Communication

Day-4

As you can see from our past posts, we are very concerned about the Bekiziswe school.  We are concerned about the deplorable conditions that the children must endure each day they are there.  We are concerned about corruption in the way that education funds have been misused, how this school, one of the poorest we have ever seen continues to be overlooked for improvements and basic needs like a roof over their heads.  We are also concerned that the Board Of Education or some others who have heard about Focal Point Aid bringing aid to the schools of the region may use us as an excuse for not helping these schools themselves.  This last thought has weighed heavily on our work the past few days.

We were able to reschedule yesterday's postponed meeting with Mr. Madaza from the Board Of Education for today.  The meeting was at the Bekisizwe with us, Mrs. Mangisa, Mr. Madaza and Mrs Madlalisa from the Madakeni school.  Mr. Madaza brought us building blueprints and quotes for desk prices that he had promised from the other day.  After thanking him for those, we wanted to be very clear about our concerns for the school and steered the discussion towards what exactly the BOE is planing for the school.  Mrs. Mangisa had been hearing for the last 13 years to expect new school buildings and we had heard just 2 days ago the exact same thing.  According to Mr. Madaza, installment of temporary structures were scheduled to begin yesterday, but shrugged it off to "the way things happen."  

The meeting today was friendly but very direct.  The answers about the timeline for improvements to the school were unacceptable at best.  While we are here we will do what we can to help the Bekizise.  We will buy the desks that we have promised as well as a dozen chalkboards and other supplies.  But we will  certainly not stop there.  We will continue to raise money for the cause of the schools here.  We will also try to shine a giant spotlight on the egregious neglect of schools like the Bekiziswe. While we were here, we received a call from the South African Embassy in New York.  They are curious about our progress in the Eastern Cape.  We had a brief discussion over the phone about what we have seen here.  They have asked to meet with us when we get back to give them a full report about our trip.  We don't know if it will help, but we hope that us being can push things along.  If our stories and photographs can move those with the ability to help, actually do something positive for these schools, that will be a good day.  We will ourselves keep plugging along.

As always, thanks for following our project.  Please share this with your friends, families and colleagues.