Sunday Matinee: Moja Maisha – South Africa [Film]

A message from Bodi and Elephant Memories:

“Moja Maisha – South Africa is a film about the founders and residents of Nkosi’s Haven – a women’s and children’s shelter in Johannesburg, South Africa that has been in operation since 1999 and offered holistic care and support to hundreds of destitute HIV/AIDS infected mothers, their children, and resulting AIDS orphans (infected or not).

Nkosi’s Haven is named after Nkosi Johnson, the young AIDS activist who passed away on International Children’s Day on June 1st 2001, who dearly wanted a facility that would care for the mom and her child. He had been separated from his mom because of the HIV diagnosis and he never wanted that to happen to any other child. He also wanted HIV positive people to be cared for without discrimination or prejudice. His adopted mother, Gail Johnson, opened Nkosi’s in his memory.

Since 1999, it has housed, provided health and counseling services, and education to hundreds of women and children.

Moja Maisha – South Africa is made to be a fundraiser. The filmmakers do not wish to keep any proceeds from this film. Rather, we are asking viewers to donate to Nkosi’s Haven directly.”

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We here at Trainwreck’d Society are so honored to be able to call the amazing person that is Alexander “Bodi” Hallett a staple in our digital world. I have personally been covering his work for close to a decade, going all the way back to his days as a young rapper going by the name Alexipharmic. I have been a fan of not only his art for the last 10 years, but mores the person he has become, and the amazing things he has done for the world.

A few years ago, the man we now know simply as Bodi set out on an adventure of a lifetime, volunteering at orphanages across the globe for a over a year. And one of those places that seemed to really strike him as a truly special place, was Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg, South Africa. This led to the documentary you are about to watch that is absolutely heart-breaking, yet utterly inspiring at the same time. What you are about to watch is a well-documented depiction of a pandemic that has, and continues to, hurt so many innocent women and children. And they certainly could use your help.

As depicted in the film itself, Nkosi’s Haven is struggling to continue to exist. And mind you, this footage is from early on in this decade. The organization has managed to survive, but times have only grown tougher over the years. Nkosi’s Haven’s funding has dried up, which may very realistically result in the shuttering of this wonderful organization. Were this to happen, several hundred destitute women and children would be homeless on the streets of Johannesburg.

Bodi has been, and continues to, seeking distribution for the film and hadn’t planned on releasing the film to the world just yet. But, with recent events and issues with funding Nkosi’s Haven, our dear friend Alex decided he needed to help spread the word about this beautiful place filled with beautiful people, in hopes of keeping the place around for those who desperately need it.

So, we are happy to join in the fight alongside our dear friend Bodi and encourage everyone to check out this wonderfully done documentary, share it with our friends and families, and if able, try to donate to the cause keeping Nkosi’s Haven a current reality, rather than a future distant memory.

Learn how you can donate directly to Nkosi’s Haven by visiting the Moja Maisha – South Africa website.

You can watch & then share the entire documentary right here: