Update: We’ve now received close to R20 000. I’ll give follow-up posts on what Eddie and their community are planning.

Hello there,

In the last week our country has been hit hard by xenophobic attacks.

I want to tell you about one of my friends, his name is Eddie Ramabulana. Not only is he my friend, he is also my mentor. He mentors me into the reality of South Africa. He lives in Diepsloot, which is one of the squatter camps that have had xenophobic attacks in the last week.

Since these attacks started Eddie and I have been in contact. I asked how we could help; he said that we should pray. While the xenophobia were getting out of hand, I (we) prayed and he acted in Diepsloot. He has been consoling refugees in his community, handing out food, and yesterday he canvassed for the rebuilding of housing for fifty six aliens that have been displaced. He managed to secure the goodwill of the local counsel.

Every morning and evening he sits with the displaced ones. He went to the local supermarket to ask for food, and today he fought of some of the CPF’s (Community Police Forum) who were stealing the refugee’s food. He is one of my heroes.

He told me about children who are displaced and don’t have food. Children whose clothes were burnt with their houses and need new school uniforms, when I asked him how I could help he just smiled and said that he already organized for the kids.

Eddie’s dream is to build new houses for these displaced refugees. This is how we can help and I want to help, and maybe you can too. If we could raise R5000 then Eddie can build about 7 shacks for these people. It’s something we can do. If you want to help, please email me (if you’re already involved in some way please don’t feel any pressure).

We will channel all funds through our NGO so all will be audited.

I trust Eddie. He is the incarnated presence in Diepsloot and knows what is needed there.
Shalom,
Tom.

True generosity consists precisely in fighting to destroy the causes which nourish false charity. False charity constrains the fearful and subdued, the “rejects of life” to extend their trembling hands. True generosity lies in striving so that these hands — whether of individuals or entire peoples — need be extended less and less in supplication, so that more and more they become human hands which work and, working, transform the world. Paulo Freire

you can read Freire’s amazing first chapter here (would love to hear your thoughts on how it applies to the current xenophobia)