Day One

image shot in khayelitsha (kay-LEE-cha)- located in the cape flats in the western cape, south africa. the second largest and most destitute township in the nation - and only 30 minutes from the stunning waterfront area of Cape Town. 1.2 million people live in khayelitsha in homes similar to the ones photographed. despite the conditions in which they live the children joyfully continue to dance, sing (justin bieber/michael jackson/usher - no joke), run and play all day long while carrying enormous grins.

this image, slightly more dramatic, particularly struck me.

after 24 hours of travel from boston - dc - senegal - johannesburg - cape town, I arrived near midnight last night.  after listening to an intriguing panel of SA locals including a scientist running an HIV research facility, we jumped straight onto a bus to head into the townships, as prepared as we could be for the contrast we were about to witness. not 5 miles out of the beautiful downtown of Cape Town began the thousands upon thousands of tin shacks lining the roads and opening up to the flats.

today was spent in Baphumelele orphanage, seeing the grounds, meeting the babies and toddlers, touring the HIV clinic for the people of khayelitsha, and meeting the staff. we attended the ribbon cutting of the Off the Mat compact bakery for South African Whole Grain Bread Project, one of our partners. Each hour 100 loaves of bread are made and they feed thousands of mouths a day a serving of high-caloric whole grain bread necessary for the anti-retrovirals (arv's.)  An individual taking ARV's needs twice the calorie intake that us healthy people need.  the mayor of cape town came to show his support. fascinating day. very jet-lagged and too sleepy to write more tonight but will share tomorrow evening. yoga at 6.30 then off to Robben Island (Mandela's home for 27 years.) Good night!