Gugulethu - "Our Pride"

On my first day at Siyazingisa Primary School (the school that I work at), the kids actually gave me a Xhosa name – Luthando (pronounced Lu-tahn-doe) – which means ‘filled with loved.’ I have no idea why I got that name :) . So now, all the Xhosa kids know me as Luthando. The Xhosa employees in the ABF office even call me Luthando.

It’s been really interesting working with the kids in Gugulethu (the township I work in)…most of them are older (between 12 and 16) so it’s definitely a lot easier to communicate with them. Hearing these kids debate is one of the most inspiring things. They debate in English about issues such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, gangs, crime, drugs, etc. and their level of understanding about these issues is amazing. These kids really have dreams of rising out of their post-Apartheid poverty-stricken lives to make better futures for themselves.

The sad reality is that many of these kids excel up through secondary school, but rarely have the funds and means to attend a university. There are still so many barriers to overcome. Apartheid has left an obvious deep scar on society in South Africa. It’s obvious all over the streets of Cape Town as well as in the townships. Many Blacks and Coloreds in South Africa still resort to begging, gangs, crime, and drugs as a way of life…no one can be blamed for this except Apartheid. For hundreds of years, non-whites in South Africa were deprived of the education and respect that we, today, believe all humans deserve. Blacks were forcefully removed from their homes and forced to move into ‘all Black’ areas known as townships. Townships are very impoverished communities on the outskirts of major cities in South Africa. Life is completely different there than in the city. These people live every single day fighting the remnants of Apartheid. Uneducated parents must raise large families in single room, square houses or tin sheds. Because these people were denied the right to education, they are often ineffective parents who are unable to support their children. How can they get a decent job and earn decent wages if they are lacking the education needed? Many of the older generation will not even put forward the effort to work because they have no hope that they will ever achieve.

However, what’s impressive is the fact that these people still wake up each morning to fight through life. The kids go to their schools – schools with broken doors and windows, schools with no basic necessities like classroom supplies, a cafeteria, or computers. These kids ARE their schools and they’re fine with that. They live life in such a good mood. In fact, the township that I work in – Gugulethu – has a very interesting name. One of the Program Directors at ABF named Easy explained to us that Gugulethu means ‘our pride’ in Xhosa. When Gugulethu was formed, the people of the township vowed to make a stand against their oppressors. They vowed to always maintain their livelihood regardless of where they were forced to go or what they were forced to do. So, even today, the township maintains an amazing mentality of brotherhood. On the weekends, people are out on the street socializing, partying, and having a great time. The people of Gugulethu will always enjoy life as long as they are lucky enough to see the next morning.