Today I met up with a lady who works in an impoverished area in the suburb of Midrand. I was able to meet Margaret, a lady who runs a care center in the neighborhood. Margaret and her workers help the elderly, children, and those who are HIV infected. It was a humbling experience to hear Margaret’s stories about a six-year-old caring for her two-year-old brother, the problem of rats in the neighborhood and the elderly who beg her not to leave them.
I also saw how business is done in areas like this, and I look forward to talking with my students about the idea of entrepreneurship for survival. You can get anything on the side of the road – tires, hubcaps, fruit, clothes, curtains, cabs for a truck, window frames. I saw a man making bricks and selling them. You can even get your car serviced on the side of the road.
Overall my time in Midrand was draining – though I would go back again tomorrow if I could. When I left, I spent a few quiet hours at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens. The place was beautiful, but it’s winter here so many things were not in bloom. I can’t imagine what the place would look like in the summer!
I can’t believe tomorrow (Friday) is my last full day in southern Africa. I have a breakfast meeting with some more individuals from the Wits Business School and a dinner meeting tomorrow night at Moyo – where they offer an “all-African dining experience.”
This may be my last blog on this journey. Thanks for joining me!
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