Changes works out well

The camp at the farm did not happen, so I took the Anchor of Hope kids to Jeffreysbay and will take the Acvv kids end of November to the farm. We had a good camp. There was a beautiful atmosphere among all of us. I taught them how to play “donkey” with spoons, but I changed it to “loser”. Bongiwe did art and stories and Bongani led the spiritual discussions. The week after the camp the volunteers of Acvv Poplar Ave took their kids to the beach for a afternoon of fun. They played games on the sand and then ended the afternoon with Ice cream. Tomorrow is Diaz's price giving and we, the volunteers have been invited. I think this year at Diaz has gone very well. It is so much easier to help kids sooner rather than later. At the Acvv we will have our price giving on 13 November. This is always a highlight for the children and their parents. Two weeks later the camp on the farm will take place, which will bring us to the end of the school year. I am already starting my search for volunteers for next year. Please contact me if you are interested or just spread the word around. Evelyn

Just like family!

I love our times together in Gelvandale. There are 5 kids that have been coming from the start in May, but lately we have other kids from the community also joining us. We start with sandwiches and juice, during which time we chat about anything. After this eating together, we work on reading and maths. When they finish their work they are welcome to colour in or play boardgames. I sometimes also read them a story, when all of them are done with their work. The atmosphere among us, is so beautiful. Just like family! During the September holidays we will take the Gelvandale kids as well as the Acvv Poplar Avenue's and Anchor of Hope's kids on a camp. We are going to spend a weekend on Hannes Marais' farm just outside Cookhouse. The kids are so excited about this prospect. Two students at Klema, Jay Jay Greyling and Gerrit Pool, agreed to help Marencia Parel and I with this weekend. I feel so blessed that these three beautiful young people are investing time in the lives of these kids together with me. Thank you, guys! Evelyn Lotz

Won't back down

Last night I went to the movies and saw “Won't back down.” I was inspired to hope that we can also change schools in the Eastern Cape.

Of course it is a different setting with completely different historic circumstances, but I also saw a few things that we need to consider.

Teachers, why are you teachers? Is it still about the education of the children or has it become about money and job security?

I know that it is not an easy task that you have in your hands – the lack of facilities, finances, large numbers of learners in classes, discipline problems, loads of admin, parents' lack of involvement...The list goes on and on.

The challenge posed by this movie is: How does teachers remain focused on teaching children the best they can?  I think the answer is by being accountable.

It was good to see the courage of a mother to confront a school system that has gone bad. I think we need more parents like that. People that are not only concerned about the future of their own children, but also about all the other children who's parents won't stand up and speak out.

Of course this does not give parents a Blanco check to interfere as they like. There must be trust in teachers qualifications and good intentions. Where the facts on the ground and in the community's statistics paints a different picture though – parents and teachers need to take hands and work hard for change. It will take courage and commitment, but I can tell you this – if they don't, nobody will.

Yes, there is an important role government must play in education, but will they play it if nobody insist on it? And if they don't or can't get to it yet, what should parents and teachers do in the mean time? Wait? Or role up their sleeves?

Evelyn

Oop deur

Weereens, die afgelope maande het ek ervaar hoe dit die Here is wat deure oopmaak en ander weer toe maak.  Net na my terugkeer na SA in Julie 2011 was ek baie bewus van die nood in Helenvale en het ek ervaar dat daar vir my 'n roeping van die Here daar is.  Tog het die Here vir die afgelope amper twee jaar aanhoudend ander deure oopgemaak vir my om in te beweeg.  Tot nou toe.

Die Acvv Poplarlaan se area strek tot by Helenvale en daar is kinders ook daar wat lees en basiese wiskunde probleme het.  Dit sou finansieel baie kos om hierdie kinders met hulle versorgers met taxi's daarheen te vervoer.  Dus het ek voorgestel dat ek daarheen gaan.  Om 'n lang storie kort te maak: Ek het Ds. Hendry Tromp van die VGK Gelvandale genader of ons hulle kerkgebou kon gebruik en hy en sy kerkraad het met entoesiasme daartoe ingestem.  Hy het my egter uitgedaag dat onderrig en voeding saamgaan.  Dus moet ek nou weekliks 4 brode se toebroodjies en koeldrank se fondse of skenkings bybring.  Enige donasie hiervoor sal baie waardeer word.

Die vrywilliger wat ek glo deur die Here gestuur is net op die regte tyd, is 'n meisie met baie potensiaal, self ook van die Noordelike Areas.  Ek onderneem in die geloof om haar en 'n vriendin, wat die kinders sal verwelkom, voed en inspireer se vervoer onkostes te betaal.

Dit is dus met opgewonde verwagting dat ek hierdie nuwe oop deur betree.  Indien iemand betrokke wil raak, kan hulle my by sophakama2012@gmail.com kontak.

Seen,

Evelyn

April Update

Ryan Johnson and I called the phase that Sophakama is going through at the moment: “Labor pains”. We are busy finalising the constitution and thinking through the values and principles that the organisation will operate by.

The Tutor Program is growing at a steady pace and we have already 9 volunteers that are working with 32 children on a weekly basis. We are encouraged by the progress that we can see in these kids abilities. Only yesterday the Headmaster of Diaz Primary School surprised Bongiwe and I with a thank you on behalf of the school and a confirmation from the teachers, that they are seeing progress in the kids that we started with last term. This is good news for us.

Ryan is planning a community workshop in June on the subject “Saving”. Other than that he is concentrating on his studies in Stellenbosch.

 Bongiwe got married to Bongani Robin on 23 March. We congratulate them with this big step and wish them a beautiful future together.

I went to KKNK during the Easter holidays and came back with an interest in Adam Small's writings. Here is a quote out of Klein simbole nommer 20: “As daar nou wit en swart en bruin bly, dan is die grootste hiervan die liefde.”

Around the Table Dialogue - Personal impressions

It is nearly 20 years since the democratisation of  South Africa and the euphoria around what was seen as the birth of our rainbow nation: unity and richness in diversity. But increasingly in recent years people have been asking what has happened to those ideals, the hopes, the boundless potential? Are the various cultures and races in our country growing in our interaction and understanding of each other, and drawing energy from it, or is there increasing tension, alienation, distrust?

Against this background and our concern about it, my wife Alida and I jumped at the opportunity to host Sophakama's first social meeting to revive those ideals.And what a hope-giving event it turned out to be!

The guests, a good cross-section of our society, must have decided not to buy into the Africa time thing and started arriving just after the appointed time of six o'clock.The weather played along beautifully and the colourful spread of snacks and drinks on the stoep immediately created a relaxed, convivial atmosphere, giving people the opportunity to try and remember each others names.

Half an hour or so later it was time for the eleven of us to move inside. Everybody had been asked beforehand to bring along a piece of art, a book, a poem or music and to say something about it when introducing yourself. It was during this session that I started realising it was a very, very special bunch of young people who had gathered in our house. As one after the other got up, I was amazed at how well they were able to express themselves, and at the depth of what they were saying. My impression was further strengthened when the evening's topic, stereotyping, was introduced. Taking into account that many of us had only just met each other, the frankness and ease of all conversation was remarkable. For people to really get to know each other and for mutual trust to develop obviously time is needed, but what I saw was that we all felt the space was safe enough to be open and honest. It is possible over time that more critical viewpoints may come to the surface, but I am positive that this group has the capacity to handle such situations gracefully.

We are privileged to have been part of the start of such an exciting initiative. May it grow from strength to strength and, who knows, multiply in Port Elizabeth, the Eastern Cape and the country! There is much to be done.





Stephan Bothma

Around the table dialogue.

Sometimes we can be so stuck in our comfort zones, be it eating out at the same restaurant, taking the same route to work, or spending time only with people who are just like us. I agree that such a predictable routine can make one feel safe and in a sense in control of their environment. 
 We at Sophakama decided to venture to the unknown, this past month (11 January) by hosting our first ‘around the table dialogue’.  The purpose of this event was to bring together people from different racial groups not just to get to know each other but also to engage the topic of racial reconciliation in our country and the world.
As each person shared their views and experiences it became evident that the work of racial reconciliation cannot be left to chance, but needs effort, hard work and committement from those who have been called to move our communities and perhaps nation towards healed and mutually respectful relationships. 
Considering that talking about race relations can be a weighty issue, the evening was filled with some fun activities that included poetry, fine art and music.  And our guests did actually exchange phone numbers.

Bongiwe Magongo

Expanding our vision.

On the 3rd and 4th of December 2012 Sophakama had their first official planning meeting.  We also wrote a constitution for our organisation, during these two days.

Quite a chunk of the time we spent together, was given to formulating the vision and mission of that what we are passionate about and would now like to give legs to.

Evelyn, shared her expanded vision as follows:  In stead of only taking kids on 4 camps a year, she would now meet with kids twice a week and then take them on two weekend camps during the year.  It is therefore absolutely necessary to get other volunteers in order to multiply the number of kids that are being helped.  (For more information on how the volunteer tutor program will work, please see the blog posts in December 2012.)

Bongiwe, shared that she is passionate about social cohesion in our society, be it racial, economic or gender related.  She would like to do more research on these topics in the coming year.  She will also organise four “Around the table dialogue” evenings in this year.  The aim of these evenings will be to start with a process of listening and learning.  A report of the first evening that took place on 11 January 2013 will follow soon.

Ryan, shared his passion for bringing information to communities that will give them tools to self empowerment.  E.g. He would like to do workshops on saving in poorer communities.  Ryan will also engage in research this coming year in the field of economic community development.

Sophakama therefore has a new expanded vision with three branches:  Development, Education and Reconciliation.  Our main purpose remains the upliftment of our community as our name Sophakama (We shall rise) clearly calls out.