Saturday, February 26, 2011

Katlehong

Mandla's 9th birthday was on Friday!

Some of the 82 kids: Noma, Junoir, Tshepiso, Mandla and Tebogo. And me with Martha and Mama Remi.




Also, Friday I went with Martha to Katlehong, which is where a township is in South Africa. 40 years ago they made these townships for black people to live separate from white people...it's better now so there are more black and white people coexisting now. But anyways Lambano used to sponsor some of the families at this place, but they lost funding a few years ago, but you know the shoeboxes that people wrap up for third world countries for kids...well Martha and I went to finally deliver them to some of the families. So it was my first time going to a township...I was the only white person ahhhh lol. I was driving too. The first house we went to was basically just a shack, no running water, no electricity. Some of the houses do have those things tho that we went to. I really did enjoy going to the township and am going back with Martha on Wednesday. My heart feels for those people, what can I do for them? I didn't take any pictures...I was too busy taking it all in. The pictures are in my head though. Martha told me some stories for each family. One was of a mother whose 4 year old daughter burned to death last year in a fire. Her son also has a kidney problem and needs a transplant. He was one of the boys we gave a shoe box to and his belly was so swollen. We learned that the other family we went to got in a fight with the 16 year old who ran out, then the granny left the other to girls in the shack and we don't know where she is...the girls have no way to get food. Most kids are raised by grandparents because the parents have died from AIDS. We went to a school too. There are lots of school more classes are 60+ students. One girl failed 2nd grade 4 times and now the school won't take her...Martha said that they just push most of the students along barely passing them and leaving some behind. They need help with there homework. She used to go to Katlehong 4 times a week, before Lambano lost funding for these specific families.

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