Catching up Part 8

February 8, Friday

On the way to the UCCSA office I saw Sophiatown, (pronounced So feye yah) the place where Blacks lived who were then forced to relocate to Soweto by the Afrikaaners.  On the other side of the road is where the Coloureds were forced to relocate.  These groups of people were removed from places and poor whites moved in; an organized plan to keep the groups segregated and keep them separated from the white areas.

I was told today that the black and coloured people did not receive benefits and could not buy life insurance up to 30 years ago.  They were not allowed to buy it.  In addition, enough to eat, enough to pay the bills was rare much less to buy life insurance or to have “inherited” wealth to bury a family member, sustain a family in the case of death, much less help them to get a better life.  This helps me understand why the MyUCCSAPlan will be helpful to the members. I contrast this with knowing how many of the truly wealthy people in the USA got their wealth by inheritance, and even the support my parents were able to give my siblings and I when we were growing up and what they gave us when they died.

Bridgman center church and classroom buildings

Bridgman center community hall and office building

Welllington Director of Bridgman Center and Leon outside office

Bridgman center community room

Wellington, Bridgman Center staff and Creche age children

I got to see the Bridgman Center today, what a treat!  Wellington and the staff there were very gracious in the tour and the children were so delightful.  There is a crèche (preschool) and an after school program.  The afterschool program includes tutoring, computers, arts and crafts, bible study, exercise and movies.  The children in the afterschool program not only all passed their marks this year but got medals!

The center is also used by community groups such as a women’s exercise group, sewing group, karate class, and a girls and boys group coordinated by the center. It is also rented out for receptions and conferences.  Thanks for the tour Bridgman Center staff!