Wednesday, June 27 – Already on this trip, eye-opening events are happening right in front of me. I have seen some very poor parts of the country and some very rich parts. When riding through a wealthy neighborhood, I saw that there weren’t any people outside except for gardeners and landscape workers. I did not see any residents – it seemed that the wealthy residents were isolating themselves from everyone else because they were rich. This isolation could also be seen in their use of walls and barbed wire to keep people out.
I’ve seen that even though some people may be considered “poor,” they are rich with life. In the townships facing poverty, many people I met seemed to get along and were smiling most of the time. It seems to me that even when it looks like people have nothing, they often find joy somewhere.
Thando, Co-Founder of the Kliptown Youth Programme, took us on a tour of his hometown Kliptown. Kliptown is the oldest township in Johannesburg, founded in 1903. It is the home of the site where the Freedom Charter was written. During this tour my peers, trip leaders, and I visited Thando’s mother’s home and had a heart-to-heart talk with her. After that my peers and I went with the youth of Kliptown on a private tour and saw their everyday lives. Some of the things that I saw were very heartbreaking and eye-opening. The level of poverty was something I just wasn’t use to seeing, and I know that many things still need to be done to address it.
While in Kliptown I met a very friendly young lady by the name of Gift. She is very outgoing and seeks knowledge constantly. While sharing pieces of her culture and everyday life, she also wanted me to inform her of mine. While walking through her township, she introduced me to her friends as if she had known me for years. It made me feel as if I was home. For the few hours that we got to know each other, Gift and I built a strong bond. We have so much more in common than I would have ever thought was possible.
I continued to follow Gift, to learn about and share my own perspectives on our different yet similar cultures. Being around her and the other children made me feel good, it made me feel as if I belonged. When I was with them I wanted to interact, and I wanted to be involved in their activities. The things I’ve learned here and the people I’ve met here have opened my eyes. They are helping me grow as a person, a leader, and also an African.
Jayonte D., Eastern High School