Sabulani

I decided it was about time I explored Norwood a bit more…after all I have been living here for 2 months now and have only really taken the same couple of roads into town. Before I came, I was told Norwood (the area of Mthatha I’m living in) is the most dangerous area and to be fair, my project partner and I have already been attacked in broad daylight whilst walking home with our shopping. But I decided it was about time to get more involved in the community and see what lies beyond Thembelihle…it gets pretty lonely at times and I’ve decided I need to make some friends out here, haha!

So. Sabulani. Located next door – yes just over that wall there to the left, Maya…well done!

I had been invited over a couple of times by Thomas who works there, but have never really found the time to go over and introduce myself properly! Sabulani is a project for boys (well actually more like young men) who cannot afford to go to mainstream schools. Father Guy runs the project and is a very generous man who often gives donations to the Thembelihle children! He takes on young men who have the potential to go far in their studies but who have been denied the opportunity to be stretched to their full potential for one reason or another. The home where approximately 13 boys live provides a ‘studying environment’ suitable for them to work and revise for their exams, whilst at the same time giving them a place to live and paying for them to attend local schools. The project also stretches further, to benefit the local community by inviting boys of all ages from the surrounding area to play soccer and escape the streets of Norwood. I was shocked to see a plaque on one of the walls in memory of a boy who was stabbed in the local area a few years ago, so the community side of the project is really inspiring. The project also owns the building in the field across the road where children go for extra maths classes and a teeny tiny room holds a preschool for about 15 children. In the evenings there are aerobics/fitness classes run by Thomas which are much cheaper than any other ones in the town and which give everyone and anyone the opportunity to get fit without giving up on them (something which apparently happens a lot in the professional gyms in town). After going along to one session to see what it’s all about, I was inspired by one old lady who has had a hip replacement, but who still drives the 2 hours to get here for the session and then 2 hours back home again most evenings! I think I might sign up for the sessions…for a laugh, for something to do in the evenings, to get more involved in the community, to make friends and to get rid of this pap/samp & beans/high carby food belly which seems to be forming around my waist!

What I did take away from my little visit is something very interesting. Talking to Thomas I found out that most (but not all) children in South Africa don’t really start school until they are 12 years old, compared to just 5 years back in England. Which may explain why many of the children in my group 1 class couldn’t do 1+1 without using their fingers? It has helped me in some ways with planning lessons and being proud of what I and the children can achieve. If a lesson goes bad I still look at what good things have happened, even if it is just one child understanding a concept or being able to work out a sum!

Some of the men at Sabulani are 26 years old and are in grade 12…a grade which most 16 year olds have reached in normal schools. I am now becoming more aware of the smaller charities around the area and hope to visit Sabulani more often to see what I can do to help! Thomas is keen for me to share some of my Karate skills…it seems this is the new Norwood craze!