So this week I was lucky enough to take part in a series of career talks that EwB has been building over its tenure at Fezeka. This week we were lucky enough to have both Vanessa September, a successful architect from Cape Town who is married to one of the writers of the South African constitution Justice Albie Sachs, and Thobela Mfeti, a recent recipient of Mandela Rhodes Scholarship who you can read about here.
Vanessa Showing Students Pictures of Cape Town and Her Own Work
Thobela Mfeti Captivating Learners
Both of these women had our learners captivated as they each told their story of trial and tribulation and eventual success. The learners were absolutely captivated by what they heard, and hopefully these talks continue to fan the flame of passion towards their own education and life.
A Room Full Of Bright Minds
What struck me most about both discussions was that without prior discussions with us, both speakers touched on many of the very same themes that we have been discussing with the learners. Hard work, Respect, Responsibility. These themes were repeated over and over again throughout the discussions. I think seeing such successful individuals repeat the same themes that myself and Vimbai are continually trying to teach them can only enhance their receptiveness to them. Special thanks must go to Roger for spearheading the entire concept and implementation of the career talks. Well Done!
Since I started working at the after school programs for EwB I have been attempting to make the English lessons a tad bit more creative, while at the same time to continue working on the tools we are trying to instill in our learners. With the help of Joy, one of our tutors, we decided that every Monday would be a perfect place and time for the more creative ways we wanted to teach. So on Monday we both decided that we would play the students two songs that had some overarching theme and discuss these songs at length. I decided to play The Streets-Everything is Borrowed first and then gauged there reaction. It was mixed at best, but that didn't matter since the point was that they were more actively engaged in the lesson than they normally were. So then we listened to M. Ward- Chinese Translation. Give it a listen and see what its about.
After they had listened to the song I gave them simple instructions. If you met the wisest person on Earth, what are the three questions you would ask them? These are a small sample of what I got.
1) What happens to you when you die?
2) What made God to think about making everything?
3) Why did God create a male and a female
4) Why is it important to love?
5) Why is life so difficult sometimes?
6) Who will be the last man on Earth?
7) Are there people living on other planets other than on Earth?
8) Who came up with the idea that there must be school in the world?
9) Why are there black and white people?
10) Why are people not the same?
These questions highlight these students intelligence, curiosity, and their knowledge of "Life's Questions". It was a privilege to read these questions and to witness the engagement of the students with a song and the concept behind it.
So at the moment I am sitting with two of Fezeka's best and brightest students, some of the girls that will help me with this blog. While we will eventually get to longer and in depth posts, today we just want to learn a little more about them. In this case, the girls wanted to share with all of you what they are currently listening to. BEYONCE!
Another day, another post. I am currently sitting on the balcony of my hostel overlooking Lower Main Road, with my gaze on the sprawl that is Cape Town. With the mountains surrounding me and the ocean in the visible distance, it makes for as nice a time as any to write.
Hey, its my street!
So this turned out to be another hectic week. I am constantly on the go, which makes today that much sweeter with no real responsibilities. So first on Tuesday, me and Vimbai went to a meeting at the LEAP School. The LEAP School is a very interesting and slightly controversial education NGO. On one hand it takes obviously bright students from strictly township backgrounds and moves them into their school, one which gives them a proper education and a better chance in their future endeavors. However, there has been backlash within the townships schools (even in my own), in which the idea and practice of taking the best learners out of these schools takes away the opportunity for these schools to show real success. By taking out the best students consistently, they are in a way fostering mediocrity in the township public schools by leaving others less qualified behind. Who do the schools "champion" and help foster an attitude of education success if the learners that can make that change are constantly being moved? It's an interesting argument in which I see both sides. What was very cool about the meeting though was that it brought together a room full of "movers and shakers" in the community development and education world. It was insightful and slightly inspiring to hear colloborative efforts on all of our parts to share ideas and problem solve issues that any of us have. The attempted goal of creating an overarching education NGO database and action plan, while in my mind wishful thinking at best, is another hopeful way in which all of these different organizations can continue to integrate and work together more efficiently and effectively.
While there are other things I want to write about, I believe some of them deserve there own post and therefore will hold off slightly. Especially since this is getting a tad long. I did want to note one thing however.The longer I stay here the more I realize that these learners that I work with are not so different from kids I've worked with before. Sure, their circumstances are incredibly grim. You just have to look around Gugulethu to understand the poverty, violence, drug abuse and overarching malaise that these children face on a daily basis. Yet, through this they care about the same things that children the world over do. They love looking nice or feeling "cool", they date, they try to scrape together the money for candy and soda, they play sports, they enjoy school and hate homework. Its interesting to see how that while the circumstances are different, kids are generally kids.
Phumulela got a hold of my fake Ray Bans and started doing his best Blue Steel impressions
My start to Cape Town has been an absolute amazing experience. One of those experiences that you try to tell your friends/family/kids/grandkids/strangers on the street and they just wave you off. I know that in the end it will only mean something to me, but at the moment that's more than enough. So on Saturday I went to a pool party at my friend Thibault's house/my future house. The weather was beautiful, the people were friendly, the drinks were cold, and the braii was delicious. After that we made the excellent decision to go to downtown Cape Town. We went to a club called "Assembly", and after a very mediocre band got off the stage (Someone might have yelled for their heads) a decent enough DJ got on the turntables and took to a 80's/90's heaven. Needless to say the song selection can be best shown by:
All in a Cape Town day.
However, most of my time has been spent going to work/taking and doing my work at home/worrying about work/or worrying about worrying about work. I don't mind the time it takes, it is both a needed endeavor and I love what I do. We gave a math test last week to eighth and ninth graders that have been in the program, and the results are staggering and enlightening. First, by getting a 30% a learner (student) passes that test/quiz/grade/term. Coming from America, where anything below a 70% is often looked at with derision, it is a staggering 180. While the overall average was around a 30%, acknowledging that these kids need help on a remedial level (which we knew), it also highlighted two other things. First, that there is a discrepancy between their skills and what they are taught. The test was a general knowledge test that ranged from strict addition to basic geometry. These kids in class however are being taught and expected to perform skills such as the Pythagorean Theorem, how to solve for the area of a triangle (p.s.-its 1/2Base*Height), and other rather complex ideas. The interesting aspect is is that they (generally) understand it. While their remedial math can at times be considered sub-par, there ability to cope and perform is amazing. That being said, they are all very smart and clever children that have a thirst for knowledge and a desire to better themselves. Some of them also don't need the remedial help but don't want to be denied any extra help they can get.
As evidenced by this perfect score, he asked for McDonald's as a reward!
The children are amazing people, and everyone of them have the tools to make something of themselves. I am truly privileged to both help them and be witness to their understanding of their own strength.
As I said, I have two new bloggers that will (hopefully!) be featuring extensively in both this and the EwB blogs in the comings days, weeks, months, years. I asked both of them to write a mini-bio about themselves. This is what they said (Pictures to come):
Lusanda Ngqose
I am Lusanda and I love math's although I am struggling a little bit
I am a girl who is friendly with others
I am a girl who likes to adore people like Joy, Mrs. Ngqwoukane and also Vimbai
I am a girl who does not swear or make fun of the others
I am a girl who doesn't like people who makes fun of the others
I am very sensitive
I am a girl who wants to become a climatologist
I am a girl who loves science and maths and I also love speaking English
I Am Amanda Zondani
I am quick minded ( I can catch up really easily)
I am fun (I am happy, friendly, funny person)
I am focused (I know when to laugh and when to be focused)
I am honest (I lie only when I write a folk story or tell a fairy tale)
I am humble
I am obedient
You can tell that both of these girls are engaging, smart, hard working, and are genuine. Those are qualities that are incredibly hard to find today, especially where they come from. I am excited to see what they have to say in the coming blogs and we should all be lucky to have them writing.
So one of the many projects I am working on is creating and running the EWB social media outlets from Fezeka. One of the main ways that I am planning on doing this is taking the previous blog template that EWB has created and running with it. I've been thinking about this heavily for the past few days, as I strongly believe that social media has taken on such unprecedented importance in promoting yourself/organization/ideas/events/etc. I want to do this right and create a foundation that those that follow can build upon. I've decided that the best way to do this is two-fold. First, I have joined the official EWB blog as a contributor on experiences and events that relate directly to EWB. It is after all a way to promote the positive things that are happening at Fezeka and through the EWB program and should be treated as such. So my more "Business Minded" posts about my experiences here will be found there, although i'm sure there will be some crossover. I have also rounded up a small group of students and tutors that will help me in my contributions to the blog. Although at first it will all be under my account, I hope that this expands to create a well rounded blog that encompasses the ideas and experiences of everyone involved in the program. From Ruth and Cecil (the wonderful people running EWB), to the program managers, to the tutors, to the students, I feel that the more people that contribute the more others can understand the importance of this program to all involved. So in the next week I hope to introduce those new contributors on that blog, and maybe even see if they would like to write on mine for practice. Hopefully my introductions go a little something like this......
So the second aspect of my blogging decision is that I will be keeping this blog the same direction that it seems to be going. The reason for this is simple. The two blogs are going to be two sides of the same coin. On one hand one will be more professional, advocating (rightfully so) for EWB and keeping people informed of its goings on. This blog will stay slightly more informal, but at the same time be a tool in various respects. It will give people a look into the every day life in Cape Town, and how EWB fits into that. It will comment not only on EWB events and experiences, but what its like in the townships, what Cape Town is like, what the people are like, where to go, where not to go, etc etc. It will take on many layers in being a line home for friends and family looking into what my life is like, a constant diary for myself, a tool for future volunteers/project managers/employees of EWB, and another way to spread information about EWB. It will be a lot of work but well worth it if done properly.
That being said, do any of you have any suggestions or advice about blogging or how in what direction each contribution should take? I'm all ears and open to all suggestions in how to make this project as successful as possible.
If you don't agree with this approach, well do like Ronny Turiaf and let me know.
View from the coffee shop me and Vim went to for a meeting.
So where do I start? This past week and a half has been an incredibly hectic, fun, whirlwind adventure. I have jumped from one new adventure to the next, barely having enough time to stop and breathe. Yet its been exactly what I wanted so far. Cape Town is beyond beautiful, with long stretches of beach within reach of breathtaking views from Table Mountain. Just amazing.
Its hard to not like that view while driving.
Rugby in the park
So in the last week I have gone to the beach (It is summer after all), experienced the wonderful cuisine scene here (Braii and Bunny Chow!), been on an never ending search for the perfect smoothies (hello Kauai!), met some awesome people, partied on the 31st floor of one of the tallest buildings in Cape Town (Entrance fee of $3, same place in the states would easily be $100), and seen the polar opposite living conditions and education opportunities that Cape Town has to offer.
Playing in the school courtyard
As for my current position, it couldn't have gotten off to a better start. It was currently a week long school holiday here, and the vivacious and wonderful Vimbai and I led a holiday program for the learners (students) in the after school math programs. Averaging forty children a day, we took them to the movies this past Tuesday, to the beautiful Company Gardens in downtown Cape Town Wednesday, and Thursday and Friday were spent at the school playing soccer, knee tag (shout out to Kenwood and Evergreen), watching movies and going over life skills. All in all a very fun but tiring endeavor that turned out to be a huge success.
All my children in their "two by two" line walking through Company Gardens.
I hope to update more often so that i'm not writing about 50 million things and writing huge generalizations. Next time will be more detailed, hopefully turning into at least a weekly thing. Hope everyone at home and abroad is well.
