PSA from PDA's Pt. 1

This is a worldwide Public Service Announcement. There isn't actually a statement at this point ; just a little background.

A PDA is not your latest cell phone gadget, do-everything besides microwave a hotpocket.

A PDA is a place like Finetown or Kliptown.

A PDA is home to previously disadvantaged people.

A PDA is a Previously Disadvantaged Area.

But guess what, there's a lot of joy in these "PDA's"

Enter Paulina, she lives in Finetown ( A government recognized PDA) and she's my favorite person here. She says I'm her new boyfriend :D.





She lives there with her cat Dirty and enjoys a pretty simple life. She was pretty excited to see us, because she may be moving soon. She is close to getting an RDP home from the government. We brought her some food and a little bit of money for the doctor (she's a diabetic).

I just find it odd, that the government calls places like Finetown, Previously Disadvantaged Areas. Previous must have been added to make sure it had a nice three letter ring to it. Everyone loves nice, tidy abbreviations.

Kind of ironic, because these places aren't as nice and tidy as say a smartphone. They don't have a nice contact organizer with the ability to synchronize with your Gmail calendar. In fact, the PDA I know hardly has access to clean, running water. Nutritional food, nevermind proper housing for a family of 6 (when was the last time you stayed in a one room hotel with your parents, brother, two sisters and niece?). Very strange ring these PDAs have.

Only being here for about two months now, I claim no expertise in knowing the struggles of South Africans, the intricate politics and bazillion cultures. I only claim expertise in what I see day to day. I only claim expertise in the stories I hear, from the people I know, from the life they live.

The purpose of this PSA is to communicate this. To show that next to the largest mall in the southern hemisphere, right alongside a completely voice activated house, and just beyond the yard of one of a guy who owns one of the ten cars Pagani produces per year, lives people who were never given a chance, the down-and-out, and many whose memory is ingrained with the perverse idea that they are worth no more than what they produce.

This is where we work. This is where we build relationships. This is where the need is great. This where I learned why I'm here.







In these, disadvantaged areas, children suffer the most. Most without one parent, another good portion without both. Striving to eat and survive. Education is a luxury, and that seems to be a root problem in these areas. Education is too costly, too far away or has been shrugged off as "it's not worth it".







el fin.

Later this week, we'll look at how we can make this road a little brighter, how we can come alongside others and show them how to dream again.

Jerome
www.jeromelovesyou.com
www.jeromelove.net
VOXUnited
jerome@voxunited.org