Goodbye to Blossom Street Primary School

Life is full of beginnings and endings. My last day at Blossom Primary also happened to be Mr. David’s birthday, which was celebrated by a wonderful hot Cape Malay meal prepared by one of the Muslim teachers – tablecloth, napkins, etc. in the staff room. They also took the opportunity to present me with the honorary “keys to the kingdom” – a Blossom Street neck key ring, which I promised I would wear proudly whenever I visit or help out at schools in the U.S. Mrs. Abrahams made some kind remarks in front of her colleagues about how I had found a way into her heart and the children’s, too, and helped them so much with their literacy during the short time I was there. She said heartfelt things in front of her classes as well and the children presented me with cards they had been (secretly) working on. I gave them all copies of pictures I had taken around the school, and left a very nice book for the class on South African animals which we had been using – lovely pictures and information in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and Zulu. Mr. Davids made yet a special trip into Mrs. A’s room while I was reading them one last isiXhosa and Zulu folk tale, to say good-bye in front of the children. He wanted to know why I wasn’t crying (apparently that’s what the young volunteers do when they leave) and I said it was because I am old and have already said good-bye many times in my life. Now I have a large bag of items to deliver to Mrs. A’s daughter and grandsons in New York when I get there at the end of March and I am wondering how I am going to fit it all in my luggage. I will definitely keep in touch with this staff over time, as I have with folks in the place which captured my heart first – Mwereni School in Rau, Tanzania.

Speaking of other schools, I made a quick visit on Thursday morning to a school in Langa, a black township. I had been asking Tahira, the CCS placement manager, to arrange a visit for me to another school in a totally different environment. Well, this was different! The children at Thembani School are instructed totally in isiXhosa. South African law says that a person must be educated – or tried in court for that matter – in his/her mother tongue, if he/she so desires. And, remember, there are 11 official languages. The children get just a smattering of English in the early years, and formal language instruction starts in Grade 4. Tahira’s contact, Teacher Norma took me to visit every classroom in the large school and it was only the 7th graders who could speak well enough to carry on an English conversation. The literacy of the younger learners in their native tongue seemed to be decent; it is another approach. Immersion in English for isiXhosa children at Blossom Street works for some but many seem to struggle. And they are unable to read or write in their native tongue, even though they communicate with each other in it. Thembani School had larger class sizes than Blossom but seemed also well run and Tahira does plan on establishing a volunteer partnership there.

What amazed me about Thembani school is that they had so many more services than Blossom: an art teacher, a music teacher, a physical education person (three times a week), money to pay local parents to maintain the grounds, cook for the children and perform other services. (Children at Blossom do not get a hot meal. ) And no school fees are paid by the parents at Thembani School, whereas parents at Blossom must pay (if they can). And Thembani can hire substitute teachers. So, by many measures, Thembani was better equipped – and making good use of their resources, thankfully. When I returned to Blossom Street Primary that day, Mr. David’s take on my impressions was, “Well now, you have seen for yourself, and that has made the visit worthwhile.” The situation is that the coloured (remember that word is pc here)population (and in Cape Town it is 50%) feels that the black population is getting all the “goodies” from the government: special services, housing assistance, job preferences, etc. In fact, there is a government policy of affirmative action, but only to level the playing field post-apartheid. Whereas before, whites got preferential treatment and coloureds didn’t have it as bad as blacks; now blacks get preferential treatment and coloureds feel as if they are being overlooked. What hurts is that coloureds, too, took active part in the liberation struggle which resulted in the overthrow of apartheid – and they don’t feel as if they are being justly compensated. So many underlying issues to understand when you get a little immersed in a culture…..

Luann (CCS country director) and Tahira couldn’t provide me with the means to visit any really awful township schools, but they certainly do exist. There are primary schools where pupils languish without teachers, day after day, I am told. So sad. You ask, why aren’t we placed in such situations where the need is probably greater? Well, CCS has an obligation to make certain that we volunteers have a safe as well as fruitful experience overseas, and so they put a great deal of time and effort into making the right match between volunteers and placements. And I do believe that we make a difference at whatever level of society we are placed – even if it is not in a squatter camp. Perhaps our efforts reap more of a harvest where, in fact, the conditions are not so squalid that we can make a difference – places where being upwardly mobile, not just survival is the driving force. Does that make sense?

Other placements for CCS volunteers include several other primary schools and a secondary school in Athlone; preschools such as Silvertown Educare in Athlone run by Child Welfare Society; Sibongile in Khayelitsha and Eros School in Athlone for children with cerebral palsy; various organizations that provide refuge for women and children suffering from domestic abuse: Safeline, Carehaven in Athlone; refuge support at Scalabrini; Etafeni in Nyanga – a multi-purpose center for children affected by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers; Sarah Fox convalescent hospital for children in Athlone for children who, for social reasons, cannot return home; Home from Home in Khayelitsha – residential care for HIV and abandoned or neglected children; Fikelela in Khayelitsha – residential care for HIV positive babies and young children who are abandoned or need temporary care; Nomzamo in Langa – place of safety for abandoned children (often HIV affected babies and children) awaiting placement and falling under the supervision of the state; Groote Schuur Hospital – misc. duties.

So there was much for us all to do!

[The last picture is of my CCS group (and Tahira and Wonga, one of our drivers) and the one before that is of a class at Thembani School.]