By Louise | Managing Director
Avuxeni, minjane? Umfikile Minjani! Thank you for your continued support we really appreciate your generosity.
Today’s report is a bit different, often I share about the work, how hard it is, what we are facing on a daily basis. Today I want to share a funny story, short and sweet.
The area where we work is very patriarchal, despite all the “transformation” that South Africa is proud of, men, especially traditional men found in the Tribal Authority (Induna’s-village Chiefs) are very traditional. The Sepedi people more so than the Xitsonga people.
At the beginning of the year my program manager (co-founder) Elizabeth decided she wanted to reach out and include the Sepedi Induna’s in the training program. She approached the Tribal Authority, there is a hierarchy and hoops you have to jump through. They postponed continuously and when a date was finally arranged for the training, which was only last week, she had to pay R100 just to speak to them.
This is part of “tradition”, but not only that, she had to wear Dukke (pronounced dookie), or head covering and shoulder covering. She turned up at the training and refused to wear the Dukke saying it was not a part of her culture, and no one told her, all this to avoid being fined further.
Well, the training started, they were in awe and wanted to know where she had been because they should have received the training years ago. Despite KTD196 trying to build relationships with the Sepedi’s for years. Only one elderly man was unwilling to lay down his authoritarian way of dealing with children and start to actually listen to kids. The other Induna’s understood, that children had been neglected and admitted they didn’t know where to start working with children. That is where KTD196 steps and with more training, guidance and support.
As the training was coming to an end, Nkulu and her SHG team came to introduce the project to the Induna’s. But they refused to listen because like her mother, Nkulu came without a Dukke. Because she was much younger than Elizabeth, they were far more sure of themselves regarding this protocol, also they decided to fine Nkulu R100. They refused to listen until one of the SHG team lent Nkulu a Dukke. This seemed to have calmed everyone down and Nkulu could present the SHG project and what they wanted to do in the villages the Induna’s lived in.
During the meeting, unknown to Nkulu, the Dukke started to slip off her head at the back, instantly, the elderly man jumped up and tucked it in at the back so that it wouldn’t slide. This is hilarious because the elderly Induna should not have touched the young girl (who is actually 31yrs of age). So, the meeting continued.
At the end of the meeting, the SHG team left, and the Induna’s looked at Elizabeth to pay the fine, she flat our refused to pay for her daughters fine. The Induna’s refused to believe Nkulu and Elizabeth were mother and daughter and required proof, so the next day, Elizabeth took Nkulu’s birth certificate. Needless to say, no fine was paid, and Induna’s were left stunned, and they agreed to work with KTD196 in the future on Child Participation, Children’s Rights, Scouts and Self-Help Groups. A win-win.
I am sure eventually Elizabeth will fine the Induna’s and reclaim the initial R100 that she had to pay just to speak to them at the training.
I hope you enjoyed the adventure.
Blessings
Louise
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By Louise | Managing Director
By Louise | Managing Director
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