Graduation and testimony

During the terminal phase of the project I attended a graduation ceremony at the Pietermaritzburg show grounds in Natal. Thousands of mature students were present, each decked out in the colours of the region from which they had been transported. They sat in a massive tent the size of a football field. In turn, each region was acknowledged, and a great number of certificates were handed out. Recipients ranged from 19 years to gogos (grandmothers) in their 90s. Some danced for joy, expressing their delight at being accredited as sufficiently literate to read a newspaper in Zulu or English. Many presented anecdotes of delight at being able to read a newspaper, sign their names, and fill in a simple form or make a written report.