On Tuesday, we began visiting some local East London organizations. Half the group went to a local primary school, where they were delighted to see such enthusiastic faces. They were saddened by how little space there was, thought. They left behind some small tokens (books and balls mostly). This local school also receives support from the Stirling Presbyterian Church (hosted us for a Sunday evening event), one of the local United Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) congregations.
The other half of the group spent the morning with a local women's empowerment organization, Masimanyane, that works with survivors of sexual assault, rape, and domestic violence. They provide counseling services as well as paralegal support and advice (thought they are not lawyers). The organization has offices in local police stations and magistrates, as well as by health centers - 8 in all. The group was very excited about the work and impressed by the staff and volunteers.
The afternoon was spent at The Haven Wellness Centre, a local HIV/AIDS organization that offers palliative care, education, counseling, and support to the residents around. They also feed 400 kids three times a week with a nutritious lunch. Talk about inspiring, the staff treated us to lunch at the end, and for dessert, some of their personal stories about how they landed at The Haven.
Each of these organizations deserves its own blog post, though now you have an idea of what we are up to!!
Submitted by Gisela Rots
The Haven Wellness Centre, East London,SA
