What this trip was all about…The boxing challenge and Kayamandi.More Photos:

Mine and Selwyns PhotosDay 4: Moving to Kayamandi and boxing with ZolaDay 5: Breakfast with lilly, walking the streets, pots, and a packed community centerDay 6: Choir practice, playing at the Creche, leaving Kayamandi, and back to Camps BayDay 4: Moving to Kayamandi and boxing with ZolaToday we moved to Kayamandi. To be fair I didn’t really have any idea what that meant when we left. We had passed townships along the way and the rows of endless shacks but since we hadn’t been in I decided not to worry about what I didn’t know. Selwyn stopped by the condo and loaded Ian, myself, and our gear in to the Van. After a nice breakfast in a quaint little spot near the university we head to town. Kayamandi is about an hour outside of Cape Town next to a town called Stellenbosch. Kayamandi looks like it’s literally just outside the gates looking into to town. The segregation is still very obvious where the whites, coloreds, and blacks live. The whites live in the nice area, the coloreds live in the area that is modest to low income housing, and the blacks live in the township which is a mix of shacks and newly created permanent structures/houses.

It amazes me that the areas were that distinct and that close together. Stellenbosch is a town of maybe 100,000 total, a wine region, and resort area. Click here to look it up on google (Stellenbosch). Try to find a Kayamandi reference, they’re aren’t many.

The government is trying to get people in these townships into permanent structures by 2010. Kayamandi is a small township where lots of people still live in shacks without sanitation. For the more “geek” out there you can view the town infrastructure via the Stellenbosch GIS web site. In Kayamandi this goal seems possible, however, in Khayelitsha, where Ian did his training, the population is estimated at a million people. You see shacks as far as the eye can see and 2010 just doesn’t even sound remotely possible.

Back to the trip, We arrived in Kayamandi in the afternoon and drove through town to the Creche. For those, like myself who don’t know what a creche is, it’s a dropoff center for small children while their parents go to work. The kids play, read books, nap, and obey Nosandille, who runs the creche. We had a short visit as it was nap time and we didn’t want to wake all the kids. We did anyway as you can see them all checking us out. So we headed over to lillys to check in.

Lilly has started a guest house in Kayamandi with some help from dreamcatchers. She had done lunches and dinners before but Ian and I were the first over nighters. Her two children were giving up there rooms for us and slept in Lillys room while we were there. He place is a house, not a shack, has running water, electricity, sanitation, and the works.

While very basic it is very clean, nice, and homey. There wasn’t much time for talk as Ian had an interview in town. We dropped our bags and gave lilly a ride to town so she could grocery shop. This saved here the 10 minute walk or cost of a van ride so she was happy we were heading her direction. I wandered about town while Ian fielded questions and walked into a poor area of town. I turned around, walk the other way for a while and found some really nice European looking streets. I had forgotten about the wine town and resort and here it was in front of me. Hotels, coffee bars, cafes. All this and Kayamandi within walking distance. It’s all a bit surreal.After Ian’s interview it was time for boxing training.

We picked up Mzwake, a friend of Selwyns in Kayamandi, and headed to Khayelitsha. While I was previously just taking things in this township blew me away. As mentioned a million people, shacks as far as the eye could see. There are tall light towers all over built so that the police could cut power and people couldn’t throw rocks to knock them out. It was the end of the day and people were returning home. There is about 60-80% unemployment in the townships so there are always people out and about. It seemed like there were people everywhere. I was filming for the boxing challenge so I didn’t take many photos here but we walked around a little bit and as it got dark I was feeling like I should stick to the training building. Plus the gas station on the corner was called “Kuwait”. Enough of a bad omen to keep me inside with the boxers to defend me.

The gym was in the township in a little corner. It was an assembly hall turned Gym every night at 5pm. The boxers would go for a run through town and return to set the gym up. It looked like a place in Harlem from the movies. However this is Zola Koti’s gym. He most famously trains Mzonke Fana who fought for the 130 pound title earlier this year. He also has a few fighters trying for the olympic team. I was the video guy and tried to stay out of the way. The other boxers, including Fana who I met a few times, were really nice to all of us and I’m sure a bit curious why Ian was getting personal attention from Zola and being videoed. Ian met Fana also and would say hello but for some reason didn’t realize it was him each time. Luckily he didn’t find out the hard way with an evening of sparring. After an hour and a half of video watching Zola work Ian to near death we were off to dinner.

We were all starving and for some reason we ended up at a fish restaurant in town. Mzwake was not a fish fan and considering how long he and Selwyn had been friends it was still a surprise. He took most of his dinner home but said later that his kids loved it. We stopped by to visit his house and he had some relatives in town. Mzwake lives in an apartment in the township and works for a union in South Africa. A few cousins were visiting during school holidays so he had a packed house for the week.

As we returned to lillys house Ian and I were dead tired. He had much more of an excuse after the boxing work out but the long day had gotten to me also. We stayed up a bit with Lilly and she told us her story of the Eastern cape and how beautiful it was there. Lilly was going to have to get up at 4:30am to make a bucket, yes I mean a bucket, full of scones for a neighbor to take back there. She told us how people bring food when they go to the Eastern Cape so everyone comes over to see you when you arrive. That would work in Singapore also. Lilly used to live there and told stories of when she was younger and how she came here, got a job in an office, applied for a grant, and now has her own business. I’ve never met anyone who was so grateful and felt so lucky to have what she has. Lilly is one person you have to meet to understand as she is truly amazimg. It was time to for us all to grab some sleep and although it was cold I was out in seconds.Day 5: Breakfast with lilly, walking the streets, pots, and a packed community center

It was too cold to sleep much later than 8am and I wrapped up to start the day with some Mandela before I came out to say hello to everyone. Ian is an early riser but I found out that he was awake due to 5am choir practice from the church next door and of course Lilly had been up baking since 4:30 am. When I finally headed to the living room Lilly had a fresh bucket of scones under her belt and was ready for us to have breakfast.

I am a serious breakfast fan, a connoisseur from the “Egg and I” to the Fullerton bunch. I can’t stand getting up early but if it’s for breakfast I’m all over it. Lilly wasn’t messing about as we had grits, eggs, yoghurt, muffins, sausages, tomatoes and toast all ready to go. While everything was extremely tasty her bran muffins are worth travelling for. I am ashamed I don’t have a photo as I would happily travel 13 hours again to just to have one more. With stomachs full and Lilly my official hero of South Africa, Ian and I weren’t sure what to do next. Selwyn had been taking us around and had pretty much set the schedule for us since we’d arrived. Mzwake was coming to walk us around the township but had yet to show up. I personally didn’t feel comfortable venturing out into the township on my own. Basically I had no clue what was out there. I think Ian felt the same way so we relaxed, read, and waited for Mzwake.

Mzwake arrived about Noon and we headed out into all parts of township for introductions and chats with the people. Our secondary goal was to promote the meeting at the community center that evening. Ian sponsors the center and it was the appropriate place to announce that two kids from Kayamandi were going to get to travel to London to see him box. The money being raised is for scholarships for kids in Kayamandi to attend colleges so Ian wanted them to be in London with him. Semkelo (12) and Yolanda(12) joined us for our walk through town today. These two kids have been walking around with people Selwyn brings on trips for years and they didn’t know it yet but they were the lucky ones going to London. I personally feel bad for the other boxer. With the Semkelo and Yolanda representing the kids of Kayamandi at ring side it’s a lock that Ian will have all the inspiration he needs to be destroying his opponent.We started at the old Creche. This place which housed the 50 children before the new creche was a dirt floored shack. It was hard to imagine that kids would lay down on mats on this floor for nap time. It was the original inspiration for Ian to start his work in Kayamandi and I could see why.

We headed down to the field to see the kids playing football. It’s school holidays so lots of kids were in the field playing small sided games with anything they could fashion into a ball. As we walked back up the hill we met the butcher and the smileys, smileys are goats head that smile as you BBQ them. Tasty. Next was a pool hall. Actually a shack with a dirt floor and a pool table. No matter there were plenty of guys having a game and Ian hopped in to challenge. He gave it a go but politely lost to help the opponent in front of his mates. There were plenty of takers for the next game as unemployment is running near 60-70% in town.I was supposed to be on video camera duty during the afternoon walk. I am almost certain that I was the only one who minded I was embarrassed to be taking footage here. It didn’t feel right to be coming in with high tech expensive gear and filming people who couldn’t get a job living and were living in dirt floor shacks.

Luckily I was spared the internal conflict as Semkelo and Yolanda were psyched to be a film crew. I have yet to see the footage to say how it worked out but I pawned that camera off on them as fast as I could and they had a blast filming everything.We headed into a large section of town which was void of any permanent structures or roads that are more than paths. All shacks consisting of sheet metal siding and dirt floors. This isn’t Indonesia where it stays warm all the time. As the previous night had taught me it got cold at night and these places had nothing for insulation.

Mzwake showed us his church (the Water church) which was basically a larger shack with benches and a pulpit. There are about 100 churches in Kayamandi which play a large role in the community, both spritually and politically. As we finished and came out of the church Selwyn showed up with a mass of kids. They were having fun, wanting their picture taken, and hanging all over us. After our photo session with the kids I was chatting away and suddenly I feel someone grab my hand. I look down and a little girl, who’s about 3 or 4, had reached up and grabbed my fingers. She killed me. She’s not looking at me she’s just hanging out, holding my hand, and sucking her other hand. I wanted to take her home right then. Instead I let her hold my hand and walk around with me until she was ready to do something else. I would still be there if she hadn’t let go.We walked up the street and went into Yolandas place.

She lived in a two room shack with her mom that was very homey. It’s amazing how the places look so rough from the outside but feel so homey inside. There previous place had burned down in the fire which went through town a few years ago. With the shacks so close one fire can take a whole town.During our walk we stopped into a shack where a group of guys were making music. They had frankenstiened a number of PC parts into a computer where they could record with. We must have sat there for a half hour while we listened to the guys perform. They have a group with a few women in it also and are going to use the community center so the traffic doesn’t get on their recordings.There are a few craft centers in Kayamandi and we stopped into the bead center where they make beads from paper and the art center. I met Jimmy the potter in the art center. He was a good guy that had struggle to be a potter with out a kiln or a wheel. The center had helped him with a place to display his pots and a workshop with a kiln and wheel. I picked one out with a gekco on it that I knew Christina would like and was about to negotiate out of instinct.

I decided to can that idea as I thought of where we were and jimmy named a fair enough price to start. He would have to fire the pot, which leads to later adventure, so we paid him and said we’d be back to get it the next day.Now it was time for a late lunch at Lillys. Better prepared this time I took photos. It was a traditional African meal and it was spectacular. We sat on the floor and ate with our hands. You think this would be a natural things to do. Turns out I am no longer good at eating with my hands. Trying to do it politely in another persons home, impossible. Ian, Mzwake, Selewyn, and I stuffed ourselves silly. We all sat around and chatted for an hour to relax after the day and headed out to the van for boxing again.Back in Khaylesita at the boxing gym Ian started to warm up,

The other guys came in to change for the run, said hello, and took off or their run. They got back from the run and it was time to make friends. I knew the routine now so I helped them set up the bags in the gym. Ian was getting a bit conscious of the camera on him and was glad to get to it with out the prying eyes of the camera. I still managed to get some good footage of Zola pushing Ian around.It was back to Kayamandi and the community center for the evenings events. We walked up from Lillys in the dark and as we arrived there were two lines of people and signs to provide a grand entrance for Ians arrival. Ian and I thought it was just a gathering/party and he’d announce the surprise of the kids going to London. Selwyn and Mzwake made it a welcome home party for Ian. It was packed and excellent even if Ian was embarrassed by all the attention focused on him. The 35 person choir was belting out songs for the 200+ crowd which was jamming the center. In the crowd

The whole thing kicked off and announcements were made in English and Xhosa. There was a modern dance group that performed and I needed a better angle to film from so I headed out into the crowd. Too tall and blocking views I hit the floor. Loads of kids were in the room and since I had the video camera rolling it made me fair game for climbing on. I learned to turn the screen towards the attacking munchkins so they’d see themselves upside down. They loved it and no kid could get enough of the video camera. Mzwake took over and made a speech which lasted so long I ran out of video camera batteries. He spoke about Ian and a number of things that had the crowd rolling. Lilly and her group of “Old Ladies”, as she calls it, were up next for a traditional African dance which was highlighted by one woman who sat in the middle and smoked a pipe. Ian finished it off with thank yous for the party and the announcements of Semkelo and Yolanda going to London for the fight. The evening ended brimming with smiles and amazing feelings.

We walked back to Lillys house together but still hadn’t had dinner. We decided on town so Lilly could take it easy and on our way were dropping off the lady with the pipe from the dancing. She must have been 50+ and it after such a beautiful night at the community center it brought you right back to reality as we dropped her off at her shack and we headed to town for a warm meal.Day 6: Choir practice, playing at the Creche, leaving Kayamandi, and back to Camps BayNo avoiding choir practice this morning. 5am and I would have bet money that they choir was standing in my room they were so loud. I was literally laughing. After a bit of jamming the pillow on my head I was back snoozing again. Not for long though as there was Mandela to read and bran muffins to eat. Kayamandi has a great view and the morning sun over the mountains with Lillys bran muffins make waking up there pretty good. Did I mention the bran muffins? Oh man. After breakfast and a wash Ian and I headed out alone. After the previous day and evenings events we were happy to go explore.

We were also going to the Creche which we knew how to get to. Ian has a ton of energy in the morning and was immediately carrying 2 kids at a time around the room. Every kid got a ride, all 50 of them. I was being mauled as I videoed a bit and after they wised up to the turn the screen trick I gave up and stopped filming and stared playing. The kids are great but once again one kid got to me and got most of my attention. One kid who was a terror cracked me up as he grabbed a piece of wood as a cell phone and ran to the corner to answer it. It must have been an important call.After an hour or so at the creche it was time for press work again. Ian was doing photos and interviews at the community center for a couple papers. I was lucky enough to get some time with Ludlo to chat about his business in town. He’s also a community leader who runs a paraffin business(for heating) and HIV help/counseling center. It was a great to get an hour to chat with him about what he’s doing in his business and what he is seeing in changes in the town. We all walked back to the creche for photos and of course more playing. The kids love all the attention.

It was time for goodbyes at Lillys as we were moving out of town today. Ian and Selwyn had gotten a newspaper article about Lillys business framed to give her and she was overcome with joy. She told me she felt I’d be back and considering she’s building a BBQ in the front yard I think she’s right. I can’t imagine the dinner that will come off that!!! She’s also officially our adopted African mother and has named me Budi.As we were leaving town Ian was convinced that the kids in the creche didn’t have enough toys to play and he was going to do something about it. We went directly into Stellenbosch, Ian laid down the plastic, and we raided a local toy store. I mean raided, not truck or ball was left which we could carry.

I am certain we had as much fun picking them out as the kids will have playing with them. We delivered the van full of toys to the creche and wished we could stay and help the kids enjoy them.Now it was back to Camps bay and to the condo. What a weird feeling that was. We were back in the beautiful condo next to the ocean 2 hours after staying in a township. The one thing the condo didn’t have was the warmth of the people in Kayamandi. It makes you realize that neighbors in suburbs live far apart and that community is a relative concept.After a bit of relaxing it was time for boxing again. Ian was meeting the press for this boxing session so they could take more photos. Selwyn and I left Ian and the press to it and went to Kayamandi to try and collect the pot from Jimmy early. When we got to the township where we had to use the local grapevine to find him. We first found someone who knew where he lived but when we got there he wasn’t home. The neighbors knew where he was and tracked him down for us by sending a little boy to fetch him. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing in this town. No luck with the pot however as it still needed some time to cool but we arranged for Jimmy to meet us in Cape Town the next day as time was running short. When we got back to the boxing we had missed the sparring Ian had done with Zola. He said it was pretty aggressive and I was disappointed we missed it.Dinner in Camps bay was very nice and relaxing. Ian and I drank a couple beers and ate nice seafood while we discussed millions of ideas that could be done in the township. The last few days had really gotten to both of us and we were trying to come up with anything that would be self sufficient. If you help it has to last otherwise it causes more problems. More idea than you can imagine began to flow.