I will be, I will learn

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  • In 2010, We wrote an article about "interviewing" people in an attempt to gather information regarding the level of community awareness of the plight of burn survivors. 
    
    
    I now repeat that article in order to refresh your memory of how it all started and also to update the new members too.
    
    (2010) After meeting with an officer of the Department of Social Development (who was incredibly accommodating and very encouraging about our work) and being sat down and educated about early child development, entrepreneurship that eliminates the need for ongoing funding, strategy, structure and possibilities, which left us (Euton Murphy and I) encouraged and motivated (the officer) but slightly drained, we decided to replenish some of our emotional and intellectual energies by drowning our sorrows regarding the forthcoming hard work in a cappuccino.
    
    Being in the spirit of “awareness and campaign” we “attacked” 22 year old waiter, MPumelelo Damba from Guguletu, (first name meaning Success in isiXhosa) with a series of questions and requests, which he eagerly answered to the best of his ability. It became clear, that Mpumelelo did not see his future as a waiter but would like to continue studying, his passion right now though is squash and the church choir (he loves singing he says). At this Euton and I felt encouraged to pursue our line of questioning. The choir did it I think. He, unknowingly, became a very likely candidate for the CAMPIO choir.
    
    In being asked about his awareness of burn survivors in townships he says “I don’t really know. They are around sometimes but my friends and I don’t talk about it much. When I look at them (the burn survivors) I say please don’t let that be me. It’s not easy to look at them. You will find them a lot in Khayelitsha; they have a lot of fires and burned people there and many people die”. Yes, we promised we will be going to Khayelitsha. We further asked Mpumelelo what he thought about the idea of being in a choir with burn victims........he said
    
    “Yor, I will be, I will learn.”
    
    
    Our prayer is that as we continue speaking out and talking to communities about the possibility of integration and acceptance of burn survivors that this will be the response.
    
    
    What will your response be? I hope it will embrace the words of Mpumelelo – “I will be, I will learn”.
    
    (Information used by permission – Mpumelelo Damba)
    
    
    
    Please visit the website and leave your footprints there. www.campioburns.org