A few weeks ago we started our third loan family at New Creation Family Church. One of the entrepreneurs in this loan family happens to live in an informal settlement known as Zandspruit (pronounced ZANS-spreight). I first mentioned informal settlements in one of my blogs about Cosmo City, but haven’t had much chance to expand upon them since that entry. In a nutshell, an informal settlement is an area in which people have created make-shift housing (generally consisting of scrap metal, corrugated tin, various plastic material, etc.) but on which they have no legal claim. These residential areas are unauthorized, and thus, technically illegal. These types of settlements arise when an increase in urbanization (more people moving into cities) is met with an insufficient number of houses.
The living conditions in areas such as this are poor to say the very least. Because the housing structures are illegal, residents don’t usually have access to running water or electricity–and bathroom facilities are less than desirable. Sanitation is generally very bad.
All this being said, our entrepreneur has an incredible desire to succeed. My coworker Greg and I visited his business (in Zandspruit) prior to NCFC granting him a loan. His spaza shop (a type of “convenience store”) consists of a single table set up outside his home. The table can’t be more than 4 feet long by 3 feet wide. At his spaza shop, our entrepreneur sells paraffin (used for cooking since they don’t have electricity) and sweets (candy)–and he has two public phones which people can pay to use to make either domestic or international calls. He was interested in the loan in order to buy cool drinks (soda) to sell at his spaza shop during the warm summer months. He insisted that his customers continue to ask for cool drinks, but he doesn’t have the extra R70 (about $10USD) to buy a case of cool drinks at the petrol station (gas station) down the road.
This man is unbelievably hard working and a great learner. He was the first one to show up to our Saturday training (he was 20 minutes early!), despite the fact that he lives a significant distance away and it takes nearly an hour by taxi. (Note: “Taxi” in the South African context refers to a 15 passanger van that is more similar to a bus than an “American taxi.”) Towards the end of our assessment visit, Greg and I asked him why he was interested in growing his business. His response was simple. He wants to grow his business so he can expand his shop and employee people who are less fortunate than himself. He wants to do something good for the community.
With such an undeniably pure heart, we couldn’t help but be captivated by this young man and his selfless longing to help others despite his own current circumstances.
