Volunteering in Khayelitsha

I began my volunteering with SHAWCO today. I've started a bit later than everyone else, because I'm working on a newer, special program. I'll explain that in a bit. Other UCT students are on their third or so week of volunteering, and I've been anxiously waiting to start, but now I have.

A little background: SHAWCO is UCT's main volunteering program. Established in the 1950's by a student, they recruit medical students to offer health services in many of the townships, and also have other students work in the education sector with younger students after school (Math, Chem, Arts, Sports, Environmental Studies, Biology, etc). I've been told that SHAWCO is the largest student run nonprofit on the continent. That is neat. And they operate in several different townships.

SHAWCO center in Kensington.

I will be working in Khayelitsha, Cape Town's largest township. It means "Our New Home" in Xhosa, which is ironic, because much of it, by most standards, can scarcely be referred to as a home. Despite this, its wooden and tin sheeted make-shift shacks have come to house somewhere between 500,000 to 1.5 million people, they aren't really sure. It is important to note that most townships in South Africa are not just the "result" of poverty. Rather, black and coloured South Africans were removed in the 1950's-70's from their homes, after most portions of large cities were simply declared whites only areas. And just like that, they were removed and dumped in townships.

Khayelitsha was established by the government in 1985 to provide 'legal and formal' housing for blacks, most of which were unsettled after the forced removals. Apartheid has since ended, but its effects are staggering and still remain. Here is a recent article about Khayelitsha from the Associated Press, if anyone is interested.

The organization was introduced to me like this. "Welcome to SHAWCO! Out there, in the real Cape Town, our public schools are failing. They are failing the children that need them, and we need you to help." And so, almost all of the eight hundred UCT volunteers work directly with students aged 6-18, most (I believe) with elementary and middle school students. I didn't go that route though.

In Khayelitsha, it is estimated that the unemployment rate is between 50-60%. This is where my program comes in. It is called Masizikhulise, and means "Let us grow together." It focuses on entrepreneurship, employment search, and overcoming obstacles to employment. Specifically, I'm working with adults ages 18-35 on employment search skills, and leading classes on how to find a job, create a resumé, write a cover letter, and how to interview. I chose it because of my skill set from being a manager the last two years, and I also think I'll be able to do more practical good by working with adults.

A different township on the way out of town.

So yes, SHAWCO does a lot of good and has a massive operation, but as a result, they aren't terribly organized. I got on the bus to volunteer today (every Wednesday) with the other guy from my project, arrived at our center, and just walked around looking for a woman named Nosisi for our next instructions (which took a while before we were given an area to work in). And good thing I have experience in this field! They hand you a lesson plan and an agenda, and you're just supposed to go over it. Luckily, I've got a fair amount of experience when it comes to interviewing, cover letters, applications, and resumés (but a lot to learn about South African job markets). The other guy was much less comfortable, I think.

It was a good session though. We had 8 people to work with, from ages 19-28 today. Some had a few kids, some had previous jobs. Others got up to grade 11 or so, never graduated from high school, and thus haven't had a job in years. I just don't know how you get along like that. I think they liked me though. I especially enjoyed it when a woman turned to me and started speaking in Xhosa. I said with a smile, "I honestly didn't think it necessary to say, but I don't speak Xhosa. Maybe I should make an announcement?" She laughed, and apologized. Then I said she could keep speaking to me, I'd just try my best... but we agreed on English.

We turned to the classifieds though, and damn, it is bleak! The jobs section in one of the papers literally had 5 jobs in the whole province. This in contrast to the "work wanted" that had dozens and dozens of people that placed ads asking for work. It would say "Looking for a job. 30 years old, strong, good health, hard worker" with a cell phone number if you had work for them. I think we're going to have to find other methods for finding jobs! I'll have to do some research before next Wednesday. Sorry for writing so much.

From Nyanga township.