One Daily Positive - Week 21 South Africa to Dubai

I've been very sad and can't stop thinking about the death of a long term twitter friend, Spencer. @sahdandproud @adadcalledspen and @spencerpeegee I first met him at Britmums in 2013 and sat with him at the award ceremony when he won best writer. Our last twitter conversation was in February, but as with all things twitter, tweeters are always there and when they die, they are missed. I just can't imagine what he was going through and what his family are going through now.

When we moved from South Africa to Dubai it was winter here and summer there and the temperatures pretty much the same. I loved my freedom for the first time in 4 years. I could catch a bus, train, walk and just explore without any fear for my personal safety. Then summer came and I was restricted to an indoor life under the air con, with sitting outside impossible and I realise now that I'm back in South Africa that my quality of life in regards to what I can do and the friends I have here and the opportunities to go on safari, walk the dog, sit in parks, enjoy the garden is far greater.

The weather has been much cooler in Dubai than I'd expected, still limited with my activities due to Ramadan, but surprised with how much time we've spent in the garden.

139 Sunday Awake most of the night with Bush babies scrambling over the tin roof. A friend joined us and we headed off to Dinokeng in search of the Big 5. We saw only giraffe, antelope and warthog, but spent 4 hours in a lodge by a waterhole eating, drinking and talking.

140 Monday Out to meet a friend for coffee and a catch up, it's been a while. Visited the Botanical Gardens in Pretoria, made a wrong turn and had a nerve wracking drive through the city centre. Traffic is worse there than in Dubai.

141 Tuesday Off for a drive around our old neighbourhood, nothing has changed, had a long lunch with my friend who I'm staying with and spent the evening washing teddy bears and drinking wine in the garden.

142 Wednesday Popped out for coffee and a last minute drop off at the storage unit. Said my goodbyes to the family I've been staying with, collected by another friend and taken to the airport for my night flight back to Dubai.

I have to pay to wrap my suit case on advice from the airlines to stop items being stolen between it's journey from check in to the plane.

143 Thursday An uneventful, but full flight, with a bit of sleep. Back home by 8am, unpacked, showered and had a nap, went out for coffee and a food shop. Started repacking my case for the next trip in June.

Back home and a view from the balcony

144 Friday We went out for a coffee mid morning and did some more food shopping. Lazy afternoon and then out for dinner with Peter's work colleagues and a few drinks.

145 Saturday A lazy morning and a trip to the cinema to see the Ted Bundy movie. I know the story very well, I have an interest in serial killers and psychopaths. Zac Efron's acting was fantastic, there's no gore or violence, it focus's on his girlfriend at the time of the crimes and tells the story of the prosecution. Watched Newport County play football, had a BBQ and an early night.

On the blog this week:

I've been tweeting from @wearexpats account this week and until Monday at 11am. each week there is a new host giving an insight into expat life abroad. I've met some really interesting people.

Rape Care Kits for women for when they get raped - the reality of life in South Africa.

I sent post cards this week. The woman at the counter said delivery time was 3-10 days, from experience it's more likely to be years, if at all. Keeping in touch as an expat.

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One Daily Positive - Week 20 South Africa

I'm back in South Africa for 10 days, our former home of 4 years, before moving to Dubai. We made lifelong friends when we were here and I go back to visit once or twice a year.

I'm staying with 3 friends and their families this week, with use of a car so I can get out and about during the day.

When we lived there, I was involved in working with several charities, although I have no direct link with these charities anymore I do support the work my friends do throughout the year. I work behind the scenes online to help out, raise funds and when I'm visiting I get involved hands on in with a Christmas box initiative and visit facilities in townships to support education.

You can read about my last visit in December by clicking here.

132 Sunday Landed in Johannesburg around 5.30am, had 5 hours sleep on the flight, got changed, had coffee, sorted out local sim card. Collected by my friend, back to hers for a natter, wine, food, then over to Pretoria to the family I'm staying with while I'm here, another friend came over for the evening.

133 Monday Woke at 6.30am to the sound of the hadedah's, they're the size of a chicken and sound like someone is being murdered. Spent the morning washing teddy bears that were left over from a flamingo project that you can read about here. Took myself off for a walk, had coffee, spent time in the garden reading and blogging.

These are Jacaranda trees and in Autumn they turn purple.

134 Tuesday Visited the Irene Mall and had lunch with a friend then off to Rietvlei Nature Reserve for a mini self drive safari.

135 Wednesday Off to Menlyn Mall for the day, some shopping, walking around and coffee. Spent the afternoon sweeping out the storage unit, sorting through donations since I was there last in December and flattening boxes.

136 Thursday Met a friend for breakfast with her mother and baby. Spent the afternoon typing up name lists for the Christmas gift website and off to Ridgebacks for dinner and jam jars with friends.

137 Friday Visited Brooklyn Mall, in Pretoria, then back to the storage unit to finish cleaning it up. Was collected by my friend to spend the weekend at hers.

This is Grace, she's 4 years younger than Bob, but rescued from the same area, she has to be related.

138 Saturday Up early and off to a rural town in North Pretoria to deliver rape care kits. These kits aren't for women who have been raped, but for when they get raped. Statistically 1 in 3 women will or have been raped in South Africa with around 150 cases reported daily, many don't report for fear of reprisals. On a lighter note the afternoon was spent at Hartbeesport markets and lunch out.

On the blog this week:

How the Mike Bolhuis Flamingo Project is supporting orphans in South Africa

Safety and Security differences between Dubai and the UK

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How the Mike Bolhuis flamingo project is also supporting vulnerable children in South Africa.

I came across Mike Bolhuis and the Flamingo Project through a friend in South Africa. I’m here for 2 weeks working with volunteers who support children’s charities year-round. When I’m not in South Africa I work behind the scenes, promoting, fund raising and online support. You can read about my last visit in December 2018, supporting a Christmas Charity.

After recent droughts in South Africa Mike took it upon himself to try and rescue hundreds of dehydrated and starving flamingo chicks, which hatched back in February in Kamfersdam, Kimberley.

Photo Credit

These chicks have now been released back into their natural habitat, but Mike was left with 100’s of teddy bears the public had donated for the flamingo chicks to snuggle up to, to keep warm and to play with.

I spoke to Mike this week to thank him for the teddy bears, which are now washed, repaired and waiting to be rehoused to 300 vulnerable children living in poverty or in orphanages in and around Pretoria.

You can read more about Mike’s Flamingo rescue on his face book page.

Flamingoes are one of my favourite birds and I often visit Ras Al Khor bird santuary where I live in Dubai and I went in search of the flamingoes in the Western Cape in July 2015.

I'm, pleased Mike and the volunteers have been successful with their project, just a shame I didn't arrive earlier and I could have volunteered.

A sense of community in South African Townships.

We left South Africa 4 years ago this month to move to Dubai, originally from the UK. We embraced life in South Africa to the full. Peter working, child 4 and 5 in education and myself getting involved in full time volunteering supporting vulnerable children living in poverty.

We had 4 wonderful years here and desperately miss our friends here and I visit as often as I can (twice a year) to continue with the hands on volunteering work, delivering Christmas gifts in townships in Pretoria. 

Last weekend I was in Soshanguve delivering gifts to 250 children, some of their housing conditions are heartbreaking as you'll see if you click this link.

This shack in the Alaskan Informal Settlement in a township called Mamelodi. This is home to a mother and father and 2 children. It is one room, where they eat, sleep and wash. There is no running water, there is no electricity, no toilet, no windows and the floor is mud.

So why is this shack painted like this?

4 years ago child 5 and I were working with an arts project to give the community a sense of belonging, to encourage members of the community to have pride in their homes, to join in, create some art, help and support their neighbours and create a sense of belonging and pride in their homes.

Child 5 and I camped in the community for the weekend, ate dinner, sang songs and was thoroughly looked after and entertained during our stay.

Can you imagine the whole landscape with shacks decorated? It would look stunning.

One daily Positive - Week 49 A week in South Africa

A long, hot, tiring and emotional week in South Africa, delivering Christmas gifts in the townships and catching up with friends.

The food and drink here is amazing with a bottle of wine costing less than a small glass of wine in the UK and Dubai. A meal less than the price of a coffee. 

Life in South Africa is extreme. I've been staying with friends, who feed me, loan me their cars and braai for me. I've had Starbucks which is considered expensive here compared to the local coffee chains and I've visited children living in extreme poverty whose parents have insisted on feeding me also.

Peter arrived on Thursday and we're spending the weekend in a safari lodge.

*Braai - BBQ

335 Sunday Arrived at Johannesburg Airport at 10am, collected by my friend, went out for lunch and then taken to another friend's for the night.

336 Sunday Up early, car packed and off to Soshanguve, a township in Northern Pretoria for 3 celebration parties, handing out Christmas gifts in orphanages. We came across a family living here, we did what we could, but chucking money at the situation wasn't going to help. The older sister was recovering from a hang over.

337 Monday Having spent the night with another friend, I set off back to Soshanguve for the final celebration, this was a day care centre, the parents pay a very small daily fee to send their children there from birth to age 6 often 10-12 hours as it takes 2 hours by bus to travel into Pretoria or 45 minutes for me by car.

338 Tuesday I packed and delivered cartons of boxes to a couple of other volunteers ready for their celebration days, then headed off to a local mall for a Starbucks and to do some shopping, then visited a friend in the afternoon with her 6 week old baby.

339 Wednesday The day finished with a Braai at a friends and several glasses of wine, however it started with 3 x 30km trips to collect 473 donated Christmas gifts and deliver to stor_age whilst we decide what to do with them. There are many children left to receive but each box has to be checked and contents added, that will have to be the work of others.

340 Thursday I sourced and packed for 11 teens in an orphanage that a friend asked me for and sorted through a pile of 2nd hand donated items to give them also, in the afternoon I went out for coffee. They're load shedding in South Africa, as they've run out of coal and this means the power is switched off for 2-3 hours every day. No traffic lights, no power to the supermarkets. They remain open but I can't help thinking the freezer and fridge contents are suffering. There's also no power to the personal security with housing, leaving you feel slightly vulnerable at home.

Peter arrived in the evening and we Braai'd with our hosts.

341 Friday Peter and I drove round our old haunts then drove up to Hammanskraal. We're staying on a game reserve for a few days until I fly home on Monday night. We've booked a game drive on Sunday morning and ironically we were asked if we wanted to do a township drive into Soshanguve.

342 Saturday Had a leisurely breakfast, read our books, sat outside and chilled out till 2pm before heading off for 30 mins to a friends house for a Christmas Braai and a few drinks. Two of my South African BFF's.

On the blog this week:

Celebrating Christmas in the Townships
My Blogmas Christmas Tree
Reusing and recycling waste in South Africa 

An InLinkz Link-up

Soshanguve Township, South Africa, Christmas gift giving.

We lived in South Africa January 2011 till December 2014, since then I've returned many times to continue supporting a Christmas Charity with collecting and distributing Christmas gifts to children living in poverty in townships in and around Pretoria. There's so much more to just packing a box, it involves work all year round, from visiting facilities in rural townships, to collecting names, uploading information on the website, through to asking for individual donations as well as obtaining bulk donations, collecting, sorting and delivering the gifts to the children often in locations with no phone signal or GPS location.

A friend and I did 3 celebrations on Sunday, 200+ children. 2 facilities were new to us and took some finding, driving off road and round in circles, mindful of our personal safety. We arrived at the facilities to discover they'd enrolled extra children and we had to make magic boxes from our collection of extras in the car boot to ensure every child received a gift.

It's very emotional, it's hot and hard work (temps 35c) no running water, a long drop only to pee in and trust me, you really have to be desperate to use one. 

These are the children's bathrooms.

It's very rewarding though and we get to meet the most amazing and selfless people who support orphans and the most vulnerable children in society, often with no government funding. 

By bringing a child in their care a Christmas Gift we are supporting the supporters, what we do is very little in comparison to their day to day struggles.

For reasons of child protection I am unable to post pictures of the children.

Car loaded and off. Only in South Africa can packets of sanitary pads cause much excitement for young girls.

This is the home for one young boy. He lives with his sister who has a small baby and their disabled grandmother in one room, this is their kitchen where they cook on a make shift fire.

One fo the care providers receiving a box on behalf of a child. Of the 7000+ boxes collected when I was here in September/October, I was surprised to discover 2 boxes I'd personally packed from friends in the UK.

Supporting Children living in poverty in South Africa

I spent 4 years living in South Africa and have been back many times to visit the charities I worked 
with when we lived there.

There are numerous charities in South Africa supporting children living in poverty in many different ways.

The Viva Foundation who supply affordable education and support the local community with a 
variety of projects. Including camping in a township, taking part in an arts project.

Dignity Dreams providing women with washable and reusable sanitary products. I reviewed them.

Santa Shoebox Project collect and distribute 110,000 Christmas gifts throughout the country each 
year. My Santa Shoebox journey.

Kungwini Welfare Organisation provide residential care for adults and children with learning 
difficulties, as well as providing education in their local community. I first started making scarves 
with them in 2014 raising funds for supplies for the workshop

I'm back in South Africa in September 2018. I've funded my own trip and will be staying with friends as I've done previously, since we relocated to Dubai.

What I'll be doing as well as visiting and supporting Kungwini and Santa Shoebox is to visit the 
children in the townships that I've met through these organisations over the years and bring a little  
extra happiness into their lives.

This could be through painting a classroom, holding a birthday party, donating toiletries and or 
educational supplies and I'd like you to help me succeed by donating £5 in exchange for a handmade scarf. That's it, that's all you have to do, just visit my PayPal account and donate.

In exchange for your £5, I'll select a scarf at random that I've made and post it to you. I'll tweet out a 
thank you, post the total amount raised, provide invoices and post photos online (with permission) of 
the children who have received your donation. Every penny raised will be spent directly on children 
living in poverty.

Visit my Paypal account, donate and then message me with your address on:

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Life in a township in South Africa.

I've spent the last 2 weeks uploading names on a data base of children living in poverty in South Africa who will receive Christmas gifts from a charity this year. I've been involved in this charity and others since 2011. I'm currently visiting friends in Germany who moved here in 2015, Dirk worked at a home for disabled adults and children and I've worked with him on a variety of projects.

Every week this year for My Sunday Photo I've been focusing on construction projects mainly in Dubai and around the world. Today I thought I'd share some of the photo's from the townships in Pretoria where I've worked as a volunteer. I'm back in South Africa in September for 3 weeks and I'll be revisiting some of the places below.

A township in South Pretoria

Rubbish dump

It's common for people in townships to tap into the street lighting and run cables to their shacks to power a light bulb

A pre school receiving Christmas gifts

People walk 4-8 kms a day to get fresh water every day

If you want to see more about the construction side you can click on the links below:

Week 158 Dubai Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 Dubai New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Arizona and Nevada Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Dubai Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Coventry Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 Dubai New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai The new extension of the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 Dubai Hotel fire After the Address fire 
Week 171 Dubai Unusual designs The Opus Building
Week 172 Dubai District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Dubai Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 Dubai The Almas Tower
Week 175 Dubai The Cayan Tower
Week 176 Toronto The CN Tower
Week 177 Nevada The Paris Hotel 
Week 178 Dubai Ibn Battuta Gate
Week 179 A Wedding
Week 180 Dubai The World's Tallest Tower
Week 181 Dubai and Wales Al Fahidi Fort and Chepstow Castle 
Week 182 Dubai New Metro Station in Al Furjan 
Week 183 Dubai Cleaning the windows on the world's tallest building
Week 184 Dubai Ski Dubai
Week 185 Another Wedding