Like most houses in Khayelitsha, it is built of corrugated iron and wood. It took the owners about two months to finish it - they built it with their own hands! As her guest house has grown in popularity, Vicky has been able to extend her property, it is now double storey. It faces east and gets a lot of sunlight in the morning. There is enough room between the house and the street for cars to park and children to play. On hot Saturday afternoons, we like to put chairs outside and watch the busy world of the township pass by.

Uplifting the local community

Since she began in June of 1998, Vicky's Ved & Breakfast has been a way to share the true township culture and way of life with visitors -- and not only to foreign travelers, but also to her fellow South Africans. Vicky receives visitors from a number of non-profit organizations (schools, NGOs, and the like), and also commonly helps arrange short-term volunteer programs for interested guests. Over the years, her on-the-ground "diplomacy" efforts have brought in very tangible benefits such as donations of food, clothing, equipment and money for her entire neighborhood. As a matter of fact, the sewing centre across the street started with sewing machine donations from tourists - a testament to how sustainable tourism can really benefit local communities.