We arrived at Umthombo (Durban) following our journey down from St Lucia.
Umthombo is a charity based solely on donations to provide a safe and secure place for young street people aged 7 to 20. The services that they provide vary from given a child a roof over the head for the night to family mediation. The way they do this is similar to our organisation via support staff and external agencies but staff are there 24/7.
Our host SiyaBonga is residential at the base 7 days a week working 1pm - 9am - but as he is residential will also be available to assist children coming to the door in the early hours needing accommodation and sometimes medical assistance.
During the 2010 world cup, many street children were put into state cars by order of authority and forcefully removed from the area - sometimes up to 3 hours away in remote and unknown places - this was simply to ensure tourists did not witness or observe what was perceived to be an ugly stain on the face of the 'New Durban'. Some children were beaten and forced to walk back from where they were abandoned to the safe haven at Umthombo having walked in excess of 100 miles. Children were returning with extreme injuries to their feet and required urgent medical attention. SiyaBonga was imprisoned himself for attempting to defend and support the children.
Outreach workers receive no state funds at all, they go out into the community and often seek out the children - state social workers are only involved if the re-integration with the children's family fails. this means that SiyaBonga is renowned throughout the city as being a sole source of safety and protection.
A member of staff will sleep in the room ( Room being 14 X 3 high bunk beds squeezed into a small concrete dormitory - looked almost like an old garage - just one surfing poster hanged throughout this grey shell of a room.
Glue sniffing is dominant throughout the street children community - not for the suspected high that may well have been the case in early 80's western world - but simply to relive the feeling of hunger and despair of daily life in the streets. Umthombo offers support and a lifeline to those experiencing an addiction to glue and other substances that are readily available.
A vast majority of the children will have suffered abuse - including rape - staff members sleep in the large dorms in order to protect the children from further abuse from other children. The support that is offered is developing skills and interests including music, football and surfing - Art and Music is clearly and integral part of the support - this is clearly observed throughout the project. Rehabilitation is crucial to the success of developing a new life with purpose and meaning. One young man we met is now training to be a scuba diving instructor
Today has clearly moved all of the team - one of our group has already considered emptying their suitcase and donating all their clothing.
This picture clearly shows the sleeping arrangements - the same amount of beds are mirrored across the room and also a staff members sleeps in this room.The smell of urine is overpowering - this however is not through bed wetting as we think - but through fear......
We have a funny feeling if any of the service users on this trip are present in the office when another service users complains about HWCS accommodation - eyebrows may be raised.
