Cape Town Field Trip (Wednesday)

Important:

Kindly note that variations to this itinerary are possible, the operation of many of the Uthando projects are dependent upon many unpredictable factors.

Notes, Excludes & Includes

Cost: 650.0

Notes

The townships are safe, but of course it is better to take precautions, please leave valuables in the hotel (ie jewellery, expensive watches etc). Bring a camera and sufficient cash to purchase arts and crafts at one or two of the stops.

Experience South Africa like never before…..its not a township tour, its not a trip down guilt lane, it’s not a begging bowl route ….it’s a field excursion to discover, learn, understand, see, experience, feel and most importantly, be inspired!

While the world goes about its daily chores, earning a living and living a life, millions of people around the globe are making amazing human stories in the face of almost insurmountable adversity. Uthando (Love) South Africa now offers visitors to South Africa, the opportunity to obtain a glimpse into these amazing stories. We have tried as far as possible to present an authentic, non-commercialised view of this aspect of South Africa
The tour will commence with an insight into the political and cultural heritage of the townships around Cape Town, visiting sites of brave struggle against the Apartheid regime. Whereafter we commence with visits to the Uthando projects.

Khayelitsha has a population of approximately 1,5 million people. Poverty, unemployement and malnutrition is very high. It is estimated that there are roughly the same or if not more pets (dogs and cats) living in the same area. Where there is human degradation, so there is animal degradation, and traditionally, there has been little to no animal welfare in these very poor areas. The Mdzananda Animal Clinic, through its primary healthcare, sterilization drive and educational projects is working to redress these imbalances. Meet the director, view the facilities and find out how they are helping to make the expansive township more animal friendly.

In 2004 the Human Sciences Research Council estimated that 57 percent of individuals in South Africa were living below the poverty income line. Many in SA would argue this statistic has worsened since then. A visit to one of the over 60 urban agricultural gardens in Khayelitsha of Abilimi Bezekhaya (Xhosa for “The Planters of the Home”) will showcase how barren swathes of very poor ground have been converted into organic lush gardens providing food and some income to the locals. We stop here for tea, coffee, delicious South African snacks, and a chat with the locals.

There are over 400 000 elderly people in the Western Cape, many of them living in dire poverty and suffering terrible abuse and neglect. Visit one of the houses of Neighbourhood Old Age Homes for elderly people in Khayelitsha, learn about the issues confronting this marginalised group of society, spend some time with a vibrant group of oldies during one of their social gatherings, where they share, sing, dance, sew and generally have fun once a week.

We pop in at the Manyanani (Xhosa for “we do it together”) Peace Park, the first community park to be established in the informal settlements of Cape Town. The Park is a leading model for sustainable community based development in SA. Local entrepreneurs will have handmade arts and crafts for sale should you wish to purchase a momento of the trip.

We end the trip with an entertaining visit to the Ingqayi Educational Theatre Project. The project creates productions with dance, music and drama as well as running theatre development workshops in Nyanga. Performances are based on community issues and themes such as HIV / AIDS. In the townships there is limited opportunity for budding performers and artists to showcase their talents, and Ingqayi aims to redress this.There may well be time for an interactive session where you could learn gumboot dancing, drumming, playing an indigenous African instrument or drumming coupled with African dance.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.