Latest news with #IanLandsberg
IOL News
5 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Changing lives one step at a time: Celebrating 20 Years of STEPS Clubfoot Care
Clubfoot affects 1 to 2 babies per 1,000 live births worldwide, yet despite its prevalence in Africa, it is completely treatable. Image: Ian Landsberg In a world where a life-changing intervention can mean the difference between mobility and limitation, STEPS Clubfoot Care celebrates two decades of impactful service this Tuesday, 3 June 2025, coinciding with World Clubfoot Day. Since its inception, STEPS has touched the lives of over 12,000 children across South Africa, empowering families and redefining futures through the power of early intervention. Clubfoot, a congenital condition that affects the positioning of a baby's foot, twists it downward and inward, making treatment paramount for the child's future mobility. Every year, at least 2,000 newborns in South Africa are diagnosed with this condition, yet it remains entirely treatable thanks to the Ponseti Method—a non-invasive approach that realigns the foot and provides pain-free mobility for 95% of its patients. Born from a mother's determination to overcome fear and uncertainty, STEPS was founded by Karen Moss in response to her son's clubfoot diagnosis. Struggling with limited treatment options at the time, she discovered the Ponseti Method during a visit to Dr. Ignaçio Ponseti in Iowa, USA. This experience ignited a commitment to ensure no parent in South Africa need to face clubfoot alone. 'No parent should ever feel hopeless after a clubfoot diagnosis,' Karen reflected. 'I wanted to build a local network equipped with the guidance necessary to deliver expert care and tangible results. This commitment still drives STEPS today.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ STEPS Clubfoot Care celebrates two decades of impactful service Image: Ian Landsberg As Southern Africa's only dedicated organisation for clubfoot treatment, STEPS has established a robust network of 48 partner clinics across all provinces, a monumental increase from just a handful in its early days. Healthcare professionals numbering over 2,000 have been trained, ensuring that the message of early diagnosis and treatment resonates on a national level. Beyond statistics, STEPS has powerful stories woven into its tapestry of triumphs. For mom Moreblessing Hurungo, from Mfuleni who gave birth on 23 May 2025, the help received for baby Tanashe is not only a blessing, but also a life changer. "When my child was born, I was very very worried, it was not straight, I didnt know his feet can be fixed, thought he'd live like this forever, I didnt expect this. "Now with his feet, the baby will be able to do everything a normal child can do. I am so happy, he will be fine." Axolile Madolo from the Eastern Cape who faced the harrowing news that her newborn son, Musa, had bilateral clubfoot. 'A wave of fear came over me, the anxiety and thought, of 'what did I do wrong?' "I didn't know what clubfoot was or where to go,' she recalled. But support from STEPS transformed her anxiety into action. Today, 18-month-old Musa is thriving, confidently taking his first steps and enjoying life alongside his siblings. Moreblessing Hurungo and her son Tanashe with Jane Mackinnon, Steps clinic coordinator Image: Ian Landsberg The Hartnicks faced a similar ordeal when their daughter, Kendall, was born with the condition. 'We were clueless about what to do,' admitted her father, Lorenzo. At Tygerberg Hospital's Clubfoot Clinic, the family found a clear treatment path that included casting and bracing. Now, following a successful recovery, two-and-a-half-year-old Kendall runs and plays like any other child, testament to STEPS' dedication and the committed healthcare professionals within its reach. The sustainable, collaborative model that STEPS has developed with state health institutions and the South African Paediatric Orthopaedic Society continues to shift the narrative of clubfoot care in the region. Notably, in 2025 alone, seven new partner clinics were added, reinforcing an impressive 700% growth since 2015. Significantly, STEPS has partnered with leading hospitals like Tygerberg and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in the Western Cape and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Gauteng to enhance care delivery and to ensure children complete the full clubfoot correction process. This collaboration has notably reduced the number of families who abandon treatment midway due to logistical or financial hurdles. 'Awareness can lead to early treatment and full mobility,' said Dr. Marí Thiart, a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Tygerberg Hospital, emphasising the vital role of informed caregiving in tackling this common condition.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
LOOK: Willie Bester's new exhibition turns found objects into forces of resistance
Willie Bester, globally acknowledged as one of SA foremost resistance artists. is having a solo exhibition, called 'The Human Condition', at the Koena Art Instiutute. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. "The Human Condition", a solo exhibition by celebrated South African artist Willie Bester, is set to offers art enthisiasts a rare opportunity to engage with a powerful body of work crafted over decades, reflecting the complex social and political realities of South Africa. Classified under the oppressive racial laws of the time and raised in a segregated township, Bester channelled his experiences into art that continues to speak volumes. Willie Bester's mixed-media interpretation of Saartjie Baartman pays tribute to her enduring legacy as a symbol of exploitation and resilience. Constructed using scrap metal and found objects, the artwork reflects on her dehumanising treatment in 19th-century Europe, where she was exhibited as a spectacle due to her body. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Known for his distinctive mixed-media approach, Bester combines oil and watercolour paints with photographs, newspaper clippings and various found objects from tins and bones to car parts, musical instruments and military paraphernalia. These materials, often scavenged from local dumps and junkyards, are woven into vividly coloured artworks that tell stories beyond what is seen in broadcast media and newspapers. Referencing the 1985 Trojan Horse Massacre in Cape Town, where apartheid police concealed armed officers in a delivery truck before opening fire on protesting youth, Willie Bester transforms the myth into a reminder of how violence is often hidden behind false pretences. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. Born in 1956 in Montagu, Western Cape and raised under apartheid's oppressive racial laws, Bester channelled his personal experiences into art that confronts forced removals, racial oppression and ongoing struggles for equality. By the late 1980s, he began to achieve recognition for his work, and in 1991, Bester turned professional. His role as a struggle artist naturally evolved into one of documenting the dramatic social and political developments in post-apartheid South Africa. His art addresses pressing issues such as crime, greed, poverty, corruption and government accountability, offering a critical perspective on the complexities of the new South Africa. 'The body of works deals with the condition people sometimes find themselves in,' Bester explained. This artwork by Willie Bester features a bulldozer assembled from scrap metal, looming over fragmented human figures caught in conflict. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. 'Through this body of art pieces I try to find some common ground and understanding of the different experiences. My mission as an artist is dealing with issues like political resistance and social issues.' In several of Willie Bester's portrait pieces, music, both as material and metaphor, weaves through the artwork, symbolising a powerful form of protest and identity. Image: Picture: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. Bester's work is not easily categorised. It merges painting, sculpture and installation, challenging the viewer to reckon with uncomfortable truths. His pieces often incorporate photographs and text, grounding them in specific historical contexts while speaking to broader human rights issues. With works held in major collections including the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Bester has long been recognised for his artistic and cultural impact. Willie Bester's depiction of soldiers in battle uses layered scrap metal and found objects to capture the chaos and intensity of conflict. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media. Firmly committed to upholding human dignity, Bester's work gives voice to those often ignored and tells stories rarely heard, making The Human Condition an essential encounter with South Africa's history, heritage, and identity. "My art has to be taken as a nasty tasting medicine for awakening consciences. I believe that we must protest against that which is wrong. There is no form of escape; remaining apolitical is a luxury that South Africans simply cannot afford," said Bester. The Koena Art Institute will present "The Human Condition", from Thursday, 29 May.
IOL News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival: A celebration of diversity, Chinese culture and dragon boat racing
Cape Town Dragon Boat Association hosts the Cultures of China Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday at the V&A Waterfront. Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Newspapers Not only did scores of people from Cape Town's Chinese community show up for this year's "Cultures of China - Cape Town Dragon Boat Festival" celebrations at Battery Park on the V&A Waterfront, but so did locals. Traditionally held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu) commemorates Qu Yuan, the devoted statesman and poet from the Warring States period, whose legacy lives on through spirited boat races and the sharing of sticky rice dumplings, or zongzi. Building on last year's success, several enthusiastic paddlers competed. Competitors battled in 100-metre and 500-metre sprints, with a tug-of-war race on the water adding extra excitement. On Saturday, spectators lined the Battery Park shoreline to cheer on the crews and enjoyed cultural performances, traditional music, and a showcase of Chinese heritage throughout the afternoon. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Chairperson of the Cape Town Dragon Boat Association, Igsaan Salie, said that dragon boating has been in the city since around the 90s, however, their partnership with the Chinese community over the last three years has enabled 'a phenomenal change' in terms of scope. 'It's fantastic – when it comes to food, decorations, and just overall gees (atmosphere). It just became a whole new thing, and it went up a whole bunch of levels. 'When we participate at the marina and those places, it's great, but it's not on the same level as the festival in terms of the turnout, the enthusiasm, and all of that - and the guys love it,' Salie said. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the Chinese Consul General in Cape Town, You Wenze, were also in attendance at the festival. The mayor got to experience and enjoy all that the Chinese community had to offer. Hill-Lewis was given a tour around the festival by the Consul General, and he also got his hands dirty competing in a few games, and even testing how good his aim was at basketball. The festival also included an exhilarating dragon boat race in which Hill-Lewis and Wenze participated alongside the various dragon boat clubs in Cape Town. The festival also included an exhilarating dragon boat race in which Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Chinese Consul General in Cape Town, You Wenze, participated alongside the various Dragon Boat clubs in Cape Town. Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Newspapers Despite ending up with his shirt and pants soaked in water, Hill-Lewis said that he loved it and that it was very fun. 'I love participating in events like this. It's always fun just to get involved, to try and experience it for yourself. 'So I must say, it's the first time I've ever put foot on a dragon boat, and I loved it. It was great fun. 'I really got into the gees and got competitive, as I always do,' he said. 'And I was pleased to win.' The mayor said that such events are very lovely as Cape Town has a significant Chinese community, and he noted that there's a risk of the communities keeping to themselves. 'Events that bring people out of their homes, bring people together, and let you experience Chinese food like the ones I tasted, and let you experience some beautiful tea, some Chinese medicine, games, the lovely Dragon Boat Festival, you name it, are very important.' Wenze said the event allows for a cultural exchange and enables people-to-people understanding. 'The Dragon Boat Festival has a long history, about more than 2,000 years. So it's great to see the Chinese community, together with the local communities, and some international tourists, when they come together to celebrate this traditional Chinese festival. 'It's great as it speaks to the diversity of cultures… You can see a lot of Chinese food and Chinese culture. So this is a very colourful, very splendid event.' The mayor was given a tour around the festival by the Consul General, and he also got his hands dirty competing in a few games, and even testing how good his aim was at basketball. Image: Theolin Tembo Dr Iris Wu, co-director of the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine at the University of the Western Cape, Chinese Consul General in Cape Town, You Wenze, and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Image: Theolin Tembo/Independent Newspapers Speaking about the boat racing, Wenze said that it is great to see the unity, the coordination, and how people are sitting in the same boat, having to paddle through the water at the same time. Salie added that the clubs do enjoy putting on the show and having a good time. He said that their most active clubs are at the V&A Waterfront and Century City. 'It's Monday through Friday, where we've got clubs on the water after five, so between those two places, it's one of those things where you stand on the side and you can just say, can I get on? And in most cases, you'll get signed up. 'It's a participation sport where they are keen to get new paddlers on board, and just having people see what it is, is a big step in the right direction for us, because it's almost not understood. 'They're like, okay, is it like canoeing? Is it like kayaking? Is it like supping? Is it like whatever? But it's not, it's 20 people working together towards the same goal. And it's phenomenal.'
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Inspiring the next generation: How the iAccelerate SA programme at UWC empowers young entrepreneurs
Learners attending the iAccelerate SA workshop, an innovative high school start-up accelerator designed to empower South African pupils with essential entrepreneurial and leadership skills, at the UWC. Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Newspapers As the weeks build up to the final competition, where promising projects secure further mentorship and funding opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, pupils in the iAccelerate SA programme hosted at the University of Western Cape (UWC) presented their test for business. The pupils from several high schools in the Western Cape excitedly shared their experiences through interactive sessions held at the weekend, which included entrepreneurial trailblazers and business owners sharing tips and tricks of business development and tapping into money management in a start-up, interaction with first clients, and fundraising techniques. Guest speaker, Director of Student Enrolment Management Unit, Dr Laurence Corner, on Friday, spoke to the group of pupils and aspiring entrepreneurs, encouraging them to make wise decisions for career choices. "It's not enough to say that I have done my best, but I must do the necessary to achieve success. When you make subject choices, don't go with what is easy. Do make those choices, keeping in mind that the choices you make will open doors for you," said Dr Corner. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He also highlighted how career choices may be a daunting and stressful task for teenagers at school, but encouraged pupils to "have an idea of what it is that interests and inspires you". "Don't stop dreaming and think of the craziest ideas possible. Think outside of the box and be creative." Answering questions posed by the pupils, Dr Corner was probed about the options of a gap year. He encouraged the aspirant youth to use a gap year productively. Dr Corner encouraged pupils to get into an environment where they can volunteer at institutions that pique their interest. "A gap year is a year between one set of studies and the next. During that gap year, ask questions that you don't have answers for yet. Get into the environments that you are interested in and immerse yourself to get an idea of what would be expected of you. If you want to be a doctor, volunteer at a local clinic to see the environment. Volunteer to work on your skills and get answers to unanswered questions of your intended career path." Chief Financial Officer of the African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI), Valentine Dzovova, shared her message of building resilience beyond hardship. 'You must always have a 'why' that will give you the drive to persevere against all odds. I had a few setbacks along my path, and this included my mom's passing while I was studying. When that came, I almost gave up my dream of becoming an accountant, but I persevered. Hardships should not be seen as something bad. 'I also wasn't always as financially adept as I am today, and I continuously learn along the way. There were many mistakes I made along my way to where I am now, but I learnt through the failures. I learnt my lesson and that was to always enquire and investigate to make the best decisions,' said Dzovova. Entrepreneur Zayaan Jardien gave an inspiring speech on resilience and how failure cultivates it, encouraging pupils to build their entrepreneurial skills to build their business empires. Relaying the attitude towards entrepreneurship and business development, Jardien said pupils must be consistent. 'Be consistent, always show up, and have an open mind to learn more. When you go about your business, ask yourself why this product or service matters. You have to put value behind your service,' said Jardien, adding that an entrepreneurial mindset should include the inception, survival, growth, expansion, and resilience. iAccelerate SA is an innovative high school start-up accelerator designed to empower South African pupils with essential entrepreneurial and leadership skills. iAccelerate officially launched on World Children's Day, November 20, 2024, and aspires to seamlessly connect the realms of education and the private sector, nurturing a spirit of innovation among young leaders. The programme drew inspiration from the successful iXperiment programme in Romania and is designed to empower high school pupils with entrepreneurial skills. It bridges the gap between the education system and the private sector, equipping pupils to address social, environmental, and economic challenges through innovative solutions. The iAccelerate SA programme follows a structured four-stage approach: Ideate – Pupils explore real-world challenges and develop solutions using Design Thinking. Innovate – Participants conduct market research and create prototypes of their business ideas. Initiate – Pupils develop Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and test them in real market conditions. Iterate – The final stage includes refining marketing strategies and pitching start-ups to investors. Additionally, the programme includes workshops on marketing, financial literacy, and business strategy, mentorship from local and international entrepreneurs, and culminates in a final competition where promising projects secure further mentorship and funding opportunities. As the host institution, UWC plays a pivotal role in providing resources, student recruitment support, and career guidance for Grade 11 and 12 participants. The university's Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme will also support aspiring entrepreneurs in pursuing higher education and career development.
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
How spending a night on the street transformed my view on homelessness
Participants of U-Turn's 'Night on the Street' spent a night on the pavement. Image: Ian Landsberg/Independent Media By Wendy Dondolo I've spent some time writing about homelessness, interviewing women who live on the streets, in alleyways, in makeshift shelters made of plastic and hope. I've come across mothers raising babies on cardboard, to men rebuilding their lives after addiction, and even young people cast out by a society that barely notices them. But on Saturday, I did something different. I stepped out from behind my notepad and spent a night on the streets myself. It wasn't performative. It wasn't brave. It was necessary. As part of U-Turn's Night on the Street campaign, I joined others in sleeping outside SMG BMW Cape Town to raise awareness and funds for the organisation's homeless rehabilitation work. For one night, I gave up the comfort of a warm bed and stepped into a fraction of the discomfort that comes with life on the streets. Participants of U-Turn's 'Night on the Street' spent a night on the pavement. Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Media Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ I didn't do this to understand what it means to be homeless, because one night could never teach me that. What it did teach me was something far more personal: that empathy, real empathy, requires proximity. It requires sitting in someone else's world, even if only for a few hours, to feel the bite of the cold, the unease of unfamiliar noises, and the sharp awareness that you are exposed. As a journalist, I've often wondered whether telling someone's story is enough. Does writing about homelessness create real change? Or am I just documenting pain without participating in healing? That question haunted me as I lay on the concrete, surrounded by others also choosing discomfort for a cause. I thought of Patricia Geyser, one of the women I interviewed last year as part of IOL's Elevate Her campaign. We shared her story, her voice trembling as she said all she wanted was to be reunited with her children. Weeks later, her daughter saw the video and reached out. They were reunited after 27 years. Patricia has a family again. Participants of U-Turn's 'Night on the Street' spent a night on the pavement. Image: Ian Landsberg / Independent Media That moment reaffirmed why we do what we do in the newsroom. But that night on the street reaffirmed why we must do more than write. We must listen differently. Report differently. Engage differently. Sleeping outside didn't make me an expert. It made me more human. I no longer see "the homeless" as only a category to cover. I see individuals, some victims, some fighters, some flawed, just like the rest of us. And that shift, however small, changes everything about how I tell their stories. And to the women I've interviewed: thank you for trusting me with your stories. This time, I tried to walk a little in yours. I'm still listening. I always will be. * Wendy Dondolo is a junior journalist at IOL. ** The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of Independent Media or IOL. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
