Community Information
The Manyeleti community extends for miles across the southeastern border of the Mpumalanga Province with nearly 800,000 residents. Directly next to the community is the world famous Kruger National Park and several luxury private game lodges of the Sabi Sand. The Manyeleti Community has been identified by the South African government as having one of the largest concentrations of poverty in the country.
Quality of Life in Manyeleti
In the Manyeleti region of Mpumalanga, South Africa, there are between one and four funerals every week in each village of 5,000 people. Many of these deaths are the result of AIDS pervasive presence, inadequate food supply, and limited employment opportunities. As a consequence of decades of neglect and racism people die needlessly, the long term impact of poor HIV education and limited access to treatment for HIV-positive victims. In these communities, many children become sexually active as young as 10 or 11 years old, and cultural norms typically constrain women’s sexual autonomy. Due to this lack of education and healthcare in the Manyeleti community there is a high concentration of HIV positive South Africans.
In addition, most people live without running water, sufficient electricity, sanitary bathroom facilities, and access to even minimal healthcare. Spending on healthcare in this region falls nearly thirty percent below the national average. The high rate of malnutrition among people of all ages is directly related to the high rate of unemployment, which is estimated at nearly 70%.
Specific Statistics
To outline the levels of poverty, here are several statistics from a 2002 consensus taken in the region:
o Unemployment rate: 69% (highest of all rural areas)
o 77% of households use electricity for lighting and 73% of households use mainly wood for cooking.
o Migrant labor to urban areas is a central characteristic of the area, with 36% of households depending on remittances as their main source of income. According to data from the Agincourt Health and Population Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand, over 60% of men between 16 and 65 migrate to work outside the district.
o 3.9% of households report no source of income at all, the highest proportion of all of South Africa’s rural areas. Although the district is very poor, infrastructure is relatively accessible compared to other nodal areas. The following are the percentages of households within 14 minutes (driving) of essential resources: nearest clinic (42%), primary school (70%), secondary school (55%), post office (21%), and public transport (92%).
[1] Report for Africa Foundation on Establishment of DevCentre in Bohlabela District, Mpumalanga Acornhoek Advice Centre. (Borrowed from www.buffelshoektrust.co.za).
Manyeleti Culture
Music and dance play an important role in Manyeleti culture; they bring people together in both moments of joy and of sorrow. Every Sunday, people gather at different churches for worship, singing and dancing for a few borrowed hours, before returning to the very real problems that they face on a day-to-day basis. Barefoot, kids dance in the dust from sunup to sundown. Dancing is an important shared past-time in Manyeleti because it is a venue for self-expression in a community where creativity is often unexplored because of the lack of resources. Because all that is needed in order to dance are one’s own two feet, dancing is an important outlet for creative expression in impoverished regions. Many dances have their origins in the various tribal heritages in the community, and the tribal culture is still very important to the people of Manyeleti. The community is eager to share traditional dances and experiences with the Innovation Institute Scholars. These experiences remind the scholars that while devastatingly poor in some ways, these communities have an incredibly rich and vibrant culture.
Family is at the center of life. The loyalty, respect and tradition of families in Manyeleti is striking. Young people are deeply committed to their families and their connection to their family is one of their number one priorities. Watching fourteen-year-old boys walking their little sisters to school or little girls with their baby sisters swaddled around their back, it is clear that families are an important part of the culture in this community. Many times young people wake up hours before school to help their mother and grandmother to collect water, or travel to the market to get food. When school is finished they come home to help their younger siblings or to continue with chores around the house. This is all done out of respect and loyalty for their family. Young people are expected to take on ‘adult responsibilities’ and grow into adulthood at a very young age. Families in Manyeleti feel that caring and nurturing for their children is very important. In addition, elders in the community instill a sense of community and trust throughout the entire village.
