Act 4 Scene 4

A Lost Purpose


The WaSH Facility in Mandela Park on a bright and sunny Friday.


The previous day had been incredibly frustrating. After ending on a good note of dancing and having fun together in the facility, the WaSH teams are incredibly optimistic today. On the way to Langrug in the morning, both teams show much enthusiasm and energy to move forward. Nicole writes on paper the topics the WaSH teams suggest we cover today with the co-researchers, such as their goals and what challenges they want to overcome. We start brainstorming the challenges we hope the co-researchers notice and want to resolve, such as a lack of communication and participation. We plan to do a trust activity and create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting personal and communal savings. Each topic is assigned a pair from WaSH to tackle. With these plans, we are ready to have a productive day in Langrug!

Cast of Characters


Upon arriving, we do not see much activity in or around the facility. Zodwa and Noloyiso are the only ones present. Mollie quickly asks Noloyiso to help her set up the table and chairs and set out the games and toys for the Aftercare programme. After waiting for some time, Stephanie, Kostas, Danielle, and Mollie begin doing puzzles with Zodwa. Everyone begins to worry why no one is there and Sizwe tries calling Mama Poto as Danielle calls Amanda 2, Nomahala, and Mama Thandi. Soon everyone starts slowly arriving one by one. The co-researchers inform us that Khungeka is going to be late because she has a hair appointment.

After some initial conversation, WaSH decides to initiate our plan for today. Danielle and Nathan have agreed to cover the goals portion. Nathan and Danielle try to stay very upbeat while asking what the co-researchers’ goals are for the last week of the project. The women are slow to answer but after a few minutes Mama Victoria suggests varnishing the floors. Other goals, such as outside swings/ jungle gym, table and chairs, and small cots for the kids in the Aftercare are suggested. We thank everyone for the contributions and then ask for some of the non-material things that need to be accomplished before we leave. Kostas suggests that a goal is to finish the constitution and Zodwas agrees. Danielle and Nathan ask the co-researchers if they agree with this goal. They nod yes but do not seem very engaged. Alfred suggests the advertising flyers for the aftercare be finished and dispersed. Sizwe suggests that a goal is to have a conversation about savings and how it works. Everyone agrees to have this conversation on Monday when Scott, Steve, and Adi are present.

The WaSH teams try to make a few suggestions that may spark ideas for the co-researchers. Suggested goals are to get a sign and to finish painting the washing hands above the sink. WaSH-Biz says a goal they’ve talked about collectively is to establish a system of keeping records. Mollie says her goal is for one person not in the Working Group to check out a book! Danielle says another goal can be to get more books. Nathan suggests we have a goal of reviewing the Aftercare Operations Manual and making necessary changes. Sizwe adds we should discuss a management structure and management roles. Nicole has a goal that WaSH-Biz sees a Savings Group meeting that has been planned for several weeks but has yet to happen.

All of this brainstorming for twelve goals takes most of the morning. There is a lot of silence and a lot of prompting. The WaSH teams try suggesting a variety of goals so the co-researchers are comfortable with suggesting anything, but that still does not spark their interest. No one is completely engaged; people are on their phones or playing and looking at the baby.

Despite the struggle to brainstorm goals for the next few days, WaSH decides to try and initiate conversation about goals for the next year. Mollie begins the conversation by asking if anybody has any suggestions and after a long silence Lulu, the salon owner, starts off. She says a goal is for the Aftercare to be fully running: open everyday, kids coming after school, registration established, enough adults to watch all the children, and multiple areas for the kids to play different games. Danielle says another goal can be that the kids establish a hand-washing routine through the programme. Lulu suggests another goal is for there to be bread and soup for the children. Alfred notes that this goal would need funding and he hopes the aftercare gets officially registered, so they can get funding from the municipality.

WaSH-Biz asks for long-term goals concerning the Savings Group. Mama Poto suggests membership cards for everyone and Kostas says that can even be a short-term goal, so it is added to the other list. Alfred has a goal to expand the Savings Group by having each member recruit three more people. Other goals are to establish weekly meetings and to make improvements to the constitution. Many disagree that there should be any improvements or changes to the constitution, saying it can never be changed once it is established. Nicole points out that the Savings Group has not yet signed the document, so technically they can make any change they wish. Danielle asks if South Africa’s constitution has ever been changed. Those who are participating at all say “no.” Danielle asks about the constitution change at the end of apartheid. “Wasn’t this change important? Can you imagine if this improvement was not able to happen?” In addition to this major change, the constitution has been amended 17 times. A discussion about the importance of improving the Savings Group constitution follows. Danielle uses a simple example of changing the meeting time. “What if the constitution states that each weekly meeting is at 5pm? If things were to change and many members had a new commitment at that time, such as work or church, it would be positive for the group to recognize something in the constitution that no longer fits. Wouldn’t it be constructive to discuss this and prompt a vote to change the time to one that works for everyone?” By the end, some co-researchers agree that it is positive and not bad to improve and better the constitution if it will benefit the group.

Another goal is to follow and abide by the constitution. Danielle and Nathan suggest that this strengthens the need to better the constitution because if the group finds it is not fitting to follow a certain part, then that part could be discussed and improved! The WaSH teams and Alfred are very engaged in this discussion but others remain disinterested. At one point, Mama Poto vocalizes the opposition when she says she does not want to talk about this anymore due to her health. The co-researchers seem to want this discussion about goal setting to be over and to be done with as soon as possible. The WaSH teams push further and Sizwe suggests a goal is to establish a General Annual Review meeting. When asked when this could be, there is silence. WaSH-Biz asks if the first meeting of the year in January would work well for this meeting but they do not get much of a response.

Sizwe suggests that a goal is to come up with a list of community projects the Savings Group can focus on. The WaSH teams do not push this subject further because at this point, it is unsure if the Savings Group is for community projects or personal savings and how that will work. Sizwe even takes over the conversation at one point to discuss his views on communal and personal savings. Mollie questions if these are his views. She states that the views of the co-researchers are more important to fulfill their thoughts and hopes for the Savings Group and Aftercare Programme.

Sizwe leaves to go to the bank to get stipend money to pay the co-researchers.

With little participation except from Alfred and Sizwe, the WaSH teams recognize that this conversation is not going anywhere and it is decided that the co-researchers will have a meeting now with the students gone. We discuss some specifics to ensure they actually follow through on the plan: Zodwa and Alfred will act as scribes and will take attendance and the meeting will be to discuss how the aftercare and Savings Group will work together. The co-researchers seem unhappy about having a meeting. As the WaSH teams exit, they remind them how important and valuable it is that they express their thoughts and hopes in their meeting.

Upon entering the van, Reed asks Sizwe why he talked about the Aftercare Programme as the Savings Group’s first community project when this was the opposite of what was decided the day before. Sizwe does not have an answer but admits he is frustrated and often does not know where to take the conversations and discussions due to the lack of participation. Everyone agrees that we do not know what to do and do not know where to go. Sizwe says that some co-researchers were talking in Xhosa when we arrived that they were going to say they had a funeral to go to in order to get out of work early. This upsets the WaSH teams greatly. By coincidence, WaSH left early that day but otherwise the teams would have been lied to by people they trust and care about.



Today, the WaSH teams felt completely defeated. They started out with much enthusiasm and motivation to turn things around in Langrug but once again, this determination was overpowered. It was incredibly difficult when the co-researchers resisted discussion by remaining silent or making excuses such as Mama Poto stating that she cannot discuss anything stressful due to her health. At one point Amanda 1 states with a grin that she is no longer speaking English to us anymore. Others just say they do not want to talk. It seems there is always an excuse, whether valid or not, to avoid doing work. While Alfred was helpful and engaged in this discussion, his involvement, ideas, and energy were not enough to motivate the others to participate and his rare appearances at our meetings are not enough to work with. Despite all of our effort and work, the lack of participation, motivation, drive, and care for the programmes is taking a toll on us. We feel overwhelmed and discouraged. What is the point of going to Langrug anymore, when the co-researchers will not work with us?

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