It was a success

Saturday, June 21, 2008 - First Garden Meeting for invitees.

Last Saturday, after days of preparation, we could welcome 150 guests in our garden.

People who came to look at and listen to three women who had to tell a special story.

On the Thursday before, we were visited by the newspaper “Independence Saturday” who wanted to write an article on the work we do.

Unfortunately, when published the focus of the article had changed a bit, paying more attention to rape, and the mission of Incognito Khulani Simunye was translated completely differently. But then, you never know with the press (see article).

Many people read the article as became clear by the various reactions we got.

Fortunately the article appeared on the day we had our Garden Meeting. In fact, I was a bit worried that we would get too many visitors but luckily that did not happen and we were able to entertain and touch 150 people with our show and speeches.

This was the programme:

14:00 Opening with a choir
14:05 Welcome and explanation of the programme

14:15 First speaker: Thandazile Nzama

14:30 An act played by orphans about AIDS/HIV
14:45 Short break with the choir
14:55 Second speaker: Jessica Foord
15:15 Songs by gogo
15:20 Third speaker: Thulisile Blose
16:00 Break with the choir and fresh soup !
16:15 Continuation Thulisile
16:45 Act played by orphans about Domestic Violence
16:55 Entertainment: choir, dancing acts, songs and music
17:30 End of the programme



A full programme making following message very clear:

Break the silence and come forward !

Herewith we want to encourage people to speak about their personal situation and to tell them it is not a shame to have to ask for help.

By filling the programme with a choir and children playing an act, it became light and cheerful which is very important when you ought to listen to the following emotional stories.

Thandazile Nzama:

A woman with four children and a baby met a man with whom she fell in love.

Blinded by love she had unsafe sex and was infected by the AIDS virus.

She only discovered it when she was already seriously ill. She was so ill that she had given up life and was already making plans for the future of her children. She even thought about the preparations for her funeral.

Until the day that she spoke out her need for help and pronounced that she didn’t want to die at all. That day has saved her life. By pronouncing her needs, her whole life changed. She got help, people listened to her cry for help.

She is now on ARV and lives a healthy life. The weak woman of a year ago completely disappeared.

Thandazile is a strong woman now who knows what to do.

She is even so strong that she faces every criticism and tells about her status without shame.

“By doing so I want to wake up everybody and make clear that living with AIDS is not the end of your life.”

Jessica Foord:

A relaxed walk with her father and dogs ended in a straight nightmare.

When Jes and her father enjoyed a walk in the beautiful woods of Shongweni, they were addressed by five young guys.

They claimed their money and the keys of the car.

While 1 of the boys tried to start the car, Jes and here father were held. When the car did not want to start, they got aggressive.

Jes and her father had to follow them, further off the mountain where the father was tied up to a tree and had to look how his daughter was raped till 4 times.

“They forced me to move with them, but I couldn’t. The only thing I could think about was that my father had to watch how his daughter was raped …”

Thulisile Blose:

Living a whole life, ever since you’re a kid, with fear, aggression, maltreatment and abuse … it is hard to imagine.

When Thulisile married to escape from home, she thought to leave the misery behind her but discovered pretty soon that she had started a new life of oppression.

The beating and dreadful words were nothing yet compared to what she had still to expect.

16 years Thulisile lived under the power of her husband. When she discovered that her little daughter of 5 was sexually abused, she found the strength to fight back.

She climbed out of hell to become a strong and proud woman who is tired that thousands of women accept that their men can do with them what they want. She is tired that children, who cannot defend themselves, are abused and deprived from their childhood.

The daughter and two sons of Thulisile had a terrible childhood, but look now at their mother with pride; their mother who speaks and encourages people to come up for themselves.

Thulisile and her three children are still under treatment for their trauma, but slowly they find the power to live up together.

Three stories, three realities that are still actual. Every day people experience the same misery and don’t know what to do at all.

This afternoon was important for the communities.

We already know that it will not end with this first day. We are already planning a next meeting. People ask for more, people need examples, and we are very willing to give these.

“We are no victims but survivors” is what Jess wanted to let them hear.

“Boys and girls, don’t get blinded by love, use condomes.” was Thandazile’s message.

“Listen to your children” was a cry of Thulisile
Let the message be clear.

Gunter