Tuesday 10 September 2013

Bedazzlement at the Baphumelele Community Project!

Khayelitsha is one of Cape Town’s largest informal settlements, a maze of corrugated iron and tangled telephone wires, and is the scene of my second outing in the name of HAHA (Help Another Human or Animal). As I navigated my dotty way to the Baphumelele Community Project and Children’s Home, I was able to take in a few of the sights, sounds and smells of this intriguingly vibrant place.

The streets are a writhing mass of enterprise and activity, as shopkeepers hope to sell anything from tired vegetables and scraggly chickens to defeated-looking sofas and battered kitchen sinks. The odd, bony cow lethargically chews its cud, observing the bustle it is surrounded by with bored and disinterested eyes, whilst dogs of every description and uncertain breed scratch, yowl and bark in general merriment. Children run, hop, skip and jump everywhere you look, their clothes dusty with play and their eyes bright with mischief.

As one drives along the incoherent tangle of streets, one sees sights such as the proprietor of the ‘God Bless Customers Barber Shop’ standing languidly in the doorway of his establishment, waving occasionally to a friend walking by, comb and scissors in hand. On almost every corner there skulks an illegal drinking tavern or Shebeen, spilling recklessly onto the sidewalk, its flimsy walls seemingly alive and throbbing with the pulse of the music and alcohol that courses through its veins.

The impression that struck me most powerfully was that, despite its rampant poverty, Khayelitsha somehow manages to retain an air of optimism; whilst being fully aware of the squalour and hardship that characterises it, this place and the people who live there somehow seem to remain incomprehensibly upbeat. It is unquestionable that the suffering and impoverishment of Khayelitsha’s inhabitants is very real, yet it is as though they still manage to find some essence of hope and joy in the midst of their desperate struggle to survive.

As much as I was enjoying marveling at everyday Khayelitsha life and being continually astonished by the baffling assortment of canine species on display, I was in fact attempting to reach Baphumelele. This was rendered somewhat difficult, due to my GPS’ evil delight in directing me into solid and impassable obstacles, resulting in a heated battle of wills between an automated female voice and myself.

After being steered into an assortment of walls/ditches/informal cattle pens, a friendly passer-by saw my despair and kindly directed me onto the correct route. At long last I was nearing the Baphumelele Children’s home, a remarkable place that was established over twenty years ago by the extraordinary kindness of one very special lady.

At last! BAPHUMELELE! Victory!

You will probably not have heard of Rosie (or Rosalia Mashale, to be precise) before. You may not know her story of sacrifice or her tale of compassion. A trained primary school teacher, she moved from the Eastern Cape to Khayelitsha in 1989, and upon her arrival she quickly became aware of the plight of her new community. Instead of briskly looking the other way, she chose to face the harrowing problem of child abuse, abandonment and destitution squarely in the eye.

Sleeping on the floor of her own house, Rosie took in children who had nowhere to call their home. Her vision was not grand, it was simple: where there was pain, she sought to relieve it, where there was no hope, she would provide.

Today, Baphumele is an iconic symbol of her selfless dedication to protect children for no reason other than that was what her heart compelled her to do. 

Starting within the four walls of Rosie’s home, her vision has expanded to a sprawling, interlinked complex of structures, each serving a specific function and addressing a particular area of need. A brick-and-mortar tribute to the enormity of her compassion, these buildings now provide a place of safety to some 106 children, aged 0 – 18. 

Here, they can play, live, learn and revel in the ultimate luxury of childhood – being free and being unafraid. Within the walls of Baphumelele and under the watchful eye of Rosie's team, these children are secure in the knowledge that they have not been forgotten, they are important and have a future that is worth fighting for.

I had the privilege of being given an in-depth, guided tour of Baphumelele by the charming and eloquent Sisi Noni. Bustling with the authoritative pride of a beaming Mother Hen, she took me to see the houses where the children are accommodated and explained to me the core philosophies that underscore the manner in which these vulnerable little humans are cared for within Baphumelele, in accordance with the wishes of their prima-matriarch, Rosie.

Sisi Noni waves a cheerful HELLO!

Ani and the wonderful Sisi Noni

The emphasis is at all times to recreate the feeling of home – no more than 8 children per “cluster house” of which there are eleven in total, boys and girls looked after in separate buildings. 

Each house has a dedicated roster of caregivers who take shifts to ensure that there is always someone on site to look after the children, whether it be to make breakfast in the cold mornings before schooltime or to read stories in the evenings when another day is done. Baphumelele employs a total of 45 caregivers in order to be able to give the children focused attention and dedicated care, having recently taken on an extra 15 personnel so as to lighten the load somewhat.

The buildings each have their own character, which is often influenced by the donor that had made its existence a possibility; for example, the Holland House proudly represents its heritage with its fluttering flag and bold Netherlands-orange walls.

The American Consulate of Cape Town sponsored the Infant and Toddler facility (the 12th house, accommodating 16 tiny humans), and this cheerful, Jungle Book themed building is alive with murals of Baloo, Mowgli and friends. The infants who are now lovingly watched over and cared for in the safety of their painted jungle did not always have the luxury of warmth or the promise of comfort. They may in fact have had nowhere to go, after being found huddled in plastic bags in litter-strewn alleys or swaddled in blankets on train station benches, had the community not known that there was at least one place where these babies would be welcome, one place that would take them in - Baphumelele.

A sense of warmth and innocence pervaded each of the houses I visited, elements that are so essential for the growth and development of any child. Teddy bears sit happily on sofas, seemingly content and looking forward to watching their favourite TV programme later on in the day; the comforting aromas of a homecooked meal linger in the kitchen; the bright crayon scribbles of drawings adorn the walls; a scuffed table and rickety chairs stand ready and waiting for young minds to arrive from school and huddle over their homework. Beds are neatly made, soccer boots stand dutifully at the door – these aren’t the cold, neglected quarters of orphans or abandoned children; these really are homes, lit from within by the enormous empathy of people who work there.

In order to maintain its reputation as a place whose doors are always open to destitute children in need of shelter, Baphumelele relies very heavily on the contributions made by donors. Baphumelele receives a woefully meager allowance from the South African government, as is the case with many such organisations, with the Department of Social Welfare only providing an estimated 30 - 35% of each child’s costs. Baphumelele is entirely reliant upon donations to make up for the remainder of the expenses associated with caring for its children, and their excellent website (http://www.baphumelele.org.za) details ways in which one can contribute to the various projects they run and specifies exactly where there greatest areas of need are.

When I asked Sisi Noni what ‘Baphumelele’ means, she hesitated for a moment, until a glint of defiance flickered across her eyes. “We have won!” she said, beaming with joy, “It means we have won!” A simple statement, powerful in its intensity, resonant with victory and pride.

What a fitting name for a place that represents triumph over despair and the overcoming of insurmountable odds; a place that in its 24th year may stand proudly, head aloft and declare that the abandonment and vulnerability of children will continue to be challenged and defeated by the power of one woman’s love.

I really had such a wonderful time at Baphumelele, thank you to Sisi Noni for being such an enthusiastic guide and hostess, she made me feel very welcome and gave me such an in-depth tour of the facilities! I will still post some excerpts of the tour, but for now here is a video of the talk I did for the children, which includes MAGIC, yes, MAGIC! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohiZrXVwDE)

The feathers obtained from Fred were all gathered with his consent, in fact he keeps a few of them for occasions such as these and only permits VERY SPECIAL humans to have them, because they are so powerful and shouldn't end up in the hands of rascals or scallywags. I would therefore like to clarify that no Golden Pheasants were harmed in the making of this video!



A few photos of my visit to Baphumelele:










Lots of Love and HAHA xxxxx Ani

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