Red Location Museum & "The Mamas"

On Thursday, we visited The Red Location Museum. The museum is named after the corrugated iron barracks and shacks that the majority of Port Elizabeth's "Blacks, Coloured, Indians and Chinese" were forcefully moved to in the early 1900s. The shacks eventually rusted a bright red.

Also called "The Anti-Apartheid Museum," it is hard to take it all in. One series of photographs shows the shooting of unarmed protestors by the state police, including a chilling arial view of their caskets being carried down the street. The accompanying songs - and sounds of crying - leave you feeling haunted. Another room has replicas of the actual case files the police had open on people. The files reach from floor to ceiling.

After that museum, we needed some lighter fare. Bradley took us to a small township cafe which several older "mamas" run to earn some money for their families. In the townships, the term "mama" is reserved for older women, and is used as a greeting of respect. Bradley asked the Mamas to tell some of their life stories.

As students listened intently, one woman told of her dad who was shot, another of a child who didn't come home one day. Another spoke of being imprisoned - at Christmas - for not carrying her "pass" saying she could be in a certain area of town. How could they not carry a belly of bitterness???

Here are all the Mamas, plus one.

Route 67

Port Elizabeth is situated within the Nelson Mandela Bay Area, and is the only area of South Africa given the privilege of using his name.  When reading his autobiography, A Long Walk to Freedom (highly recommended), I was struck by how often the Port Elizabeth area was an epicenter of resistance to apartheid.  One reason people here give is that most of the black people of this area are Xhosa - of only one ethnic descent - so it was easier to communicate and unite.

Yesterday, we walked the newly opened Route 67.  Route 67 aims to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 67- year role in South African public life; its vision is to create a walking trail with 67 works of public art.   Ten are finished currently.

We walked from the historical city center of Port Elizabeth - where you can easily see the British and Dutch influence in the architecture - up a hill toward the area's original lighthouse.  This is the group of us under the South African flag.

My favorite work of art was at the top of the hill.  As you wound your way up the last incline, there is an artistic rendering of all the people waiting in line to vote in the first democratic election of 1994.  (Not that long ago.)  There were silhouettes of people being brought to the polls in wheelbarrows; kids playing in the dirt while their parents waited, and - based on dress - people of all different economic classes.

People of all hues

Everyone votes!

Brought in wheelbarrows

   I hope these pictures do the artist some justice...

It was very moving to me - as we often take our freedoms for granted, like the air we breathe.

Seals, Shells, Seashore

On Saturday,  Jim and I drove to Cape St. Francis, a rocky point guarded by a large old Lighthouse.   We took a walk out to Seal Point, and - yes, indeed - we did see one.  Jim tried to walk too close, and it lunged, barked (like a dog), then flipped into the sea.

I felt that Jim and I were living the old tongue twister, "She sells seashells by the seashore."
The beach was filled with shells - whole shells, broken shells, shells of all kinds.  Some shells had not yet stopped being someone's house...

We went to the nearby Penguin Rescue and Rehab Center.   This is a center that provides temporary care to African Penguins that are injured, displaced, or affected by oil spills.  The Center's work is all aimed at releasing them back to sea.  As such, the public is not allowed inside.  But, we could watch them through a window, at a pool that was called - with a great deal of humor - The Penguin Hilton.

(This guy must be the lifeguard..)

African Penguins are endangered; we have gone from 4 million in the world in early 1900's to fewer than 55,000 in 2010.  One "good news" story told at the Center was about a great rescue effort in 2000.  In June of 2000, the MV Treasure sank between Robben and Dassen Islands near Cape Town, releasing over a thousand tons of fuel oil at the epicenter of their breeding areas.  Thousands of oiled birds were brought to a warehouse in Cape Town for cleaning.  Nineteen thousand un-oiled birds were trucked to Port Elizabeth where they were immediately placed back into the sea.  Their homing instinct kicked in, and they swam 500 miles back to the two islands.  It took them 3 weeks, by which time the oil had been cleaned up or dissipated.  This is called the largest animal rescue in history-- and 91% of the birds made it!

The Answer

On Friday, Jim and I went to visit a St. Benedict's graduate ('81) who lives in nearby Jeffry's Bay.  Jeffry's Bay is known primarily for its surfing - especially the "super-tube"effect the waves make there.  It's a small beautiful resort town that is, again, surrounded by very poor "townships" of primarily Xhosa people.

Jill

The alumna's name is Jill Thompson, and she has had quite the history since she left St. Joseph, Minnesota. She has been a Peace Corp volunteer in two different African countries before becoming Associate Country Director for both Mali and Botswana.  (Jim and she could trade Peace Corps stories!)  For the last five years, she's lived in Jeffry's Bay, starting up a micro-savings non-profit.

Quite often these days we read about the promise of micro-loans - small loans to set someone up in small-scale business ventures.  They are the rage in economic development.  So, what are micro-savings plans?  They are actually a cousin, but they flip the equation.  Instead of leading with debt (even small debt), this program encourages people to save first.  Once group savings have accrued, the savers make loans to one another.  No outside money is needed; no money is repaid to anyone outside the group.

Her program, called Mpendulo Savings, helps people in the townships form savings and lending groups.  Saving in the township is hard, as 50% of the residents are already in debt to money lenders called skoppers, or credit card companies.  If they do have some money to save, their small deposits in traditional savings accounts get quickly eaten up with bank fees.  Jill's group helps them work towards the elimination of their debt and/or the building of assets.

Savings "kit"

Each savings circle must agree to meet for a year.  They set their own ground-rules: how often they will meet, where, and the required savings target from each member/ each month.  Jill's staff (3 trainers) supports the groups by providing advice, some financial literacy training, and - most importantly - a unique savings "kit."  Since trust of one another is crucial (so you can trust that no one is tempted to run off with all the group's funds),  the kit comes with a unique "strongbox."   This simple metal box is locked on three sides; each side requires a unique key to open it.  To safeguard the money, three different people in the circle hold the keys, and a fourth person keeps the metal box.  All four must be present for any money to be withdrawn.

Show me the money!

Once savings have started accruing, they make loans to one another at a rate of 10%.  Jill's group now supports over 130 savings/lending circles.  We had the opportunity to visit one on Friday.  Held in a person's home, each member brought their savings target:  250 Rand.  The money is counted publicly and placed in the lockbox.

Counting the money

Savings group member

Before we left, I asked, "What does Mpendulo mean?"  Jill smiled self-consciously and said that the members came up with the name.  "In Xhosa, Mpendulo means 'the answer'."  While Mpendulo may not be the only answer to getting people out of poverty, it is proving to be one answer that works.  I liked the fact that it builds on the concept of "we have assets" rather than "please help us."

House of Resurrection Haven

The second service learning site that we toured this week was a haven for children infected, or affected, by HIV/AIDS.  Reverend Nicolette has been its administrator the last two years.  We met with Reverend Nicolette her first day back from her own cancer treatments.  She looked weak, but her spirit was strong.  She dreams pretty big on her own:  she wants us to help create a garden to supply fresh vegetables for the children's meals.  She wants the kids stimulated, and as healthy as they each can be.  "Think of fun ways to exercize."  She'd love a wooden swing set.

The children range in age from twins who are 6 months, to 14 years.  When we toured, the older kids were at school, so we only saw the little ones.   Their faces smiled big greetings!

On the way out to our car, we also saw the cemetery where small graves mark the ones who didn't make it.

Polar Bear Plunge

Starting Tuesday, our thirty students started arriving.  Luckily, the airport is about 3-5 miles away, as Jim has met every plane.  For a city of 1 million people, the airport itself is small.   (Think St. Cloud.)  By Wednesday evening - everyone had arrived safely.

Thursday morning, (Feb 2) I was up at my usual 5:00 a.m. rising time.  I look across the street at the beach, and see several swimmers in the ocean.  I'm curious.  I go to check - and sure enough, they are ours.  Apparently the night before, they had issued a "polar bear plunge" challenge for 5 a.m.  I didn't do the plunge, but I can attest that at least seven people did.  Oh - and did I mention it was raining?

Some students had never seen an ocean before.  And, unlike many Americans who start with the "usual suspects" -  the Atlantic or Pacific, they'll always be able to say that their first ocean was the Indian.  Cool!

Service Learning: Pendla Primary School

While attending NMMU, our students will also be volunteering two days each week at their choice of three locations: a township primary school, a home for children affected by HIV/AIDS, and a community development organization that works primarily with adults.  On Monday, Jim and I visited the first two locations.   I don't know how the students will be able to pick.   This post will concern the first one visited.


Pendla Primary School is located in the township of New Brighton in the city of Port Elizabeth.  According to my eyes, all the students and teachers are black.  The grades taught at Pendla are Grade R (which is the equivalent of pre-school/kindergarten in the U.S.) up to Grade 7.  In the year 2011, there were 404 students.  The sizes of the classes vary depending on grade level.  For example, Grade 2 is split into two classrooms of about 30 each, while grade 7 is all in one classroom of about 46 students.   The main language of instruction is isiXhosa, but the students are to start learning English in Grade 1.  (Note:  South Africa has 11 official languages, and scores of unofficial ones.   English is the most commonly spoken language in public life and business – but only the sixth most spoken language at home.)

The conditions of the school are unlike what we are used to.  Two to three students share each desk; their chairs are plastic and cracked.   All the students are in clean uniforms, and most have bright smiles and eyes. 

When talking with the principal, we asked how our CSB/SJU students could assist the most.   She suggested helping the teachers in the classroom, a gardening project, and buying new chairs for some classrooms.

We asked about their library, as SJU/CSB has contributed books in the past.  It appears as if the library is often locked and children can access it only if accompanied by an adult, which is not often.  (They don’t want the books damaged or lost, but that also means they are not used!)  One suggestion offered was to identify those books not critical to instruction, and allow the Pendla students to take them home – with our CSB/SJU students handling the circulation.  It could be an experiment, and if it worked, it could continue beyond our time there.  She will consider that. 

Another area Mrs. Peters raised for assistance was in technology.  The school is required to teach technology, but they have no working computer for the students to use.  Mrs. Peters said they had some parts – and maybe our students could see if any of those could be assembled into a working computer.   (I’m thinking someone will love to dig into that one.)

Overnight, I start thinking about other resources that might be available to them.  So, the next day, Jim and I drove back to the township and stopped at the New Brighton public library (which is about 6 blocks away from the school).  I wanted to see if they had computers that would be available to the public or the students to use.   Even though we were just two people who walked in off the street, we were greeted warmly and offered chairs.  We talked with two people: the children’s librarian and the young man (recent NMMU graduate) in charge of their technology.  Unfortunately, the one computer that had been available for public use no longer works, and there is no money for repairs.  Because Pendla School has no security at night and the library does, I start wondering about helping the library get working computers – with the understanding that the students of Pendla could use them for a technology class…

Another idea that intrigues me is that our third learning site has a woodworking shop that is not well used, as I understand.  What if the adults at Missionvale could make new chairs for the students at Pendla????

My mind starts racing, but of course, I need to bring it down to “What can we do in four months that they want (not us), and has a chance of continuing long term after we’re long gone?”