I was woken up this morning by twins throwing themselves at me like puppies, all wriggly and demanding hugs and kisses. I treasure these mornings, as they are growing up way too fast and all too soon I won’t be allowed to hug or kiss either of them. And usually it is me having to wake them up – my daughter takes a single call, my son sometimes have to be dragged out of bed. But today is special and they are excited: it’s my birthday and they’ve been talking about it all week.

Our trusty local weather service claimed a whopping 4 degrees Celsius. A trip to the shower confirmed that today would be a “no water” day – for some reason the back-up tank is empty, and the town only gets water every second day. All reminders of why I chose to take this year to come and make a sustainable difference in a town where I grew up, but where the infrastructure is dicey at best. An article on Businesslive confirms that there is simply no money. The intro is bleak: “The Eastern Cape is in a technical recession due to sharp declines in the construction, manufacturing, and mining industries, which have put employment on a knife’s edge.”

It is easy to complain about how bad things are. And yes, things are bad. When we have no internet signal for no apparent reason for days, or when there is yet again no water. When the power just goes because it was too windy, and the technicians can only work on the problem the next day. When there are hungry dogs walking in the streets, and even hungrier children, with no hope of a difference soon because there simply is no employment for their parents. Yet we have to do something. And our “something” was to apply to Lottoland and to get the green light for funding to renovate and repair the local municipal swimming pool.

Some days it feels as if we bit off more than we can chew, and then I remind myself we have no choice but to get chewing. This project has to and will be completed successfully. It is merely a gateway project to so much more. We want to also raise funds for a local skills development centre to create entrepreneurs, which will lead to people able to earn money, get back their dignity and provide for their families. Isn’t that all we all want? Just to be able to be ok?

I sit at my desk at my office, a hot coffee at my elbow, with working electricity and internet access (for now), and I count my blessings. We don’t realise how privileged we are until we see how little people can survive on.

My facebook post today:

Instead of gifts to me for my 49th birthday please consider making a small donation to one of our biggest projects to date: Burgersdorp Swimming Pool & Sport Club by clicking here:

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/burgersdorp-municipal-swimming-pool

Today I just want to say how grateful I am to everyone in my life for your support and your love. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.