3rd and 4th of July

Saturday 3rd July – Alan

Today was a long journey to look at a project – we had an approach via our website www.gga.org.uk from an organisation called Masakhane, Port Shepstone (get your SA maps out!!) – SW of Durban.

They are a community based group serving an area of 26,000 and have been going for 7 years. They operate a nursery, youth activities, an OVC 10 week programme (Orphans & Vulnerable Children), a Youth Club, family visits using community social workers and a feeding programme in a local school.
Although established for 7 years they have a limited source of income and are looking for support to help them develop and become more self sustaining. The driving force behind the project is Lindiwe with support from a couple from Northern Ireland - an interesting project with potential.

Headed back to Durban and visited the Victoria Street Market – a real local experience with many beadwork, ethnic and similar items for sale and it was great to be able to haggle over prices!!
We had been invited to a Braai (BBQ) at the home of the leader of Ridge City and we felt it would be rude not to go!! It was so nice to be there as it was a genuine invitation with no “hard sell” approach. We met some really nice people and believe we can develop a relationship with this group

Sunday 4th July – Alan again – Charlie is busy with technology issues!!

We returned to St John’s (Itembalihle) to build a chicken enclosure as we feel this would be a good step up for them to have fresh eggs to supplement their food supplies. They already had a wood and stick structure and we decided to try and convert it at a very small cost by using materials that were already on site. The base was made up of cement roofing sheets (for those in the UK asbestos but don’t tell the Health & Safety!!). We then used a tarpaulin donated by Debbie our SA co-ordinator.
It was great to do a bit off “hands on” work – Thandiwe, her husband Sipho and lots of the children mucked in and helped us and 3.5 hours later we were complete – everyone was really pleased with the end product BUT the sobering issue was that across the hill (some 200 yards away) a grave was being prepared for a 6 year old girl from the community that had passed away on Friday. (Charlie here - Alan was desperate to build something! He was just not content with the lego I bought hime)!

We hosted a Braai (BBQ for those of you with short memories) at our accommodation for potential Board members for Goodwill & Growth for Africa SA. It was a great chance to network with people, some of whom have already supported us this last week, and to continue to promote the work that we are hoping to undertake in this area – views to die for!!