An excerpt from the book, Iron Butterfly, by Birute Regine

You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust
You were born with ideals and dreams
You were born with wings.
You were not meant for crawling, so don't
You have wings.
Learn to use them and fly.

Rumi

Today was the hardest day...

Sad to Say Goodbye

Well, today is the last full day of our adventure in Botswana. Yesterday was our last day at SOS and it was extremely difficult to leave not only the kids, but the teachers of the Kindergarden, as well as the mothers in the village and everyone else we would see on a daily basis. These people were such a big part of our experience here and they welcomed us with big smiles every day! I never realized what a big part of the trip (and the hardest part of leaving) would be, and that is the people and the friendships we have made while we were here. Alex and I gave out gifts and thank you cards to all the teachers and staff at SOS and donations to the children and mothers in the village. We have gotten really close with three of the mothers, Name, Bame and Caroline, who we called our 'Botswana mothers', so we baked them muffins and gave them some of our dresses and bracelets we had made. We will miss seeing them every day and getting to know what wonderful women they are. I can only imagine the types of friendships we would make and how much they would grow had we been given more time here.
Today we went out to Mochudi one last time to see the house. The roof is now on and the electrical is being put in. The builders were working on plastering the outside walls now and it is so close to being finished. It was great to see them one last time and give the donations we brought for the family. I also have some exciting news: with the help of everyone's generous donations and support, our group was able to raise over $4000! That amount, along with the $5000 that was donated by the University of Guelph was enough to finish the house. It covered the cost of all the materials and everything else included so thank you soo much to everyone for helping us complete the project! The family is so happy and Lisa (the founder of Stepping Stones International) will be posting photos of the house once it is complete on the website: http://steppingstonesintl.org. There is also a Facebook group (search Stepping Stones International) that anyone can join to see info and photos from the after school program and house builds.
I can't even describe the experience I have had here in Botswana, but I can say that it has definitely changed me in a lot of ways. I have now such a bigger and better appreciation for hard work and value people in a whole new light. In Canada we take our health for granted, but here I could be standing in a room with several HIV+ people who are fighting every day to survive. The children here are so precious and I hope that I can one day see them again and make sure they are doing well. I hope that when I leave Botswana the people here continue to live and love the way they have shown us. I have re-prioritized and reconsidered my post-grad plans. Before coming on this trip I had decided I would teach English over seas in order to travel and work to pay off my student loans, but after speaking with Lisa she opened my eyes to so many new and exciting options that could further me and my education in so many ways. I will definitely be keeping in touch with her because she is such a great resource in terms of networking and NGO's and I told her I would be emailing her about Stepping Stones for future experience. She will be needing a new long term volunteer in a year so I will definitely be considering it. Working with her would be such a great learning experience and I can't wait to see what lies ahead of me!
I have to go, but will see you all soon and I am so excited to share everything with you.
Love always, Claire xo

Save Our Souls

June 1st already and time is flyyyyiiinng by! I am so sad that this is our last week here in Botswana and can't believe it crept up so fast :( This past Sunday at approximately midnight, my Uncle Richard interviewed me on his radio show, AM740 Toronto. Unfourtunately, I could not get to the internet to notify everyone about the interview before hand; however, the interview was about the volunteerism involved in the trip, the SOS Children's Village and the house build. I was also able to thank everyone who donated to the house build from the girls, the family, Stepping Stones International and myself - we couldn't have done it without you, so thank you again. The group went out to Mochudi again this weekend to continue with the build and were amazed to see that the walls were up. We mixed the cement again and helped the builders plaster the walls. It took a lot of practice to get the cement to stay on the wall, but once we did we got quite a bit done. Tinny (an employee of Stepping Stones) was able to get some paint donated and they are working on digging a hole for the pit latrine. The electrical and the roof still need to be put in place, but it's really starting to look like a house. Lerato and her family are so excited to move in and we are very happy to be able to get them out of the welfare housing they currently reside in. We had a great weekend bonding with the kids and captured lots of photos.
Last week was an amazing week at SOS. It's really sad to think that we are leaving soon - our last day at the Kindergarden is Thursday. Last week we worked on a colour project with the kids. We got them to mix the primary colours to make secondary colours and taught them what each of them were called. Alex and I also painted two large colour wheels on the walls of the main room so that the children could see them and learn what they looked like. We got each of the kids to help paint and had such a great time doing it. The project was a huge success and a great way for the kids to get involved in something that they can now see up on the wall every day. Last week was also an awesome week because we have really gotten to know each of the teachers and staff at SOS. We are now starting to build such great relationships with not only the teachers and staff, but the children as well. Six weeks seems like a long time, but it isn't even close! I feel like now that I am getting comfortable with everything and really starting to make friends I have to leave. It has been such an amazing experience that I could never have even imagined I would get the opportunity to have. I've learned so much here that I will bring back home with me and carry with me for a long time. The children here are phenomenal and it's going to be a very sad day on June 5th when we have to fly home. This week will mostly consist of handing out the donations we brought with us and giving thank you cards and gifts to the staff and our friends at SOS. Yesterday, Alex and I gave out soccer balls and t-shirts and tomorrow we will be bringing things for more of the children. Although Thursday is our last day at the Kindergarden, I hope to go back Saturday before we fly out to spend the final day with the kids. I have so much to learn from them and I can only hope they have learned at least one thing from me.
I will try to post once more before we leave, but am unsure if I will get the chance to come back to the internet cafe. If you don't hear from me before I leave, I can't wait to see everyone when I get home!
Love you all, xo

The house build in Mochudi

Hello everyone! We are home from Mochudi after an intense weekend. I don't think I have ever worked so hard in my life. The strength that goes into building these homes here in Botswana is unbelievable. I was so proud of all the girls for all the effort that we put into this project. When we got to the plot there was literally nothing done - we started from the ground up. We dug the trench, which was 10.5 m long by 3.5 m wide and about 2.5 ft deep. We filled the trench with cement and then laid the bricks for an entire day. It was such hard work, but with the help of the professional builders and positive attitudes we did it! The last day we compacted the soil and filled the rest of the trench in with dirt before covering the foundation with cement. Absolutely everything was done by hand, even the mixing of the cement, which was a combination of sand, stones, cement and water. We wheelbarrowed all of the materials from separate piles into one, then mixed with shovels and wheelbarrowed the cement over to the trench. It was back breaking work and we are covered in cuts and bruises, but it was amazing to see how much these people value hard work. The family and professional builders were so grateful for our help and we were just as grateful to be there. It was an eye opening weekend. One I think everyone should experience. If young adults had to work like this to earn a living our country would be a lot different than it is now. The work ethic and value for hard work would be different and we would definitely be more grateful and appreciative for what we have and just how good we have it!
I will try to upload photos of the house build, and was able to email some to some of you (mom, please pass those on I didn't know everyones email off hand). I am missing everyone and these past four weeks have flown by! I know it will be sad to leave Botswana because the relationships we are building here are incredible. The children, teachers and people we meet on a daily basis are so warm and welcoming. It is such a positive and loving place - it will be difficult to leave, but I know I will bring it all back with me. Next weekend we are back in Mochudi on Saturday and Sunday to hopefully help complete the house. More to come soon!
Miss you all and love you xoxo

Thinking About HIV...

As we approach this weekend and start to think about the house build, the group held a reflection on Tuesday night about HIV and AIDS. Since we’ve been here and had the excitement and opportunity to experience this country, we have been busy seeing new things and learning more and more about the culture every day. This being said, Botswana has the second highest prevalence for HIV and AIDS in the world. You would think upon coming to such a country you would see evidence of the virus everywhere, but here in Botswana you really don’t. The people are so unbelievably friendly and happy to be here – they live without showing any signs or distress related to HIV, if they are infected. In fact, during reflection we even discussed how difficult it is to tell people who are HIV positive apart from those who are negative. At SOS I wonder which children could be positive, if passed on from their mothers. It breaks my heart to think that some of these children may be on ARV’s for the rest of their lives and may one day develop AIDS. Not only would they live with the medical condition, but also face the harsh stigma that comes along with it. Unfortunately, here in Botswana as I’m sure is similar in other countries, HIV and AIDS carry heavily negative social and cultural implications with it. For those who are positive disclosure can be difficult enough, but then having to face the negative treatment and discrimination of others is unthinkable. Some are isolated from their families and even abandoned – this is so even for children who were infected by their mothers during childbirth or breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is also such an important tradition in Botswana that if a woman is seen bottle feeding a baby, she is automatically deemed ill with HIV. In order to prevent the stigma of HIV, positive mothers will breast feed their children anyways, passing on the virus to their child. This may seem like such an unloving act for a mother to do, but until we are faced with such unimaginable stigma we will never know what they go through. Family, friends and community can be such important networks to have, but with the social stigma attached to HIV many of these networks and relationships vanish. We see HIV and AIDS as such medical issues, but we often forget how those infected can be affected mentally and emotionally. The medical, social and cultural implications of HIV and AIDS, along with stigma all contribute to the issue as a whole here in Botswana. All of which are important to keep in mind this weekend as we build a house for a family who has been largely affected by the virus. The daughters are orphans of HIV – their parents died of AIDS, which means it is possible they may be positive. If they are positive, their children could also be positive. You can now see how complex the issue becomes. I am hoping that this weekend opens up my eyes to the reality of HIV, orphans and vulnerable children, poverty and the reality faced by Botswana and its people. The build will be challenging physically, but also mentally and emotionally and I am hoping that the experience will be a lasting reminder of just how fortunate I am for my health, my education, my family, my friends and also to be born in a country where we can live such worry free lives. We often find ourselves stressing about time and money, but in Canada, both these come as luxuries. We really have nothing to be worried about…..

3 Days, 3 Countries, 3 Adventures

I can't believe we are already half way through our trip! Time is flying here in Gabs and lots of exciting things have been happening. To celebrate our half way point, the group left Thursday night and travelled north to Kasane for a safari in Chobe National Park. What an amazing experience! We camped out in the park overnight admist the lions and elephants and saw lots of wildlife on both the river and on-land safari tours. Saturday morning we crossed the border into Zimbabwe to head to our backpackers lodge. The next day we woke up to go see Victoria Falls. The falls - being one of the seven wonders of the world, was just that! I can't even explain to you how soaking wet we were. The mist was unreal and the view (when the sun shone through the mist) was breathtaking.
After being drenched by the falls and having only a few hours left before our departure back to Gaborone, my friend Jess and I literally ran out of Zimbabwe and crossed over the Zambia border by foot. We reached the Zim-Zam bridge where we BUNGIED!! I was so nervous but have always wanted to bungi jump. The drop off the bridge was 111 metres and it was absolutely nuts! I would do it all again in a heart beat. This weekend was definitely the most amazing weekend of my life, and I was so happy to be able to see such amazing things while here in southern Africa.

More about the family...

Dumelang (hello everyone). I would thank to thank those who have donated and are supporting our efforts to build a home for this family! We recently recieved a bit of information about the family that I would like to share with you. The family is made up of seven individuals, all of whom have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS. There are two sisters, one of whom has two children, the other has one child, and two cousins who will be living in the house. Right now we are not sure of where they are living, but hope to be able to put a roof over their heads. We are so looking forward to next weekend and extremely grateful to be a part of something so meaningful for this family. Please continue to pass on the message of our project, as we are still not quite at our goal.

I look forward to sharing photos and stories from this adventure of a lifetime! Thank you for all your posts and comments, I love reading them and sharing my excitement with you.

Love always, Claire xo

Please read :)

I would like to take the opportunity to share a potential project with everyone. Some of you may know that over the weekend of May 20 – 23 we will be helping (though physical labour and through 100% of the financing) to build a house for a family in a community outside of Gaborone. The group that came on this program last year did the same thing, so we will be able to visit last years house (and the deserving family), as well as put our blood, sweat and tears into another house. This is all done through a local organization called Stepping Stones (http://www.steppingstonesintl.org). Lisa (the founder/director) has been in contact with us for many months and Nicole, our team leader will be heading out there soon to see the site and the family for whom the house is being build. Tinny, a local community member who has been with the organization for several years, will be taking Nicole around the community so she can purchase some of the building supplies we need. So far we have raised just over $5500, however we are still short $2000. With eight girls here, we have made a pact to each raise $250, in hopes of gaining the required amount of money to fully finish the home. I understand that each and every one of you reading this have contributed tremendous amounts of money to me already, allowing me to be here, but if you or someone you know has just $5 or $10 to spare, I know it will add up quickly and we’ll be able to reach our goal. Please spread the word about this project, visit the website and please, please, PLEASE tell all your family and friends! The money will go to Nicole directly so that she can buy the supplies for the organization. The best part is that absolutely 100% of the money goes directly to the house build and we will be there to help it happen and have lots of photos to share. For all of you who have sponsored me and helped me get to Botswana, I am forever grateful! I would love to be able to do something here to give back to the community who has been so welcoming to us. I would love to give them something very meaningful and important, just as all of you have done for me. Please do not feel obligated in any way, shape or form to contribute, all that I ask is that you could please pass this message on to others. If you would like to help out and send some money my way, please email me at cgemmill@uoguelph.ca, or you can also send it through online banking (if you know how to do this). Also, feel free to get in touch with my mom, if you are around and perhaps work out something with her.
Again, I am so grateful to all of you who have already helped me, do not feel obligated, but please pass this on.
I love you and miss you all! Happy mothers day mom and Kate and happy 20th birthday Jess. I am thinking of you always xoxoxo

SOS!

Alex and I just completed our first week of placement at SOS in Tlokweng! We have been helping with the kindergarden in the SOS Village that the children living there attend, as well as children from around the community. The kids are so unbelievably cute and all so excited that we’ve been there to play with them. We are in the kindergarden from about 8:30-2:30 and then we sometimes go with the combi (bus) driver to take the kids home who are from outside SOS. This gives Alex and I the opportunity to see where some of the kids are coming from, as well as see Tlokweng. There are some very nice houses and there are also some mud huts, or shacks. The shacks are basically sheet metal and whatever other materials can be found and put together. It is tough to see where some of these kids are coming from, but also very easy to forget because these children are so loving and filled with joy. They are always smiling and never complain. Every day Alex and I arrive at SOS there are multiple hugs and high fives to be shared. These kids come from some very different backgrounds and who knows what goes on in their homes, but one thing is for sure and that is that they are just kids, they deserve all the love and affection that anyone would expect from a family or a community. I am so grateful to be able to share their love and laughter, even if it is only for a small time. I often think about (and worry) where some of the kids living in SOS will end up... if they will one day have a family of their own... Who knows maybe I will be able to come back one day to visit.

The first week..

Where do I begin.. this week has been really busy! We've been at UB (University of Botswana) for the most part getting introduced to the culture and history of the country. We've had presentations related to HIV/AIDS, human rights and gender and development, gender issues and concerns of the country, language lessons, cross-cultural connections, the history of Botswana and today visited the National Museum of Botswana. Some of the partner organizations have come in to talk to us about what their organizations do with people in the community. Yesterday, we were able to ride the combi (bus) for the first time. It's not like a bus in Canada, its more of a van where people just get in and out wherever they want, but it's confusing because there are no stops! Alex and I rode out to Tlokweng to our placement, the SOS Village and were able to go inside to visit for a short time. (Our placement hasn't been able to meet with Alex and I yet because the regional director has been away, so we are meeting for the first time when we begin work no Monday). The Village was amazing! As soon as we walked in a little girl, who couldn't have been over the age of three ran up to me and grabbed my hand - she was so beautiful!! Her eyes lit up and she was smiling from ear to ear! She led us to where she lived and we were able to meet her brother and her mother (at the village, there are houses with about 10 people in each, including children and a woman who is hired to care for them... the house becomes like a family - the kids are like siblings and the woman is considered their mother). I definitely did not want to leave and cannot wait to go back to see her and the others on Monday!
Tomorrow we are waking up really early and climbing Kgale Hill to watch the sunrise. We are going with some of the people from Botswana and they are doing a session on volunteerism. After the climb we will head to the Mokolodi Game Reserve to do a game drive. I am so looking forward to tomorrow and the weeks to come. I already feel as though time is going by fast and it will be hard to leave that beautiful little girl and all her brothers and sisters at SOS, as well as the wonderful people here in Botswana!
Miss you all, xo

We have arrived!

After a long flight we finally landed in Gaborone! Everything went well and we arrived to the WUSC house where we will be staying. The time difference in Botswana is 6 hours ahead of Ontario. The group has met up with some workers of WUSC and they are showing us around the city... just wanted to let everyone know I am safe - you can relax now mom :)

Here I go...

I can't believe it's finally here :) And I also can't thank my friends and family enough for all that they have done for me in the process and preparation for this trip! Thank you everyone for the amazing send offs, you are all such wonderful people and I can only hope that I will be able to impact someone elses life the way all of you have touched mine! I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for all of you so thank you!!
I guess I should explain a bit about Project Serve and how I first got involved. Project Serve is an organization at the University of Guelph that aims to involve volunteers in service learning and civic engagement. They are partnered with a large variety of organizations in Guelph, Canada and the States and internationally as well. The first time I participated in a Project Serve program was during my second year at Guelph. I went to Mississippi and New Orleans with a group of about 40 to do some Hurricane Katrina relief work. I worked with a smaller group of students doing oral history interviews for those who lived on the Gulf coast and experienced the hurricane. It was such an amazing experience and I learned more about myself in that week than I could have imagined.
The second experience I had with Project Serve was a day in Guelph where hundreds of students chose an organization in the community to volunteer at for the morning. I chose to volunteer at Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis and helped with housekeeping chores for the morning. All together thousands of hours of community service were provided that morning and students got the opportunity to lend a hand to their community - a great experience overall! This reading week I chose to volunteer in Guelph and focus on HIV/AIDS in order to familiarize myself and learn about the virus before venturing off to Botswana. A facilitator from the AIDS Committee of Guelph came in to teach us all about the virus so that we could prepare workshops for highschool students in Guelph. By the end of the week, the group had gone to two different highschools in Guelph to give workshops and condom demonstrations to highschool students. This was such a great way for me to not only educate others but also myself on the virus and how it is such an important issue not only in globally, but locally in our own communities as well.
So now I am doing a much larger trip and going to Gaborone, Botswana which is located in the southern part of Africa. We are affiliated with WUSC (World University Services of Canada) and are doing our placements through an organzation called Students Without Borders. The focus of our trip is HIV/AIDS and I will be volunteering with an organization called the SOS Children's Village (http://www.sos.org.bw), which cares for orphans whose parents have died from AIDS. I am not sure what tasks will be required of me or what to expect, all I know is that these kids will be beautiful and very, very hard to leave. I definitely expect the toughest part of this trip will be getting attached to these kids and knowing that I can leave and come back to my luxurious lifestyle, while they can't leave - this is their reality and it will most likely be all they know. I expect to experience the most culture shock when I return home (so bare with me please!). In terms of culture shock upon arrival, our first week will consist of an in country orientation. We will be shown around in order to help familiarize ourselves with Gaborone and get settled. We will be taking language lessons (the official language is English, but the locals speak Setswana) to help us better communicate with locals, which will be pretty helpful. For the rest of the trip (five weeks) we will be in our placements and also have the opportunity to help build a house. I have no idea what to expect and am very excited for what lies ahead!
I hope that some of this has helped settle those of you who are worried about this trip, but there is no need to worry or be nervous. This is going to be the experience of a lifetime and I am so grateful to be able to have the opportunity to do something that matters. I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for all the help and assistance I got from so many of you, so again, thank-you and please check this from time to time while I am away. I am not sure how often I will be able to update as the internet connection is slow from what I understand, but when I do post, I will be sure to say as much as I can.
I can't wait to share my stories with you :)