Rachel Goes to Africa: Cultural Tour

Yesterday we went on an unofficial cultural tour of Cape Town with Ursula, an employee of AVIVA who also gives city tours in her spare time. Ursula grew up in the outskirts of Cape Town and has endless knowledge about the history of the city. She took us to places we otherwise would not have been able to go because she has acquaintances and connections in all of the townships. While we went to some dangerous areas where I may have otherwise felt apprehensive, I felt safe with Ursula after witnessing her cussing out a man who asked her for money. She may have fabricated some information about the facts that she was unclear about, but she could certainly hold her own. We were in good hands.

First we went to District Six, which was the first inner city in Cape Town to be declared a white’s only territory in 1966 by the Apartheid regime. Forced removal began in 1968 and removed 60,000 individuals from their homes, placing them in townships outside of Cape Town. All of the homes were demolished, leaving only places of worship standing. In 2003 they began rebuilding homes and allowing individuals who were taken from their homes to move back to the area with proof of former residency, a process that is still occurring today. We then went to the District Six Museum to learn more about the Apartheid and the forced removals before heading out to the townships where many families were forced to live after being removed from their homes, and where millions still remain today.

The first township we visited was called Langa. While we were there, we visited Gugas Thebe, a multi-purpose center that was designed to help keep the children off the streets by providing a place for them to sing, dance and play music. It also provides adults the opportunity to learn basic skills so that they may get jobs. The individuals who run the place were amazing and took a special liking to us. We got drumming lessons and one of the men wanted to take me as his girlfriend by sending my dad a cow, which they use as a form of payment (Don't worry Dad, I politely declined.)

Next we went to Guguletho, which is a fairly developed township with several restaurants that serve as tourist attractions. We went to Mzoli’s, a butchery famous for its BBQ – yes there is BBQ in South Africa. Apparently it is a fairly big tourist destination, although this is not a place I would have ventured without someone who knew what they were doing! This was the township where Amy Biehl, an American exchange student, was killed in 1993. Her family has since started a non-profit organization to empower the youth and provide them with alternatives to crimes, drugs and sex by unlocking their creative potentials.

After lunch we drove to Nyanga, one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town. HIV/AIDS is a huge community issue here and the unemployment rate is at 60%. It was one of the poorer townships that we saw yesterday and possessed an aroma I won’t easily forget. While we were there, we visited Sweet Things, a child care center that takes in children during the day to keep them safe. We went inside during naptime to find all the kids crowded in a corner asleep. It didn’t take long before one by one they were popping their heads up, waving and laughing. They were some of the happiest children I’ve ever seen and they loved having their pictures taken.

We ended up at the largest township in Cape Town called Khayelitsha. 70% of its residents still live in shacks and most families have to walk further than 200 meters to access water. While we were there we visited Vicki’s Bed & Breakfast, a hostel that a woman from Khayelitsha started to raise money for the children in the township. She charges roughly $30 a night for dinner, a bed, and breakfast. She welcomes foreigners with open arms, and understands that we are not coming to judge or insult their way of life, but rather to serve as ambassadors and tell the world of the conditions that they live in. They want their pictures taken because they want the world to see them and know that they are not bad people but the crime and violence are a result of the conditions they’ve been forced to live in.

I felt extremely humbled and blessed to be able to meet so many unique and big-hearted individuals and also experience all of these incredible places yesterday. It was a day that I won't forget.

We had our first day of work today at the Home of Hope, I will write more on that soon. Let me just say - there were 6 children and 3 of us, and the children definitely won.