Back in the US!

Dear Reader,

I am back in the United States from my three month internship in Zonkizizwe, South Africa, but I cannot say I fully feel like I am home. I left a big piece of my heart at Vumundzuku-Bya Vana Our Children's Future (VVOCF), and with the children and youth that the center serves. In the last three months I have been through the some of the hardest, but most rewarding experiences of my life. I have been working with children and youth made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, helping a grassroots community NGO grow and develop in the face of overwhelming odds-- poverty, unemployment, lack of access to basic health care, poor public educations systems, and lack of adequate housing, to name a few.

During this time I have been living and working with the people in community, learning as much as I could about their language, their culture, and their way of life. During this time, these people became my extended family. I fell in love with South Africa and the spirit of humanity and resilience I found there. I learned a great deal about myself on this trip and about the fascinating history of the country’s highly segregated past. In this journal I have tried to include some of the highlights of my stay in South Africa, but I do not believe any amount of words could do it justice.

What I have learned to appreciate above all; however, is the power of the human spirit. Individuals working together to create change can be a powerful force. It builds community ties, a feeling of family, and a sense a pride and ownership in one’s community. I have seen downtrodden people become empowered, and their transformation is contagious. I cannot help but think to myself, what kind of world would it be if everyone could see what I have seen?

Keep checking for updates. The entries are backdated, so pay attention to the title of the post to see actual dates of events.

Also, if you want to check out some pictures from my trip, go here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v325/quinneycole/Zonkizizwe/.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me any time.

Sincerely,

Nicole