Poem by English volunteer at South African aids orphanage

Volunteering abroad is more than just about getting away from home or being on the road - it’s about getting in touch with other cultures and giving of yourself, getting to live from your heart and experiencing life from a complete different perspective. Quite simply volunteering changes lives!

Lettie Mckie from England was a volunteer at one of WorkTravelSA.org’s affiliated African aids volunteer programs in 2007. Lettie visited Kayamandi , a local townships and was inspired to write a poem about it.

Kayamandi Beats
Come child and I will take you
Through corrugated streets
And together we will flicker
Through corrugated beats.

Come woman let me take you
Cos our time is running short
Take your coca cola body
Now my pepsi heart is caught.

Come you whose heart is burning
From an ache beyond your years
We will walk in dappled sunlight
I will wipe away your tears.

Come child and I will take you
Through Kayamandi streets
And together we will flicker
Through Kayamandi beats

Lettie Mckie
Stellenbosch 2007

10 out of 10 to Lettie Mckie for this poem and we want to thank her for contributing to Africa and sharing what she experienced.

If you want some more information on getting involved with various African volunteer programs than click on the ‘Volunteer Programs’ image below.