Day 9
16th April 2010
project visit Gilgal there at 7.15 clock in the hall already noticeable excitement in our group before 1 Sponsored meeting in Gilgal. Some men are already busy on inflation of the footballs for our sponsored children. The (other) brought gifts were stowed in the early morning bus.
By bus we drove off at 7:30 clock. From the well-kept, upscale hotel is a few kilometers into the real miserable reality of Swaziland. The trip
on paved road leads through a lovely countryside with green hills and mountains. After about 1 Hour, we reach the area of Gilgal.
First impressions were:
Less cars, more pedestrians, more dirt. Bumpy roads, goats, cows, chickens, sand and gravel paths. Small settlements, widely scattered houses, typically scattered round mud huts with thatched roofs. earn small fruit and vegetable stalls alongside the streets, sow the impoverished people money (can?)
The project manager of Gilgal, Wonderboy Khumalo, guided us through the day.
(meaning Wonderboy: successful and popular, at birth Caucasian).
Gilgal was launched in 1999, the expected end of the project is 2014th
live in the 5 villages of Gilgal 18,600 people, of which about 12,000 children.
food security, generate income, HIV-AIDS (over 40% in Swaziland): The 3
focus of the work are here. improve
To the living conditions of families World Vision supports many small projects in the region. Some of it we could visit today. The 1st
Stop was to visit the gardens, which serves as food security. They are managed by 17 women and 2 men. By the hard earned income 100 Families supplied, the rest is sold on the market. For irrigation was built with the help of World Vision, a water dam.
with great excitement and heart palpitations, we arrive at 10.00 clock in the field office of World Vision.
waited in a specially established tent even the families of the children to us. During the extended opening speech by Wonderboy it was in the closed tent getting hotter and hotter. Our Elfi (caregiver sponsorship) threatened in interpretation auszurinnen slowly.
were finally opened the sides of the tent and the country waiting for the children was over.
from the opposite house were our "kids" in their finest clothes to greet us with a children's song. In the final session of each sponsored child a sheet with the names of the godparents in the air.
A moving moment for all involved.
The first minutes of the meeting were muted somewhat. The interpreter introduced us to the mother of Thabia. We will get together at a place more familiar to us to learn. When asked whether he enjoys playing football, his first smile came over his lips. Brought about the football, and other gifts were pleased Thabio and his mother.
Our desire to learn about the sponsored child personally come true. With a nice feeling and the best Wishes for the future, we took leave of Thabio and his mother.
the afternoon were two other projects to generate income on the program, two women's projects:
sewing: 10 women sew this school uniforms for children, clothing, baby carrier bags ....
mill: This is ground of self-harvested corn from the region of 15 women. Furthermore
was still a water and sanitation project in the program. We visited the Pump House with fountain, with which about 187 households.
also a focus of World Vision, we visited a kindergarten in Gilgal. Her will Orphans cared for by trained personnel. You get to draw and count and be prepared for the primary school.
afternoon, adults can learn in this day care to read and write.
HIV-AIDS is a major health problem in Swaziland.
therefore has died in the Project Gilgal a grandmother, her daughter from HIV-AIDS, founded a support group.
As joyous experience of the visit in the nursery were given by our group, the 5 fully loaded shopping carts full of food.
a long and fulfilling day, including lots of special impressions over.
We are fully expecting to the next day in Lubulini and our other godparents do an equally memorable day.
Sigrid and Klaus Franz Mlekusch
Obererlacher
The saddle comes with honey feet, but the hungry is all bitter sweet.
