Pienaar Project Blogs 2008
Blog 1
Sanibonani!
As I sit here in the beautiful surroundings of Swiss couple Isabelle and Albert’s family run Kirby Lodge, I
try to reflect on our journey so far. As Plato once said, Africa always throws us something new. Reading
over my journal it becomes apparent that everyday this culture throws us something to intrigue our
senses.
The Pienaar groups South African experience began two weeks ago with a training week kicked off by a
two day workshop by Durban based Edu-Ventures who made sure we got to know each other and some
necessary classroom SiSwati, angisho!? As the week went on our ears were blessed by the rich singing
voices of the traditionally built teachers of Pienaar and Kanyamazane schools; the inspiring words of
NGOs such as Childline, Pienaar born volunteer Nitto who gave us an insight into the local culture,
deputy head Purrin who eloquently discussed the problems and potential solutions of the South African
education system and last but certainly not least, Gladys, who brought tears to our eyes with her
emotional words of thanks and never-ending praise for Tenteleni.
Monday of week two threw us something entirely new as we began our placements and put our training to
the test! At 6:30am nerves run high as the Pienaar group eagerly await the Kombi that will take us to and
from school for the next seven weeks. As we bumpily roll up to the dusty gates of Bongani Primary
school, I and my placement partner Olivia step out into a playground of 800 starring eyes, all lined up for
assembly. We are immediately embraced by the previously mentioned traditionally built teachers then
taken to the front of the crowd of eyes where we hesitantly try out our newly acquired click language,
SiSwati (much to the crowds entertainment)! Although on Monday night the next seven weeks felt
extremely daunting, by Friday Olivia and I have successfully (however chaotic) planned and taken a
grade 6 art class of 50+ children with extremely few resources and a lot of imagination, helped out on a
school trip where the teachers and students danced and sang for the entire bus journey, co-directed and
starred in grade 4 role-plays based on domestic violence, attended several teachers birthday parties, made
a new best friend called Perfect and to top it all off, taken part in an after school playground dance off! As
we leave school on Friday we are physically dripping with children who have attached themselves to
every limb, item of clothing, strand of hair they can find. We flop into the Kombi, exhausted yet
overjoyed with our new profession.
As I sit here in the grounds of Kirby Lodge I can hear the shrieks and laugher of an over exited Pienaar
group, getting ready for a fun filled weekend at the Bushfire Festival in Swaziland. As the end of the first
two weeks comes to a close I think I can say on behalf of the whole group that we feel very much part of
the Kirby family and are extremely intrigued as to what Bongani and the six other schools will throw at us
next week!