Passion to create a better future
By Brian
The business trips were incredibly interesting and I was deeply moved by the work being done to further develop South African’s civil society and local business ventures.
As I sit back and reflect on my trip to South Africa, I know that I made the right decision to apply. It was truly an eye opening experience and I will treasure the memories for many years to come. The business trips were incredibly interesting and I was deeply moved by the work being done to further develop South African’s civil society and local business ventures. One theme echoed by just about everyone we encountered was that South Africa is a great place to live. I often felt like asking for people to elaborate on this, but never had the chance.
I wanted to hear more about this because I was taken aback by the extreme inequality around the country. Sandton, the business district that we stayed in, is comprised of high end luxury stores as far as the eyes can see. In fact, it is often called the richest square mile in Africa. However, just a short distance away are communities where people live in some of the most disturbing conditions I have ever witnessed. The stark contrast between the haves and have nots accentuates the two worlds that South Africans live in. Frequently we were told by the locals that people have chosen to move back to the impoverished townships to be closer to their families and communities. However I strongly disagree with this assessment and think people have relocated due to lack of jobs and the high unemployment levels in the country.
I realize that I shouldn’t be so quick to judge South Africa because all countries have their own warts and dark histories. Besides, I was very encouraged by the businesses we visited. It seemed that everyone we encountered was very passionate about their work and desire to help their community. This was evident by Secha Capital’s investments in small black owned businesses, through Room to Read’s mission to educate, with Eaton’s work to improve access to electricity, in Mandate Molefi’s focus on driving cultural change, with the WHO’s goal of eradicating tuberculosis, and through Wits RHI providing access to HIV tests. I know that many are doing their part to chip away at South Africa’s past and to create a better future and I look forward to witnessing major transformations across South Africa in the years to come.