Abbeyfield in the South African Townships

A pressing need

The photos below illustrate some aspects of life in South Africa’s townships.There is a huge percentage of households headed up by adolescents, water is drawn from standpipes in the street, and toilets are all external slop buckets, not always emptied by the municipal authorities. Drugs and the aids pandemic are rampant. As the photos below clearly show, housing comprises basic shacks made of corrugated iron, board or even card. Beyond the physical conditions, the older people we talked to spoke how wonderful an Abbeyfield house was as an escape from having their pension stolen by younger members of the household who would spend it on drink and drugs.

The Government is doing a very limited amount to provide better housing but it is too little and not without its problems. The Cape Times reported on the day we left the story of a peaceful protest by pensioners which was broken up by the police using rubber bullets. The cause of the protest was that some older people had been re-housed from shacks into basic accommodation but the electricity had not been connected up for 8 months. The older people could not afford to cook, light or heat their new homes using oil out of their pensions.

Township shacks

Township shacks

We were told how when it rains raw sewage will often be washed down this bank from the slop bucket toilets that are not emptied. Rubbish and refuse also get washed away and and disease outbreaks are common.

Washing at the standpipe

washing at the standpipe

Slogans like this are cruel irony against the backdrop of the townships

Abbeyfield Guguletu

Here is Abbeyfield’s Guguletu house, the first completed township project.

Inside Guguletu

An urgent need for funds

Abbeyfield South Africa urgently needs funds to provide more housing for older people against this desperate background. A site has been secured, and the intention is to build further dwellings that will incorporate Abbeyfield’s community partners who already operate a soup kitchen for older people and a creche. Abbeyfield’s international department will be working with Abbeyfield South Africa to help them develop their plans and secure funding.

Site for Abbeyfield's next township dwelling

Children at the creche operated by Abbeyfield's community partner

Abbeyfield CEO, Paul Allen, displays his skills with children