Emily W reflects on her time here . . . and plans to return

As I’m sure you all know, UConn basketball won both national championships and we were all really sad we weren’t on campus to experience it. With that being said, some of us did stay up to watch the games at 3 am and although it wasn't the same we had a blast streaming the game on my iPad while facetiming my parents who had their iPad facing the TV back at home. It wasn't the best setup, but we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Last weekend 15 of us went to Plettenberg Bay. It was really fun! The first day we were there we went to a nature conserve and saw a lot of cool animals. I got to pet an adorable little cheetah. Oddly enough my St. Bernard at home was bigger than the cheetah so it was a little weird to be petting an animal smaller than my dog that could eat me.  We also explored caves. After that we went to an ostrich farm where I was given the opportunity to ride one! It may have been the most awkward thing I have ever done in my life.... the workers catch the ostrich, put a bag over its head so it will calm down, you get on it, they take the bag off, the ostrich runs and 2 guys follow you so you won't fall off and get trampled. I'm definitely glad I did it, but it was a weird experience. That night we stayed at a cute little backpackers on the beach which allowed us to see the most beautiful sunset. I woke up early the next day to watch the sunrise and it was just as pretty. There aren't many places that you can see both sunrises and sunsets. As the sun rose I went for a run on the beach and it couldn't have been better. It was in that moment I decided that I wanted to stay here forever. With the sun rising over the mountain, the waves crashing on the beach, and the sand between my toes, this was my paradise. This is what I live for. I tried to go wakeboarding but sadly they weren't going out that day. Like how cool would it be to wakeboard on the ocean in South Africa? I've added that to my bucket list. Later that day I got to feed, play with, and ride an elephant! Although it didn't last that long, the ride was absolutely unreal.  It was very cool to interact with them as well. They are such gentle giants.

Sadly our time in Cape Town is coming to a close and I am incredibly sad. I am most definitely not ready to go home. There are so many future me problems that will become present me problems when I step off that plane in NY. I have absolutely loved my time here and I wouldn't do anything to change it. I have met so many amazing people that will become life long friends and I couldn't be happier for that. I will never forgot our hilarious experiences at the clinic with Sister Castle and the first time I drew blood.  From the first awkward experiences of orientation to the clinic to Langebaan adventures and of course my favorite, Camps Bay sunsets, I can officially say I have fallen in love with this city and the people here. I will most definitely be back, hopefully in the next year or so. But for now....bye Cape Town.

The Development of an Activist Project

As those who have previously followed the UConn in Cape Town Class Blog know, student-interns participating in this program are required to complete an activist project for my class.  I've been continually impressed and inspired by students' ability to identify an issue and then create a project to help address a need they discover.  These undertakings provide students an opportunity to share their time, energy and talents within the communities that have taught them so much as well as to discover their own individual and collective potential to make a difference. The assignment is broadly defined as:

Identify an issue

Decide what you will do

Commit a minimum of 24 hours to this work. 

Collaborate with one or more other students on projects.

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Previously students have constructed and implemented an amazing array of successful projects.  One of the organizations with which students have worked is the Firefighters Football Club which was established in 1998 in Khayelitsha, the largest black township in Cape Town with a population of close to 800,000 people.  The football club is located in Mandela Park and has 5 youth teams: under 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19, as well as one senior team.  Firefighters FC athletes are leaders on and off the field. Participating players meet after school for peer education sessions. They work on everything from homework help, to presentation skills, to college preparation. Firefighters Football Club is about character building, about raising young men who will be positive role models for the next generation and will strive to make a positive impact in their communities. 

Over the years students have worked this club to: help with their tournaments; develop and write up their strategic plan; collect slightly used soccer cleats from family and friends; work with the coaches; and set up their website <http://firefightersfc.com/Firefighters_Football_Club/Home.html>

This year 5 students (Allie, Emily W, Jenna, Katrina, & Morgan) are working with players on life skills and tutoring as well as raising funds to buy water jugs for the teams and water bottles for individual players.  You can read more about their project below and anyone who would like to support their efforts may do so at their GoFundMe site:  http://www.gofundme.com/7qtgp4 

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In our semester studying abroad here in Cape Town, South Africa, 5 of us students have started volunteering at the Firefighters Football Club, a local boys' soccer club in Khayelitsha, one of the poorest townships in Cape Town. The club is located in an area consumed by poverty with minimal sports and recreational infrastructure. Because of this, children are highly vulnerable to gangsterism and drug use. The club was created as a way to begin to address these issues within the community and provide them with a safe and fun alternative while learning vauable life lessons through their coaches and teammates.

After spending the last few weeks getting to know the boys and watching their practices, we noticed something was missing. Even after hours of running in the hot sun there was not one water break, not one kid had a water bottle, and at the end of practice they eagerly guzzled down what little water we'd brought with us. After talking with Bongi, the team's coach, we realized what a huge difference providing water coolers and a water bottle for each of the players would make. Our goal in our remaining time with Firefighters is to continue to get to know, play with, and tutor the players as well as raise money to provide them with the water bottles and coolers. We also plan on helping out at the Firefighters tournament by giving the kids support, as barely any of their parents come, as well as provide water and food seeing that it is an all day event. 

Despite having close to nothing, these kids' hard work and dedication has inspired us. We hope to use whatever money we raise towards getting new equipment, gear, and improving their fields. Any small amount will make a huge difference and the kids and coaches will be so grateful. Go Firefighters!

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One of the wonderful things about social media is how many people can be reached simply by sharing information with facebook friends.  If you find this to be a worthwhile cause perhaps you could share it with your facbook friends along with a personal message as was done by my daughter-in law Betsy, who has been to Cape Town and had the pleasure of personally meeting Bongi and the Firefighters:

Anongile Qasana and his firefighter's football club are what grassroots change is all about. He inspires youth to change themselves and their community, all while having fun. I know some of my fellow soccer parent friends can connect to watching kids play soccer and grow in confidence, and many of my social justice friends might be inspired to get the word out.  http://www.gofundme.com/7qtgp4 

Or as by Dan who participated in this program in 2012 and did his activist project as well as spenting countless additional hours working with Firefighters:

Anyone who has heard me talk about Cape Town knows how influential Bongi and his soccer club, the Firefighters Football Club, were to me. This year's study abroad students have continued working with the team and are working to raise funds to buy the athletes water bottles. Yes, something as simple as water bottles are a commodity in the township the boys are from.  If you were ever an athlete and know what it's like to play in the hot summer sun, consider supporting their initiative. http://www.gofundme.com/7qtgp4 

Emily W learned much more than she ever could have expected

Last weekend we participated in Human Rights training and I learned so much more than I was expecting to from it.  I didn’t really have any sort of background in human rights other than the occasion history class that touched on it so I was pretty nervous about the weekend.  I was worried that I was going to be the only one lost and confused, but that was not the case at all.  Everything was really laid out well and I was able to learn a lot.  I learned what human rights actually are and the breakdown of the different kinds.  I also learned so much about different cultures and ways of life.  By being with people from all over Africa, I was given the opportunity to find out how people live and their stories. 

I think this weekend was incredibly significant for us.  It is important to know about human rights and the different ways they can be applied.  It is also important to know the ways in which some people are being wronged throughout the world.  Of course I knew that some countries didn’t treat their citizens well, but it all became so real when the stories were coming from real people sitting right in front of you.  You can read about the disparity of human rights for days on end, but I feel as though you cannot gain a true understanding of it until you meet the real people it affects. 

Emily learning from personal stories and well planned activities.

 My roommate had an amazing story to tell.  She moved to Cape Town from Zimbabwe when she was 12 and then her mom died when she was 16, which left her with three older brothers and no parents.  Due to family politics, she didn’t get her share of her mother’s diamond mines in Zimbabwe so she was left with almost nothing as a young teenager.  She got her life together and received a scholarship to attend a university, but failed three of her classes due to many different reasons and her scholarship was pulled.  She now has a job and is going to try to go back to school.  She is 21 years old.  I am 21 years old.  I could not believe how much different our lives are.  I don’t even do my own laundry at home or cook my own food and she has been by herself since the age of 16.  After talking with her I realized how much I have taken for granted.  My parents have been one of the biggest influences on my life and have led me through everything and I couldn’t image it any other way.  I almost just assumed that everyone’s parents were like mine and now I hope that I can take what I learned this weekend and be a better person.  Even if I just thank my parents more and make them proud, I would be doing more than I am right now.  This weekend definitely changed me for the better.

 

Prior to this weekend I didn’t know the country Swaziland existed.  This weekend really introduced me to a whole new part of the world.  Through the country presentations, I learned about the issues and culture of many different African countries.   I also learned about how much South Africa is still struggling when it comes to human rights. 

Emily receving her Africa Unite Human Rights Training Certificate from Ntombi Mcoyi

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was sleeping under the stars Saturday night.   A few of us decided to take blankets and lay out under the stars.  I have never seen so many stars in my life and although it probably wasn’t the safest idea, I absolutely loved sleeping outside.  We woke up the next morning and hiked to the top of a little mountain that had the most amazing view of the entire olive farm. I wish we would have had more time to explore, but I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. 

Participants in 2014 Africa Unite Human Rights Training Weekend