Human Rights and the amazing humans who are upholding them

Today in South Africa is Human Rights Day. On this day, we remember the 69 people who were killed by police in 1960 as they peacefully protested against the apartheid government pass laws. For a more full explanation, you can read this article by Stuart Pennington at SA Good News.

This Human Rights Day I wanted to celebrate some of the people and organisations I have worked with who have been championing human rights for many, many years. The work is hard and it is most often underpaid, and overwhelming as organisations attempt to respond effectively to the needs they encounter.

And yet. They keep going, finding hope in whom they serve. They build relationships and connection, they do the development work to effect change for the long haul.

Childline

I first practiced play therapy at Childline, Durban. I so clearly recall the day I started and was shown my office and told to 'do play therapy with children.' It was a steep and beautiful learning curve over 18 months, cut short by me moving with my new husband to Pietermaritzburg. Child abuse and domestic violence continue to absolutely devastate individuals and families in South Africa. I know from first hand experience that this work is hard, it demands everything from you. The rate of burnout is so high. Childline, I salute you for continuing to do the work in spite of massive obstacles of every single kind.

Ethembeni

I moved from Durban to Pietermaritzburg and started working with Ethembeni in Mpophomeni. Ethembeni means "place of hope."

With 9 care workers, we set up a Family Centre in the community aimed at providing emotional, physical and spiritual care to children and teenagers. At that time, early 2007, countless children had been orphaned as the HIV/AIDS pandemic made a massive impact across South Africa. Ethembeni had a care centre to care for and nurse adults suffering from the disease, and the Family Centre was a response to the clear need for extra support for children. The Family Centre still exists and I have written about it here.

I continue to be intricately connected to Ethembeni as I sit on the board and am so heartened to hear the impact it continues to have in the community on a daily basis. Fighting for the rights of children to have quality education and also as an advocate of the first 1000 days of life via the maternal health programme.

You can read more about Ethembeni on their website here.

dlalanathi

I left Ethembeni to spend more time with my babies, and later started working for dlalanathi. dlalanthi means "play with us", an organisation promoting play and connection in communities surrounding Pietermaritzburg.

In 2019, we conducted an in-depth look at the child's right to play, and children's access to play in a peri-urban community near Pietermaritzburg. It was exciting and illuminating work, not only in this project but across all aspects of the organisation working to promote play and connection in families right from birth (1st 1000 days) through to grandparent caregivers of children. dlalanathi continues to make a massive positive impact in the lives of infants, children, youth and their caregivers. I love everything they continue to do and this team will always have a special place in my heart. You can be inspired by their work here, on their website.

Thanks for coming on this little journey with me. As much as watching the news of what is happening in the world today, there are a host of people (and I have only mentioned a teeeeeny fraction of them) working towards fulfilling the rights of children and caregivers. Consider supporting one of these organisations, or another that is on your heart.