The Stateless Poet: Our New Video

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How many times have you been asked where you are from? It’s a common question – and it is usually easy to answer. For some of our clients, it is the most difficult question of all.

Watch our new video, made in partnership with B-Yond TV here.

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What’s the problem?

The Scalabrini Advocacy Programme works with several cases of individuals who are at risk of statelessness. A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law. In other words, they have no nationality at all.
The effect of statelessness on youth is particularly devastating.

What’s the solution?
At Scalabrini, the Advocacy Programme assists individuals to establish their nationality through family tracing and visiting consulates. If it is established that an individual is stateless, there are applications that can be made to the Department of Home Affairs, but oftentimes this requires further legal assistance. Within South African citizenship and immigration law, some aspects speak to statelessness. If the Department of Home Affairs had a greater capacity to respond and process such applications, great headway could be made to address the issue of statelessness sin South Africa. Furthermore, if the South African government became signatories to the two international statelessness conventions, mechanisms could be put in place to deal with stateless persons and ensure their protection. We advocate that the South African government address the issue of statelessness within its borders. Indeed, groups of undocumented people are not conducive to a functioning state. Statelessness is therefore not only a problem for the individuals involved, but an issue the South African state has an interest in resolving.

Want to take action?
Share our video about Raibyah here!
Sign the petition to end statelessness in South Africa here.
If you have any questions pertaining to Scalabrini’s work on statelessness, please email lotte@scalabrini.org.za.

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Cape Town Lee-Ann Assalone Volunteer Story

Lee-Ann Assalone: Women’s Platform Volunteer

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Lee-Ann originally from Bloomington, Indiana volunteered with Women’s Platform for a total of 9 months. Here she reflects on her experience.

“I had never been to Cape Town before but was drawn to the place because Of its natural beauty and I knew I could learn a lot from its history and sociocultural dynamics. This city is rich with diversity and i adjusted with some difficulty but great rewards. From the minute I walked in the door of Scalabrini, amongst the hussle and bustle of clients I was put at ease by Asha’s kind welcome, and warmth from the rest of the staff.

Volunteering for such a long period of time gave me the unique opportunity to integrate into the fabric of the organisation and develop meaningful bonds with the women that I had the privilege to work alongside. My highlights were definitely collaborating on events for the Women’s Platform team, and seeing the women’s pride upon graduating from Personal Development and Sector training.

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I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a talented and committed group of people, clients, volunteers and staff alike. I think one of the greatest gifts that volunteering at Scalabrini Centre offers is the opportunity to learn from people coming from all different cultures and contexts across the globe.

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To do so opens the door to better understand your own perspective, including the historical and geopolitical events that inform it. Bringing these voices together to see a project through or plan an event, witnessing a client grow in confidence and ability, observing women supporting one another, all did a lot to shore up my faith in people’s ability to work together to create something bigger than any one individual or cultural perspective could accomplish.

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“The most rewarding part was seeing the women build relationships with each other, have a place to strengthen their own voice and then the joy and confidence that grows with that. Personally, being part of such a dedicated team pushed and grew me as a person. I will take back many skills and fond memories from my time at Scalabrini.”

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Cape Town Anika Christofferson Volunteer Story

Anika Christofferson: EAP and BASP Volunteer

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Anika is from Seattle, Washington and is studying medicine. She first heard about Scalabrini through her University’s study abroad program and volunteered with Scalabrini for 3 months in the Employment Access Programme and the Bachelor Support Programme.

“I’m passionate about engaging with people and Scalabrini offered a way to engage with people directly. I’m volunteering with two different programs, the Employment Access Program and the Bachelor Academic Support Program. I start at 08h30 searching for jobs and assisting clients with CVs and Job Applications and then in the afternoons, I help out with the Bachelor Academic Support Program, mentoring students and helping out with their projects.

I’ve learned so much about teaching adults, as well as about communication across language barriers.

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“Through the Employment Access Program, I’ve found out a lot about the career climate of South Africa and I’ve become quite confident in career building. I’ve also learned to be able to be present and to isolate my emotions from my work, to make myself more available to clients – I think this will be really helpful working in medicine.”

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Cape Town is geographically similar to home, with the mountains, but Cape Town is higher energy than Seattle. Seattle is progressive, but Cape Town has a greater activism scene. There are a lot of demonstrations in Seattle, but here, activism is something you’d put on your CV – it’s part of the everyday conversation which is amazing to experience.”

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Cape Town Enrica Fitzgerald Volunteer Story

Enrica Fitzgerald: EAP and Accounting Volunteer

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Origionally from Nassau, in the Bahamas, Enrica has a degree in Accounting and Sociology from Saint Mary’s in Canada. She came to Cape Town in July and was doing an accounting internship but then got referred to Scalabrini by Bridging Gaps. This is her experience.

“In my time at Scalabrini I volunteered with the Employment Access programme and also had the opportunity to assist with the organization’s accounting systems. Through my experience I gained a deeper insight into political and economic climate, and to be honest, I didn’t really realize there were so many African Refugees.

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The Western Media doesn’t focus on African issues and it isn’t highlighted by the media. Another thing is that I learnt how to relate to people better. I can get a point across and make someone feel comfortable even across a language barrier.

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I’ve been surprised at the number of older people who weren’t able to finish school. It’s been a real eye-opener. Also, so many people have degrees which are credible, but they’re just not credible here. Qualified people aren’t able to work.

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“My one wish for clients here is that they don’t lose hope – this process is frustrating.”

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We all have a connection to home and I hope that Scalabrini clients can make the best of a difficult situation and find a home here. I loved Cape Town. It’s beautiful! I’m met smart and conscious people who are friendly and helpful all the time. And we don’t have a mountain back home so that has been a real highlight for me!”

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Cape Town Clara Coetzee Volunteer Story

Clara Coetzee: All-rounder Volunteer

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Clara is currently volunteering at Scalabrini as an All Rounder, read about her experience and the different aspects she has been able to get involved in at the centre!

I’m from Pretoria, South Africa, and I’m studying Statistics and Applied Math at UCT. I came to Scalabrini because I was looking for something worthwhile to do in my spare time. As an all-rounder, I’ve spent some time with the Employment Access Program and also the English School. At the moment, every day I teach English classes or Microsoft Excel.

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“Since starting at Scalabrini, I’ve learned and improved my communication skills, as well as how to be assertive and finding the balance between being assertive and helping people.”

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I’ve learned a lot about the hurdles that skilled professionals face when coming to South Africa and the importance of being able to communicate in English, especially within a professional environment. Personally, I’ve learned not only to work with a large number of different people, which is something to get used to, but also to connect with a people from a variety of backgrounds, with different language levels and then how to navigate that.

One day, a woman at EAP came to the help desk and she had a law degree.

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I found out that the Bertha Foundation were looking for candidates for a translation conference with legal backgrounds or backgrounds in activism. I suggested she apply and she was successful! I’ve really enjoyed living in Cape Town it’s a lot livelier than Pretoria and a lot more interesting.

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Cape Town Jean-Louise Olivier Volunteer Story

Jean-Louise Olivier: Advocacy Volunteer

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Hear from Jean-Louise, one of our current Advocacy volunteers, about how her experience is going!

“I was born in South Africa, but I grew up and studied in Australia. I studied development studies, with a focus on refugees, asylum seekers, and gender equality. I did a semester exchange at UCT and I wanted to come back to Cape Town after so I did a lot of research and found Scalabrini, and I applied to be an advocacy intern.

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Tuesdays to Fridays I do client intake in the mornings – that’s my favourite part. In the afternoons, I do research, and work on press reviews or small parts of submissions, or I do client follow-ups. I’ve learned so much. My previous internships haven’t been as hands-on or as full-time – at Scalabrini, you’re constantly in it and learning.

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I’ve gained a lot of professionalism and confidence in this field. One of my favourite moments was when one of my clients was fired and his boss was refusing to pay him. There was a court order from the Department of Labour, and so I kept pestering the boss until eventually he paid. My client phoned me and he was so happy – he was able to pay his rent and for a course that he wanted to take. I hope to keep working in the field with refugees, and with clients specifically, I don’t want to be behind a desk.”

When we asked what Jean-Louis hoped for clients at Scalabrini she said, “I hope that the clients of Scalabrini can feel included in South Africa and that they are able to identify as whatever they want to. I hope that people accept them, and they don’t exploit or harm them.

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“Working with refugees is very rewarding. I would recommend it.”

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Cape Town Pamela Client Story

Pamela: Small steps to survival with the help of Welfare

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We follow the story of Pamela, a nurse from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), whose hardships in South Africa became more manageable through Scalabrini’s Welfare Programme.

From Congo to South Africa

Pamela, a trained nurse, fled the DRC because it was too dangerous for her to stay. As Pamela explains, ‘to stay in the DRC is difficult. I’m not talking about other people, I’m talking about for me and my husband. To go back is not easy for us’.

Pamela fled to South Africa with no English skills and no money. As South Africa’s economy is larger than that of DRC, Pamela expected that she would find a way to support herself. “I thought that if you go to a country that has many things, [you expect] that you too can have things.” But even in South Africa, “we only had enough for food and paying rent. We didn’t have much more than that.”

Approaching Scalabrini

Unemployed and desperate to support her two children, Pamela approached Scalabrini in 2015 for assistance. “The first thing I noticed here was the way people communicated with me, asking me how I was and making me feel like I could put my faith here.” Pamela was referred to English School, where she passed through four levels.

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“The first thing I noticed here was the way people communicated with me, asking me how I was and making me feel like I could put my faith here.”

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Following English School, Pamela was referred to AMKA, a series of workshops and sessions in a collaboration between the Employment Access Programme and the Welfare Programme, designed to raise self-esteem and promote self-resilience amongst vulnerable refugee women. “They give people energy,” explains Pamela. “They show you how to stand by yourself and how to have the courage to achieve your dreams.” Following AMKA, Pamela was supported through a six-week hospitality course, following which she started looking for a job with the assistance of the Employment Access Program. After a short-term job at a guesthouse in Brooklyn, Pamela heard of a position in the Scalabrini Guesthouse. Following interviews, Pamela was offered the position and has been working there ever since.

Steps to building a life in South Africa are slow and small, but Pamela remains positive. “Scalabrini and the people here like Fortune, Papa Etienne and Jane gave me courage. Before, I had big challenges, now I have peace in my heart and my child has food.”

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Cape Town UNITE Celebrating Heritage Day

Celebrating our Heritage with UNITE

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Heritage Day is a South African public holiday that encourages citizens to celebrate their diverse cultures, beliefs, nationalities, and traditions alongside one another. Students from participating schools in Scalabrini’s UNITE program came together to celebrate Heritage Day and wrap up UNITE for this year. In accordance with the holiday’s purpose, students performed various art pieces that represented their cultures and identities including skits, dances, poems, songs, and raps.

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Mawande Kaleni, a 10th grade student from Heiderveld, performed a beautiful poem about Africa as the motherland that unites. Kaleni was especially excited for Heritage Day; “We’ve been preparing for this day for a while. We even convinced one of our teachers to set aside time each day for us to brainstorm and practice our performance.” Kaleni articulated his appreciation for the UNITE program and the way it brought schools together and introduced him to new friends. Aside from Kaleni’s poem, the rest of the Heiderveld group performed a humorous skit that kept the audience engaged and laughing.

Heiderveld students Sisipho Ndzabela, Mantisa Gcaza and Aza Ntantiso agree that their favorite thing about UNITE this year was the unique subjects they discussed and debated, and the way their understandings of integration and diversity changed as a result of UNITE. Ntantiso added that she was grateful for the opportunity to celebrate Heritage Day with friends, and that she loves the way Heritage Day gives people the chance to recognize, embrace, and appreciate their cultures. She also noted that culture plays a significant role in shaping personality, and that it should not be overlooked.

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Phelo Tsana, a 9th grade student from Zonnebloem, has been looking forward to this day all year. Tsana’s favorite part of UNITE has been getting to know other students and their personalities outside the traditional classroom setting. His peers reiterated his thoughts, and added that they appreciate the way UNITE program leaders give them the freedom to be themselves.

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“They welcome us with warm hands. We feel treated as one, not as outsiders.”

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Heritage Day served as the culmination to all UNITE program activities for this year, as students will now move into final exam season before breaking for summer. Before the event ended, Mthetheleli Wontyi, one of the UNITE program facilitators, left students with a few words of advice. “You all are the chosen ones,” he said. “You’re very lucky to be here, and being part of UNITE comes with responsibility to be change agents in your homes and in your communities. Now is time to take the lessons we learned throughout the year and apply them to your lives.”

Jade Bell, another one of the UNITE program managers, left students with a reason to work especially hard in studying for finals by announcing that next year, UNITE students will be given the opportunity to participate in the World Scholars Cup (WSC). WSC is a global competition for high school students, and was founded to serve as a celebration of the joy of learning. The tournament is an enrichment opportunity for students, and the top ten highest-scoring or most-improved UNITE students will be able to compete. What a wonderful and exciting year for UNITE!

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What does integration mean to you?

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Here at Scalabrini, one of our main goals is the peaceful integration between migrants, refugees and citizens. Integration is not only about how hosts treat foreigners; it is about how migrants and refugees integrate themselves in different ways.

This womens month, we asked two women from Zimbabwe their thoughts.

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Watch Stembile’s story, who sees her Daycare Creche as a central part of her integration within South Africa:

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Watch Beatrice’s story as she reflects on integration in Cape Town:

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Cape Town the impact of being an undocumented child

The impact of being an undocumented child

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Did you know that, in international law, it is a child’s right to have a name, a nationality and immediate birth registration? South Africa is signatory to several international conventions that spell this out.* Here in South Africa, these rights are further enshrined in our Constitution, which confirms that all children in South Africa – regardless of nationality – have ‘the right to a name and a nationality from birth.’

The reality for some children, however, is very different. Regulations around birth registration in South Africa mean that children born to parents with expired documents and blocked or lost South African IDs cannot be issued a birth certificate. Watch this video and read this multi-organization press release to learn more.

But what does it actually mean for the child who does not hold a birth certificate? Here are just some of the impacts of being born an undocumented child.

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1. Accessing services becomes increasingly difficult
Many schools in South Africa require that a learner produce a birth certificate to enroll at school. This seems to be an ever-stricter policy. Undocumented children without birth certificates cannot enroll in school and are denied their right to basic education. Parents with no recourse to documentation are caught in limbo as they are not able to document their child. Access to healthcare becomes increasingly difficult as the child gets older. Once the child becomes eighteen years of age, the child is liable to detention and/or deportation.

2. The child is at risk of statelessness
A stateless person is defined as ‘someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law’. In other words, a stateless person has no recognised nationality. An undocumented child is not able to prove who they were born to, or where they were born. They are therefore at risk of statelessness. You can watch a short film on a young man affected by statelessness here.

3. The child does not exist on any state system.
It is in the interests of a state to record how many children are born within its borders. Those without birth certificates are not entered into national population registers. This also means that the child without a birth certificate is more likely to remain undetected in terms of care and protection services. It was even found that some social workers within a South African context can be reluctant to take on cases of undocumented foreign children – which might be in part due to the complex issues around being an undocumented child.

There are many more effects of being an undocumented child. If you want to learn more about the work Scalabrini does around foreign children, you can read more here. Should you require advice on an undocumented child, please contact Scalabrini or visit our Advocacy Team, from 9am – 12pm, Tuesdays – Fridays.

*The international conventions that include a child’s right to a name, nationality and birth registration are: the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 7), the 1966 Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 24) and the 1999 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Article 6).

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