This week, I want to break things into four themes: Nkosi’s Haven, thoughts on Johannesburg and the broader South African situation, analysis of The Teddy Bear Foundation, and finally, some takeaways from the week.
Nkosi’s Haven
This week, I stayed at Nkosi’s Haven with six other volunteers, people either working alongside me or involved with neighbouring charities. Nkosi’s Haven is a community village for women and families living with HIV and AIDS. We stayed in a bungalow, which was, perhaps predictably, cramped with limited heat, electricity, water, and food options. These were things that were slightly foreign to our privileged lives, but they created an unexpected sense of community between us in a matter of days. Living on top of each other meant we had to be considerate of one another’s needs. These six others – Alex, Megan, Martha, Benedicta, Annie, and Alison – are the people I’ll be spending the next six weeks with, and we’ve already formed a strong bond.
What stood out most immediately about Nkosi’s was the kindness of the residents. The children constantly wanted to play with us, and the mothers were always smiling and kind. The kitchen staff, women who lived there, made sure we had enough food to feed seven families rather than seven portion-conscious volunteers. They went above and beyond to ensure our comfort, even when they were struggling themselves.
There were, of course, challenges. The one that I found most frustrating was remembering the children’s names. When seven new people arrive, it’s a manageable challenge to remember them all, but when faced with 50+ new names, it was a struggle. I’ve now memorised most of them, but it’s taken a lot of effort. Another challenge was being the designated goalkeeper – a monumental task when everyone else likes being the striker, and I, the big, slow 22-year-old, became an easy target. It was humbling, especially when I met children who were also mothers, responsible for their toddlers in the village. The reality of knowing that every child there was sick, missing school because of their illness, and wanting more for themselves was tough to bear. Knowing that Nkosi’s was far better than any alternative didn’t make it any easier.
Nkosi’s offers something invaluable – a shared, safe space, a community, a regular food supply, and life-saving medicine. But everyone there knows it’s far from perfect. Despite the challenges, the residents of Nkosi’s were incredibly stoic in their suffering and jubilant in their celebration of the small things. Whether it was chanting when medals were won in school competitions, raucous laughter when I attempted the Cha Cha during a charity-led class, or community-wide congratulations when a child succeeded in an exam, it was all a reflection of their joy in life’s little victories. It was a great place to be, and one that I truly tried to make my home for the week.
The reason I focus so much on Nkosi’s is that I’m only there for one week. The children get to make a connection with me, trust me, have fun with me, and then I’m gone – never to stay there again. They will miss me as I will miss them. It’s exactly the wrong way to engage in that process, and while it’s largely outside my control, it’s something that deeply upsets me.
Thoughts on Jozi and the Broader South African Situation
A week into my time here, I’ve started to get a sense of the political and socio-economic climate in South Africa. While I wouldn’t claim to have a full grasp on the situation, I went into the week feeling more blind than I expected. Despite all the research I had done, I assumed load shedding would inconvenience me more than it did. We didn’t experience a single instance of it, even though many articles had suggested it would be one of the biggest issues facing the country.
The people, however, were far friendlier than I had anticipated. I’d always heard that Scots were some of the friendliest people in the world, but in South Africa, it seemed like everyone wanted to help. Despite their own struggles, people were keen to make things better not only for themselves but for everyone around them too.
However, and somewhat paradoxically, the sense of danger was much more real than I had anticipated. Cars drove past riddled with bullet holes, Uber drivers double-checked that the doors were locked and refused to drop us off anywhere other than right at the gate of the community village. We were also politely advised not to leave the village at night. This sense of unease, which I hadn’t expected to be so prominent, has been a stark contrast to the warmth of the people I’ve met.
Work at The Teddy Bear Foundation
Work at The Teddy Bear Foundation in week one has been eye-opening. The foundation addresses issues such as GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide), youth pregnancy, SAFE talks, and a programme aimed at taking offenders and putting them on the right track. These goals are primarily accomplished through outreaches to schools, orphanages, and community hotspots. Two of the most memorable outreaches I took part in this week were the SAFE Talk outreach at Wings of Life School and the court preparation session in Soweto.
At the SAFE Talk outreach, Mashudu, the head of SAFE Talk, delivered a lesson on consent and what to do in the instance that you are touched inappropriately, to a group of 70-100 children aged 3 to 6. It was astounding to see how Mashudu managed to distill such a complex and difficult issue into fun, catchy songs. These songs weren’t trivialising the topic but instead were designed to give children the knowledge they need to know how to respond and where and why it’s or isn’t appropriate for them to be touched. Wings of Life School is located in Diepsloot, one of South Africa’s many townships, but it stands out as a particularly good school with a number of programmes run by both the school and charitable government-adjacent actors.
One lesson I took away from this was the importance of messaging. There’s no point in trying to teach a four-year-old the ins and outs of child sexual abuse, but there’s massive value in reminding them of, teaching them about, and encouraging their agency. Something that they can understand and manage. Secondly, the importance of stakeholders committed to improving the lives of children is paramount. After more exposure to other schools and organisations in Johannesburg, it became clear that the passion, vitality, and care brought to Wings of Life by key people had a huge impact on the school’s atmosphere and contributed greatly to its low number of incidents.
Another memorable experience was visiting the court preparation session that The Teddy Bear Foundation runs in Soweto. This was perhaps the most challenging experience I had this week. It was emotionally heavy, and when you consider how hard it must be for the families and children going through it, it makes you realise how much courage they have. The court preparation initiative is designed to help both parents and children – especially those acting as witnesses – understand the court process and experience the space ahead of time. The children take aptitude tests to assess whether they can distinguish between truth and lies, understand the motivations of others, and if they have the capability to testify. Older children take part in mock trials, learn about the roles in court, and can ask questions of the social worker. Parents also have the chance to check in with the progress of the case and find emotional support.
Two particularly emotionally challenging parts of this experience stood out: first, that most of the children had been born after 2020; second, hearing how long some of the cases had been dragging on – two, three, four years. To maintain the motivation to keep fighting for justice for that long is astounding, but necessary.
Internal Politics and Organisational Inefficiencies
Finally, I want to touch on internal politics. It’s something I’ve noticed within the charities I’ve worked with, and I think it reflects a broader issue I’ve felt during my time here. I’ve started to see a split in the organisation I’m working with. On one side, you have a group keen to do whatever they can to be as effective as possible, while on the other, there’s a group focused on following the book and maintaining structure. Both approaches are valid, but what I struggled with was the infighting that this created. People were deliberately sabotaging the efforts of others, all in the name of proving the validity of their method. Some outreaches were cancelled, and staff would probe to see where I stood. This politicking, unfortunately, took focus away from the shared goal of the organisation, and it left me wondering whether this is a small NGO issue, a South African issue, or something more widespread across NGOs. It's hard to say, but it certainly led to inefficiencies and a lot of wasted energy.
Takeaways
1. The Power of Community
Nkosi's Haven really highlighted the strength that comes from being part of a community, especially when it’s built on shared hardship. The residents there, despite facing immense struggles, maintain a deep sense of togetherness and joy in the little things. Whether it's celebrating small victories or supporting one another, the community fosters resilience.
2. The Importance of Safe Spaces for Children
Visiting Wings of Life School and witnessing the SAFE Talk sessions made it clear just how essential safe spaces are for children, particularly in environments where they face so many challenges. These children not only need education but also protection and emotional support to navigate their complex realities. Having a safe place to go, even if just for part of the day, can make a huge difference in their lives.
3. The Complexity of Social Issues
South Africa’s socio-economic and political landscape is multifaceted. While issues like load shedding and crime are visible, there’s also a complex undercurrent of inequality and struggle that impacts people’s daily lives in ways that are difficult to see on the surface. The friendliness and warmth of the people were a contrast to the palpable tension and sense of danger, reminding me that survival and kindness can coexist in challenging environments.
4. How Small Actions Create Big Impact
The work being done by The Teddy Bear Foundation, whether it’s through educational outreach on consent or providing court preparation for children, shows that small, consistent actions can have a monumental impact. The foundation’s ability to make complex issues more understandable to children – through songs, games, and mock trials – underscores how creatively addressing tough topics can be a powerful tool for education and healing.
5. The Emotional Toll of Long-Term Trauma
During the court preparation session, hearing about the prolonged nature of some cases – often lasting years – was a sobering reminder of how long the process of seeking justice can take, especially for children. The emotional toll on families involved in such long struggles is immense, and it’s a reminder of the importance of support systems for those navigating the court system.
6. The Challenges of Working in NGOs
Internal politics and the tension between being effective versus following strict guidelines were noticeable within the charity work. It made me realise how infighting and political dynamics can hinder progress in organisations, especially in a sector where the shared goal is to help people. The inefficiencies created by these divides can detract from the mission, and it's something to think about for anyone involved in the NGO space.
7. The Power of Personal Connection
The fleeting nature of my time at Nkosi’s Haven, where children form connections with me and then I leave, highlighted how fragile and impactful human connections can be. The brief but meaningful relationships formed during my time there showed me how deeply people can touch each other’s lives, even when their presence is temporary. It’s something that I’ll carry with me – the understanding of how much of an impact we can have on others, even in a short time.
These takeaways have shaped my perspective on not only the issues faced by the communities here but also on my own role and impact in the process. They’ve given me a deeper understanding of the complexity of the work being done, the emotional resilience required, and the importance of fostering connections in environments of hardship.