South Africa: The World Cup Is Behind Them But Still Goals in Sight

Driving through the Nkomazi region of South Africa, there are certain sights that are impossible to ignore: the red and green mountains in the distance, the cloudless, bluest sky you’ll ever see, and equally as striking, but far less beautiful, the rows and rows of unfinished houses that line the roads: half built foundations the size of Manhattan bedrooms, planned and plotted for better times. My first encounter with these was met with a knowing look from Brooke Wurst, the driver of our truck and founder of TRIAD (Training to Reduce the Incidence of AIDS-related Deaths), the organization that brought me there. “Don’t you know,” she joked, “the World Cup is going to change everything.” I saw her point.

With the warmth of the world’s spotlight rapidly fading from South Africa, the nation is moving ahead into uncertain times. Problems, particularly the struggle to control HIV/AIDS rates among its poor populations, are growing in complexity as worldwide aide is decreasing.

For that reason, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took a mid-summer sabbatical from my role at (RED) to work in the Nkomazi region--a resettlement zone in the Northeast heart of South Africa with an estimated HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 40% , making it ground zero for the fight against the pandemic worldwide. What I experienced, however, even though Global aide may be decreasing for South Africa, hope and resilience are certainly not. In fact, they may be growing.

In Nkomazi, this is due in large part to TRIAD Nkomazi Rush, the organization run by local leaders of the community who were identified and trained by members of their parent organization, Boston-based TRIAD Trust. Over the last several years, these young leaders (most in their 20s) have developed a health and life skills curriculum that they instill in the youth of villages from miles around through sports and arts programs.

Here's what I ran into it the first day I walked into their office: Ambition. Confidence. Focus. I realized soon enough where it all came from: a plan and a sense of responsibility to maximize the resources made available to the region through organizations like TRIAD Trust. Their goal is and has been prevention. Their plan is to inspire and cultivate a generation of informed decision-makers among the youth of their community.

And to do it on their own. My role, for example, was to assist TRIAD’s Marketing Director Isaac Shongwe and Executive Liaison Zola Ndlovu in securing local sponsorships with an aim at becoming completely financially self-sustaining in a few short years. I left with every confidence that they will.

Yesterday, I returned to (RED) with an unsettled sense of wonder. New Yorkers are not as friendly as Swazis. Happiness has nothing to do with circumstance. Nkomazi and the incredible leaders of TRIAD have taught me all you need is hope and a plan and you are on your way.

-Morgan Pile at (RED)