ANSA International Program Blog

ANSA helps strengthen and support organizations by providing them with, or linking them to, resources that can help them deliver quality nutrition programs in their communities.  We were born out of a culture of information and resource sharing, understanding that collaborating together makes us individually and collectively more successful.  Our work in the international arena is the same, so part of my job is to determine which resources we can provide to our Africa partners, and which resources are available in their own local and national communities that we can link them to.  We love networking.

Before getting started with partnership activities between the U.S.-based teams and our global partners on this return trip to Africa, I first needed to stop at the small industrial town of Port Elizabeth, located along the central coastlne of South Africa, several hundred miles northeast of Cape Town.  I was there to look at a few programs I thought might be good regional sources of information or support, particularly the Ubuntu Education Fund, a highly regarded organization with programs similar to our partner Ikamva Labantu but with a more locally focused geographic reach.  The folks at Ubuntu spent the day showing me some of their many inspiring programs and they took me to my first true community HIV education workshop, held under a tree with men on one side and women on the other.  At the end of the day we had great discussions about ways that ANSA, Ikamva Labantu and Ubuntu may be able to work together. 

While at Ubuntu I met several staff, including a wise-beyond-her-28-years case manager named Fezeka, and several program participants, including the two pictured with me here, Zethu and Nandiba.  Zethu (middle) is 17 years old and a longtime head of her household.  Nandiba is 15, and also head of her household.  I am only 5'3", so I could tell both girls showed clear signs of stunted growth, a frequently seen condition among African children due to early childhood malnutrition.  While these girls represent two common concerns - child-headed households and the affects of childhood malnutrition - they also represent something else found in African youth: a powerfully resilient spirit. 

The day I met Zethu she had just received a FedEx package containing autographed photos of her with Bill Clinton, taken when she delivered a speech at the Clinton Global Initiatives meeting in April at the request of Mr. Clinton.  Take just a few minues to hear Zethu's bold story of resilience, and Fezeka's equally polished and powerful introduction here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ZkUVoxdcc.  You'll see right away why ANSA is proud to be working with the current and future leaders of Africa.

Stay tuned for exciting news about the first team activities - including the blossoming relationship between Ubuntu and Ikamva Labantu!

Peace to all...Mary