If only

In our work, we meet women every day. To work or volunteer for Bosom Buddies, means you need to have a love and compassion for women, particular mothers.  Often it is very rewarding and even heartening, but for the most part it is terribly frustrating and exasperating. As we prepare for the festive season, doing our Christmas shopping, I am even more aware of the need and misery that surrounds me. I am frustrated with a system that does not support our mothers. For us here in the trenches, we continue trying to keep our heads above water, treading fiercely on behalf of the women we serve as well. But where are our leaders? I am not exaggerating when I say that almost every woman I meet from the township is abused and suppressed by husbands/fathers/brothers or, mostly, by absent men who refuse to support them financially. The women have no power, no say, are often sexually abused or even just so desperate for love that they let go of all instruction with regards to HIV and birth control simply to feel the warmth and love from another human being. I meet young girls who have to support siblings or sick parents and in order to have a loaf of bread; all they have to sell is their bodies. Bodies that are sexually active way too early, give birth as teenagers, is ravaged by alcohol or drugs and depression and poverty.

We struggle against a legal system that is sluggish and with many cracks. Most of the women I meet do not receive any maintenance support from men who have moved on and made other women pregnant.

In the meantime our leaders are in their armored vehicles, lavish hotels and private jets, with multiple wives and girlfriends and dozens of children, glorifying this lifestyle that hurts so many. We stand next to the women and children and will continue to work tirelessly. If only, if only our leaders could hear the children crying and see the mothers struggling. If only they weren't deaf and blind to the real South Africa.