When the 2000 Tuebingen-South Africa group under the leadership of Mr H.Wager stepped down on Frankfurt airport none and headed for the small but BEAUTIFIL Tuebingen no one pictured the same programme five years down the line.It was a brave thing to do for all of them as it had´nt been done before so they were guinea pigs and I feel that recent participants should be thankful as immense preassure was on them to make it work.One might even say that we are now harvesting what they planted justifying that they did their bit to make it work.The next two groups came out strong to make it work as well and they succeded.

The 2003 Tuebingen-South Africa group will eternally be the highlight of my Tuebingen and any other overseas visit not solely because it was my first but because of the people I went there with,our group leader Mr T.Tejane,experiances and the fun we had.I felt I was ready to take the world on as my confidence reached greater heights.We mesmarised the Germans with our beautiful sounds,Sekhothali´s great voice and Silence´s traditional dance moves.NGEKE BAYIQEDE MTHETHWA.What was even better for the whole group was that a reunion for the past groups was organised and it took place two months after we parted.This meant that we did´nt wait too long to see each other again but not everyone made it.Little did I know that I´d be back in BEAUTIFUL but cold Tuebingen doing the same programme a few months later.

The programme looks bigger and better on its fifth year,thanks to the help of Barbara and her ISP team.Its existance for such a long time justifies that its main aims and objectives are adhered to and gradually achieved.What´s even most imperative is that the sponsor´s investments on the programme are for a good coarse.The 2004 group are certainly doing their best to leave a positive mark and we inevitably will do exactly that.This group best describes the meanings of love and unity with no barriers.As much as I learnt from Germany and the people from all walks of life I have learnt even more from my South African counterparts,individually and as a unit.

We all understand that the programme is not our right but a previlege thus implying that we have to express our graditude to the German nation in large,the state of Baden -Württemberg and all the sponsors for their contribution and effort of making a change and touching many lives.


Mawande Bantwini (Durban Institute of Technology)

Group Leader 2004