The Rainbow Nation

South Africa’s culture is a genuine melting pot of different cultures combining to create one.  With 11 official languages and many different people groups, the convergence of these in common areas creates a unique blend. Being open to another person's background and culture creates a sense of acceptance and understanding, something we see at Refilwe every day.

Here is a picture of the different cultures we experience daily at Refilwe:

Blessing is Venda. She’s in year 8 at Hands of Hope and speaks the language of Venda. She can also speak Zulu, Tswana and English. 

Natasha is from Zambia. She came to SA when she was very young and now speaks Zulu as well as her native Zambian language. Her family still follows many Zambian traditions.

Monica is Afrikaans. She is the principal of Hands of Hope and has been a teacher for over 20 years. Although she is traditionally Afrikaans, her personal culture is very mixed because she and her husband lived in Hong Kong for almost 20 years.

Maxwell is originally from Zimbabwe. His family moved to SA  to get away from the instability of their home country. He speaks the Zimbabwean language of Sbedhi, but has quickly picked up the local language of Tswana in order to communicate with his friends.

Abby is Tswana. This people group is native to Gauteng, the province of SA in which we are located and is one of the larger populations in SA. Most people in the surrounding communities speak this language and adhere to this culture.

Nomvula is Zulu. This people group is the largest population in SA, although they primarily live in the Eastern province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Zulu is the most widely spoken African language in SA.

Jessica is English. There is a clear distinction in SA between white 'English' South Africans and white 'Afrikaans' South Africans, with many English South Africans speaking only one language.

Shirley is Sotho (pronounced Sootoo). Her family is originally from the Mpumalanga Province, however the people group to which they belong live in both SA and the country of Lesotho. She can speak several African languages.

All either students or teachers at HoH, we daily interact with the complications of cross-cultural communication. Almost every student speaks at least three languages, some fluently and some haltingly, with English being the hardest of them all. It is so important for us to recognise that each student has a unique history that has brought them to Refilwe and Hands of Hope, as well as a unique cultural background that influences the way they think and behave. Doing so creates a culture of respect and acceptance completely unique to our environment.