We aren’t the first Peace Corps Volunteers to live here in Zombodze. The last one was here for about a year back in 2005(ish). But about 25 years ago a young PCV named Dan Webber was placed here, and his influence and projects remain an important part of this community—and an important part of our own PCV experience thus far. What follows is a pretty cool story, folks, and it continues to unfold.
The first time we visited Zombodze we walked into the carpentry workshop and met the carpenters, a young man and an older man. When the older man learned that we were PCVs, he pulled down a framed black-and-white photo from the wall above his workbench and handed it to me. I saw in the photo two men shaking hands in front of a van with the words “Sebenta PC Training” written on its side. One of the men was a Swazi, dressed in traditional Swazi clothes, and the other was a young westerner with a big beard and an even bigger smile. The carpenter told us that the picture was taken back around 1982, and that the westerner in it was Dan Webber, a Peace Corps Volunteer who’d lived and worked here in Zombodze—and whose projects included constructing the very building in which we stood. In fact, all the buildings in that complex of workshops and stores are the result of Dan’s outstanding partnership work with the community.
As I held that picture and listened to our friend translate the carpenter’s account of how much Dan did for him and the community, I felt myself apart of something larger, and I knew, standing there, that I was right where I wanted to be. And though I’d already been in training in Swaziland for a few months, I think that might have been the moment my personal Peace Corps experience began: The gray-bearded carpenter (Mkhulu Twala is his name) returned the picture to its place on his wall, told us he was happy we’d arrived, and invited us to come visit him any time. We have.
It gets better. I told this story to a fellow PCV a week or so later, and she told me that in fact Dan Weber was on Facebook and had contacted some Swaziland PCVs regarding his old community of Zombodze. Later she gave us his email (thanks, S.), and since then we’ve been in direct contact with Dan (I think he even reads this blog—hi Dan!). He’s passed us some photos and an account of his time here back in the day (1981-83), including pics of Mkhulu Twala and other people in the community that he’d befriended and worked with. His experience in Zombodze was incredible—Dan built his own home here and he could speak fluent siSwati upon leaving, and the results of his community development work endure.
So we’ve been able to share those photos Dan sent us with Twala the carpenter as well as others who knew Dan, and we gave them updates about him. And it’s been an amazing thing to share: they are overjoyed. In turn, we’ve been able to send Dan some current photos of his old friends and exchange community info with him… this intercontinental, inter-generational exchange continues to develop, and it’s quite a meaningful experience for us. His longtime friends here in Zombodze are now our newest friends, welcoming us to Zombodze with open arms.
So thank you, Dan—siyabonga kakhulu, umfanfigile!
The first time we visited Zombodze we walked into the carpentry workshop and met the carpenters, a young man and an older man. When the older man learned that we were PCVs, he pulled down a framed black-and-white photo from the wall above his workbench and handed it to me. I saw in the photo two men shaking hands in front of a van with the words “Sebenta PC Training” written on its side. One of the men was a Swazi, dressed in traditional Swazi clothes, and the other was a young westerner with a big beard and an even bigger smile. The carpenter told us that the picture was taken back around 1982, and that the westerner in it was Dan Webber, a Peace Corps Volunteer who’d lived and worked here in Zombodze—and whose projects included constructing the very building in which we stood. In fact, all the buildings in that complex of workshops and stores are the result of Dan’s outstanding partnership work with the community.
As I held that picture and listened to our friend translate the carpenter’s account of how much Dan did for him and the community, I felt myself apart of something larger, and I knew, standing there, that I was right where I wanted to be. And though I’d already been in training in Swaziland for a few months, I think that might have been the moment my personal Peace Corps experience began: The gray-bearded carpenter (Mkhulu Twala is his name) returned the picture to its place on his wall, told us he was happy we’d arrived, and invited us to come visit him any time. We have.
It gets better. I told this story to a fellow PCV a week or so later, and she told me that in fact Dan Weber was on Facebook and had contacted some Swaziland PCVs regarding his old community of Zombodze. Later she gave us his email (thanks, S.), and since then we’ve been in direct contact with Dan (I think he even reads this blog—hi Dan!). He’s passed us some photos and an account of his time here back in the day (1981-83), including pics of Mkhulu Twala and other people in the community that he’d befriended and worked with. His experience in Zombodze was incredible—Dan built his own home here and he could speak fluent siSwati upon leaving, and the results of his community development work endure.
So we’ve been able to share those photos Dan sent us with Twala the carpenter as well as others who knew Dan, and we gave them updates about him. And it’s been an amazing thing to share: they are overjoyed. In turn, we’ve been able to send Dan some current photos of his old friends and exchange community info with him… this intercontinental, inter-generational exchange continues to develop, and it’s quite a meaningful experience for us. His longtime friends here in Zombodze are now our newest friends, welcoming us to Zombodze with open arms.
So thank you, Dan—siyabonga kakhulu, umfanfigile!
There are currently about 50 PCVs placed in all 4 regions of Swaziland. If there are any other Swaziland RPCVs out there reading this who’d like to find out if a current PCV is living in your old community, leave us a message and we’ll be happy to check it for you.
2 comments:
Velaphi & Ketsiwe,
It is every PCV’s hope that his/her life will have a positive impact on this world and what we are making of it. It is also the nature of Peace Corps that the most significant influence we have, and the most important changes that result, take time to grow and are seldom completely realized while the Volunteer is in country. Your kindness in helping re-establish the links between myself and my Swazi community and family is one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given, and I am very grateful to see that some of the work we did together as a community has stood the test of time.
Time is also an increasingly foggy mirror and I want to bring a little clarity back to the perspective for a moment concerning my time in Zombodze.
Like you two, I was only another link in a chain, a volunteer who was welcomed openly by the community because of a positive experience with previous volunteers. In my case, they were the Hewletts, a married couple who taught in the local school. My immediate predecessor in my job was a wonderful young Canadian woman named Anne Mitchell, she was my mentor and it was her groundwork and funding from WUSC (I think that is correct) that began the process to build the first community project. We were just able to complete the Sewing Cooperative prior to her return to Canada. She was my inspiration to look outside the limits of what a volunteer can do, and it was Canadian funding and support that made possible all the other projects I was involved with during my term.
However, no matter how much we try or how much effort we exert we are, all of us, just a catalyst dependant on the hopes and dreams of the communities in which we share.
I always thought of myself as the ox that pulled the plow. Without the direction of those in the community who kept me on a straight path I would have made a royal mess out of the field, but with Their help, I was able help; and as a result seeds were planted that are still bearing fruit almost 30 years later. You have met some of these people, Twala, Dlamini, Xulu, Simelane, they are the real reason that a young, naive, umlungnu was able to accomplish anything at all.
There were so many other Volunteers as well, Donna, Rick, Kim, Phillip, all at Zombodze, all idealists the same as me – and you.
There is a line from the movie Amistad that I always remember when I think of Swaziland. Cinque is engaged in the trial and he makes the statement that at that moment, all his ancestors and all their lives had existed only to insure that he was prepared to take his part in the continuing story. This is our story as well.
There is a great comfort in knowing that you are a link in a chain that continues to grow true to the ideals that founded it. All of us behind you, no one link any more important that the other, are grateful for your willingness to be the working link at this point in time. If you were not there right now, building another link and preparing to make your own contributions to the Zombodze family, then an important part of what we had done in the past would have no meaning.
Thank you for being unselfish, for being brave, and for proving that there is still a hope and desire for peace in our world.
With Sincere Respect,
Dan Webber
Umfanfikile Sihlongonyane.
Hi - I was in the same group as Dan Webber. I am making a first very brief trip back to Swaziland. Are you still there? I was at the Sitobela REC; my husband was in Nhlangano (we got married while there). We are both there for a long weekend - March 5-7. Would love to talk with you - send a phone number if possible. We'll pick up a sim card as soon as we arrive.
Diane Gardsbane/Paul Sully
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