Mzansi Afrika: Notes from Soweto

A Merry Christmas for Orphans

There seems to be a tendency for people in our community to show their generosity to orphans when it's convenient and then to forget them when they are too busy or it doesn't suit them.

There is an orphanage here in Soweto called the Emdeni Children’s Home which is situated in Emdeni, in the very south of our township. Most of the children here have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. What I have noticed is that just before the Christmas holidays, immediately after some fortunate children are taken by foster parents for holidays, those who remain behind are left with no option but to linger around with nothing to do, and the feeling that no one really cares about them. To a certain extent this has created envy and despair among those who are left behind since they feel rejected by the very community which claims it cares and has their best interests at heart.

In 2004 children from Othandweni & Emdeni Children’s Home who were not taken out by foster parents were sponsored by a scripture union to go away for a week to a holiday camp. last year, there were 20 children left behind and no one came through with funding to send them to camp for the holidays. However, some young people from a Christian group in Soweto helped raise funds and the camp was held in Brits from the 23rd till the 30th of December. I went along to visit the children at the camp.

The children ranged in age from about ten to seventeen, and expressed their gratitude at being away from the home which has a lot of restrictions and red tape unlike normal children in the community. “I really enjoyed my Christmas and the food was so delicious, the games we played and mostly, I enjoyed swimming and mountain climbing it was a holiday indeed for me” expressed a young boy by the name of Remember. When I went to the camp on Friday night my intention was to spend a night and leave the following day, nonetheless, I ended up spending my time there until the 26th.

The children get their basic needs provided and paid for by the Department of Social Services, but it is clear to me, that what they really need is to be loved and hugged, and given human comfort, and to know that people care about them.

The challenge that is still left with the community of Soweto is that when we enjoy our time and have World Aids Day’s committing our pledge to the fight against HIV/AIDS we should also consider programmes beyond the days of public awareness, because it seems like these children need us more than we can imagine. Soweto it is time you remain genuine to your own.

Some photo's from the camp: