I have finally begun my official Peace Corps service and am now living in the most beautiful place in all of South Africa… the village of Isandlwana; my home for the next two years. I feel so blessed to have this life and honored to be welcomed by the Zulu peoples- my new community.

I am working with Nqutu AIDS Action Team as a Community Development worker. Nqutu is the name of the nearest town and Isandlwana is a remote satelite location uner thier organization. They fund a Safe Park in the village. A Safe Park is a place for orphans and vulnerable children to play after school. Here I play with the kids (ages 5-18) and help them with thier homework. I asess how they are doing- emotional and overall wellness- while interacting naturally together. If a child seems under stress, I visit thier home the next morning to asess thier living situation. If the family they are staying with doesnt have enough food, clothing, or abusing alcohol, I call in a social worker from Nqutu to provide counseling and/or needed correction.

Aside from the Safe Park, there is much the community needs. There is no library or access to books- yet there are 6 schoold that kids walk to from the far mountain valleys to attend to. Isandlwana had a Soup Kitchen to feed the orphans on a weekly basis but lost funding.  I visited the local clinic (goverment funded) they counsel and medicate over 100 AIDS patients a month. There is no AIDS education/awarness classes given in the highschools. I am to start a garden and teach Nutrition to the community, while also studying Zulu Traditional Healing methods.

The Inkosi (chief) of the village is a forward thinker and eager to make changes. He is happy to have me here and specially choose my lovely mud hut that I live in. I over look a large rift valley from a hilll and can see over 100 huts scattered in the fields where coes and gaots roam during the day. My family that I share the property with are very loving and welcoming people. They own chickens, goats, and a couple cows. When I inquired about crime in the community- they said there is none, with the exception of cows being stolen sometimes. So I am very safe.

As for this blog and emailing communication… internet is not widely known here. Nqutu sometimes has access- yet it’s a day’s trip away. As a result, I will be updating this blog less frequently. I will send out a fwd email to you all when I do so. I will also try to download pictures sometime this year.

Please continue to keep in touch together via letter writing. If you have yet to write; I would love to hear fom you and keep a letter exchange going during my time here. I have a new updated Nqutu address on my Mailing Address page- so please update for your records.

Blessings to you and your families. The next time I write I will share with you on the hopeful growth and happenings from the Isandlwana village and communtiy.

Sala Kahle  [stay well/peace be with you]