abangane

Sanibonani abanganes! (Hello friends!) [in Zulu],

South Africa has 11 official languages, which represent only a sprinkling of its myriad cultures and traditions. I was initially surprised at how diverse the urban areas are here, as the apartheid ended a mere 11 years ago. Several South Africans we have met so far seem to think that while much work still needs to be done to undo the damages of apartheid, the country has made mighty and impressive leaps towards building a stronger, better, and more equal society.

We have seen evidence of the social changes occurring all around us, in various forms. Two people mounting programs to elicit social change have really made an impression on me for their dedication, vision and determination. We met a "retired" nurse named Florence who has a contagious laugh and very powerful presence. She meant to relax after retiring recently, but instead she has found herself busier than ever creating soup kitchens and a health/wellness/hospice center in her own community. She is regarded as a leader, and her community trusts her and is embracing the sercices she seeks to bring. And then we cannot forget Darlene. Darlene's an amazing woman who has her hands in all sorts of programs: she set up an income-generation project in a very impoverished area that trains men and women in various trades so that they can get jobs, she has set up a database of unemployed persons so that her group and the government can help to train and then employ those in need, and she has created several systems that are currently being used in hospitals and clinics to tract and distribute medications for HIV. Today, Darlene helped us escape hub-bub of Durban and travelled 2 1/2 hours northwest to the rural hills of a small town named Tugela ferry, where we visited an HIV/AIDS clinic, a hospice and an orphanage. The HIV clinic was full of persons wearing surgical-type masks, as TB is a major problem here. In fact, around 90% of South Africans who have HIV get TB, and the prevalence of HIV in this country is staggering (the latest stats report around 33% of pregnant women as being HIV positive). We were fortunate to meet a caregiver who took us to peoples homes who have suffered from and are surviving the HIV virus with the help antiretroviral medications (ARVs). Everyone - from the city to the towns - has been so curtious, friendly, warm and welcoming to us; in fact, many like to wave at us (except for one chap who waved with one finger in an insultory way! I think he was joking.)

There is major stigma around HIV/AIDS here, which is very difficult to see, but it is also heartbreaking for those infected with the virus. Today we met a young woman whose parents threw her out of their home and refuses to eat anything she cooks b/c of her HIV status. Perhaps this discrimination stems from all of the myths circulating about HIV (i.e that HIV is spead by touch or that the ARVs spread the disease), or b/c people who have HIV have become so sick in the past. But, now that the SA government is finally rolling out ARVs to the population, people are recovering to the point where they are asked "you have HIV? I don't believe you!" Our new friend was very sick and unable to walk 2 years ago, and now she looks incredibly strong and beautiful, thanks to her healthy living, positive spirit and ARVs.

Being here has been an amazing experience, a life-changing one actually. Thanks for checking our blog, and for the visual people out there, Lisa and Carmen will be loading up some of their wonderful pictures soon. sabonga (thanks)!

All the best, Courtney