Jon, who does math problems in his head for fun, started calculating how far our US dollars could go in South Africa and the impact we could have, and we were hooked. Despite their conditions of hardship, many residents had an inherent optimism that was contagious. The conditions were often heartbreaking and dire, but we were struck most of all by the spirit of the people that we met. We spent a day on a private tour of Langa Township, visiting homes, a school, and an orphanage. Under apartheid, the Townships were places of forced segregation, and to this day, they are comprised of mostly miles of cargo containers and shanties, with limited access to water, electricity, and sanitation. It was important to us that we see more than what is used to draw tourists to the country we needed to see what is the reality for so many people because, for Jon and me, understanding how people are impacted by systemic inequities was critical. While we were there, we also wanted to get to know part of the country that sadly, many visitors pass by: the Townships where the majority of the Black population lives. Jon and I describe it as “San Francisco on steroids,” with breathtaking beauty, an incredible wine region close to the city, creative food, and a range of experiences close at hand. I remember remarking to Jon, “I always dreamed of seeing it for myself “ And with the flick of a pencil, we were on our way to South Africa a few months later, having no idea how much it would change our lives. I was thrilled to finally be visiting. It all started in the spring of 2008 when we attended a fundraiser for colon cancer research and found ourselves next to the silent auction table featuring an African safari trip with no bids. I had read an article about Cape Town in Condé Nast Traveler magazine shortly after the end of apartheid and never forgot the too-beautiful-to-be-true images of the city. Like many things in life, the idea took form in an organic way. Jon Ostroff and I have lived in the Philadelphia, PA area all of our lives and never planned on building a Montessori School in South Africa.

Nomute langa township south africa