The aim of the day was to learn about the life in township Soweto, by driving through several neighbourhoods and especially by visiting several local projects like e.g. an orphanage child care centre and new businesses initiated and powered by Sowetan women. In this way we learn about their motivation, which will help us in our assignment.  The planned visit in the afternoon to the Apartheidsmuseum will also contribute in learning about South Africa.

Meeting with women organisations

The morning we started with the question what we would expect of this day.  The answer to this question was difficult to imagine. The best way was to experience. The most important things we learnt that in Soweto there is a huge difference between poverty and richness very close to eachother.  We learnt that people -especially women- are extremely motivated to help the community forward, although they have littl e means. They are driven, determined and strong to provide a better future for their childeren and grandchilderen. When we exchanged ideas about their projects and our oil-collecting-biodiesel project, we all got the same possitive feeling about huge oppurtunities! We know that the oil-collecting-biodiesel project will be a success as we all work together. Also we met the right contact persons to help us in giving shape to the organisation of Miss Collect.  Miss Collect will be the organisation of Sowetan women, which collects oil. Unfortunately the Apartheid Museum was closed due to a power failure which the electrical engineers from Imtech could not fix...........This is also South Africa!

 René Ravel & Véronique Duivelshof