An Inspiring Article by Julie Zuckerbrod

When I arrived in Cape Town, I distinctly remember driving over the highway for the first time and seeing the sea of shanty homes engulfing the horizons beside me. My initial reaction was shock and horror. From my American, suburban perspective, this way of living was incomprehensible, and I felt an immediate sense of sadness.

Thinking about the way I felt that first day, a short three months later, seems very distant. My feelings and views on life in townships have changed quickly and dramatically, and much of that is due to my direct involvement and work with Ubuntu Africa in Khayelitsha.

Part of what drew me to study abroad in Cape Town was the opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community that would be my home for the semester. I knew, even before I knew anything else about South Africa, that I wanted to feel like I would be studying and living here for a reason other than a simple travel and study experience. Ubuntu Africa is helping me do that in a way that I could have never imagined.

Although I only come to the office two days a week, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of the smiling faces I see here and the positive direction that their lives are headed. Though I am fully aware of the kids’ home lives and positive HIV status, in no way does this define their identity for me. Instead, I look forward to Wednesday afternoons because I get to hear the laughter and see the joy of a large group of genuinely happy and extremely lucky children.

The work at Ubuntu Africa is inspiring, to say the least. The staff is fully engaged in maintaining and improving the lives of each of their children. Each person working in the office is always available to lend a hand, and take on someone else’s role in order to help and run a smooth operation. Some mothers of the children have even come in to cook for the children when the regular cook could not make it.

Now when I think of Khayelitsha, I think of a strong community of individuals. The kids I have met and interact with on a weekly basis are full of smiles and fun. They are beautiful, grateful, and engaging children who have bright futures ahead of them. Thanks to Ubuntu Africa, these kids will have the education and care that they need to live the lives they are destined to live, without letting any obstacles get in their way.