an inexplicable phobia of small creatures (those of you who know me, know it's frogs for me) when Elsie, the Community Care Giver whose round we shared today, stopped stock still on the path and would not pass this little fella...

Can you spot him????

Yay! The Sun is Shining Again!

After so many days of drizzle, torrential rain and fog it was a delight to see that the sun had got his hat on this morning!  As I made my coffee, I noticed a small vervet monkey sitting on the roof of a nearby property warming up his tummy in the early morning sun!  Not this guy - my camera isn't that good - but I thought you'd like to see a cute monkey picture nonetheless!
I had two visits planned today, firstly a stop at the 1000 Hills Community Helpers, you may remember that Tuesday is baby clinic day and I called in to drop off the wonderful donations of knitted items and baby vests and sleepsuits that have been given to us. 

This robust baby boy is doing so well and his Mum also works at 1000 Hills Community Helpers

Here is Nurse Teddy with another smashing baby boy!

This young Mum is doing a fantastic job with her little girl, she was delighted to receive one of the beautiful crocheted blankets we were given by one of our supporters. 

This Gogo (Grandma) is helping her daughter to cope with her new baby, we were delighted to offer her some additional babygrows today!

This young Mum is also the happy recipient of a lovely new blanket for her gorgeous baby, she is currently studying Business Administration and balancing the needs of her newborn and her older son.

Dawn and her team at 1000 Hills Community Helpers were delighted with the donations, they are always in need of good quality clothing items and the knitted items (whilst not needed today in 31 degrees) will be very welcome as the winter approaches.  The lovely school dresses we have been given will be distributed amongst the pupils of 1000 Hills Community Helpers own pre-school and the larger sizes will be put aside for children in need who may come alone or with their parents to seek support from this wonderful organisation.  I joined Sister Faith in the baby clinic where I was privileged to sit in on the consultations with the Mum's and Gogo's who are looking after babies from newborn to four months.
Sister Faith monitors the weight of the babies, gives advice on feeding (whether this is supporting the mother who chooses to breastfeed, advising on the correct make up of formula or assess whether the baby is receiving solids) and also assess the general health and well being of the baby. In the short time I was in clinic this morning there was a baby with scabies, one with thrush in the mouth and two baby boys with undescended testicles. These, amongst other common ailments, are critical to have diagnosed and treated early on.  Women are encouraged to attend the clinic regularly to ensure that their babies have the best possible chance to thrive.

After an hour or so observing the clinic I took a browse in the craft shop and I have bought some lovely protea print items to trial for our merchandising.  I'm back at 1000 Hills Community Helpers tomorrow for the Meals on Wheels ….

My backie was blocked in as I went to leave and the guys who keep the mini buses and meals on wheels vans spick and span were insistent that they should give the backie a good wash before I could leave!  Lucky me, I got to enjoy the scenery and beautifully kept gardens!





Next stop was back to First Step Right, when I arrived the pupils were lining up to return to class after first break.  I did a swift circuit of the school, saying hello to everyone and then sat in with Grade R for storytime.  I was so pleased to find the book of Bear's Blue Boat which I remember reading to my own sons.  We read it through three times with the children joining in on the colours and the rhyming of the last page. 

Then I took Gael, who runs the school, to PMB to do some shopping for the school, we purchased some wall charts (days of the week, seasons and months of the year etc) as well as basic stationery supplies (pencils, erasers etc) and also some more cups and bowls for the kitchen.  We had some fun rolling the heavy trolley down the ramp and we were chatting so much on the return journey that we forgot to buy the compost for the veggie patch!  That has to be a job for tomorrow now!

When I returned to PheZulu, I was desperate for a cooling shower and something to eat!  When I went to the kitchen to prepare an omelette, Magda, the manager told me that earlier a cheeky monkey had slipped under the door leading to the kitchen and snatched two eggs from the tray on top of the microwave!  So today's blog starts and ends with some "Monkey Business"

Have you ever noticed.. there are no positive song titles with Monday in them...

I don't like Monday's
Manic Monday
Monday, Monday, Can't trust that day

Well, I wish there was a positive Monday song, cos I would've been singing it this Monday!  Apart from the small matter of misbehaving internet at the accommodation which meant I couldn't write my blog!

I spent Monday at First Step Right which is the Pre and Primary school we support near Cato Ridge in KwaZulu Natal.  There are 187 pupils on the role and they range from the pre-schoolers to a small class at Grade 5.  The school is located on the property and buildings of the neighbouring Frey's Food Brands, supplying meat products to the foodservice industry.

 The continued support of this company is essential to the life of the school and on Monday I was pleased to meet with the CEO and HR Manager to discuss the ongoing partnership between Frey's and First Step Right.  As a funder of First Step Right we at GAGA are committed to ensuring that the pupils at the school receive the best possible education and pastoral care, this is one of the main reasons we endeavour to make regular monitoring visits to the projects we support. 

The children of FSR are delightful and I spent much of Monday, one on one working with one of the Grade 5 pupils on his literacy exercises.  His determination and concentration was admirable and I really enjoyed spending time with him (and reminding myself about the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!). 

A school like this faces many challenges, not just funding, although that is an important factor.  FSR is fortunate to have a corporation like Frey's supporting it, and there are other supporters too; a company called City Logistics has recently confirmed that they will provide some much needed sports equipment.  Our own GAGA supporters have also contributed tremendously to this school, both with the ongoing funding which helps to pay salaries and provide learning materials and equipment but also with practical help, like the redevelopment of the kitchen worksurfaces and cupboards and the creation of a learning vegetable garden. 

We feel that there is immense potential to continue to support FSR and see it develop and thrive - watch our Face Book and Web Site for further plans as they materialise.

After school I went into Hillcrest to meet with Debbie who helps us "on the ground" in South Africa.  Debbie met us at the airport last Friday but I hadn't seen her since, before the appointed meeting time, I popped into Pick & Pay to top up my SA phone airtime and there was a lady in the queue ahead of me.  As I spoke to request the required airtime she turned around and said "Hello, we are meeting up in a minute" ha ha - I hadn't recognised her at all!  Luckily, I was wearing my GAGA t-shirt so she recognised me immediately (nothing to do with the blight accent I'm sure!).
Debbie has been working with GAGA since we started and she is an invaluable advisor and "ear to the ground" when we are back in the UK fundraising and raising awareness.  Debbie is also a vital "go-between" for our Sangobeg scholars and she helps us to understand their needs and ensures they have what they need to be successful in their studies.

Debbie gave me a great insight into life in South Africa and she also suggested a super farmers market which I will go to on Saturday to see if I can acquire some interesting items to add to our merchandising range.  We are hoping to be allocated a stall at the Stratford River Festival in July and, in addition to our popular bead necklaces and animals, I am keen to see if there are any other items that may be popular for the stall.  Here's a selection of what we have purchased so far.... don't you just love those chickens???  And of course, elephants are always so popular!

 

A quick drive back to the accommodation at PheZulu and some admin for the day and I was done! Oh, and I have just remembered.. The Happy Mondays.... I'm not the only one who had a good Monday!

 

Meeting the neighbours

**************NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!*************************

It's still a little cloudy and overcast here in KZN - waking up this morning the mist was nestled deep in the valley like whisked egg whites!  I hadn't intended to drive today but was told about a Farmer's Market in nearby Drummond, only 15k down the road, so I fired up Keith the Backie and headed off.  It was a small market of only a dozen or so stalls, and largely produce *(eggs, biltong, marinades and sauces etc) as well as some great furniture and household items made from reclaimed pallets.  Couldn't resist a Mozambique jalapeno marinade - will be bringing that back to the UK - but nothing suitable for our GAGA merchandising.  On the way back I stopped briefly at the Comrades Wall, read all about it here: search

Comrades Marathon
The Comrades Marathon logo
Date	May/June
Location	Durban/Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Event type	Road
Distance	Ultramarathon (90 km)
Established	1921
Course records	Down:  Men: David Gatebe: 5:18:19 (2016)     Women: 5:54:43 (1989)   Frith van der Merwe Up:  Men: 5:24:49 (2008)   Leonid Shvetsov  Women: 6:09:23 (2006)   Elena Nurgalieva
Official site	The Comrades Marathon

The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 89 km (approx. 55 miles)^[1] which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race.^[2] The direction of the race alternates each year between the "up" run (87 km) starting from Durban and the "down" run (now 90.184 km) starting from Pietermaritzburg.
The field is capped at 25,000 for 2019. In all but three runnings since 1988, over 10,000 runners have reached the finish within the allowed 11 or 12 hours.^[3] With increased participation since the 1980s, the average finish times for both sexes, and the average age of finishers have increased substantially.^[4]
Runners over the age of 20 qualify when they are able to complete an officially recognised marathon (42.2 km) in under five hours (4h50 for 2019).^[5] During the event an athlete must also reach five cut-off points in specified times to complete the race.^[1] The spirit of the Comrades Marathon is said to be embodied by attributes of camaraderie, selflessness, dedication, perseverance, and ubuntu.^[6]



 

On my return to PheZulu I browsed the gift shop here, and found some lovely items which I will try to negotiate a "trade price" for when the manager is around during the week. Then it was time to meet the neighbours.  The first sight at the reptile park is an enormous crocodile, housed in a glass cabinet, this fella departed in 2012 at the grand age of 109, having lived at PheZulu since he was 50 years old!  There was a little time before the guided tour so I strolled down the row of glass fronted snake cases.  There are 11 potentially deadly snakes native to Kwa Zulu Natal and each one of them is represented here!  Luckily they are safely behind glass.  Many were curled up - it was a relatively cool morning - but the black mambas were very active and they provided a sinuous dance routine for the camera.

Boomslang

 I was very fortunate to witness a diamond backed rattle snake shed his skin - I have great video footage of that. It was fascinating to see the snake contracting and relaxing as it's old skin peeled back, inside out.  A small tag did not come away and the skin started to tear, clearly the snake realised it was not coming off smoothly, so he twisted around and slid over the offending bit of skin to dislodge it fully.  He was about half way through when I arrived at the case and it took a further 7 minutes for the whole skin to come away and the rattle to finally appear out of the sheath of skin left behind.  Apparently you can tell when a snake is about to shed as it's eyes become milky to look at.

There are approximately 85 (give or take, as the guide said) crocodiles in the park, of various varieties, Nile Crocodiles, Long Nosed Crocs and good old African Crocs.

 Crocs are basically lazy, they lie still and regulate their body temperature by opening their mouths.  However, they can move on land at about 18km/hour and are much faster in the water, so if a potential meal strays too close to the seemingly unmoving reptile, the situation can change very swiftly.  The crocs are housed by age, the tiny ones in an enclosure of their own, hugging the wall under the heat lamp and moving slowly over one another to be uppermost and closest to the warmth.  The ones aged 6 to 9 years are the most vulnerable to poachers as this is the time when the skin is pliable and ideal for belts and handbags. At age 10 they mature and are able to breed.  The crocs from age 10 to 25 are the most bothersome, they are aggressive and fight for dominance in the enclosure.  Many sustain injuries, like one guy who has had both front feet snapped by a rival.  The crocs do not need Vet's attention as they will cope with these injuries and heal well without intervention. 

Moving on to the tortoise enclosure I was able to walk freely amongst them.  These ones are very used to human contact although they are still shy and retreat to their shells when you approach.  Then it was time to get up close and personal with a boa constrictor...…………

Soaked Through on Saturday

Hello blog watchers! 

Oh boy was it raining this morning!!! I had promised I would take watermelon and bananas to the children at Ithembalihle, so in spite of the torrential rain I headed out in the backie, down the drive onto the main road.  The water was running down the driveway like a river and the road was awash with surface water.  I sincerely hoped that SA DORIS (aka SAT NAV) would behave after the roadtrip she had taken me on yesterday, as I was heading back to the rural community that is home to Ithembalihle.  Visibility was so low as I made my way through the roads of the Valley of 1000 Hills, familiar landmarks were hidden by the heavy fog and visibility was all but impossible through my rear view mirror and side mirrors and the windscreen was only cleared by my constant wiping.  I was delighted to see the playground that I had noticed yesterday on the turning that SA DORIS instructed me to take - she was behaving! As I headed along the road SA DORIS kept saying "you have reached your destination".... but I hadn't!  Soon I realised I must have missed the track that led up to the football field I mentioned in yesterday's blog!  So, as soon as the opportunity presented itself I executed a 3 point turn and made my way back towards the last landmark I recognised. 

Out of the fog I saw a track and squinting hard I just made out the posts of the goals! So I turned up and soon saw another landmark, the yellow painted post just before the gate.  There was no sign of movement, such a wet day keeps every sane person inside, but after sounding my horn, a little girl ran up to the gate, closely followed by one of the care givers. 




I was warmly welcomed and everyone laughed when I said I had brought the rain from England for them!  Thandiwe (who runs Ithembalihle) told me that the person who arrives in rain brings good luck, so that bodes very well indeed for 2019! 

The children were delighted to receive their fruity breakfast and everyone also received a new knitted hat, kindly made and donated by our wonderful knitters who provide some many lovely items.  There were also two beautifully crocheted blankets for the smaller children and two smart tank tops for the smaller boys.  Some of the girls also received new school dresses and three of the older boys were delighted with their new football boots! The smiles and laughter made the drive worthwhile and the bananas were delicious!  I was also pleased to pass on some new clothes for the older girls so that  they could have some new things to wear while at home or to go to church.

After saying goodbye I was very pleased to be able to turn the backie round and make my way out without the embarrassment of wheelspinning or getting stuck due to the mud!  SA DORIS kindly escorted me out of the community and onto the N3 heading for Pietermaritzburg and my meeting with two of our Sangobeg Scholars!





The road to PMB was straightforward despite the continuing rain and the Liberty Mall was easy to find.  I located Mugg & Bean (#favouritecoffeeshop) and then, as I had 20 minutes to kill, I wandered the Mall.  It was interesting to see the usual brands, Vans, Adidas, etc alongside shops that I remembered from my childhood in Africa like Truworths and Checkers. I bought myself a rucksack (a bargain at R69 or £4) as due to luggage weight I had removed my rucksack to take my case below the 30kg level but was finding it rather unwieldy to manage with a shoulder bag that I had borrowed for the first week.  Looking like a Grade 6 pupil (with my school bag!!) I headed back to Mugg & Bean and ordered a delicious and very welcome cappuccino! Sitting in a conspicuous spot with my GAGA T-shirt on,  I waited for the students to arrive.  Soon Pretty arrived, you may remember her story from the summer newsletter  - follow this link for her story
https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=5d954937833bad912d5416de5&id=5c152221c3
She is now working at an NGO called Umkhumbi kaNoah which provides meals and school uniforms for children who would otherwise go without.  Pretty is keen to continue her development and hopes to enrol in a PGCE course to teach at High School later this year.  Hlengwe is one of our new Sangobeg Scholars, she is about to embark on a two year course which will qualify her as a Primary School teacher.  We shared a lovely lunch and it was wonderful to meet  these two ambitious and accomplished ladies.   I look forward to following their progress and sharing it with everyone in our newsletter throughout the year.

Blogger is not letting me upload any more photos, so I will try to publish this one now and will update it later if t'internet starts playing nicely again!  Bye!