Reaching Out to Red Hill

If you’ve been following this blog, you know part of my work in Cape Town has been in a community called Red Hill. I want to tell you a little more about this special place now. Red Hill is what’s known as an “informal settlement.” That basically means a collection of shacks, pieced together with tin, scrap wood and whatever other materials can be found. The community is located, literally, on the side of a mountain. It has a few tuck shops (e.g., a small grocery or convenience store); otherwise, the nearest supplies (and jobs) are found in Simon’s Town, in the valley on the other side of the mountain. Many residents don’t have transportation and it’s not an easy walk, so in a sense, Red Hill is quite isolated.

Unemployment, alcohol abuse, malnutrition, poor sanitation and domestic violence are among the problems in the community. We just learned, for example, that a mother was severely beaten by her boyfriend on Monday night. Two of this woman’s children come to Living Hope’s after-school children’s club. It’s heartbreaking, what they’re dealing with in their home life. Sadly, local law enforcement is indifferent. In this case, police responded to the situation and issued the boyfriend a “warning.” Attempts are being made to connect the woman with a social worker.

It’s a considerable challenge to bring love and light to places like Red Hill. Living Hope’s goal is to change the culture with a multi-pronged approach – based on a Christ-centered spiritual foundation – that includes job creation and financial empowerment, good hygiene and health practices, cultivation of vegetable gardens, and leadership from both adults and children. Living Hope’s dream is for Red Hill ultimately to be self-sustaining in all of these aspects. Two churches in the community are on board as partners. One of those, River of Life Ministries, is particularly involved and is essentially the community center for the Afrikaans-speaking “upper camp.” Change doesn’t come overnight, but there is evidence of progress.

If you’re wondering, “Is there any way I can help?”, here’s one. The Cape Town public school system requires uniforms, but not surprisingly, many families can’t afford them. No uniform means no education and all kinds of potential to get into trouble. An entire uniform (shirt, pants, shoes, socks and sweater) can be funded for about $25 USD. Other school needs are basic items like pencils, colored pencils, crayons, sharpener, erasers, notebooks, and for high schoolers, text books and calculator. These needs are not only in Red Hill, but also in the other townships and informal settlements that Living Hope supports as well - Ocean View, Masiphumele, Capricorn and Overcome Heights.

Community needs go far beyond this, but it’s one area where a child’s life can be tangibly impacted for the better. If you’d like to know more, including where to send contributions, email me at john1125@rocketmail.com.