Uberplanning

I’ve found it hard to blog over the last few months. My head’s been full of lists, to-dos events, emails and lingering concerns, and I find it difficult to be reflective in that situation.

But I’m on the roof of the Happy Hippo here in Durban with a cheeky beer, the sun is setting after a good mixed day of working on those lists, wandering on the beach, and meeting two of the fabulous people here in Durban making things happen* and, before I embark on another evening of uberplanning, maybe it’s time to do a little reflecting.

The Uberplan. Without it, I would be lost. It’s my multi-multi page spreadsheet in which everything is turned into comforting tables. Accommodation. Transport. First aid. Football fixtures. Leisure time. Flights. Artworks. Putting everything into good old Microsoft Excel – it’s an alchemic process turning “I know! Let’s hold a world cup – for street children!” into reality.

I like to think I’m not all “spreadsheet”, personality-wise, but the network of people creating this project is a wonderful collection of dreamers and activists, so I think I’ve turned the volume up on my list-making input. Do I sound defensive? Maybe it’s because I’m slightly in awe – even envious? – of people who dream big dreams without necessarily consulting reality first.

If I’m honest, there have been times over the last 18 months (check out the rest of this blog) that I probably would have pulled the plug, if it were only up to me. Times when it seemed too hard. When too many people said no. That might have been the realistic option. But we didn’t. And now, in 3 weeks time, it’s happening.

Those big ideas have turned into names, people, children’s lives being changed. Already, children engaging in preparation for the event have experienced transformation as a result –reunifications with parents, jobs (one of the Brazilian team found a job and decided she wanted to stay there rather than come. Not a bad problem for the organisation to deal with), opportunities to use the media to say – this is who I am. Here in Durban, we’re still very much working to ensure the project uses its (now not inconsiderable) power to swing a change in the way that street children are treated here by Metro police. Things are changing. They need to change more. And I think they will.

We definitely need the Uberplan in the weeks to come. But – OK, I admit it – we also need those people who think outside its gridlines.

jenny

* Savy – house mother at the Star Seaside Home, who’s moving heaven and earth (or, occasionally, getting her husband Paul to do so) to ensure the visiting teams have a comfortable place to come. And Manuela – a language student at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal who’s going to test out her translation degree with the kids coming over (and, by the sounds of things, is persuading most of her friends to do likewise).

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