Today (Wednesday), the U.S. Global Buddies started the day by being toured around Mfuleni by the South African Global Buddies.Five of the South African Global Buddies proudly showed their American friends their homes and their families.
From Sakaumzi’s huge collection of ballroom dancing trophies to Abigail’s teddy-bear, the South African global buddies were excited to share their lives with their friends. Global Buddy Maya Flannery was happy to see her friend Abigail’s home…but she also wasn’t expecting to see that Abigail lived in a one-room shack.
Today, the new U.S. Global Buddies made their first visit to the neighborhood where the South African Global Buddies live. The neighborhood, what is known as a “township” in South Africa, is called Mfuleni, and is amongst Cape Town’s poorer neighborhoods, with many people still living in shelters made of tin panels. Fortunately, new houses have been built in Mfuleni and many residents are now living in their first houses. Many days of the Global Buddies’ time together in Cape Town will be spent in Mfuleni, with the community center Women For Peace as the Global Buddies base.
Women for Peace, Global Buddies’ South African partner provides activities to help women earn a living and runs many after-school activities for youth including ballroom dancing and music lessons. Music and dance is an important part of life in Mfuleni, and especially at Women For Peace. Soon after the American Global Buddies arrived in Mfuleni this morning, all the Global Buddies from both countries, along with a band from Mfuleni paraded around the township where they were all celebrated by the community which warmly welcomed the U.S. crew.
The South African Global Buddies have been waiting anxiously for the arrival of the LA Global Buddies. They have been preparing special songs to welcome them, and can’t wait to see some of the friends they made last year and the new ones they’ll make this year. Today is the day…The LA Global Buddies families and the families from Mfuleni will meet in Cape Town’s beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens – old friends and new friends will picnic together and kick of the 9 days special program they will share together. This past Saturday, South African Global Buddies Thandeka Tofu and her foster daughter Monique Daniels talked about waiting for the LA Global Buddies to arrive…
From March 22-March 31st, Global Buddies from South Africa and Los Angeles will be having fun getting to know each other and seeing the beautiful city of Cape Town. They will be making people’s lives better by doing community service projects. They will be learning about how to become active global citizens and leaders. They will be engaging in exchange: sharing stories, music, and lessons about their cultures. They will be documenting their transformational experience over these 9 days, and sharing photographs, videos and their thoughts about their Global Buddies experience.
Today (Wednesday), the U.S. Global Buddies started the day by being toured around Mfuleni by the South African Global Buddies.
Five of the South African Global Buddies proudly showed their American friends their homes and their families.
From Sakaumzi’s huge collection of ballroom dancing trophies to Abigail’s teddy-bear, the South African global buddies were excited to share their lives with their friends. Global Buddy Maya Flannery was happy to see her friend Abigail’s home…but she also wasn’t expecting to see that Abigail lived in a one-room shack. 