CHOSA has maintained its relationship with the shack-dwellers movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, whose community in the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban was destroyed and uprooted by the attacks 2 years ago. We have been deeply saddened by the fact that their efforts to maintain a day-care center were also destroyed in the violence. In June, CHOSA’s Community Coordinator, Jared Sacks, went to visit the community and discovered that a new community in the same area, Siyanda B has set up a crèche in one of the shacks. It is being run as a community project with support from Abahlali. There is also a youth project affiliated with Abahlali doing work in a number of different communities including Siyanda.

Last month, Jared returned to Durban and attended the Annual General Meeting of the KwaZulu-Natalsection of the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement. 150 delegates from various communities affiliated with the movement attended. One of these communities, Richmond Farm, is home to a community project called Amandla Esizwe. During his visit, Jared was fortunate enough to stay with Mr. Msomi, the Head Manager of Amandla Esizwe crèche. The crèche is comprised of three shacks, along with a community garden on the property. The committee which runs the crèche also plans to use the space for youth after-school gatherings, as well as community meetings. The project is a shining example of democratic and participatory organizing around a community-run children’s project, and CHOSA hopes to become more involved with Amandla Esizwe in the future.