AAF News
Annual General Meeting
18/11/2009
The African Aids Foundation AGM took place on Wednesday 18th November this year. Of course there was lots of housekeeping as there should be but we also took this opportunity to hear from some of our Board Directors and Friends of AAF who recently took a trip to South Africa to see first hand the work that is being done over there. It was interesting to hear their perceptions and thoughts. Below is briefly what they shared.
David and Yvonne were surprised at the extreme between poverty and wealth which they were confronted with daily. They spoke about how AAF really does make a difference in the lives of individuals. They were encouraged by how the local community help each other enthusiastically. David and Yvonne agreed that they were privileged to have had the opportunity to make the journey.
Bruce also found the contrast between poverty (malnutrition) and wealth confronting. He commented that change can only come about through the children and that is why the work that AAF is supporting is just so important. Bruce said that he realises that there are big problems there and was at times ready to give up hope but meeting the individuals that AAF's support has helped, made him realise that it is not about solving all the problems, just helping one person at a time. He said that it was important to help sufferers of AIDS to help prolong their lives so that there are not so many orphans. The Happy Day Academy in Kenya particularly made an impression on Bruce.
Eddie had an interesting story to tell as he had a whole different experience. Eddie was not a Board Director at the time of his trip although he became a Director on his return. Eddie went on a 4 month 'holiday' to South Africa as a volunteer. His mission was to gather what he needed to make an application for AAF to become tax deductible. Eddie spent most of his time in Bergeville (also known as the gateway to the Northern Drakensburg - Northwest of Durban, Kwazulu Natal). He said that since he was there for 4 months - he felt like he was living there so was not so confronted by the poverty / wealth contrast. In the first 2 weeks he was there, he attended 3 funerals in Ladysmith - one of which lasted 3 hours. It was an experience for Eddie, not only the tragedy of the three funerals but also the culture / tradition in which they occurred. He was told that you would know there was a funeral by the presence of a white tent-type structure near the house. The amount and beauty of the singing was impressive. Eddie was saddened to realise that it is rare to see a grave of a person who was older than 40 years old - most were 20 - 30 years old - the young are dying, including the much needed teachers. Eddie found Kenya confronting - people who had nothing working 6 days a week helping people who had less.
Sharon, having been on the Board for 3 years, said she thought she knew what it was like in Africa and the work AAF was supporting but when she went there she realised she did not - the extreme poverty, the extent of the poverty and suffering was more than she ever could have imagined. Sharon said that the experience has had a major effect on her own life here in Australia. She was impressed how the people there looked after their own community, even if they were sick. She thinks the Life Skills Workshop is a very positive project which AAF supports, giving orphans a bed and 3 meals a day for the weekend, showing them self worth and that they have a purpose in life. Sharon was impressed with the home-based carers - women looking after the sick and dying, walking miles across the country-side for nothing (no compensation).
'So many people are willing to help but they just need our support.'There are child-headed households where children are looking after themselves. In one house we visited there were mounds of dirt outside the door, which these children passed every day - these were their buried parents and grandparents - a continuous reminder of their loss.