Arriving in Bulungula was an experience like no other, from the beautiful scenery to the welcoming residents of the village. Coming from Cape Town and settling into Bulungula was like entering a whole new world, a whole new culture tied up in one huge village, filled with people who hold a high determination level and back that up with hard work.
The first weekend in Bulungula was a joyous occasion, staying at the Bulungula Lodge, situated on a cliff off the ocean front, filled with people from various places across South Africa and beyond.
The vibe of the Bulungula Lodge, and Bulungula as a whole, feels as if you’re visiting family you haven’t seen in a while. Loving, welcoming, kind, and joyful. The whole experience was joyous, the Lodge has a few rondawels overlooking the lovely ocean front, and cabins surrounded by a tranquil forest of trees. The Viva Con Agua team had the rare chance of staying in both the tranquil forest cabin and the ocean front rondawel, both equally spacious and stunning, warm, and comforting – though the team enjoyed the rondewal’s much more – we would recommend them.
After arriving at the Lodge, we joined the huge group of people at the reception/bar (yes, you saw correctly), a reception & bar combined. Couches filled the space on each side and the middle was two dining tables, a desk behind that, and a communal kitchen, as well as a mini-library and chill area. A warm and welcoming environment for many people to enjoy and connect within. A place and people that make you feel as if you’re home, with the strong sense of community.
Although, the Viva Con Agua Team didn’t just relax at the lodge, during our stay in Bulungula we had tasks to finish, visiting and inspecting the various schools water and sanitation infrastructure that Viva Con Agua and Built Environment Clinic has helped us implement in the past, holding workshops for young teachers and principals regarding water and sanitations in schools for our WINS projects lead by Sivu Tembani, and gifting them with the wonderful innovation called SATO Taps that have been operating across the schools and colleges within Bulungula, some of our team members also attended the WASHA tournament and last but definitely not least the Sew4Change workshop, where residents of the Bulungula community came together with our Viva Con Agua team and sewed, bringing enjoyment to their lives and a change of pace.
In communities across the Eastern Cape, a simple act of handwashing can be a luxury. But with an initiative, that’s changing. Viva Con Agua South Africa has been a game-changer, distributing and installing simple, sustainable SATO Taps at schools that had no handwashing facilities before. These taps aren’t just fixtures; they’re a lifeline, providing a critical and easy-to-maintain solution for students and teachers.
Sometimes, the simplest solutions have the biggest impact. The SATO Taps project in Bulungula is a perfect example. Already independently adopted by many schools, the taps’ success was celebrated at the WASHeroes Workshop in August, where 30 schools collected 35 more taps. This initiative, praised by Bulungula Incubator director Réjane Woodroffe for its positive impact, is a testament to the power of simple, effective hygiene solutions.
Leading us to the previous day, Tembani lead a workshop educating educators on water and sanitation and new practices that Viva Con Agua is implementing within Bulungula to lead the villages into a healthier future. This initiative brought joy to the faces of the educators and principles giving them a sense of being cared for, one of the educators also came up to the team to thank us for all the work we have done and continue to do and showered us with appreciation. It was heart-warming to see and hear.
WASHA Tournament: Netball & Soccer
A few days after, members of the VcA team gathered on a big field to watch the young and older men and women of Bulungula play to win and play to express – in what Viva Con Agua and Dynasty Sport collaborated on, naming it the WASHA tournament. Where netball and soccer were played by various teams in their stunning uniforms with Viva Con Agua’s signature drop on it.
It’s one thing to talk about change, but another to live it. That’s why this initiative is so powerful. Using football, a universal language, Viva con Agua and Dynasty Sport are uniting communities around a shared passion while promoting awareness about essential issues like water access and hygiene. This is more than just a game; it’s a vehicle for behavioural change.
Sew4Change Workshop:
A day or two before the team left, a sewing workshop was held in Bulungula, where community members gathered for the Sew4Change Workshop initiative. The room buzzed with the gentle whir of sewing machines and the soft murmur of conversation. They cut, threaded, and sewed the day away, their hands working with practiced precision. As the hours passed, vibrant garments began to take shape, each one a patchwork of brilliant colours that seemed to pop with life and joy. The workshop was more than just a place to create; it was a space for collaboration and community, where every stitch was an act of hope.
The days spent in Bulungula were more than just a series of tasks; they were a profound journey of connection. From the WASHA tournament that used the power of sport to unite a community, to the Sew4Change workshop that transformed fabric into a tapestry of hope, every moment was a testament to the incredible spirit of the people here. We may have come to inspect taps and run workshops, but what we received in return was immeasurable: a reminder of what it means to be truly welcomed, the raw power of collective action, and the unwavering belief that a healthier, happier future is not just a dream, but a reality being sewn, kicked, and built with every new day. The people of Bulungula showed us that change isn’t something you bring to a community; it’s something you create together.
