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It's not often that squatter camp children feature on the Society pages of The Star (in Johannesburg) but members of the Joe Slovo-Children of Fire library club (and their young teacher) did in October 2002. Vhongani (13), Welile-Wiseman (12), Khumbulani (16), Tristan (teacher, 11), Pretty (10), Rosen (9), Nokulunga (9) and Bongi (9) all attended a Liberty Properties sponsored concert of Mozart and Schubert and had a great time. |
| Amphemetsi (5), Manunu (5), Feladelphia (6), Ashley (8), Bongi (9), Rossen (9), Monique (4), Muzi (9), Maggie (10), Themba (5) - all keen members of the Joe Slovo squatter camp library club that Children of Fire volunteers Tristan (11) and Amukelani (18) run every Sunday morning. The library sessions used to be held every Saturday and Sunday in a large shack, but following political intimidation, the reading, drawing and comprehension sessions have been held outside for 15 months so far. The 1200 books in the libary are sadly not accessible to the community. October 13th 2002, after class. | |
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Children of Fire is still looking for the "safer imbawula" design. Braziers, commonly known as imbawulas, occupy every little alley in squatter camps, as people cook their porridge or tea on them, or in winter months, sit around them for warmth. Some people put them inside tiny shacks as well, where they are even more hazardous because of the confined space, and the highly flammable materials all around. Few people watch carefully to prevent toddlers touching the pots of boiling water and the high rate of drunkeness in these communiteis makes every imbawula an accident waiting to happen. |
| Sunday morning in Slovo camp. Unemployment in squatter camps is typically 60 per cent of the adult population. But that doesn't mean that the skills aren't there. Even if half the adults are "functionally illiterate" (i.e. having the school grade education level of an 11 year old or lower), they may be able to fix cars or radios or shoes or roof a shack, or paint a house. All they really need is work. With work comes hope - and a much safer community. | |
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Dorah and schoolfriends (and their parents) from the EP Baumann Primary School, Mayfair, as well as from the Joe Slovo squatter camp, and Cape Town Children of Fire volunteer Anna du Bois (wearing glasses), all having fun in Auckland Park. |
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Dorah, Westminster firemen and other friends, outside the offices of the Mayor of London. |
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Food delivery to the mother in Alex whose 3 children died in the Sept 14 fire. One remains in hospital and the little girl who survived is also shown on following pictures. The lady in the red dress is Dinah Matlapeng (SAPS, we trained her in first aid through the new UMashesha project); likewise Thomas Ranemane (far right of picture). The white chap is Patrick Mills from Lions (Fourways) from whom we sourced the food. |
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Dorah at Camden Girls High School in London, Feb 2002. |
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A mother in Alex with some of her children who survived the fire last September. Three siblings died and two remain terribly injured in hospital. Through a request from Children of Fire, the Lions organisation has just offered to help the family with a large donation of food. We have also asked Johannesburg Council to re-house the family but have not yet had any response. |
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More burned children in Leratong Hospital received gifts from the charities this month. All of these three little ones were burned with hot water or hot porridge, by accident. The adult burn victims in the same ward were far more seriously injured, some intentionally. But everyone, including the nurses, got a little gift from the charities to ease the pain for a day. |
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Patrick Nene runs first aid training for St John Ambulance and works with Children of Fire. He has offered to select and recruit a new team of trainees from a squatter camp in Soweto, to spread our work further. He also supported the pro-democracy group Emang Slovo on their march, being on hand for any First Aid needs, despite intimidation from illegal marchers who followed them. |