Stepping Stones for Africa

In this series of posts I would like to honour the individuals on the photos we used in the header of this site. I would like to give you some background on the photo and - as far as my knowledge goes - the persons themselves. All photos were taken by Remco Kalf.

Clinton, Kurland, South Africa

This is Clinton. I met Clinton at the Crags Primary School in the township Kurland in South Africa, during a couple of weeks of volunteering in august 2004. The first photo was shot on august 25, the second on august 18 of 2004.

Clinton lives with both of his parents, his grandparents and his younger brother Quinten in a little house in the township. In 2004 he was 8 years old and was in second grade. He is 10 now and is doing well at school. Much better than in 2004, when he was often naughty and expelled from class. I remember Clinton as an intriguing little boy, fascinated by the camera and always wanting to help with carrying boxes and stuff for the school projects we organized. It was sometimes difficult to keep him apart from his brother Quinten, because of their similar sounding names and their similar appearance. Adding to the confusion they also wore each others clothes.

Because of the contact we made, I asked Isabelle of Born in Africa if he already had been adopted in their adoption program, which he wasn’t because of his behaviour in class. Back in the Netherlands, my mother adopted him, and I learned that around the same time, also his brother Quinten had been adopted by other people.

This means that both can take part in the after school activities, they get new clothes and - most important for kids in townships - they get personal attention and individual coaching and counselling.

By the letters we receive from Born in Africa, I know that Clinton is doing well in school at the moment and that his father has different jobs on and of. His mother is staying at home. Through Born in Africa, we send him a box with clothes and toys now and then.

For Google Earth users, here is the placemark for Kurland with the Crags Primary School in the top right corner.