BLOG 12
The first month of 2014.
I have just read through blog 11 to see where I was up to -
it is so long since writing I had forgotten some of it. Just as well I keep a
record of what I’m doing hey!!
I have a few things to report in this blog
I’ll start with Mkhosi.
I never did get to see him out east, as he was eventually transferred to
Mbabane hospital. He came in on the 9th
Jan. I saw him on the 10th.
I’ll talk about the hospital later!!
His break was a nasty one. The humerus (I can’t get a spell check – and
I’m way out of body part skills – the one that connects the elbow to the
shoulder!) was snapped clean about 3
inches from the shoulder end and his arm was very dangly and another break
across radius just below elbow. He was
in a back-slab cast only and awaiting surgery to pin and plate the bone. He waited until 21st for
surgery. As well as the break he has
damaged tendons, muscles etc. as he got his arm caught in a conveyer due to
loose fitting gloves and the fact that he was attempting to remove something
that should not have been on the conveyer -
I guess he is lucky to have his arm!!!. I visited him as often as possible and
because of me telling him what to do etc.
He and his brother decided that I could be his mother. I now have another son, fully grown and
trained etc. His post-surgery x-rays
indicated that the bone has been aligned correctly (bit of a surprise here they
tell me) and so he has gone back out east for his long recovery. I will keep in touch and see him when I am
out there for my 3 days of sewing.
The hospital - it is like nothing I have ever seen in
Australia. The King of Swaziland thinks
he will achieve first world status for this country by 2022. He’ll be lucky if he gets it by 3022. I would not even rate the hospital as 3rd
world status. The dereliction of the
building and all surrounds is atrocious and I cannot think of another word that
suits. Filth, rust, broken walls, roofs,
ceilings, railings, disgusting filthy walls and floors that are all unsafe to
walk on. Everywhere you look it is the same.
Didn’t dare to take my camera with me in case I was questioned and
jailed. But unless I saw this with my
own eyes I would not have believed it.
How anybody comes out of there alive is beyond my comprehension. All equipment I saw was in a state of
disrepair – either broken and fixed with tape or bandage or just hanging loose.
I needed to use the stair well to access Mkhosi’s ward and I dare not touch the
rails as I walked up or down. Everywhere
I went I looked up as well down and it was equally bad in all directions. If you ever see footage of 3rd world
hospitals or clinics please believe what you see. I am lucky that I go to the Simunye Clinic
if I am out east and it is very clean and in good repair and if in town there
is a private clinic / medical centre at the back of me here in Ezulwini.
Mkhosi was happy with the care he received and that is the
good thing I guess. He was well cared
for by his girlfriend as well she was there to tend to him almost 24/7. He was operated on at the Mbabane private
hospital.
WOW !!!
It’s no wonder the locals see a person from America or
Australia and they work hard at getting attached so they can then go and live
in the lucky countries. I had another
proposal on Wednesday at the Simunye car wash.
Victor!!! was working very hard
to get himself a meal ticket for the rest of his life. When he realised that no was the only answer
he was going to hear he became quite withdrawn and had to be consoled by his
boyfriend !!!!! YEBO (means affirmative) – you got it. I passed them as I was going to the car wash
and they were strolling hand in hand etc. etc.
They were also waiting for a car to be cleaned. I got the impression Anson was not happy with
his boyfriend trying to get passage to Australia, unless maybe he had planned
that I would take both of them back with me.
Isabel tells me it is normal for men to walk hand in hand
here and it doesn’t imply any relationship other than just friends.
What did that guy say years ago about Australians - ‘they’re a weird mob’ He hadn’t been to Swaziland.
Sewing group - back
to the same as last year. Some days are
diamonds and some days are stone. Or
maybe more appropriate ‘mud’.
Since our return at the beginning of Jan, I commenced them
with knitting and it looked like they were enjoying it and this could be an
alternative to sewing if they just can’t make the grade. Well I have since learned that we don’t very
much like knitting. So that’s fallen in
a hole. And Teresa returned from the US
with more than a large suit case of yarn.
More on that later.
I had been given a reasonably decent pile of curtain and
furnishing sample fabrics and so we have been working our way through them in a
creative way, designing as we go smaller bags, from clutch size to make up
purse with zip tops to small over shoulder totes. I have been amazed by Khunyisile - she has
jumped outside of her square and she is the creative one of the team. She is having a ball. She sees a piece of fabric and knows what she
wants to do but has no idea how to go about it and so we have joined forces as
a pair and she is very happy and has turned out some really good work. The others have to be shown every step
including ideas of what to do with each piece.
Not a problem – I am happy to have at least one person I can ‘play’
with.
Another project is to make dresses for the orphanage that
Robin commenced some years ago. This
week we made 3 proto types to get the size right – as I didn’t have any
suitable patterns and just drew what I thought would fit the measurements I had
managed to get. I just wish we could
stick to straight sewing as they are not good at anything with curves etc. and dresses involve rounded areas and
possible gathers etc. I need more
patience and tolerance - please send me some by return mail as much as you can
find. Thanks.
I have resorted to getting them to tack first then stitch
and I guess this is how I learnt, so if it was good for me then it is good for
them. Maybe I am at fault here – wanting
them to run before they can crawl. At
least 4 of these women have been sewing for 3 years and thought they knew it
all before I landed on their planet. I have tried in the gentlest way to encourage
them to increase their skill so that they can increase their income
potential. I just don’t know if they get
that!!!!
I have finished the 3 items we made so that I can take them
to the orphanage tomorrow to see if they fit and what changes need to be
made. Once I cut the dress fabrics, all
sewing will be done under supervision and slowly as this could be an ongoing
opportunity for them. They could be
given the opportunity to dress the majority of the 30 children if the price is
right.
The commencement back into sewing has been hindered with
getting children back to school and I was warned that I would be asked to
assist with school fees. The first to
ask was told very clearly and simply that I do not lend or give money – I am
here to teach them how to make money and giving it is not the answer. I was then asked in a letter to give – not
lend E10,000. I just laughed. I think they got the message after that one.
So there we have it -
Christmas lunch was great and they showed me an aspect of themselves
that was truly lovely and loving. Now we
are back into sewing mode and they seem determined to push the boundaries at
every opportunity.
I want to comment on the yarn that was donated through the
churches in US. The quality is poor –
mostly acrylic and colours that are not inspiring. Maybe they are from closet cleanouts. My thoughts on this is that we keep them in
poverty is we are asking them to always use poor quality materials that are
then sold at a low price. Teresa is also coming with us on the excursion and I
will point this out to her as we visit other places where they are making
things that are now sold internationally – high quality and great financial
rewards for the makers. I keep saying
that I want to get them to a standard where we can use the shwaeshwae fabrics
because it is not being done elsewhere YET!!!
Same goes for yarn – I am happy for them to learn on second rate stuff,
but we must have the quality for sales.
I have now planned our excursion for March 8th. International Women’s Day. I recently visited the YEBO art gallery –
just around the corner from my dwelling place.
One of the women I have met who sews and embroiders is a participant in
a 6 week class called ‘voice of women’.
She had hoped that I would be able to join in this - but not possible –
I’m not Swazi and it was too late to apply. The gallery and an associated NGO got funding
for this from somewhere??? There are 20
women participating who have an interest in some form of art / craft and they
will be living in for the 6 weeks and doing drama, poetry, screen printing,
drawing, pottery and lots of other creative stuff. At the end of the class their work will be
exhibited with an opening address at the local Royal Museum on the 8th
March. The event will take about 2 hours
and will showcase what they have done and achieved. The ethos behind it is to encourage women to
have a VOICE in their community – no matter what their community is. Most of them are rural ladies. I have spoken to my group about this. They are so excited to be attending and they
plan to dress in traditional gear for the day. YES – I will have my camera!
I need to have a break now and get myself ready – going out
with Teresa for a girl’s night with another 10 ladies. Need to change and get
some form of eats ready to take to share.
Back in the morning.
I missed that morning and it is now the afternoon of the
next day. How time flies when you live
in Ezulwini.
Have I told you I love Ezulwini? This is the greatest place to live in this
country. It is sort of rural by location,
but has a feel of elite suburbs. It is
where many people want to live but can’t.
They tell me land here is E3000 per square meter. There is a massive home being built next to
where I live and it is the home of a local doctor. As I drive
up our street I see more very large properties all looking very grand and the
streets are very badly maintained and there are potholes that have several
patches on top of patches. Some of the
roads are just a collection of patches and every time it rains some of the
patches go elsewhere to live and so another patch will eventually appear. It’s all good fun to watch this process.
Section 19 – where I stay on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Bongiwe is an employee of KuDvumisa Foundation in the CHIPS
program. She rents a 2 bedroom ‘unit’ from RSSC – Royal Swaziland Sugar
Company. Section is in amongst the cane growing
area and only about 6 kms from where I work.
The can around it is ready to be cut soon and so it is difficult to see
there you are driving except for the road ahead and the sky above. There is no other view. Just as well I know where I am going
!!!. It is a funny unit. As you enter
the only door it appears that you are in a corridor – at one end is the kitchen
and the other end is the bathroom. From the
‘corridor’ you have access to the two adjacent bedrooms. That is it!!! That’s the unit. The corridor IS dining and lounge etc. Bongiwe has a large TV and we watch it from
our bedrooms. She has no chairs of any
sort so we sit or lay on our beds for eating, talking, typing etc.
The first week I was there I was sitting outside – I had
taken a chair from my previous residence to use as a bedside table !! – I was
outside with my chair as it was cooler in the breeze and I was doing Sudoku. I was eventually joined by 5 young people who
were so curious they couldn’t contain themselves any longer. They had run or walked past me about 20 times
before one got game enough to stop and she was about 6yrs, munching on a mango
as they do – skin and all. She leant
against me as though I was her GOGO – grandmother. She doesn’t speak English, so our
conversation was limited. Once I had her
there the others joined and were curious about me and what I was doing. About 100 questions later, I started to show
the older ones the art of sucked-in! (Sudoku!)
2 of them sort of got it and then demanded that I must get them a book each like mine
and bring it to them. This is a cultural
way of saying what you want. No holds barred!!
They just come out with it. I tried
to explain in my terms that I MUST NOT !!!
But I will if I choose to. I kept them on a promise to be good or there
is no book and I will talk to the parents to make sure they have been
good. I now have the books and we will do a puzzle or
3 together before I hand over to them. They are delightful kids and I will get
their names this week when I am there. And
a photo !!!
We are in the horrible humid season that will continue for
another 2 months I am told. Some days
are like being in a sauna, especially at Section 19. Last week after 3 days of perspiring many
litres of fluid and drinking about 3 – 4 litres and hot nights sleeping with a
fan I came home exhausted. On the
journey home I stopped at Simunye to get fuel, have the mud remove from the
car, pick up another potential husband and get some energy food from the
store. I had two bottles of cold drink
and a small bag of wine gums for sugar. They
were gone before I had driven 40 kms. But it got me home. Thursday I was a bit washed out and did only
what was necessary like finishing the dresses.
They were all OK and so this week the girls can be making
dresses for real. I talked to the staff
about teaching the young ones to sew. They
were very interested and so I will talk to Robin about a sewing and knitting class
for the girls and boys if they are interested.
I almost forgot to report on our volunteers’ brunch on 12th
Jan and Phophonyane Falls.
(I have some photos, but not downloaded yet from
camera. You know this could mean having
one of those slide evenings when I return. I can hear you all shuddering! OK I’ll promise to get some time to down size
photos so I can attach them.)
The journey took about 1.5 hrs and we left my place at
1.00am. There was only 5 of us. Isabel,
Liz, John, me and Lusanda (AVI country coordinator). Our booking had been made for breakfast and
we all wanted lunch because of the time we arrived. They would not change as
all the food had been set out for us. The
place was so peaceful. And it sort of
appeared in the bush from nowhere. To get
there were many kms of dirt, mud roads in not very good nick. I was pleased not to have my little car for
this journey. We were in Isabel’s CRV. The
grounds off the resort were like a lush oasis and so beautiful on the eye. Everywhere we looked the grass was recently
manicured and was so lush, numerous tropical palms and other plants. All around us was rain forest type vegetation. The buildings were very rustic, mud and
bamboo huts with thatched roof tops and some very quaint interior layout and
designs. All very secluded from each
other. The dining area was both inside
and outside for weather conditions, we had a lovely setting outdoors
overlooking the pool. After breakfast
and many pots of coffee we went for walks to find the falls. It had been raining for some time on and off
over the preceding weeks so there was a lot of water coursing down over the
rocks. Not enough for rafting but quite
noisy and fast flowing. Some of the
scenery was beautiful and some of the tracks were tricky, I didn’t think to
wear sensible walking shoes so I didn’t go as far as the others did. Instead I found a seat in the garden where I could
just sit and take in the ambience of the place.
It was easy to connect with nature around me and at the same time, difficult
to realise that I was in jungle type mountains of Africa. After our walk we headed for the pool area and
made ourselves at home on the cane chairs for a refreshing cool drink and a
chat before heading back to the city life.
Isabel took Liz and myself to the Pigs Peak craft place
before we went back to town. I think we
all did some shopping there. Most of the
craft places where the same as those in Ngwenya. I purchased some woven flowers in sisal, very
talented craftsperson’s made them. I also
got a small woven basket.
We eventually got home about 4 ish and had a great day out
together.
It has been thundering now for about an hour and I’m
patiently waiting for the rain.
Where I sit at my table in my unit I am near the main door
into the unit and the window of the lounge/dining. I have a direct view of the house being built
next door, but if sit on an angle I can see the building site for the US
embassy and in particular the 2 huge cranes.
On Thursday I watched them in action for some time, quite
entertaining!! Especially when the
whistle went at 5pm and 4 little men came out of the boxes at the top and
crawled down the ladders to the ground. From
where I sit they like toys, some going fast and some slow. The slow ones need energizer batteries.
It must be time to finish now, I’m getting silly.
That’s it for another week or 3.
Love to you all. I hope
your year has started well and will continue to be well for you.
Hugs all round.
Georgie xxx