Tapologo offers free health assessment clinics for the orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) living in the squatter villages. However, many children do not attend these clinics. It is Tapologo’s goal to have a medical assessment of every child in these communities so that they can better understand the health situation in every community and also so Tapologo can give ARVs to the HIV positive children.
It was our task to find out which children have not been medically assessed in Freedom Park and Boitekong. We started by finding out which children have been assessed. We asked each care worker to tell us which of their children had been assessed. Each care worker could tell us off the top of their head which of their children had attended the health assessment clinic. I was very impressed by this. Each care worker looks after about 15-25 children. They did not even have to look at any files. It showed to me how close their relationship with their children is. Once we had the names of all the children who have already been assessed, we compared it to the master list of OV children to find out who still needs to be assessed. Tapologo will use this information to target these children and encourage them to attend the next health assessment clinic.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
4/21 Training Session
Today’s training session was very informal. Angela, the counselor from Neo Birth, had no objective but to check in with each of the OVC care workers. I am very impressed by how dedicated Neo Birth is to having close relationships with each care worker. The counselors from Neo Birth meet the care workers weekly to give them training, and the care workers must report to the Neo Birth counselors. The Neo Birth counselors put themselves on an equal level as the care workers. Today Angela brought sweeties for the meeting. She was very vocal about her appreciation for the care workers. She acknowledged how important and hard the care worker’s work is. Angela asked each one of them how they are doing. She knows what is going on in most of their lives. She asked for feedback from each of them about how they are handling their work and personal lives. Neo Birth brings donations to the OVC program for the children in need, but Angela always makes sure she gets the care workers the clothes and supplies they need for themselves and their families. Many of the care workers themselves are sick and living in poverty, and on top of it their job is very stressful and they receive incredibly low pay. These care workers are battling HIV on the front lines by working daily with orphaned and vulnerable children. I think it is very important for them to feel support and appreciation. Neo Birth does a very good job of providing this.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
4/14 Training Session
Today we accompanied Maurie, from Neo Birth, while she lead training sessions for the OVC program child care workers at Boitekong and Freedom Park. The purpose of these weekly training sessions is to provide the child care workers with the skills to intervene, counsel, and empower the orphaned and vulnerable children they look after everyday. This month was the most accomplished the OVC program has ever been with 7,000 interventions collectively in Boitekong and Freedom Park this month. The childcare workers each work full time without a salary. The Impala Platinum Mine gives each childcare worker a 1,000 Rand stipend each month. That is equivalent to approximately 143 dollars.
The method of training that Neo Birth practices is called “equip to serve”. This is what was discussed at today’s training session:
The goal of counseling children is to “speak the truth in love”. Condoms are not 100% safe, so one must not teach the youth to use a condom. Instead, one must teach the youth the true way of staying safe—abstinence.
One must not manipulate when counseling. Instead, one must minister from the Holy Scriptures. Only God can change people
Children send out an “SOS”. S: scared. O: Overwhelming pressures (internal and external). S: Strengths (must help find each child’s strengths and use it to boost the child).
Quality care workers practice “HUGE”. H: humility. U: unconditional love (condemn sin, but always be there for them). G: genuineness. E: empathy.
The phases of a crisis is: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, forgiveness, accountability, and resolution. Childcare workers must help children through the phases.
The five counseling skills: “RIGHT”. R: reflective listening (content). I: interpretive listening (feelings). G: good questions (where, when, who, what; do not ask why because that is a judgment and only God must judge) H: helpful feedback (relate to the child through personal experiences). T: tender confrontation (must build relationship first).
The care workers build relationships with children through playing, helping with homework, and working together to do chores.
We ended each training session with prayer.
The method of training that Neo Birth practices is called “equip to serve”. This is what was discussed at today’s training session:
The goal of counseling children is to “speak the truth in love”. Condoms are not 100% safe, so one must not teach the youth to use a condom. Instead, one must teach the youth the true way of staying safe—abstinence.
One must not manipulate when counseling. Instead, one must minister from the Holy Scriptures. Only God can change people
Children send out an “SOS”. S: scared. O: Overwhelming pressures (internal and external). S: Strengths (must help find each child’s strengths and use it to boost the child).
Quality care workers practice “HUGE”. H: humility. U: unconditional love (condemn sin, but always be there for them). G: genuineness. E: empathy.
The phases of a crisis is: denial, bargaining, anger, depression, forgiveness, accountability, and resolution. Childcare workers must help children through the phases.
The five counseling skills: “RIGHT”. R: reflective listening (content). I: interpretive listening (feelings). G: good questions (where, when, who, what; do not ask why because that is a judgment and only God must judge) H: helpful feedback (relate to the child through personal experiences). T: tender confrontation (must build relationship first).
The care workers build relationships with children through playing, helping with homework, and working together to do chores.
We ended each training session with prayer.
The Abandoned
When I arrived at Neo Birth this morning I found the staff gushing over a tiny little newborn. I assumed it was the child of one of the staff members. I asked who she was and they told me she did not have a name. Yesterday her young mother came to Neo Birth and explained their circumstances. Afterwards, while the counselor was holding the little girl, the mother just walked away, abandoning her 1-week-old child. One of the Neo Birth staff members took the baby home with her for the night. Apparently she was malnourished and had not eaten in 3 or 4 days. The little girl was being passed around, receiving so much love, all day at the office. It was today that the compassion and commitment to the mission of Neo Birth was incredibly apparent. The staff members will take her to the doctors and a social worker, and will continue caring for her until she is placed in a home.
I was told that children are abandoned at Neo Birth around once a month. It takes around 4-6 months to place a child in a home. Neo Birth used to send the abandoned children to a shelter called Lighthouse. However, Lighthouse is not currently open, so the Neo Birth staff care for the children in their own home with their own money until the child is placed into a home. I was told that Neo Birth wont let these children go to a shelter or family unless they are Christian. No comment. The founder of Neo Birth, Maurie, told me how important it is to have shelters within the individual communities. This is because the child will be living in a place that speaks the same language and has the same culture. It will also empower the community to look after and be responsible of their own.
I was told that children are abandoned at Neo Birth around once a month. It takes around 4-6 months to place a child in a home. Neo Birth used to send the abandoned children to a shelter called Lighthouse. However, Lighthouse is not currently open, so the Neo Birth staff care for the children in their own home with their own money until the child is placed into a home. I was told that Neo Birth wont let these children go to a shelter or family unless they are Christian. No comment. The founder of Neo Birth, Maurie, told me how important it is to have shelters within the individual communities. This is because the child will be living in a place that speaks the same language and has the same culture. It will also empower the community to look after and be responsible of their own.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Extension 13
Extension 13 is a neighborhood in the Boitekong squatter village. One of the Neo Birth ladies told me that it was a “rough” place. Today we went with four OVC program workers. Extension 13 really did look rough. There was trash everywhere—on the roads, yards, and even in the trees. There were also dogs hanging around most street corners lying under the shade of trees. A lot of the dogs looked pretty skinny. Along with dogs, I also saw many chickens roaming around. The homes were made out of clay or metal panels, and sometimes a combination of both. Some homes were larger than others. Some homes were tiny metal shacks. There was rust everywhere in this neighborhood. Chicken wire fences surrounded some of the front yards to homes. There were many shops. I saw a beauty salon in the neighborhood, as well as food shops that looked like lemonade stands in front of homes. I saw many barefoot children with backpacks that I assumed were on their way home from school. I saw a little boy who looked around four or five years old wandering down a street pushing a tire. It looked like he was playing and not on any particular mission. I also noticed another little boy pick up some scrap metal and start waving it around and playing with it. I saw a man walking down the middle of the street with scissors, cutting something up discretely into his fist. I could only assume what he was cutting up. The only white person I could spot in the entire neighborhood was myself. I really felt like I was in a different world.
Today we went to three homes. The OVC ladies were told that these families were in need of help. We went into each of the homes and talked to the caregivers of the children in the families. The purpose of the visits was to assess the family’s situation and familiarize the OVC program ladies with each home and family. These families will now receive assistance from the OVC program. Each day after school one of the OVC program workers will go to one of these homes and look after the children and help them with homework. Setswana was the only language spoken during the house visits, but I was informed of what went down right after each visit. In two of the families, the grandmother was the caretaker of the children because her daughter had died. In the other home a 17-year-old girl was caring for an orphan boy. The OVC ladies are planning on going door to door in extension 13 to find more families in need of after school care and inform the families of the OVC’s services.
Today we went to three homes. The OVC ladies were told that these families were in need of help. We went into each of the homes and talked to the caregivers of the children in the families. The purpose of the visits was to assess the family’s situation and familiarize the OVC program ladies with each home and family. These families will now receive assistance from the OVC program. Each day after school one of the OVC program workers will go to one of these homes and look after the children and help them with homework. Setswana was the only language spoken during the house visits, but I was informed of what went down right after each visit. In two of the families, the grandmother was the caretaker of the children because her daughter had died. In the other home a 17-year-old girl was caring for an orphan boy. The OVC ladies are planning on going door to door in extension 13 to find more families in need of after school care and inform the families of the OVC’s services.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
ALIVE
For those of you who know me well, you know that I love quotes. So I thought I would share one of my favorite quotes with you. Maybe you will enjoy it as much as I do…
“The most visible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible - without brush, hammer, clay, or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt - their medium is being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They see and don't have to draw. They are the artists of being alive.” J. Stone
“The most visible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible - without brush, hammer, clay, or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt - their medium is being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They see and don't have to draw. They are the artists of being alive.” J. Stone
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
4/7
Today we went to Tapologo’s orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) program at Freedom Park and Boitekong with a woman from Neo Birth.
At Freedom Park we delivered parcels of food to homes. We gave food to four families that were deemed in critical need by the OVC program. Each family who we gave food to had many children. One of the families was headed by a teenage mother and another by a grandmother. One of the families we gave food to is from Zambia and so do not have South African documents, leaving them unable to receive government aid. Almost all of the families had sick members. We went shack to shack delivering the food, trying our best to avoid falling on our face, as there was mud everywhere. The shacks were very small and close together. While we were delivering the food, we were also responsible for taking pictures for Neo Birth. The pictures will hopefully appeal to Neo Birth’s donors. One child of a family we gave food to was very shy. The OVC woman we were with said, “don’t worry, he’s just afraid of white people”. While we were walking around I saw one of the boys who I played with while we set up the reading room for the OVC program. We high-fived. This made me feel really good.
Next we went to Boitekong Village. The woman from Neo Birth gave training to the OVC program workers. We sat in on this session. She characterized the milestones in children’s physical, mental, and social development for children ages 0-5 years. She stressed the importance of tracking and taking note of these milestones in children’s development. Each one of the OVC workers is a care-worker for 11-25 children. Neo Birth gives these ladies training once a week so that they can counsel the children and families they are in charge of. Many of the children in the OVC program are taken care of by siblings, young mothers, and grandparents. Many of these caretakers may not know the importance of stimulation in children’s development. Because of today’s training, the OVC program workers are better equipped to counsel the caretakers about how to provide adequate and proper stimulation for their children. Today’s training session also discussed “stranger danger”. Children must understand that they should not go anywhere with a stranger when offered money or gifts. The program-workers are teaching the children about “no touch triangle”. Children are being taught that there is a zone on your body that no one should touch. Neo Birth is giving the OVC program workers the skills to empower the children in the program. One case was discussed of a girl in the Boitekong Village who is prostituting herself for 5 Rands per trick. 5 Rands is the equivalent of about 75 cents in US currency. This girl is selling herself so that she can buy basic living supplies. I was shocked. It emphasized to me the need for empowerment counseling.
During the training session at Boitekong, one discussion really startled me. The women were saying that HIV positive mothers SHOULD breastfeed for the first 6 months after delivery. This shocked me because it was against everything I have learned about mother-to-child transmission of HIV prevention. I have always understood that an HIV positive woman should not breastfeed in order avoid spreading the virus through breast milk. After the training session I asked about this. I was told that there is a drug that a woman can take up to 48 hours after delivery that will transfer to the child through breastfeeding. This drug will fight the virus in the child and help boost the immune system. However, during these six months the child must only consumer the breastmilk. I was told that is it healthier for the child to be breastfed if the mother has taken the drug, compared to not being breastfed at all.
Today was a great day. We went to two villages, met families, helped deliver food, and learned about the importance of teaching and empowering children and families and how to go about that.
At Freedom Park we delivered parcels of food to homes. We gave food to four families that were deemed in critical need by the OVC program. Each family who we gave food to had many children. One of the families was headed by a teenage mother and another by a grandmother. One of the families we gave food to is from Zambia and so do not have South African documents, leaving them unable to receive government aid. Almost all of the families had sick members. We went shack to shack delivering the food, trying our best to avoid falling on our face, as there was mud everywhere. The shacks were very small and close together. While we were delivering the food, we were also responsible for taking pictures for Neo Birth. The pictures will hopefully appeal to Neo Birth’s donors. One child of a family we gave food to was very shy. The OVC woman we were with said, “don’t worry, he’s just afraid of white people”. While we were walking around I saw one of the boys who I played with while we set up the reading room for the OVC program. We high-fived. This made me feel really good.
Next we went to Boitekong Village. The woman from Neo Birth gave training to the OVC program workers. We sat in on this session. She characterized the milestones in children’s physical, mental, and social development for children ages 0-5 years. She stressed the importance of tracking and taking note of these milestones in children’s development. Each one of the OVC workers is a care-worker for 11-25 children. Neo Birth gives these ladies training once a week so that they can counsel the children and families they are in charge of. Many of the children in the OVC program are taken care of by siblings, young mothers, and grandparents. Many of these caretakers may not know the importance of stimulation in children’s development. Because of today’s training, the OVC program workers are better equipped to counsel the caretakers about how to provide adequate and proper stimulation for their children. Today’s training session also discussed “stranger danger”. Children must understand that they should not go anywhere with a stranger when offered money or gifts. The program-workers are teaching the children about “no touch triangle”. Children are being taught that there is a zone on your body that no one should touch. Neo Birth is giving the OVC program workers the skills to empower the children in the program. One case was discussed of a girl in the Boitekong Village who is prostituting herself for 5 Rands per trick. 5 Rands is the equivalent of about 75 cents in US currency. This girl is selling herself so that she can buy basic living supplies. I was shocked. It emphasized to me the need for empowerment counseling.
During the training session at Boitekong, one discussion really startled me. The women were saying that HIV positive mothers SHOULD breastfeed for the first 6 months after delivery. This shocked me because it was against everything I have learned about mother-to-child transmission of HIV prevention. I have always understood that an HIV positive woman should not breastfeed in order avoid spreading the virus through breast milk. After the training session I asked about this. I was told that there is a drug that a woman can take up to 48 hours after delivery that will transfer to the child through breastfeeding. This drug will fight the virus in the child and help boost the immune system. However, during these six months the child must only consumer the breastmilk. I was told that is it healthier for the child to be breastfed if the mother has taken the drug, compared to not being breastfed at all.
Today was a great day. We went to two villages, met families, helped deliver food, and learned about the importance of teaching and empowering children and families and how to go about that.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Neo Birth
Neo Birth Care Center is an organization that is partnered with Tapologo’s OVC program. The vision is “to care for, counsel and equip the community of Rustenburg and the Northwest Province with knowledge and skill to make informed decisions in everyday real life situations”. Neo Birth offers training and development for basic life skills, psychosocial care, parental skills, HIV/AIDS awareness, foster care, and counseling skills. Neo Birth is a counseling center for HIV/AIDS, abuse, domestic violence, pre-abortion, and teenage pregnancies. Neo Birth is free of charge and is open to walk-ins off the street.
Neo Birth receives many donations of clothes, baby supplies, and toys. When someone comes into the center in need, they are often given these donated supplies from the storeroom. Once a week Neo Birth opens the storeroom to the public to sell the clothes and supplies. They do this in order to make a small profit to keep the organization running. The storeroom was a disaster—filthy and very disorganized. One of our projects from last week was to revamp the storeroom. What a project. After hours upon hours of folding, organizing, cleaning, and taking out frogs, we managed to turn the storeroom into a makeshift shop—a place that people would not feel ashamed to receive clothes and supplies from, and a place that could attract paying customers. We ended our day very filthy and sore.
Neo Birth has a playroom that is used for play therapy. This too was a disaster—toys EVERYWHERE, filthy toys, empty peanut butter jars, and a wasp’s nest. The playroom was our project for today. We took out the trash, dirty toys to be washed, and even DESTROYED the wasp’s nest. Yes, lives were taken. We regret this, but it was for the children. We ended up having a little fun with this project. We arranged the room into something we thought we would have fun playing in. We arranged the toys in an appealing way—we set up the mega Barbie outside of a castle with dozens of green army men protecting her from the robot man. Working hard.
Neo Birth has a collection of books that they lend out to Freedom Park. Today we entered in all the names, authors, and genres of books into the computer database. I felt frustrated with this work. I honestly thought that it was pointless. I could not picture this database being put to any use. However, I am only here to help, in whatever way Neo Birth feels is necessary.
Neo Birth is a Christian-affiliated organization. I was first tipped off by this during our introduction where we were told that they counsel people against abortion. I later noticed many of the posters about “walking with God”. Most of the books we entered into the database fell under the genre “spiritual growth”. On our first day working at Neo Birth, one of the women asked if we were theology students. I was then incredibly aware of my “raise a little hell” tattoo. While I was doing the mindless manual labor of cleaning and organizing, I thought a lot about the religious message Neo Birth is trying to send. I came to the conclusion that while I don’t agree with some of the messages, I agree with the help Neo Birth is providing to people in need. However, I could not seem to justify the anti-abortion stance the organization takes. I could not see how one could counsel a possibly vulnerable, HIV positive, teenaged, pregnant woman to see that she only has one option. But this is just my view, and Neo Birth has another.
Neo Birth receives many donations of clothes, baby supplies, and toys. When someone comes into the center in need, they are often given these donated supplies from the storeroom. Once a week Neo Birth opens the storeroom to the public to sell the clothes and supplies. They do this in order to make a small profit to keep the organization running. The storeroom was a disaster—filthy and very disorganized. One of our projects from last week was to revamp the storeroom. What a project. After hours upon hours of folding, organizing, cleaning, and taking out frogs, we managed to turn the storeroom into a makeshift shop—a place that people would not feel ashamed to receive clothes and supplies from, and a place that could attract paying customers. We ended our day very filthy and sore.
Neo Birth has a playroom that is used for play therapy. This too was a disaster—toys EVERYWHERE, filthy toys, empty peanut butter jars, and a wasp’s nest. The playroom was our project for today. We took out the trash, dirty toys to be washed, and even DESTROYED the wasp’s nest. Yes, lives were taken. We regret this, but it was for the children. We ended up having a little fun with this project. We arranged the room into something we thought we would have fun playing in. We arranged the toys in an appealing way—we set up the mega Barbie outside of a castle with dozens of green army men protecting her from the robot man. Working hard.
Neo Birth has a collection of books that they lend out to Freedom Park. Today we entered in all the names, authors, and genres of books into the computer database. I felt frustrated with this work. I honestly thought that it was pointless. I could not picture this database being put to any use. However, I am only here to help, in whatever way Neo Birth feels is necessary.
Neo Birth is a Christian-affiliated organization. I was first tipped off by this during our introduction where we were told that they counsel people against abortion. I later noticed many of the posters about “walking with God”. Most of the books we entered into the database fell under the genre “spiritual growth”. On our first day working at Neo Birth, one of the women asked if we were theology students. I was then incredibly aware of my “raise a little hell” tattoo. While I was doing the mindless manual labor of cleaning and organizing, I thought a lot about the religious message Neo Birth is trying to send. I came to the conclusion that while I don’t agree with some of the messages, I agree with the help Neo Birth is providing to people in need. However, I could not seem to justify the anti-abortion stance the organization takes. I could not see how one could counsel a possibly vulnerable, HIV positive, teenaged, pregnant woman to see that she only has one option. But this is just my view, and Neo Birth has another.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Living Easy, Living Wild
For the long Easter weekend I went to Botswana on holiday. This is an account of one of the most real, relaxed, lively, and grounding experiences I have had.
A Botswana game reserve. Golden dusk. Imagine it.
We entered the gates and drove into the wild. Drove down the long brown/orange dirt roads, if you could call them roads. Endless trees and long dry grass surrounded us. It looked like the savanna. I felt like I was in the Lion King. There was a warthog, monkeys, and ostriches chillen in their homes of this wild place. This place was wild. There were picnic sites spread out throughout the reserve. Each filled with young people having a good time. At each site there were cars, emitting blasting beats. It awoke the still nature that surrounded. Jamming. It was the most perfect time of the day—when the sun sinks deep into the sky and the day says goodbye. The mango colored sky was vibrant against the darkening trees in the skyline. The trees were turning as black as the flesh of the crowd. The sky was still bright, and so were the outfits of the youth. The people popped out against the earth tones that surrounded in this savanna. But in a way, we blended. This was such a chill atmosphere. No worries, just enjoying the good company, food, drinks, music, dancing, and nature. I could tell people were enjoying the nature; an earthy fragrance emitted from the huddled circles of people that were spread out throughout the whole picnic site. There was something so calm and relaxed in the atmosphere as people melded into the nature, yet there was radiating life. The beats of the music were in sync with the pulse of the crowd. People were happy, excited, peaceful, and loving. Barbeques in the States, chohasca in Brasil, or braai in Southern Africa—wherever you are and whatever you call it, there is something about this brilliant combination of heat, fire, music, outdoors, abundance of food and drinks, that brings the people together, and leaves worries behind. Everything about this experience was wild, and I loved it.
I will leave you with a Marley song quote that filled my mind while I was at the game reserve,
“I like it like this, SATISFY MY SOUL”
Peace, Love, and Life,
Lily
A Botswana game reserve. Golden dusk. Imagine it.
We entered the gates and drove into the wild. Drove down the long brown/orange dirt roads, if you could call them roads. Endless trees and long dry grass surrounded us. It looked like the savanna. I felt like I was in the Lion King. There was a warthog, monkeys, and ostriches chillen in their homes of this wild place. This place was wild. There were picnic sites spread out throughout the reserve. Each filled with young people having a good time. At each site there were cars, emitting blasting beats. It awoke the still nature that surrounded. Jamming. It was the most perfect time of the day—when the sun sinks deep into the sky and the day says goodbye. The mango colored sky was vibrant against the darkening trees in the skyline. The trees were turning as black as the flesh of the crowd. The sky was still bright, and so were the outfits of the youth. The people popped out against the earth tones that surrounded in this savanna. But in a way, we blended. This was such a chill atmosphere. No worries, just enjoying the good company, food, drinks, music, dancing, and nature. I could tell people were enjoying the nature; an earthy fragrance emitted from the huddled circles of people that were spread out throughout the whole picnic site. There was something so calm and relaxed in the atmosphere as people melded into the nature, yet there was radiating life. The beats of the music were in sync with the pulse of the crowd. People were happy, excited, peaceful, and loving. Barbeques in the States, chohasca in Brasil, or braai in Southern Africa—wherever you are and whatever you call it, there is something about this brilliant combination of heat, fire, music, outdoors, abundance of food and drinks, that brings the people together, and leaves worries behind. Everything about this experience was wild, and I loved it.
I will leave you with a Marley song quote that filled my mind while I was at the game reserve,
“I like it like this, SATISFY MY SOUL”
Peace, Love, and Life,
Lily
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