Cape Town

Monday, May 11, 2009

by Naomi Zacharias

We seemed to be the only ones staying at the small Guest House, so we picked a small table outside and consumed a full breakfast to energize for the long day ahead. Pippa, the Co-Director of Home from Home, picked us up minutes later and we were on our way.

Home from Home was started in 2005 and provides permanent foster care for children orphaned and abandoned, most of whom are also HIV+. After several years of combined experience, Pippa and Jane developed the model for Home from Home, believing that children are in a healthier environment in homes built to accommodate six children and a house mother. Unlike institutionalized housing, this allows for a normalized lifestyle that ensures accountability, safety, and family living. Each house looks like every other in the neighborhood, there is no sign outside to set these children apart from their neighbors, and they engage in community life. The organization maintains oversight and support to each house mother, ensures that all basic needs are met, trains the mothers in HIV+ care and treatment, places each child in school, and works with the local communities to raise each child in a stable and loving environment. To date, they have 13 homes and care for 78 children.

We began in the township of Khayelitsha. Created during Apartheid, Khayelitsha has a population of about 1 million people. There is a current HIV prevalence rate of 26%, which is actually a slight decrease that has occurred in the last few years due to ARV treatment provided with funding support from international aid, managed and distributed by the South African government, and given free of cost to the individual. We first arrived at what has been named Sibongile 1. It was started by Nomasango, a woman who lost her daughter, named Sibongile, at an early age. Sibongile had Cerebral Palsy and after her death Nomasango made a personal vow to help other children with disabilities who needed special care. Perhaps even to her surprise, twelve children were left in her care when overwhelmed parents and caretakers disappeared. She had only a small shipping container-turned-trailer, and the children, a few workers, and Nomasango all squeezed into this cramped space.

Home from Home came alongside, added a new trailer and renovated both units to create a kitchen and nursery room equipped with mattress-lined small white cribs. As a side note, it was a testimony of what individuals can accomplish. As we passed by the kitchen, Pippa smiled and casually pointed to the white cabinets that once lined her own kitchen and now stood installed in the trailer. The houses are all filled with good quality furniture given by people who are willing to give of their person and their possessions, including the director herself.

In the nursery, our eyes met twelve sets of brown eyes and full smiles. Their true ages are not known for certain as their physical disabilities make it hard to know for sure. Unable to drink, one baby lay still in his bed as the staff worker fed him his bottle through a tube connected to an attachment fastened to his belly button.

Leaving Sibongile 1, we went a few streets over to see Sibongile 2, a three bedroom house built by Home from Home to house twelve children with disabilities taken in by Nomasango. The stark difference was incredible and two young boys in wheelchairs greeted us with excited animation as we walked in. Several of the kids lay on a mat in the center of the floor and one of the boys, Chumani, stared in apparent adoration at a small girl named Lilitha. Finally Chumani could stand it no longer, grinned, and leaned over and kissed her cheek. She laughed, causing his grin to widen. They told us that he often says, one day he will marry her.

The home is equipped with a large washer and dryer, a raised tub, and a wide shower to allow children to be lowered or wheeled as needed to bathe. The large freezer was packed with special food containing vital nutrients, blended and pureed so the kids have a well-balanced diet in food they can consume. With necessary funding the hope is to build a second house to move the children from Sibongile 1 into this permanent home situation as well.

From here we visited Luxolo, the house built and managed by Home from Home with funds given by a generous couple through Wellspring International. The house opened in 2007 and six children live there with Katherine, the house mother identified by Home from Home to be their permanent guardian. Once under guardianship of social services, each one of the children was orphaned or abandoned and placed in the custody and care of Home from Home who provides permanent housing, education, complete care, and their medications to treat HIV. All are under the age of 6 and the house has two rooms containing colorful bunk beds and pictures of the kids hanging on the living room wall.

The afternoon included a visit to the community day care center operated by Home from Home which cares for fifty children five days a week. We drove an hour and half and arrived in Hawston to see the second home built through Wellspring International. This house opened in December and was made possible with funds given to us from a Colorado-based church. The five kids, all under the age of six, played outside on the swing set and seemed quite shy. Their house mother had been away visiting family for the weekend and as she walked through the gate a bit later, the quietness quite truly erupted into glee as five pairs of legs went tearing through the yard to wrap their arms around her exclaiming, “Mommy!!!” Laurie and I looked at each other and couldn’t believe the way the kids came to life when they saw Denise. It was quite a priceless picture. We spent a few minutes with Denise as little bodies crawled all over her and small hands tugged on her ears and cheeks for attention. We soon said goodbye, granting them the chance to catch up on the full attention they truly deserved.

We continued on to visit about eight homes in various townships and ended the day at a house with a married couple who are new house parents to five little girls placed with them, ranging in age from four months to eight years old. They were adorable and three of the girls sat lined up on the sofa, their little legs barely extending over the edge of the cushions. They were each wearing a colorful knitted hat and giggled as they played peek-a-boo with us. The baby had been named Patience. She had been quite sick from an infection and an HIV diagnosis had just been confirmed a few days earlier. Her new mother had just returned from a hospital visit for a check up and medication and she was rocking the tiny, pink-blanketed bundle when we walked in, holding her tightly and affectionately against her. The mother was striking with dark, long curls that framed her beautiful face. The strong bond was so apparent it sent a vibration to my heart as she lovingly cradled Patience and with a face marked with concern for the little one not feeling too well, she spoke constant assurances and comfort into the tiny face that rested contentedly in these arms.

After quick showers, we sat at the table in Pippa’s house with her family for a late dinner. The family tradition is to go around the table and say individual highs and lows for the day. As we each took our turn, I was suddenly aware of how many highs I had been given. From the laughter, life, and unconditional acceptance I found at this table, to the lives I had witnessed throughout the day. The individual stories contained lows of sadness, but when one had to make the call, the high represented was so beautifully apparent.