Visit to South Africa and Botswana

9th to 18th July 2006

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to visit Africa, and to see some of the projects being carried out by local YWCAs. My only other visit to the African continent was for a meeting in Kenya in 2004.

World Council of the World Alliance of YMCAs

10th July – 11th July

Even though I was only at the YMCA World Council for 1½ days, it was a very good experience. I participated in the opening ceremony and the next day gave a well-received speech on the relationships and issues of both the YWCA and the YMCA and the meaning of having joint associations. That night I was invited to sit at the head table at a dinner with the authorities and special guests.

Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal Branch

11th July, afternoon

I visited the Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal branch of the South Africa YWCA with Esther Tsikwe (National General Secretary of the YWCA of South Africa), we also visited a retired leader of the YWCA in Durban and a NGO project run by the mother of The Honourable Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former staff of the World YWCA, who is now Deputy President of South Africa.

We visited the local association’s well-run project for the elderly and mentally ill. The building is divided into different rooms, according to the situation of each person and there is a big kitchen where food is prepared.

.

Y WCA of Botswana

12th July -13th July

I visited the Botswana national YWCA and the Gaborone Branch. The leadership is very young and I was impressed by the work they are doing. They have a kindergarten, a primary and a secondary school. They run training sessions on HIV and AIDS prevention, cooking classes, and different skills trainings.

They also have a high school for teen mothers who may study while their children are cared for in a wonderful nursery. After one year these teen mothers are able to join the mainstream educational system.

We also visited Holy Cross Hospice, run by a YWCA leader, where they care for HIV and AIDS positive people. Vans transport these people to the hospice in the morning and bring them back in the afternoon.

Gauteng Branch – Activities in Johannesburg

14th July- 15th July

I returned to South Africa where I met with the National President, Ellen Blekie, and General Secretary at Johannesburg airport.

With Joyce Serokee as our guide, we visited the ancient women’s jail, where there is now a Museum honouring the memories of those women prisoners held during the apartheid period, such as the President and General Secretary of the YWCA at that time. These two women joined us and reminisced about old times. Now the Office for Gender issues has its offices in the building and Joyce Serokee is one of the Directors of that office.

We then went to the Soweto neighbourhood visiting both tourist places and the Gauteng branch of the YWCA, where they have a very well located and huge residence for university students. On the 15th July we went to the Commission on Human Rights where, again, a former YWCA leader, Brigelia Bam, is the director. Brigelia organised a meeting with people from different branches. Members from the new Pretoria branch, formed by The Honourable Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka two years ago were present as well. We were proud to see that many of the leadership positions in the country are occupied by YWCA members - women formed within the YWCA, but we of course also felt sad that they left the YWCA leadership.

Kwa-Zulu Natal North Branch

16th July- 17th July

We drove a long way to reach Kwa-Zulu Natal North Branch, with both the President and General Secretary of the South Africa YWCA. It was a moving and important experience. The day was marked as an historic one as this was the first visit by a World President. They explained their main project, the YWCA special school, which is most impressive. They work with children and young people with different kinds of disabilities. They offer not only regular education but a variety of workshops on cooking, arts, music. The school band then gave a wonderful concert. There are 270 children who are brought to school and back by van. We then visited the Ekuphileni Project, for adults with mental problems, run in partnership with the Hospital.

For me, this trip was a very exciting learning experience that I will value forever.