Rosalía y Refugio, “compañeras de camino”

In hindsight, although not officially part of the current study, a number of pre-study experiences could be seen as the ‘awakening to the idea’, which instigated all further

4 Pietermaritzburg, 2004–2005, cf. Chapter 3, section 3.2.

5 Franschhoek, 2006–2008, cf. Chapter 3, sections 3.4 & 3.5.3.

6 The community project resulting from the work with sample group FH1: Youth Empowerment Network (YEN): launched Parent-to-parent training groups with ‘divisions’ in a number of local communities facilitated by the FH1-trained leaders.

7 The community project resulting from the work with sample group FH2: Uthando Lwethu Ebantwaneni (For the Love of the Children) crèche opened during 2009 in the house made available by one of the group members. A soup kitchen for street children was also initiated by two FH2-members.

8 Cf. Chapter 1, section 1.5: Cameron, et al., (2010) on listening to the voice of the people; Chapter 2, section 2.5.

research and fieldwork.⁹ The initial ‘wake up call’ came during the 1994–2003 period of the pre-study work in various South African communities in the Gauteng, North-west and Limpopo Province¹⁰ and was echoed in the communities of KwaZulu-Natal (cf.

Chapter 1, section 1.2). Though nine years may seem to be a lengthy period for an idea to germinate, it has to be kept in mind that “…what is expected of practitioners involved in action research is to watch, listen and learn” (Chambers, 1994:1255). The pre-study phase served the purpose of preparing the researcher to ‘be in the presence of the other’, being open and non-judgemental and becoming aware of “…what is actually there” (cf. Kemmis, 1985:35; Osmer, 2008:41). This awareness led to reflection and prompted questions such as: How do I understand? How do I do it better?

What if…? Where will I get more data? (cf. Osmer, 2008:41–43, 47).

Contributing to shaping the research idea, was the researcher’s exposure to the above-mentioned communities; involvement in research relevant to community development;¹¹ and in the development of training material for and conducting of community workshops focused on the empowerment of people.¹² In essence, these experiences served as a repositioning to a praxis paradigm of maybe we need to re-think, listen and learn before we enter peoples’ lives – urging the discovery of new, alternative routes toward people and community development. In 1993 Leila Patel, then a social work activist and lecturer at University of Witwatersrand, wrote these significant words:

A new path will need to be chartered for social welfare as an instrument in the promotion of national reconstruction and social development – a process in which grassroots social development initiatives and a people-centred vision of development should be the driving force of social transformation.

9 In Pedagogy of Hope Paulo Freire sketches some of his early experiences leading up to his well- known work Pedagogy of the Oppressed stating that “[i]t was a long learning process, which implied a journey, and not always an easy one, nearly always painful…” (Freire, 2006:16).

10 Mainly life skills training with women in rural and semi-rural areas, and, during the final period, empowerment of self; project and small business development; and community facilitation for professionals and non-professionals.

11 The study regarding the Social Work curriculum conducted in 1994 by the Department of Social Work of Pretoria University on the relevancy of pre-graduate social work curricula in order to derive at recommendations sensitive to future socio-economic and political changes; and an evaluative research study on impact of WOF 10, conducted by Equip Development Consultants during 2002. (WOF 10 refers to Women’s Outreach Foundation Life Skills Programme: A basic life skills programme developed during the late 1980’s by the then University of Potchefstroom for the Women’s Outreach Foundation (WOF) with the aim to reach out to women living in poverty in the rural areas.)

12 Under the auspices of The Institute for Psycho-Social Development (IPSO), founded in November 1993, with the goal to address the challenges in the social development field in the evolving South African society.

In the light of the growing emphasis on grassroots self-empowerment and human dignity, a series of experiential worksessions for capacity building for ‘indigenous’

community facilitators were developed. Post-workshop feedback affirmed the importance of a focus on the mobilisation of the people’s potential, self-initiative and creativity, and the acknowledgement of people’s inherent possibilities and spirituality – illustrated in the following practice-related incident:

During our very first session with community members – held on the premises of the Society for the Aged in Atteridgeville (a traditional ‘township’ outside of Pretoria) we were confronted by women who, after the initial prayer and hymns, looked at us, asking,

“Where is the money?” To our astonishment and discomfort, they assumed that, since we were from Pretoria, the seat of most government departments and hence the source of funding, we were bringing money. It was quickly established that these women, being part of an informal sewing group over a pro-longed period expected that they have reached the point where – to realise their dream of starting an income generating venture – they needed formal training and sewing machines. We spent the rest of the day working with these motivated women on self-empowerment and basic project planning to enable them to come up with a very basic business plan and strategy for finding the necessary resources. As a result, these women were able to find a teacher and machines; and to set up a small business (Kirsten, 2002:20–21).

Increasingly, as was the case in the related incident, the feedback from community members confirmed that the participatory, experiential format of the worksessions and the ‘hands on’, illustrative, basic and practical input was successful. Respondents emphasised that the participants should be given hope and motivation, and their knowledge, wisdom and experience be acknowledged. They valued the fact that the sessions started with Scripture reading and hymns/religious songs, thus acknowledging

‘the way they are used to do things’.¹³ The feedback indicated that how (in terms of presenting style) was at least as important as the what (topics and content). Community members voiced their need for skills and competencies in empowering themselves as individuals; in dealing with and relating to other people; and the utilisation of inner-power or spiritual strengths – as illustrated by the following anecdotes from practice:

During the opening session of a workshop conducted for the Moreleta-Worship HIV and AIDS Project, the participants stated that “…this is God’s work and He has called each of us to be together here on this day” (Kirsten, 2003a:1). When asked to share something about

13 Participant focus group conducted prior to the WOF 10 evaluative research (Kirsten, 2002).

themselves, all participants shared that they love God and therefore want to help others (Kirsten, 2003a:3). Similarly, when reporting back after making their individual collages, the participants emphasised their love for God: “We get our strength from God, through reading the Bible, praying, praising God and having fellowship with other Christians” (Kirsten 2003a:10).

When requested (during a capacity building session), to choose a group name and share what they want to give to their community, one group¹⁴ showed their logo, depicting a cross in the middle surrounded by a circle of living water, inscribed with the words Tsholofelo/Hope 2 Others and said: “We are here to hear God’s voice. Our group’s name is Tsholofelo, which means ‘bringing hope to others’.”

Significantly, invited to share their views on how to conduct a project, many participants relayed a strong awareness of the presence and guidance of God. The following statements made at worksessions reflect experiences of God’s involvement and accountability to God (Kirsten, 2003a:19–20):

 Projects are not about making money – it is to show that God cares. We have to model peace and love through our projects.

 We light a candle at the beginning of our sessions as symbol of God’s light – knowing that He will show us what to do.

 We open our sessions with gospel songs and prayer to invite God into our sessions and work.

 Projects are not the government's responsibility – we can minister to people and guide them – to save their souls.

Evident in their statements pertaining to their personal strengths, and to what they want to do in the community, are the frequent references to God. To them, God is present in all areas of their lives: in the area of money, in determining the goal of the project, and in caring for and loving others. God is guiding and helping them to make a project/dream a reality and God is leading the way in their relationship to others/the community – even to ministering to and “…saving their souls” [for God].¹⁵

14 SAVF-group (community members and social workers), Pretoria, 2004.

15 During their experience of reading the Bible with women in communities, Sibeko and Haddad (1996:91) observed that the text of Mark 5:21–6:1, when applied by the women to their own context, led the women to conclude that “…the faith [of the bleeding woman] enabled her to reach wholeness and to be defined in a new way … not by illness, but by wholeness”. In turn, this insight (or interpretation) strengthened these women’s own faith and nurtured their vision of wholeness. When writing about the role of faith in practical daily living of poor women, Haddad (2001:44) states:

“Prayer to God becomes a means through which women voice their burdens away from sites of struggle in their own safe space. It becomes an immediate link with the spiritual realm that enables

Documenting the verbal input from participants, listening to their stories and achievements, became a live testimony of the inner strength hidden in people. In addition, ‘handing over the stick’ – providing people with the opportunity to share their experiences, wisdom and insights – were beginning to pay off in the workshops. One such ‘indigenous’ insight and request was the incentive for the compilation of post workshop workbooks,¹⁶ setting the trend for all future worksessions – eventually utilised as valuable data-recording tool during the research.

Progressively, the exposure to and working with community members brought convincing evidence and answers to the initial question regarding why some people cope against all odds. It seemed that this ability to cope, could at least partly, be consigned to their ability to act – and this ability to act, is embedded in their sense of

‘being capable’ – often underscribed by their faith or spiritual orientation.¹⁷ Having been ‘given permission’ by community members indicating their need and ability to integrate the physical (e.g. a day-care centre for the children) with the spiritual (God’s loving concern for and involvement with the children at the day-care) in their lives – the inclusion of spiritual space and methodology became a key focus of the capacity building work. Thus, when in 2003, the request for help with capacity building came from a social worker in KwaZulu-Natal,¹⁸ the decision to launch the pilot study was made.