Akukho Nzwana Ingenasiphako

No one is perfect.

That is the phrase repeated frequently at the Realistic Training Centre where I visited yesterday.  The Centre is located in NY6 (Native Yard is what the NY stands for, a phrase that the SA government is trying to abolish, but no one can decide on what the new names should be) is deep in the heart of Guguletu, one of the black townships.  I have been trying for a couple of weeks to connect with Solomon, the Founder and Executive Director, to come and see the programs, meet the staff, and get a feeling of what the place is all about, but Solomon is a busy man.  That's Solomon, I got the feeling he doesn't sit much, he is a man with a mission.

He told me his story - growing up in Guguletu, being given a scholarship to Pinelands High School (the white school), working in the banking industry, then landing a government job with the Department of Corrections, working as a prison guard.  Watching how services for inmates don't work, seeing men return time and time again to prison, and knowing there must be a better way to keep people out of, and from returning to prison, Solomon founded Realistic.

The program works on a Peer Educator model, similiar to Centerforce (my organization back in the States), except that all work is done outside of the prison.  Clients are referred to the organization through social workers and the court system.

They call themselves "Realists".  Look at how they are looking at me.  I was probably the only white woman within blocks of this room.  They weren't about to give me the time of day, until Patrick Thulo (Master Facilitator) introduced me. (I took three photos of Patrick, this is the one he choose for me to use, lol.)  Patrick also told me his story.  A number of years ago, he was attending UCT (University, Cape Town) majoring in Sociology.  he was unable to pay his tuition, and decided to open up someone's safe in their house and take out the contents and that person didn't like it and he ended up in a maximum security prison.  HA!!  Of course, there is a bit more to the story than that, but during his period of incarcaration, he was identified as a person with good facilitator skills. He moved from Robbins Island (sort of like Alcatraz), to Porterville (an honor farm), and is now out on parole, with one year left to serve.  He is doing that time working at Realistic.

Patrick led the introductions, the Realists asked me questions.  Why am I here?  What drugs do they have in the US?  Who are you?  Do you do drugs?  Apparently, I answered their questions and I passed whatever acceptance test was being given, because next we did an "Ice Breaker" where one person danced in the middle of the room, and you had to go stand in front of someone else, then they danced.  It goes without saying that there was the ever-present singing :) 




Solomon later told us about the programs.  Realistic has four "intakes" per year.  Each "intake" is four months in length and has 25 people.  This intake just started four weeks ago.  The first three weeks the group is sent to a substance abuse de-tox center.  In this photo, almost everyone had been addicted to cocaine, weed, or meth.  This is their first week back in the real world.

During our time there yesterday, the group was planning a weekend excursion to go hiking.  Using the Boy Scout model of patrols, they broke into groups and figured out how much food they need, what sort of transport, and what clothes everyone should bring.  No one in this group has ever been hiking before.

I grilled Solomon on his statistics, and he confirmed his facts.  Since Realistic opened, he has served 500 clients.  Of those, 5 have returned to prison.

5.

So a 1% recidivism rate.

Solomon is quick to say that his small numbers allow him this success rate.  The Peer Educator model keeps in contact with people and the clients are able to have continuing support.

Yesterday, he got word that the Open Society Foundation renewed his grant for another year.  If that funding had not come through, he would have had to close his doors.  Now, with R300,000 ($70,000US), he will be able to stay open another year, to serve another 100 clients.

My job here in South Africa is to look for further funding for Realistic.  Now that I have have sat in the group and sang (and danced) with them, it gives me the passion to do just that.

http://realisticcbo.org/