The Rotary Club of Roggebaai and Rotary Family Health Day

One of the many wonderful elements of the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar programme is that they place each scholar with a host Rotary Club. 

I was lucky enough to wind up with a small vibrant club of 12 members, the Rotary Club of Roggebaai (pronounced more like rock-a-bye but substitute the 'ck' with a throaty 'G' sound).

The club has been wonderful and taken me under their wing. Aside from my host family, one couple in particular (Sonia and Humphrey) have opened their home to me – they’ve had me for over for din and shared about their experiences living in Zimbabwe (now Rhodesia) and South Africa. They are exactly how I would like to be in retirement. They do things that interest them, travel, keep wonderful company and give back to their community. I suppose I shouldn’t wait until retirement to aspire to be like them!

Humphrey, Renata (Ambassadorial Scholar from Germany), Sonia and the dogs at their house for din

Another Rotarian in the club, Peter, is a retired photographer and has been kind enough to give me lessons. He is warm, friendly and has a great sense of humour!

As much as the social aspect is wonderful, Rotary South Africa also does some amazing work.

Over the next few posts I will feature a few different projects that I Rotary does here. First up is... 

Family Health Day:

Rotary Family Health Day

Rotary Family Health Day - TB Screeing

Earlier this year, Rotary, in conjunction with the South African Department of Health, set up centres where people could come for free health services. 

Blood pressure testing

Condoms, pamphlets on medical male circumcision

The event was held throughout the country and services included blood pressure, blood sugar tuberculosis and HIV testing, deworming, vaccinations for children and free condoms and sanitary pads. They also provided information on a host of other health-related topics.

During a lull in visitors, I went through the ‘circuit’ of family health day activities with Peter capturing it on camera to show some of the things that they offer and get my health sorted at the same time.

Getting registered

Blood Sugar Test

Blood pressure test - mine is a bit high :S

Pre-HIV test counselling

HIV test

What a great initiative to support the government in providing some basic health services. I wrote recently about access to health care, focusing on the unfair reality that access to health care is oftentimes determined by the circumstances people are born into. Given that many South Africans have poor access to basic health services, programs like Family Health Day help to fill that gap.

My Rotary Host Family - The Matzdorffs

I am incredibly privileged to have been placed with a wonderful host counsellor and host Rotary Club here. Everyone teems with authenticity and the vibe is always warm, inviting and (oftentimes) quirky.

I couldn’t be luckier with my host counsellor. Terence is incredibly engaged, interesting and interested man. His family has opened up their home to me. Terence, his wife Connie and daughters, Michelle and Nicole have gone out of their way to make me feel welcomed and comfortable.

The Matzdorff's + Chrissy, last year's scholar & me

Terence and Nicole

Connie being a silly rockstar in my pink
sunglasses to match her shoes!

Michelle - on the way back from lunch

Through the time I have spent with their family, I have had the privilege to learn about bits of South African history, culture and perspectives through their personal journeys. It has been a very humbling, enriching and eye-opening start to my year in South Africa. 

They also happen to have a wonderful library of books and unbounded supply of silliness. On occasions when I’ve been upset, they have offered silent compassion and acceptance coupled with warm beverages and tissues for my tears.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I've spent chatting, laughing and eating with them. I continue to be floored by my luck, the generosity of Rotarians and the way that South Africans have opened their country and homes to me.

Me and Toffee

A day in Khayelitsha

Marina @ HubSpace Khayelitsha

My friend Marina and I met two very interesting local entrepreneurs a few weeks back.

We went to check out HubSpace Khayelitsha - a new project they are working on in one of South Africa’s biggest townships. 

Khayelitsha is second in size only to Soweto with an estimated population of 1.2 million. Khayelitsha translates as 'new home' in isiXhosa and in addition to those who were born there, is home to many people who have migrated from Eastern Cape province, other areas of South Africa and increasingly other parts of Africa. It was my first time to Khayelitsha and it served to be a very interesting day.

Many entrepreneurs in township spaces don’t have access to a formal office area. In this context, the logistics of administration and gaining credibility are sometimes barriers to success. HubSpace is a solution to this problem – they rent out areas on an hourly, daily, weekly monthly or annual basis where entrepreneurs can access a phone, printer, internet, etc. 

It was a great set-up and I thoroughly enjoyed my free trial there that morning. 

Seko & Meli - Hubspace Khayelitsha

Working @ Hubspace Khayelitsha

The day also proved interesting for another reason. While driving in, I saw men on the side of the road holding jerry cans. I wondered what was in the jerry cans but didn’t think much of it.

At the space, we heard singing and looked out through the window. People were holding signs directly below us. The premier of Western Cape Province, Helen Zille was scheduled to be arriving for an event. 

Protest starting... view from the window

We heard warning shots being fired into the air. Outside, police threw someone in a van and it smelled realllyyyy bad. Turns out the protest was on sanitation in the area. Many people don’t have access to flush toilets and have to share portapotties amongst many people. 

In protest, they threw jerry cans full of poo on the Premier’s convoy.

Poor living conditions are a daily reality for many South Africans and an ongoing part of the sad legacy of apartheid.

Protest Aftermath (Photocred to Marina)

Protest Aftermath (Photocred to Marina)

Protest Aftermath (Photocred to Marina)

Every day I am here I learn something and become more aware of how little I know.  

This day in Khayelitsha (seeing a wonderful local entrepreneurship project and a protest for access to basic sanitation) stands out to me as an illustration of the incredible complexity and contrast present in South Africa.