Hella Solutions blog: "Document. Share. Inspire."

The SisterLove South Africa staff Themba, Jola, Isaac and Dazon.

Today I plan on meeting with Themba, the SisterLove (SA) Program Director, to work on setting up interviews with him and the other staff. He also volunteered his services in driving me around to the different partner organizations they have and to any other areas where I might want go and record. He has been extremely kind with his time and open to my work.

One of the plans I will be working on is interviewing Jola. What I want to do is paint a clear and personal picture of the death that SisterLove deals with on an almost daily basis. I want to speak to her about a recent case (not yet determined) of one of their clients/friends who has died of HIV/AIDS – the last few days of their life, the business of burying them, the ceremony, etc. I then want to take a walk with her to the cemetery where this person is buried and have her continue telling the story as we go to their grave site. I spoke with Jola on Thursday about my ideas and she was willing and open to doing this and seemed to have a person she was close with in mind. During our conversation she brought up going to church and I asked if I could also go with her on one or both of the Sundays that I am here. She said, “Absolutely.” I don’t know what her church services are like but this could be a very powerful segment! If not for my project, at least for me…

The excitement I feel about this development reminds me of a conversation I was having with Dazon last night about the power of relationships. She was saying that her experience is that it isn’t about how much money you have but the relationships you build that will bring you success. Where you lack in funds you can more than make up in nurtured and strong relationships but the reverse does not work as well. So, this morning I was thinking about what role all of the relationships I have developed over the years have played in placing me in this exact place. Dazon, you are absolutely right!