Jo'burg

After 3 full hours at the extremely well done Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, we went to visit with a group call Khulumani. Khulumani is a local grass-roots organization, which works closely with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TNC), which fights for reparations and compensation for individuals and families that were affect by the Apartheid. The have compiled a database of nearly 30,000 victims that have filled out Khulumani’s forms and have shared their stories of how they were affected. Khulumani then takes this information and their donations to really focus on what the victims deserve for their losses as well as helping them continue to live their lives. When we arrived for our meeting with Khulumani they were ecstatic as they had just received word that were given 1.3 million dollars from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Tragically during our presentation, the group received a call saying that the letter they had received from the Gates foundation was a fraudulent and forged all in a ploy to steal money from Khulumani. Seeing this unfold before our eyes and how low people can go to obtain money appalled everyone and certainly changed the dynamic of the presenation. The good news is that the Gates Foundation is still reviewing Khulumani’s request and that the organization thankfully noticed that the letter was fraud. For more on Khulumani see (http://www.khulumani.net/)

This evening, we went out and had a few beers before we attended a play called And the Girls in their Sunday Dresses. The theater was very intimate with a minimal set, while the play consisted of two hilarious women who were waiting in a line for rice. They screamed and danced in several languages and even got a few of our “white American boys" to come on stage and dance with them. Of course Passat and Moketzi (our drivers) brought dates to the play, being the very urban and well dressed men that they are. Other than their incredible style, Passat and Moketzi are a main source of humor amongst the group. They are constantly communicating with all of Johannesburg through their car horns, which everyone seemingly understands. I’m off to bed as it is late here but more to come later!!