NENNA, BOETIE AND A DREAM

A tribute to Nenna. 

As you all know squatter camp people, and in particular the New Rest Camp in Seaview, is very near to my heart. They’ve been part of my life for more than 10 years and it was a very sad day when I bid them farewell.

Nenna walked in to my life as an alcoholic, a mother of a dysfunctional family, jobless, homeless and  hopeless.  Some of the challenges she had to face from day to day were an alcoholic, jobless husband, daughters who became mothers at the age of 13, a son who spent 3 months in jail for stealing food. Kids with positive HIV and TB statuses, child abuse, neglect, drugs .  The social problems in that family were endless. 

One morning I noticed kids picking fresh sour figs (Carpobrotus edulis) in my garden .

 I went down and started talking.  They were bewildered and at first wanted to flee.  They told me all about the wonders of this little fruit that I only knew as Hotnotsvy  - a hardy succulent with beautiful flowers. I realized immediately these kids were underfed, neglected and in a state that no kid should ever be in.

One thing led to another and I met Nenna, their mother and Jimmy, the dad, and the rest of the family.  They stayed in a shack that was about to come down on them.  Nenna and Jimmy spent most of their days drinking and socializing with their friends.  After I’ve met Nenna I realize that underneath the drunkenness hides a wonderful woman.  The daily obstacle she was facing was just too huge for one woman to handle.

“Drinking alcohol acts to exacerbate stress in the long run because rather than dealing with the stressful situation, the drinker will often drink to escape the stress, thus prolonging that which is actually stressing them.”

Ever since the day of the Hotnosvy, I’ve been part of that family.  The road was not always easy – it was a matter of one step forward and three steps back.  There were times that I wanted to give up on them and just walk away – but Nenna’s smile and loving heart gave me the strength to stay put.

They have come a long way in the 10 years and making progress day after day.  Unfortunately one can never make up for the lost years .  Her kids have little or no education, only Boetie her adopted son is still in school.  In a household where it is a daily battle to put food on the table, it’s not easy to keep a kid at school.  Boetie is a keen soccer player and doing very well.  His dream is to be part of Bafana Bafana one day.

I am forever looking for means to make his dream come true.  Not easy in a country where there are a million Boeties.  But I won’t give up..

I am not part of the annual Christmas celebrations as you all know.  I prefer to spend the day with the people in the camp.  Precious moments of pure joy!! My days are empty without them here in Cape Town.  Hopefully I’ll be able to visit them again this Christmas?

Nenna can not afford to pay for Boetie’s soccer outfit, school books or a school uniform. Not even the pen he needs to write an essay. 

But Boetie will keep on dreaming of that one day when he’ll wear the Green and Gold and owns his own soccer ball.  A real Nike, Adidas or a Brine.  But for now a Pep Stores plastic ball will have to do……