Rainbow After School Program

JL Zwane Community Center and Church is a significant piece of the puzzle that is Gugulethu. I would contribute a good amount of the positive development Gugulethu has seen to JL Zwane. They are more than a church. Gugulethu is a township outside of Cape Town. There is a high prevalence of extreme poverty within Gugs, which may contribute to some of the issues the community has seen.

One example of a positive development Zwane takes part in is education of children in the community. Monday through Thursday, students enrolled in the Rainbow after-school program come to the center and receive help on their homework as well as assistance in reading and writing english. We had the opportunity to assist in this program.

Walking into the classroom, I saw a bunch of energetic smiling faces. The students were so excited to see us. Each day we were there, I worked with Yongama. A very intelligent boy, Yoyo lives in Gugs. I don't know anything about his situation outside of class, but I know that he was very eager to learn. He was very receptive of the help I was offering. All of the students were so grateful.

I don't want to make assumptions, but I am pretty sure that these students don't have the same situation as students their age in the States are in. That being said, they were more determined than any American student their age I have ever encountered. Their energy and their openness made it so easy to help them in any way we could. Essentially, we were there just to hang out with them. They enjoyed just meeting new people from outside Gugs. The students I worked with really liked cameras. They love having their picture taken and then being able to see it on the review screen.

It was very rewarding to see the gratification on the student's faces. I love spending time with young people; I have had many experiences with the youth population in Minnesota, but it was very cool to meet and interact with people the same age but from somewhere totally different. They are so similar yet so different. The kids understand the concept of love just as well as the families we stayed with.

It has to be the African sun that makes the love so easy to spread here. I love Gugulethu. I love Cape Town. I love South Africa. I love the African sun.

Much love. Peace.

JB