Volunteer work in the townships

For the weekly activity this Friday the Volunteer Adventure Corps interns to the townships for some volunteer work. One group went to the Gugulethu Medical Clinic to plant flowers and clean up a garden planted by the VAC interns last year. I went with another group to the Emasithandane Children's Organization in the Nyanga Township to paint the walls of a future orphanage. The VAC newsletter describes Emasithandane as follows:

Emasithandane - affectionately known as Emasi - is a home/shelter that provides education, food and extra moral programming, for orphans; abandoned, abused and otherwise vulnerable children; and those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Currently there are 39 children living at Emasi, and the home provides a community feeding kitchen for an additional 25 children in the community.

While part of our group painted interior walls I got to help paint a mural on an exterior wall. We decided to paint an underwater scene with a various (anatomically incorrect) smiling sea creatures. As a marine biologist who paints as a hobby, this was so unlike community service that I even felt a little guilty. Even with mixing the paint and planning the mural on the spot, I think the final project turned out pretty great. I hope the children enjoy it as much as we enjoyed painting it for them.

The volunteers with some of the children from Emasi.

Doing some serious gardening.

Some not so serious play time.

We got to wear really cool jump suits.

Probably trying to decide what sea creature to paint next.

Elise and the Octopus.

Working on a very happy crab.

Sam helping a girl with a pair of sea horses.

Final product.