Khayelitsha - GAPA - day two

Grandma's Against Poverty and Aids
today we drove to khayelitsha about 20 minutes out outside of capetown
but i assure you an entire world apart. these are grandmother's who are dealing with the effect this virus' rampage across their country and in their homes.

when we hear about the HIV/Aids "pandemic" in sub-saharan africa it is difficult to grasp what is really going on. we hear the numbers...millions of people infected...1 in every 4 people in south africa between the ages of 15-49...one in every four pregnant women. what?! huh?! that can't be right. we think no way. and we move on. but as my friend aissatou put it today so eloquently, "behind every number is a heartbeat, and their heartbeat is just as valuable as mine." (when i say she is an angel i am not exaggerating) and she is right.

i listened to their stories. i was blown away by their courage. women infected by their husbands. women who have buried their children, and their children's children. yet.
and this is a big YET- they are so resilient.
one woman who has been living with HIV/Aids said that she did not want to be "pitied". she told her story with such strength, humor, and grace. she was amazing.

we saw how communities are pulling together at a grass roots level to support and educate each other. training each other and creating space for each other.

one woman who was infected told be that she was in such denial initially that when she got shingles, (known for being excruciating) that she, "put away the pain".
put it away for 6 months! and she told me that with a smile on her face. and we laughed and joked about the "strong black woman syndrome"...she said that if she ignored the pain any longer it could could have killed her. sister's can you hear me out there?
it was this particular beauty that showed me her art work in the form of belts, earrings, hats etc... of coarse i shopped. she also trains the other grandmother's how to create as well.

she told me "if you are creative like me...there are lots of things you can do". i love that. so, i will see what i can do!

vivian the project leader just looked at me straight and said. "i don't talk, talk, a talk! - i DO"
i love that!

i can really go on and on. my dream is community. today i saw it in action. i love expression. today i saw it in dance and song. it was amazing. in the middle of the workshop all the women would erupt spontaneously into song.

+ i didn't even get into the kids. beyond cute. beyond cute.
? though um why do they perm the kids hair? or should i say the babies? really i saw some perms on kids that can't talk....hmmm? that's a whole kink episode of its own. and a whole other blog.

...oh yes i took video i was trying to upload it but...alas. no dice.
i will keep at it. video and pics still en route.

like i said to the grandmother's today
love you so much
thank you for sharing this with me
i really appreciate you so much
you're beautiful
ngozi