Kodumela Day One ~ Nice To See You Again

Tuesday 21st April 2009 dawned overcast and chilly in the Limpopo region of South Africa and so it would stay for the next three days but the grey skies did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Choko group during the 7am photo call and the long days of the official visit. Cars had been loaded the night before so the tons of clothes, toys and books generously donated in the UK were close to their end destination and all that was left for us to do was decide where to stop for “comfort” en route to Kodumela and where to meet close by so our convoy could arrive together. Visit the photo gallery to see pictures of our time in Kodumela.

The first pleasant surprise for those who had been on the 2007 trip was the extra kilometres of tarred road replacing the deeply rutted dirt roads we had encountered on our first visit. The cows, donkeys and goats wandering about in the traffic hadn’t changed but it was easier to get round them on tarmac!

We were officially welcomed by the ADP staff in one of the rondavels in the compound. They sang their welcome as they came into building after we were all seated; their voices, natural and rhythmic, touched each of us and suddenly the two years since our last visit melted away and it seemed as though we’d never left. There were introductions, speeches, prayers and the reconnecting of old friends.

On leaving the ADP we went to Masekane School which has been linked with Crowmarsh Gifford CE Primary School since September 2008. The children poured out of their classrooms, carrying their chairs, and sat down to enjoy the recitals, songs and dances performed by representatives of each grade in the school. Apart from some of them not having shoes and nearly all of them not having both parents, they’re like primary school kids the world over – fidgeting, giggling, day dreaming and in the case of half a dozen very small boys, keen to join in with traditional dancing! Barbara O’Dwyer, Headteacher at Crowmarsh, was able to present a scrap book containing information and pictures about her school and its pupils to the acting head of Masekane. When we left we shook a thousand hands and waved until our arms ached and the tragedy is that they all fall over themselves to thank us for what we are doing and for visiting them but they have no idea of what it means to us to be there.

We went back to the ADP for a superb picnic lunch provided by Rissington Inn then were entertained by children from Metz School. Some of them danced and others performed Choral Verse, an activity for which they win trophies.

We then went to visit the partially built Special Needs Centre which Choko raised funds for in 2008. The young people and their adult supervisors sang us a welcome then showed us the beginnings of their new building. The foundations and about six courses of bricks were in place with building materials and equipment stored locally ready to complete the project. Bev Butler, Chairman of Choko, presented Mrs. Mashumu, leader of the Special Needs Group, with a plaque commemorating the Choko contribution to the new centre.

As the afternoon wore on we had just enough time to visit a local soccer team who had been provided with matching shorts and shirts, goal posts and footballs from Choko donations. They were very keen to pose for pictures and show off their skills – unfortunately most of us were way too tried to field a team against them!