Day 9

Day 9
 
Today is Tuesday again so we had a meeting with our religious coordinator. One of the topic was about the messy accident happened during the holiday for one of our volunteer and the worker from Agape who lives at our volunteer house with his family. Not going very well but not everything will get sorted in a beautiful way, we all know that. Our coordinator was very good, she asked us all by one by one if there are any problems. She is doing this job for 2 years now, she said. Great experiences. I wish I chose a job to work world wise. (Well, I am, but England is not a foreign country for me so I dont feel that.)
 
After the meeting, we went to see a local high school. Family can choose which school they want their kids to attend but there are three kind of school here – a White school, an Indian school and a Black school. Our kids are black South Africans but some of them goes to a White school and lots of them goes to an Indian school. The reason is, you need to show a certain level of an achievement and the result to be accepted by a higher level school (which is normally a White school) and also you have to be able to pay a fee. Lots of local families are suffering from poverty and kids are tend to miss a school in early years. This is the one of the reason that schools are still seems like divided in a race.
Today, we visited a school with lots of black South African kids. The school looks fairly big but there are over 1000 kids in this school and 70 – 80 kids per class. School fee is R200 (about £20) per annual but lots of kids stay free as the family cant afford it. The school are covering the cost from the government fund, they provide everything from stationeries to the school uniform. School uniforms are very smart and teachers prefer it because lots of children hasnt got many cloths to change for everyday. Education is very important in South Africa so government has set the target for each year and teacher have to make sure each children are ready to go up the grade every year. (Otherwise, the government fund will be cut. Lots of pressure for the teachers.) I spoke with a one of the student. She showed me a note for biology. I asked her what she wants to become and she said a surgeon. I have told her, you have to work very hard but keep your aim high. It was great day.
 
We went back to Agape in the afternoon for the homework class but there were a bit of accident happened. One of the girl was sitting in the chair with her arm around the stomach. I have asked her it was a period pain because she was 14 years old but it was not clear. I have quickly examined her but bowels are soft and no temperature. Then there were many volunteer came to her, we spoke with auntie then they gave us a drug for a bowels which help it neutralise but she was crying for the pain so I had to run (well, driver drove a mini van for me) to the supermarket to get a paracetamol. (They were using Aspirin all the time but it is not recommended for a kids now.) I have spoke with an owner and the aunties about her condition, gave an instruction about paracetamol, told a girl to tell aunties when her pain get worse then it was time for us to go back. The owner asked me should she bring her to the doctor then I spoke with her if the pain comes back or she develops temperature, she better seen by the doctor. I was glad to be asked about the doctor because I was afraid that who these kids can survive if they has got serious medical condition. Big relief.


Tonight, we went for a treat for ourselves to the one of (only one) restaurant in the shopping centre nearby. It was Tapas/Mexican meal (or sth), meal was fine but we more enjoyed that no cooking & washing up sometime!
  
Still 2 days to catch up but Im on my WE now!