Happy Nelson Mandela Day!

For the past three weeks, I’ve had the privilege to work with Liz at Saint Monica’s Children’s Home here in Durban. This non-government Institution provides a home, family, food, and fun for girls until they finish matric (last year of high school) and boys until they are 12. There are six cottages at Saint Monica’s, an administrative side, a hall, a kitchen, and lots of room or playing around. Though everyone at Saint Monica’s are friends, the family unit is most prevalent in each individual cottage which houses up to 15 children at a time. The older ones look out for the younger ones and each person has their share of daily chores. Just from my short time at Saint Monica’s, my perceptions of at-risk children, orphans, and children’s homes have drastically been proven wrong. Not all orphanages/children’s home are cruel and not all orphans/at-risk children are sad and hopeless, especially not at Saint Monica’s.

In three short weeks, I’ve become close to many of the children, each who inspire me every day with their positive attitude, energy, curiosity, willingness to learn, and love. All of which I’ll miss dearly when I leave.

Luckily, I get to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day at Saint Monica’s! Here are some of the things people said when I asked them:

What Does Nelson Mandela Day Mean To You?

(Names were purposely not included to protect the rights of the individual)

“I love Nelson Mandela because he saved our country” (Age 7)

“Happy & sad & angry & make me confused & shocked & scared & excited & freezing” (Age 7)

“Mandela was born in 1995 and he loves to play outside” (Age 10)

“It means that you get to eat sweets. I am happy.” (Age 12)

“Nelson Mandela Day means that he fought for having freedom and letting us have the right to live wherever we want to. It means that we can change the world and know that through bravery we can accomplish stuff. So it means freedom.” (Age 13)

“This means to me that I have a better opportunity of experiencing life without getting judged because of my race” (Age 14)

“Nelson Mandela Day to me means to help others for a while and to be more encouraging” (Age 15)

“Mandela day means he has fought for us to live in a country where he wants us to have freedom and have good education and remember the day that he has made for his country he went to jail cause he fought for our right and will also love us! Happy Birthday!” (Age 16)

“Nelson Mandela Day means to me that he went to prison so that we can be a non-racist country” (Age 17)

“The ability to put others and their needs or well-being before your own” (Age 21)

Though my time at Saint Monica’s was short, it was far from fleeting. How I perceive happiness, life, and myself have been positively affected by the children and co-workers I’ve met. I am so moved by my time here that I hope to one day open my own orphanage/children’s home in South Africa.