First Day of Placement: Safe Line

 Getting to know the routine

            My alarm began buzzing at 6:00 am this morning.  After hitting the snooze button for the second time, I dragged my self from my warm bottom bunk bed and gathered my bathroom supplies.  The day starts early at CCS Home Base.  I can hear the sound of starting showers and the clinking of coffee cups as I walk back to my room from the bath. I meet the other volunteers in the dining room.  They are each busy filling water bottles, drinking coffee, and preparing for the day.  There are five volunteers currently staying in the house.  Soon this shift of volunteers will be gone and a new group will arrive.   I join the group filling a cup with coffee from one of the two coffee makers and grab some yogurt from the fridge under the water cooler.  The dining room is small, but bright with four rows of long tables.  The tables are covered with colorful vinyl table clothes with images of football (futbol). The back wall is a picture window and the other three walls are covered in maps of South Africa.  I survey the posters as I drink coffee and listen to the SABC (South Africa Broadcasting Network).  I look at my watch: 7:40 am.  The bus is set to leave the base at 7:45 am.  In a flurry of activity, the other volunteers began grabbing bags and water bottles.  I gulp my coffee and drop my dishes off.  The other volunteers, Stephanie and I head to the bus.

            The driver, hear by known as Jim, drops each of the volunteers off at their placement. We drive out of the suburb of Rondebosch and deeper into Cape Town. Each of our placements is set in various townships at day cares, hospitals, Intimate Partner Violence Shelters etc. The bus passes many cars and buses full of people on their way to work.  Some of the townships are set up like neighborhoods I have seen in Detroit in a block style.  The houses are small, but sound with small fences (no barbed wire).  As the bus heads closer to another township named Khayelitsha the houses change.  The structures that people live in look small like a shed made from jagged pieces of wood or siding.  The Roofs are slanted and the houses are so close you could hear your neighbor speak.  These shantytowns don’t allow access to water electricity and many other basic human needs and rights.  Jim says that over a million people live in Khayelitsha.        

            After dropping Stephanie off at her placement in Khayelitsha, the bus heads back to Athlone.  Athlone is the township where my placement, SAFE LINE, has one of their four offices.  SAFE LINE serves a majority of Cape Town’s need for better child protection. 

First day of placement

             The bus arrived at a small office building with a sign hanging above the door stating “Safe Line”.  The main gate was open.  The office entered into a lobby with chairs and children’s puzzles.  Two small boys played with the puzzles.  My supervisor through CSS, T, began playing with the boys while we waited for the Safe Line director.  After being introduced to the director, I was quickly introduced to all the staff.  There were about 12 women working in the office.  The director pointed out that they take walk ins, process intake calls, compile statistics, case manage, assist with prosecution of perpetrators, and conduct therapy with the children who have been sexual abused.  The organization is a National Government Organization (NGO) with many (maybe to many) responsibilities. 

            After my quick tour, the director introduces me to the community team and says that I will be observing a parenting group in another township.  I drive off the two community workers and arrive at the Assembly of God church.  The church is large inside, but almost hidden by the flat front and black bars.  We head inside to wait for the women who have been invited to come learn how to protect their children from child sexual abuse.  I talk with the community workers while we wait.  The lead community worker is very helpful.  She tells me about the history, funding, and problems faced by Safe Line. 

            As more women arrive, about 15 women and two babies, the community worker begins her seminar.  She discussed how as a parent it is important to encourage a trusting relationship with your child. The seminar consists of several group-building exercises, parenting exercises, and listening exercises.  She talks in Afrikaans with a few words of English.  The women are more comfortable talking in Afrikaans.  Some of the women are very cautious around me.  They seem unsure of my intentions because of my outsider status, white skin, and American accent.  I am sensitive that it will take a while for the women in the group to view me as someone that they can trust.   I’ll see what tomorrow brings. 

           

Learn to “trust in the process”

            As I move into my second day, I remind myself to trust that I will make mistakes and I will build genuine relationships.  For now, my two goals for this week are to 1.  Observe and ask questions that will help me better understand SAFE LINE and child protective services in South Africa. 2.  Be myself, Be kind, and Listen.