South Africa
Imagine a country of unsurpassed beauty. With endless plains, borderless deserts, tremendous mountains and surrounded by an ocean. Imagine that in this country many different people live together, that there are 11 official languages and that this can all be found in a country that was freed from a racist minority government only 15 years ago. Imagine all of this and you are in South Africa.
South Africa is a country of extremes. It is one of the only countries where the first and third world come together. It is a place where you can see an immense villa, with a big garden, a swimming pool and a fence but within just a 100 yards you can also see shacks: self-made homes for those who can not afford decent accommodation.
Even though there have been free elections since 1991, the effects of apartheid can still be felt everywhere. The black majority is still behind in many aspects, such as education, work and wages. Poverty is especially obvious in the " townships", the areas where the black population were sent to during the apartheid regime. White South Africans however, are usually well educated and very rich in comparison. As a consequence of its history and current inequalities, racism can still be felt and seen in South Africa today. However, it is also a country that is rapidly changing and great efforts on all sides are helping to decrease the racial tensions.
The country is being torn apart by HIV/AIDS. In KwaZulu-Natal, the part of the country where our projects are, the estimation is that 40% of the adults between 15 and 40 are infected with the virus. Because HIV and AIDS are mainly an issue amongst the part of the population old enough to work, the consequences for the economy are disastrous. Slowly but surely an entire generation of adults is being wiped out, and along with them an enormous amount of work force and knowledge is being lost. Millions of children are losing their parents and role models, and are instead being taken care of by their aged grandmothers or in orphanages.
Above all though, South Africa is a fun and amazing country. In spite of all the problems, the population is resolute in making a success of their new freedom. South African pride can be seen everywhere and the middle class is steadily growing. People are open and generous and determined to make South Africa as good as it can be.
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South Africa is a country of unbelievable natural beauty. The endless extent of the Kalahari desert, the impressive Drakensberg mountains, the countless wildlife parks where you can see the Big Five (elephants, buffalos, leopards, rhinoceroses and lions), beautiful Cape Town and Table Mountain and the many beautiful shorelines and beaches along the South African coast are not to be missed.
What are you waiting for?
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