ICDM

The small Zula village of Isithumba is located in the Valley of a Thousand Hills about an hour from Durban, the third largest city in South Africa. Unknown even to most South Africans, it is made up of about 2100 residents scattered throughout the hills overlooking the Umgeni River. 

There is a local primary school and a nearby high school for the kids to attend, but aside from the unkempt soccer pitch, there is not much in the way of options for the local youth to occupy themselves with. The shops all have a limited selection of options, all found behind a security fence where the shopkeeper retrieves your items from the shelves and passes them through the opening near the cash register. There are a few traditional roadside Braais (basically a charcoal barbecue) that sell a selection of cooked meats for an evening meal. Outside of those, there aren’t many other businesses in the area. 

Thankfully, under the leadership of Amimi Mlaba, the Isithumba Community Development Movement gives the local youth an opportunity to participate in after-school activities, sports, games and social interaction with friends. If it weren’t for ICDM, there would not be much for the kids to do to keep them out of trouble and away from some negative influences. 

Found right next to the primary school, the ICDM facility is a safe space for kids from as young as 5 up to 16 years old to gather for some friendly competition and skill development in a variety of activities. Occasionally, there are games organized by the staff, and other times the kids have the freedom to choose how to keep themselves busy. The most common choice amongst most boys is soccer, either a small 4-corner game of keep away or a larger organized game on one of the grassy areas. ICDM also provides coaching and training for budding soccer stars so that they can compete in matches against other nearby teams and villages. 

Surprisingly, table tennis is one of the sports where many older kids excel. The competition is fierce. Games are played to five points, the winner keeps playing, while the loser joins the end of the line and patiently awaits his turn again for the chance to redeem himself. The skill level is quite high and a few of the older boys stand out as the ones to beat. The regular practice against good competition is evident in their prolonged rallies that display their attacking and defensive skills. 

Located right next to the table tennis is a more cerebral and focused group challenging each other at chess matches. Again, the regular play has developed some skilled players, mostly self-taught, who give older experienced ICDM staff and international volunteers a run for their money, with all players seemingly trading back and forth between victories and defeats. 

Games like chess and table tennis are not just for casual competition among friends from Isithumba. Their skills have allowed them to enter into contests against much larger schools in some of the main areas around Durban. Considering their isolation, the ability to travel to nearby schools and compete against players with more developed coaching and experience gives these young people from Isithumba the chance to see more of what is going on outside of their village - and set their sites even higher. 

ICDM is fortunate to regularly receive international volunteers, providing another opportunity for the broadening of their understanding of different cultures, languages and traditions. These areas, far from Durban, do not often receive visitors or tourists from outside South Africa. Therefore, the staff of ICDM welcome the chance for their children to interact with people from all over the world, helping to improve their English, learn about different countries and even motivate the kids to someday travel to different corners of the world far from their small village. 

Outside of exceptionally skilled soccer players who are invited to join larger travelling teams, there is little chance that most of these kids will gain insight into life outside their village. Compounding their isolation is the lack of jobs nearby that would provide a comfortable wage. Often, the cost of transportation to jobs in larger areas eats away at their salaries and makes it unfeasible to justify the time and effort required to reach them. This isolation comes as a result of the Apartheid movement where black Africans were forced to live far from the business districts, thereby reducing their ability to reach gainful employment in the city centres, while isolating them from the profitable jobs. Apartheid’s impact is still evidenced today in these rural hills lacking in opportunities. 

However, the Zulu culture is proud and strong. There is an overwhelming sense of community, where the citizens take care of each other and ensure that no one is left behind. The theme of ubuntu - I am, because we are (also see Jeff Robinson’s story)  - means that no one is successful if one of their members is struggling. The families take care of each other. It is very possible for each person to know everyone, and everyone to know them. 

The ICDM is a clear example of that ubuntu philosophy. The work and effort that Amimi and his staff (who are all volunteers) are doing is making a huge impact for the youth of Isithumba. Without their commitment to the community, these children would have very few options to keep them busy and on the right path. But now, ICDM is a social gathering place, a safe refuge and a much needed program that provides these children with unique experiences and the opportunity to learn from each other, while having some fun while they’re at it.