Playground building weekend

6 maart 2018 - Baviaanskloof, Zuid-Afrika

Last weekend has been quite intense. A poverty-relief NGO called something resembling 'Kidlings' came to the Kloof to build a playground for the coloured community.

I might not have mentioned it before, but aside of the Afrikaners farmers community, which accounts to around 13 households, the majority of the population is 'coloured' and lives in either Sewefountains or Zaaimanshoek. Farm workers, cleaning ladies, babysitters and anyone doing seasonal, low-paid jobs usually come from one of these (small) villages, or the settlements in between.

The only school of the Baviaanskloof is situated in Zaaimanshoek. It is just a small building surrounded by an open space with a couple of nice, big trees...but not much more. While being dropped off for school before the lessons, or after lessons, or during weekends, children do not have, or better DID not have much to play with. Some of us will argue that children can make a game out of anything....which I agree with, most of the time. Still, it is worth it to create something to inspire children. It is worth it to show them a process of working for a change, for an improvement. 

You see, we are talking about a community which is poor, although better off than many people living in the Townships close to big city. The parents of these children do not make more than 150-200R a day (10-15 euro), very few kids get to follow up on their education and their future prospects are quite narrow. Most of them will start working quite young as unqualified labour. Marry. Have children (sometimes in the opposite order). That is it.

Maybe as a consequence of that, or maybe of boredom, alcoholism is really an issue in the Kloof. Most people drink, and most people get badly drunk. It is not uncommon to see people walking like a sailor, one that still thinks to be on a ship... in the ocean... in the middle of a storm. That can happen any time, any day. It is usually not a problem; as these people do not intend bad, but only the fact that this habit is so widespread makes me think there must be some psychological discomfort that makes people want to forget. 

Poverty is difficult to solve. Some boredom can be sorted..... Building a playground for instance.

Kidling people worked from Friday to Sunday, together with the Living Lands team. Students (and thus me too) mainly joined on Saturday and Sunday. It was great to do some heavy physical labour, as a break from sitting behind a computer screen. It was proper hard work, shovelling stones and earth, moving big rocks, collecting glasses and trash and glass, running around with a wheelbarrow, painting, climbing. The day after, I heard muscles screaming which I did not know to have. But it is gratifying work: as opposed to a scientific paper which never seems to be finished, in this case you see the swings taking form, the wood getting colourful of paint, the paths becoming clearer....but most important of all you see the children playing as you work.

The enthousiasm of the children was great. Every completed structure would immediately be tested and enjoyed by the children. Most children would also be very keen to help. They would carry stones, ask for direction and take initiative. They would enjoy the process and look proud and satisfied every time you would give them a compliment. They would ask you for your name and starting following you everywhere. They would marvel at seeing dreads on a white person (that would be me), and make you climb the same tree 2-3 times for the sake of seeing you doing it. I had a child called Jojo pushing me on a swing, and another called Rodney following me on trees. A girl called Alicia was my hairdresser for a while.

It was fun to hear that some of the adults were also trying the swings in the evening. When scolded by one of the kidlings-people, a 70 years old force of nature-lady which was working as hard as anyone for 3 days, they joked saying that it was unfair that they did not have this kind of games when they were growing up. I think it says a lot about how such a project is experienced by the community.

Playground building team

Foto’s

4 Reacties

  1. Mir:
    6 maart 2018
    :-) :-) :-) :-)
  2. Aafke Buijs:
    8 maart 2018
    Genoten van je verslag. Goed bezig, Linda !
    Groet, Aafke
  3. Linda Calciolari:
    8 maart 2018
    Dank je Aafke! Ik vind het heel leuk om te weten. Ik hoop dat het goed met je gaat. Groetjes aan Jan ook
  4. Gieljan Francke:
    10 maart 2018
    Prachtig verslag Linda, het is hartverwarmend om te lezen hoeveel je kunt betekenen voor de mensen in Baviaanskloof.
    Groetjes, Gieljan