🕊️ Churchill Fellowship: South Africa phase begins 🇿🇦

I’m pleased to have begun Phase 2/3 of my Churchill Fellowship: a virtual journey to South Africa, where I’m meeting with people via Zoom to explore dialogues about dying, and culturally-responsive approaches to preventing and resolving conflict in end of life care.

While I’ve only just begun these interviews, rich insights are already emerging from these warm, wise and generous conversations.

One phrase has stayed with me: “It takes a village to bring up a child… but it also takes a village to cope with somebody dying and being buried.”

This reflection mirrors a consistent observation emerging from my Fellowship interviews:

➡️ Culturally-responsive decision-making around end of life care often involves a wider circle of relationships than the legally defined or apparent ‘next of kin’.

From these early conversations ‘in’ South Africa, the following themes are emerging:

🔹 Emotional and practical strain caused by migration and distance at the end of life
🔹 Old family tensions often re-surface when decisions must be made
🔹 Enduring presence of Ubuntu – a philosophy of shared humanity and mutual care
🔹 Power of visible, participatory mourning rituals in helping communities grieve
🔹 Importance of humility and listening when professionals work cross-culturally
🔹 The belief that dying is held by the whole community, not only medical staff

📣 If you’re interested in these themes, and work in health, care, chaplaincy, mediation or bereavement support, please consider taking part in my research by completing my short questionnaire:

👉The Peaceable End-of-Life Care project: international questionnaire 2024/25  

With grateful thanks to Churchill Fellowship for making this journey of discovery possible, and to Conflict Dynamics for facilitating my connection-making in SouthAfrica.