suffer the little children

Sally Weatherall from Appletreewick visited Dunoon with us. Below are her impressions.

"Children are children where ever you are in the world.

I was apprehensive about my visit to DuNoon. Michael said that it was nothing like Kwanokuthula in Plettenberg Bay, a Township I have visited on many previous occasions and he was right. On turning right from the main road into DuNoon, it is a sight which will remain in my memory for ever. I could see a school, and in the distance a large building which was the one we were heading for, the Sports Hall. There were lines, almost like Avenues of shacks, there were blue Portaloo’s, there were people, children, a few dogs here and there, but more than anything there was dust.

We were meeting Mary, a Canadian lady who gives her time and energy supporting the children of DuNoon in many different ways, and every Tuesday and Thursday she runs an after school ‘club’. One of the primary purposes of the club is to provide a ‘Safe House’ where the children can go until their female carers, be it their Mothers, Aunts, or Grandmothers return from work. They are safe from their male relatives, who sadly can often subject them to sexual and physical abuse.

We were there in good time, so spent a little time putting toys on the floor for the younger children, games, such as snakes and ladders, jigsaws etc., on tables for the older children, and checking that the food, bags of jam and peanut butter sandwiches were ready for the break, and that bottles of orange juice were prepared.

Henry, a 22 year old refugee from Zimbabwe helps whenever possible, and today he was writing the names and ages of the children as they entered the Hall. I asked him if he minded me sitting next to him, this for me was a way of meeting the children.

I was overwhelmed by emotion as they stood in front of him, some of them only 2 years of age, so many children. I thought of my family at home, they have everything, food, clothes, shoes, a home. I thought of my Grandchildren who have a warm bed in winter, and lovely homes with so many toys to play with. Then I thought of the words that Charlotte would have said, ‘Mum Get a Grip”. So I took several deep breaths, and began talk to them as they sometimes struggled to spell their names to Henry who coming from Zimbabwe speaks a different language, although all these children appeared to have some understanding of English, even the youngest.

They all smiled, and believe me, their smiles are so special. They played, just as any child plays, they argued, they pulled each others arms if they wanted something the other child had. They are just like any child, perhaps the only difference is that these children lack so many of the things that our children and we as parents take for granted

What can we do? There are so many DuNoons in the world, but if just one child’s day can be made a little better then it has to be worthwhile."

Thank you, Sally.