SWEET WATER FROM THE ONLY SOURCE AT MAROBA HIGH SCHOOL--LOCATED IN A SMALL VILLAGE OUTSIDE OF POLOKWANE, LIMPOPO STATE

I've written about some of the poor schools in South Africa--the disparity in funding is obvious when one visits such a rural school. This is the only source of water at the school...the toilets are brick outhouses outfitted with "regular" toilets, albeit water. They were clean. Maroba H.S. is fellow Fulbrighter Pat McHugh's place of assignment--and he loved it! The school had about 600 learners, most of whom were eager to learn. There wasn't one white student and Pat was the only "white" teacher the kids had ever seen (he's actually part Latino). Ron Reese and I visited the school a few weeks ago and we went away pretty impressed with the friendliness of the staff/students. Ron said he would have enjoyed being assigned to the high school. Me? I wasn't so sure...