Update on Palesa

Palesa is my elder African daughter. I posted a blip about her in 2015. Since then her life has changed in big ways. She still lives in a tin shack in Daveyton, an informal settlement (shanty town) outside Johannesburg. Her son Katleho is now 14. With the help of my Blip friend in South Africa who was able to receive money I sent and send it to Palesa via phone, Palesa started and finished a course for hospital assistants, and she got a job as a carer in a facility for old people. Palesa also trained with a Swazi traditional doctor and became a traditional healer herself, and she had a baby in July, a little girl named Kamohelo, which means “Welcome.” Kamohelo’s father left before the baby was born and is not contributing to her care, so Palesa has hired a babysitter. 

She communicates with me via Facebook. Covid-19 has affected her, as it has affected us all. Because she works in an old-age facility, and so many people in that facility have died from Covid-19, her hours have been reduced and she is making less money, but she is getting by.*

This morning as I was packing up my few things at Sue’s to return home for the week, I spotted this delightful doodle Sue made when I was talking with Palesa on What’s App last year. I  made a photo of it and sent it to Palesa on FB Messenger. Tonight she said she loves it, to thank Sue for it, and she sent me her latest phone photo of Kamohelo (extra), who seems to have the joyful spirit of her mom. Because of Trump’s ridiculous policies, I can no longer send money to Palesa, but she’s now able to survive without my help.

*Update: in March 2021 she was laid off. There were not enough elders in the facility to justify keeping the full staff.