Vuleka Trust

I arrived in Durban on Saturday 12th July.  It was already dark and I was picked up at the airport by Alfred who introduced himself as the property manager of Vuleka.  We got into this old van and off we went, it was pitch black, I couldn't see a thing and had no idea where we were going!!  After about an hours drive, and climbing many hills we arrived.  I was duly dispatched to my new room for the next week, given a cup of tea and that was me!!  This was all a little overwhelming, but after a good nights sleep....I woke to find that I had arrived in Thousand Hills...which made sense of all the hills the night before!

My time at Vuleka became mostly about rest, relaxation and restoration as I developed a bad cold and an awful cough.  Resting is the sun with my 2 new fur-riends, Libby and Bella.

Libby, who will do anything for food!

Bella, who likes to lounge around

There was no programme happening the week I was there due to funding issues, however, I did get involved in other ways.  A group of students from the previous Youth Training Programme came in for a day to see how they were progressing with employment or with university applications.  They are also involved in a community awareness project in their areas.  Each group was working on creating a vegetable garden in a primary school or a creche, to provide fresh nutritious food for the children and a small income from selling extra produce.  I was also shown a recycling project which people could get involved with.  This was making click boxes made out of coca-cola bottles.  People can come along, learn how to make them out of recyclable materials and then sell them to gain a small income.  I love my African themed one.

I had the chance to visit a local government run Secondary School which was in a dire state and sadly indicative of many in townships across the country.

I also visited the Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust, a fantastic initiative began by Hillcrest Methodist Church to try and begin to address a huge need in the community.  It has a hospice facility, a feeding programme, second hand clothes, a white elephant shop, quite a large garden nursery and a craft shop.  The craft shop stocks many fantastic beaded and products made from recycled materials.  These are all made by people affected by Hiv/AIDS and provides them with a small income.  

The HACT wall of remembrance

I had a great 10 days at Vuleka, well looked after by Mary Robinson, the Director of Vuleka, whose husband Rev Andrew Robinson, interestingly did a pulpit swap with Rev Colin Duncan a few years back!