Prince(ly) Pride

Prince, c. 2006

Prince, c. 2010

On Friday, I had the good fortune of attending an end-of-the-year nursery school performance. The highlight: watching young Prince shine on-stage.

I captured the scene four years ago, during one of my first forays into the community. Buoyed by two frail sticks posing as legs, Prince could barely stand as Gregg knelt to him, grieving his plight. Born to a woman marked by the Scarlet H...Prince, too, suffered the same dire fate.

Despite the fact that Prince was fortunate to have Gregg and Pride 'n Purpose as his benefactors, his health was in a state of constant fragility; his extended family either too poor to purchase medicine or ignorant of its proper usage.

Fast forward four years; Prince is now a vibrant and healthy young boy. His mother long since passed away, he was cared for by extended family until he was adopted some weeks ago by a woman in Nelspruit, who has taken in other children orphaned by AIDS. Prince is growing physically, emotionally and intellectually: he glows from great health, has a growing command of the English language and is loving his new mum.

His pride shows.

Visions of Venda

I had a brilliant opportunity to visit the Venda region in the last week: “The Land of Legends”; a land that has long been forgotten.

Through a chance encounter, I met Vince – an incredible man from the UK who walks with the Venda. The people of Bennde Mutale, perhaps the last outpost of the South African frontier within kilometers of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, have taken him in as one of their own. Vince obligingly wears many hats: teacher, taxi driver, rubbish man, community advisor and neighbor. He has built a community center housing a crèche, a home based health care office and a church. He employs a couple of villagers to manage a waste management center.

Even if we have shared only a few words, you know that I thrive on omens and unfailingly follow my gut….so, I jumped at the chance to visit Vince, Venda and her people. My intuition served me right, I had incredible experiences: I sat on a beer crate outside of a shebeen and witnessed the villagers argue about the pronunciation and spelling of my name; I waded through rivers and walked in the bush bare as the day I was born; I was embraced by toddlers and kissed their out-stretched hands; I gazed at stars from the roof of a vintage Land Rover; I collected rubbish from the side of a road that seldom sees cars; I practiced yoga underneath a baobab tree with my bare feet on red soil.

I have found home.

Cavorting in the Communities

David Khoza, community outreach manager with Pride 'n Purpose

Rachel, Pride 'n Purpose's bakkie

Lunch time at Deyani Creche

Phumzile & her youngest, Answer

A spazza

Yesterday found me navigating the bush with David Khoza, community outreach manager with Pride ‘n Purpose, in Rachel…a small “bakkie” (pick-up truck) operated by hydrogen fuel cells that was donated by Gregg Campbell (founder of P ‘n P) to expedite P ‘n P’s work in the communities.

We visited a few “crèches” (nursery schools) to deliver e’Pap and inquire with the teachers of the status of affairs. Well, David met with the teachers whilst I was entertained & tackled by hordes of toddlers: songs, dancing & high fives ensued….at times, a few ran their fingers through my hair.

I was at Deyani Creche when lunch was served. The children obediently queued in line, washed their hands in a plastic dish placed near the buffet and were provided a seemingly heaping plate of rice and chicken bits & sauce.

David & I dropped by Phumzile’s home, as she has asked for guidance and funding to open a “spazza” (small convenience store, produce stand, etc). I will guide Phumzile through the process of writing a business proposal, laying out plans for building a spazza in her front yard, creating relationships with neighboring vendors (farmers, etc) and open for business.

plane prose...

Abstracted scenes from the last few days:

jc(c)
there is red wine in my boot
gushed from the plastic cup
gutted & raw upon my departure from Home
the boot dried, but stained
.....i asked for another
.....i asked for another


Today, I hope to catch up with Gregg, the visionary behind Pride 'n Purpose wthat I was so fortunate to shadow four years ago; the 21st century's Ghandi; a passionate (hu)man the world should & will come to know.

I am eager to share my plan with Greggy - the plan of walking across South Africa, township to township.

Gregg will have his apprehensions, as he knows all too well the violence that was gripped this stunning land - his cousin's life traded for a video camera.

Despite being aware of what is at stake, we both understand what will be achieved - I am keen to see it develop beyond the brilliance in my mind's eye, smeared ink on paper, flurried strokes of a keyboard.