Durban Refugee Crèche

This past week Bruno and I together with James and Joan Alty, the MCC representatives for South Africa, visited an MCC-sponsored project about three blocks from the Indian Ocean in Durban. Sounds like a beautiful place, but actually this is a high density area with many derelict tall apartment buildings where you would think surely no one would live. Laundry hanging in the balconies indicates that yes, this is home for many people.

Before finding a parking place we are told that someone was beaten and their camera stolen recently in front of the high-rise we are going into. Of course, Bruno carries his big camera bag with him at all times. He and his camera are protected by his wife walking quickly beside him glancing up and down the street! The guard at the gate of the building agrees to watch the car for a small fee during the time we are away.

We enter the building and go up the damp cement steps to the third floor in the dark since the lights are burnt out, hoping we don’t see any rats. We follow the sound of happy children’s voices and are welcomed to the Children Garden Center. Children come from everywhere cheering and waving, swarming around us, wrapping themselves around our legs in a warm hug. The 3-4 year olds gather around in a circle and sing a rousing welcome song for us with big smiles on their faces. After the same warm greetings, the 5-6 year olds busy themselves with a big alphabet floor puzzle or other educational toys. There are play centres and lots of pictures on the walls. This looks like a great place of learning - they follow the South African education curriculum for kindergarten.

We are asked to sit down in a small office with tea, pop and cookies on the table and meet with four articulate women who have come to Durban from Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. We listen as they tell us their story. Fifteen years ago they fled very difficult situations in their home countries, hoping for a better life in South Africa. Unfortunately, for many newcomers the only job available is to guard cars on the unsafe streets of Durban for R30 ($3)/day. The South African government provides very little support services. In 2001 they organized the Union of Refugee Women “to combat loneliness and loss of hope, gathering their strength and courage to participate more efficiently in the struggle to find appropriate and durable solutions to their problems as refugees.” They considered what they could do without money and came up with the idea of a dance group. Although they were initially afraid, it provided an opportunity to have fun and laugh which eased their troubled spirits. The goals were to share their culture with other people and break down negative stereotypes of foreigners.

Meanwhile these young mothers didn’t have a safe place to keep their children while they were away so many resorted to leaving young children locked up in small apartments. One woman offered to look after several children in her small home. More and more mothers needed childcare and soon the crèche was born, now with 125 children and several teachers and caregivers. Parents pay R250($25)/month which covers the cost of breakfast and lunch. MCC and a few other donors provide funding for staff, rent, and materials. Their dream is to find a ground floor rental space so they can be registered and apply for government funding.

We leave the Crèche feeling inspired by the courage and vision of these refugee women who were strangers in this new city. They didn’t wait for handouts, but carried out a vision to help each other and contribute to their new society. Somehow the fear we felt on arrival is replaced with a sense of inspiration and gratitude in having the opportunity to meet these incredible women!