Act 2: Building Support

As we have progressed forward with our project over the past few weeks, there have been many interesting and helpful interactions with members of the community and other helpful individuals. In this phase of our project, we set up a couple of meetings to get a better understanding of the current status of the community and the views of the community concerning the idea of a help centre. From meeting with the Green Light Project’s leaders and members and other organisations of the community with similar goals, we have come to gather useful information and made important connections to allow for further progress in the establishment of a community help centre. Along with the members of the Green Light Project, we were able to visit a local help centre in Langa and receive essential guidance concerning the start up phase of a Community Based Organisation. Though the meetings did not always go exactly as planned, they were successful in connecting us with the different community groups which we felt was an essential step to take if we were going to be successful with our project.

Scene 1: Green Light Project Meeting: Brainstorming Session

Cast of Characters: Naiela Baatjies, Sheila Galant, Ronell Trout, Lorenzo

Working towards understanding the needs of the community and the role of the Green Light Project, we met with the leaders of the organisation in the hall of the local Methodist Church. The meeting was mainly focused on finding out the amount of community involvement that existed in Maitland Garden Village to give us some sense of various possible stakeholders that could be involved in our project. Besides serving this purpose, the meeting also addressed what problems the Green Light Project (GLP) felt the help centre could address, potential venues for the help centre and also short term and long term goals of the GLP.

To read more about the Green Light Project Meeting Brainstorming Session, click here!

Scene 2: After School Programmes

Cast of Characters: The MGV Team, Ronell Trout, Principal October

With part of the focus of the centre being on youth involvement, the team decided to take a trip to the MGV School with Ronell to meeting with the Principal, Ms October. The meeting with the Principal of the school was very informative to our group. We learnt about some of the difficulties faced by the school and also learnt about the education structure of South Africa and some of the problems it created for MGV. Most importantly we were able to gain some important information on some of the programs offered to the children through the school as well as outside organisations such as Camp Sonshine.

To read more about the After School Programmes, click here!

Scene 3: Advice from the Community Plough Back Movement

Cast of Characters: The MGV Team, Ronell Trout, Ntandazo Geingca, Basil Tommy, Prof Nanuala Mtitwa, Jennifer Stacey

To get inspiration for our project and advice on setting up a help centre in a small community, the team travelled to Langa with Basil to meet the founder of the Community Plough Back Movement. Arriving at a house with a few containers, we were quickly met by a few members of the organisation. Not overly sure of what to expect, we tried to come prepared as best we could. Meeting in a small office, we soon were learning a lot about the path the organisation had traveled to be where it is currently. After some important insight and advice, we were able to walk around the venue and see a few of the programmes in practice.

To read more about the Advice from the Community Plough Back Movement, click here!

Scene 4: Guidance from Basil

Cast of Characters: The MGV Team, Ronell Trout, Basil Tommy

Having met Basil on our first tour of MGV, we were able to again meet with him in regards to the progress of our project and proposal. After some insightful and helpful feedback on the written proposal, we were able to set up follow-up meetings to keep in contact and went a little further as we discussed community involvement and a future meeting that would be coming up.

To read more about our meeting with Basil, click here!

Scene 5: Community Meeting Part I

Cast of Characters: Dixie Hellwig, Ronell Trout, Cecelia Fouchee, Letitia Michaels, Ralph Schyff, Sharon Windvogel, Rene Hendricks, Martin, Avrih Saunders, Farodah DuToit, Ingrid Cook, Scott Jiusto, Sadekan Langevelot, Farieda Fisher, Anwah Esau, and Naiela Baatjies

Having gotten a good idea of the possible stakeholders in Maitland Garden Village, the team organised another meeting in the Methodist hall, with a much bigger audience. The purpose of the meeting was to get other organisations’ insights into the centre and possible support. Starting off with a simple question, the meeting took a turn no one had expected. With tensions growing and lack of willingness to voice opinions without the consent of their perspective organisations, a follow-up meeting was established. The meeting had not quite gone as expected, but it was still an importing meeting and starting point.

To read more about our first Community Meeting, click here!

Scene 6: Community Meeting Part II

The follow up meeting the the first was set-up with the help of Basil, who also chaired the meeting. The meeting was meant to hear from the representatives to learn the views of the other organisations in regards to the help centre. Throughout the meeting, many voice their opinions of the help centre and who should run the centre. Soon the meeting took a turn to miscommunication and a few personal speeches. Much like before, the meeting went in a direction that was previously unforeseen, however there was more concrete information on the need for the help centre.There were also a few issues that remained unanswered in this meeting but we felt that these issues could be addressed in the next phase of our project and enough information had been obtained to move on to the action phase of our project.

To read more about our second Community Meeting, click here!

Click Here to continue to Act 3