Graduation

Today was the graduation of the Port Elizabeth trainers. I wish to God that my camera hadn't run out of battery power (or that I had the foresight to bring the charger from Cape Town) because we had some amazing speeches and performances at the 'ceremony'. One participant, Mlandeli Mpapa (aka "Afro") recited an incredible poem that blew us all away. Two other girls, Ntsikie and N'tosh casually sauntered up to sing for us (unrehearsed) and when N'tosh opened her mouth it was like being in the room with Aretha Franklin.

One of the other girls gave her Coach's Story (something we do with the kids to bond and explain why we're with GRS) about her cousin dying of HIV/AIDS. What was especially brave was that she admitted to having shunned her cousin when she got sick even though they had been best friends. This was just back in 1998, not even 10 years ago, when HIV was denied to exist in South Africa. They didn't speak for months and we she finally got the right information about how the disease can spread, she discovered her cousin had died the day before.

aside: One thing I want to say here is that I will probably share many of these stories over the next year. But I encourage absolutely everyone to read 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa by Stephanie Nolen. It's unbelievable. They only thing more powerful is to hear similar stories spoken first hand.

Back to the Coach's Story. One thing I learned: although I knew that much misinformation about HIV was spread through word of mouth and by the government etc, I didn't realize there have been active campaigns to ostracize those with the virus. She told us a man came to her high school to tell the students that if they saw anyone at all with symptoms of AIDS (rapid weight loss, lesions, hair thinning etc) to stay away from them and not to help them. I suppose this was the only way some people could think of to stop the spread but the thought of such callousness is appalling.

This was one of the moments (of which there have already been many) that I know what we are doing is helping to change this country. We target strigma and encourage children to build support systems of family and friends. We give them the information to make positive decisions and ask them to go out and spread this in the communities. We have already reached 100 000 people in nearly 5 years in Africa. Such a small organization can do so much.