During the first day in Cape Town, we visited two different society projects in Khayleisha, one of the biggest townships in Cape Town, housing more than 1M residents.
Before the visit, I had some thoughts regarding my visit to that township:
Did I exploit the citizens of the township as a priviligied westener with one day of charity? How would the residents think about us, who are able to enter and escape poverty any time?
After the visit, I may not be wiser, but I have some more realistic perspectives. Yes - there is poverty and some serious social problems.
But my strongest impressions from that visit is hope, empowerment and ambition.
The first visit was to Iliso Care Centre in a township house. Lunga presented the child group, the computer training room and the soup kitchen. Gagela and Lunga were very proud of the centre - and they should be. They asked me to spread information about the centre. Their URL is www.iliso.org
The second centre, Philanti, has a clinic that visits and assists pregnant women and women with small children. We visited a class with small children and we bought some bags that women in the centre produced, singing a beautiful song for us. Stembile and Cynthia were operating the sewing machines.
In that huge township, I met strong, comitted and positive people with strong networks - neighbors helping each others.
When discussing societies and poverty, it is important trying not to be too biased by ones previous understandings.
I will post more pictures and thoughts later.
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