This is a native South African student in her traditional clothes,top grades, working and struggling to even survive on her way to school so that she can meet her friends. She likes to learn new things, become a good teacher one day and teach the black students about her trip to Norway, the 2nd richest country in the world..

She is standing as you see, before hundreds of people speaking straight from the heart. 2 schools came to visit us, a black and white school. The Afrikaners as they're called, had more money to shop than I have ever carried in my life while the native could barely afford two meals outside.. She didn't hold speech, for a speech is practiced, she spoke from the heart on how life is there and how her experience overwhelmed her to tears. She didn't want to go back, none of us really understood why the blacks where crying.. they seemed like African Americans. But no, they were only ashamed of the poorness of their lives to speak openly of it.

The segregation still exists, it is an enormous difference in development between the classes and the living standards vary from city to city. I do not wish to write an essay on this but simply to enlighten you on the issue of South Africa, the numerous UN resolutions on the diamond trade that is amended everyday.. Nothing seems to work but it has improved since the 60s. Read Cry, the Beloved Country and you'll understand. Watch Blood Diamond and get a small view of the African crisis.

South Africa, a place where people of racial difference have learned to live in peace but only found themselves to be at peace within their own fences. I can assure you that every native South African have seen or even been in a situation of a gun being pointed at a head. They all seemed to love this "god forsaken" country where the blood runs in the red earth. From this smart young woman who will make sure her family go one step further to the model who is excited to be one of the first south African teenager modeling in Milan.

There is only hope. I chose this particular title because of the movie Blood Diamond, where Archer fights to get the biggest diamond and get out of South Africa but ends up with his blood and tears dripping to the red earth,
His motto was.. T.I.A.


This is Africa.


PS: Please read Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Do it for the South African kids.. Consider it your share.