Bergville Youth

The producers, Born Free Media, kindly allowed us to post the entire documentary on Youtube for everyone to watch!

Enjoy...

I received this email from Phindo...

Can u pls advise me? I need to find my father, bt i dön't know his name and where he stay. Am not sure if he stil alive. My mother died when i was 5yrs. I stay with my mom's sisters, they don't know him. I wish i can find him bt i don't know how,coz the only thing i know is that he was working in Durban and my mother was working in Durban too. I've tried different ways to find him bt i could'nt. What can i do from now? I really need to find him or his family. Pls guys advice me.

The big problem is that i don't know his name. I only know his surname(LUTHULI) ,He was working in Signam in Durban in 1983

Does anyone know how we might be able to help her? This is obviously a long shot, but are there any organisations / NGO's that help locate missing family over such a long time period?

Happy bunch!

My friends name is Nhlanhla, she stay in Mpumalanga province with her parents. She started school in one of the village in Mpumalanga and pass matric there.
She heard about Lovelife on the raido then she took their phone number and call them. She told them to come to visit youth in her area.They came to motivate youth, from there she told them she want to involve herself in Lovelife progrem, and she also want a Lovelife centre around their area. Then Lovelifé came and open the youth center, my friend was a first person to become a Lovolife groundbreaker. My friend is a person who works hard ukuze aphumelele. After being a GB in 2005,she apply for a nursing course, luckly they call her to start a 3year course. She finish her course in 2010,now shes working in one of the hospital in Pietretief. What i like about my friend is that she's a strong women, who like helping young people.She have a bright future, she succesful girl. She knows that as a woman you must stand ur ground and work fo what u want in life bcos everything is possible. Young people must learn from her.

The Digital Divide argument really doesn't apply when one small act of nature cuts a community off. This was a harrowing moment, when we first discovered we couldn't get into the community on the final day (for the celebration and finale). The plight of this village is hi-lighted by the four residents trying to cross, dangerously, and eventually having to give up and turn away. Technology vs Community stared at each other and waved from each side of the road turned river...

 

Spirits were high as we rode into Reserve B on Day 1. I don't know the song, but there was clapping, and shaking of asses. Mostly mine.

-- Whiteberry

 

Another performance from the choir, this one more animated. I was bummed not to have gotten the full on Zulu Impi dance number. But this was a great example of leader/chorus structure. If someone can translate what these songs mean for me (leave a comment!) - that'd be great...

Here's the Bergville Reserve B Male Choir performing at the end of Day 2. No music, no voice coaches, no nada. Perfect harmony.

Unbelievable!

 

We can't cross. Waited for about 2 hours and if anything, it rained harder.

We're all devastated, not only can we not say goodbye, but we feel like we let the community down. Amazing how a simple thing like a bridge means the difference between included and excluded. Now think about that same washed out road, and tell me how the kids can cross that to get to school during rainy season?

But perhaps, the bridge (or lack of it) represents both threat and opportunity. The threat, apparent. The opportunity is in the metaphor. A powerful, emotional metaphor that may galvanize external people to get involved and give a hand up.

We've resolved to take it further - municipalities need to be held accountable, funds can be raised, stuff can be done. Keep an eye on this site as we'll be posting details on how the project continues. And of course, the hour long loveLife documentary, S'Camto Groundbreakers Revisited will be airing soon.

It's amazing really. We came here to tell our story: where the 4 of us (remaining from the 2004 show) had ended up in our lives. We found a story much more real and interesting than ours. A story of hope. A story of how people can remain positive in the face of comparatively harsh conditions. It's a beautiful story, only some of which has been told on this site. Phindo has access to email more stories to the site - let's hope it continues.

We wave a digital goodbye through the small window of a mobile phone screen and head back to Joburg and Durban.

For now.

Rainy days from green new technology farming to rain showers!its been real. ...bye bye Bergville!

Till next time...

-- Dianne loveLife Media team!