Grant Projects!

I spent most of last weekend writing grants for a couple of projects that I’ve been involved in.

The main grant I’m working on is for some women in the next village (1 hour walk or $1 public taxi ride if you can get one) over. They came to me wanting to start a “Home Based Care.” These are huge in South African villages: basically HBCs are the rural community’s NGOs that have about 10 local women on salary and can literally do anything from starting recycling programs, make home visits to ensure people are taking their medication or host after school programs for kids. Or, in a lot of cases, do absolutely nothing – just have a bunch of women sitting around all day.

Anyway I’ve been working with about 6 women for the past 3 months, teaching them Life Skills (more on that later) and helping them figure out how to really get their organization growing. We’ve decided to start with them teaching Life Skills to boys and girls clubs at the local primary school and then have monthly meetings
with the parents in the community. The Life Skills that the women and I have been working on basically encompass the skills needed to keep yourself healthy (focusing on avoiding HIV). So HIV/AIDS  and STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) prevention, communication and decision making skills and relationship skills. We do condom demonstrations – those bananas never know what’s about to hit them – and focus on the facts and myths about HIV.


Because of the culture here, many girls feel they cant say “no” to males and/or can’t demand that men use condoms. So we practice ways of saying “no” and assertiveness. Also it is culturally acceptable for men to have multiple sexually partners at the same time (and most do, even if they are married and/or religious). This is why the HIV infection rate here is so high.

The above reasons explain why Life Skills education is essential in South Africa.  The black South African cultural norms are a hot bed (pun intended) for sexually transmitted diseases. Most non-profit organizations in the country in some way work with Life Skills education or HIV/AIDS prevention.

Its been interesting to work with the 6 women. Even though they have volunteered to teach Life Skills classes, they are still so shy. Part of it is that we speak mostly in English (their 2nd or 3rd language) and that they have never been this close to a white person before, but some of it is that, they too are still embarrassed by some of the topics. Parents don’t talk to their children about the facts of life and they tell me that there aren’t even Sepedi words for sexual organs. Slowly, slowly slowly they are opening up, they are becoming more confident and we are forming friendships.  I’m not sure if their organization will be up and running by the time I leave, but they at least will have a good start.

I tried to attach a picture of me and my best friend, Tebogo. (Unfortunately my Internet connection didn't allow it)  She is 22 years old, in Grade 10 and has a 18 month old son named Rodney. Tomorrow I’m going to a funeral with her. And you may have heard me mention funerals before. We will be cooking all evening, spending the
night, then waking up ridiculously early to finish cooking and go to the ceremony that will start at 6 am.