6 year olds help build their own school

On 29 November I visited a number of schools as part of a project African AIDS Foundation is developing.  A small unregistered school developed by the local community was an awareness raising visit. As South Africa struggles to overcome the past and develop infrastructure this visit too the KwaNkosana district highlighted the challenges being faced. The school is two small classrooms for 60 or so kids in kindergarten and Grade 1. As you can see the classrooms are still building sites. Staff from the nearest school drive up and take classes on rotation morning and afternoon.

The photo below is all that exists apart from some toilets being developed 50metres away. The school has no chalkboard, lacks fencing to keep the kids out of the deep ravines nearby which I imagined as raging torrents in wet weather, cement to finish off the existing structres, desks and other essentaill items such as educational materials.

The pictures below and above tell the story. During a break the kids help out by carrying the large blocks  to  the location where toilets are being constructed. Remember 5and 6 year old kids

Keeping up with the Jonses

Like so many of our friends and neighbours, we sometimes find ourselves comparing our lives to those of others. And most often, we look at those who make more and have more than we do.

As the old adage says, we look to “the Joneses.”

But who are the Joneses really?

Consider this: If you make $43,500 a year, you’re in the top 12% of earners in the world.
That’s right. The world.

So maybe we should turn this whole Jones thing around.

88% of the world is comparing itself to you … and me. WE are “the Joneses” to 88% of people on this planet. And yet, where do we most often look for comparison? The other 11%!

I’m not saying we should compare at all. We shouldn’t. Life is about much more than material things. But, just for a moment, let’s entertain this thought of keeping up with the proverbial family.

•If you make more than $2 a day, you are the Joneses to 1.2 billion people.

•If you have a warm bed to sleep in at night, you are the Joneses to the billions who are sleeping on cold, hard ground in makeshift huts and tents.

•If you drive a car to work every day, your number plate might as well read “RICH” to the billions who have to walk miles just to get access to clean water, medical care, education or even food.

•If you finished high school, you might as well be “Dr. Jones” to those who have no chance of getting an education.

•If you eat three full meals a day: Jones. Jones. Jones.

So should I run out the front door yelling, “I’m rich! I’m rich!” as if I just won the lottery? Probably not. But that’s what the rest of the world may think.

Just a little perspective.

27 November 2011

First day in ZAR found me at Winterton about 22kms from Bergville. The chairman of Philakahle is John Green the Anglican minister for the area. I was invited to speak an saw this hanging go up for the first Suday in Advent and the first Sunday in the church Calendar.

 This is quite a beautiful building outside and inside is wooden floors.

Sunset looking tot he Drakensbergs from my bed and breakfast

Pic of the Day

This was the view heading down to Bergville on the N3 from Johannesburg on 26/11/11

2 days to go

A lot to be doe prior to departure. Still packing. I have 3 laptops to give to people. One for Intumbane and the new school Nqobile which I am visitig. I am taking a fourth laptop for work use and keeping connected. Itinerary looks very busy.
AAF board last night gave approval to join Australian Charities Funds http://www.australiancharitiesfund.org.au/
and commence a workplace giving program.
Work - never ending. So much to do and so little time to do it. A colleague talked me out of taking a project to Africa to complete. We are contracting instead

University of Western Sydney Medical Students Africa Bound

Macarthur based international development agency African AIDS Foundation and Global Health Awareness Western Sydney (GHAWS), have entered a partnership which will see fourth year medical students from the University of Western Sydney undertake their electives in Africa. African AIDS Foundation, which supports young people impacted by the AIDS pandemic in Africa, was approached in 2010 by students from GHAWS on behalf of the University of Western Sydney Medical Society about the possibility of spending time in an African hospital during their forthcoming elective in December. Dr John Schwarz, a Camden based medical practitioner was able to assist by helping arrange a placement at a rural Zulu hospital where he was medical superintendent from 1975 to 1984. “Four students will undertake a five week placement which will allow them to learn about medicine in a developing nation, where resources taken for granted in Australia are not readily available,” said Dr Schwarz, who travels each year to Africa to monitor projects supported by the people of Macarthur for the last ten years. GHAWS representative Soondoos Raashed stated “This is a very exciting time for GHAWS and our students. We are a young medical school with even younger student groups and as such we have been very fortunate to encounter organisations such as AAF who are willing to help us not only further our education, but also to help us contribute to society as medical professionals in training.” AAF has provided the four students with an orientation to what they can expect while on placement in Africa. The students will undertake a two day orientation to medicine in a developing environment at a teaching hospital in Durban prior to commencing their placement on 5 December at Emmaus Hospital, four hours south of Johannesburg in an area surrounded by Zulu Villages. The students will be accommodated at a youth camp near the hospital.

Top photo - Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley and Zainib Cheema with John and Rosalie Schwarz. Lower photo Kat Irwin practicing plastering

University of Western Sydney Medical Students to Africa

Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley,  with Johna and Rosalie Schwarz founders of African AIDS Foundation

Kat Irwin was in Lismore on placemment when the above poto was taken. Seen here doing plastering practice.

One of the things I am doing on my forthcoming trip is liaising with Emmaus Hospital where AAF has arranged for four medical students from UWS to spend an elective placement for five weeks. The following is the press release being distributed to inform the community about this project.

Macarthur based international development agency African AIDS Foundation and Global Health Awareness Western Sydney (GHAWS), have entered a partnership which will see fourth year medical students from the University of Western Sydney undertake their electives in Africa. African AIDS Foundation, which supports young people impacted by the AIDS pandemic in Africa, was approached in 2010 by students from GHAWS on behalf of the University of Western Sydney Medical Society about the possibility of spending time in an African hospital during their forthcoming elective in December. Dr John Schwarz, a Camden based medical practitioner was able to assist by helping arrange a placement at a rural Zulu hospital where he was medical superintendent from 1975 to 1984. “Four students will undertake a five week placement which will allow them to learn about medicine in a developing nation, where resources taken for granted in Australia are not readily available,” said Dr Schwarz, who travels each year to Africa to monitor projects supported by the people of Macarthur for the last ten years. GHAWS representative Soondoos Raashed stated “This is a very exciting time for GHAWS and our students. We are a young medical school with even younger student groups and as such we have been very fortunate to encounter organisations such as AAF who are willing to help us not only further our education, but also to help us contribute to society as medical professionals in training.” AAF has provided the four students with an orientation to what they can expect while on placement in Africa. The students will undertake a two day orientation to medicine in a developing environment at a teaching hospital in Durban prior to commencing their placement on 5 December at Emmaus Hospital, four hours south of Johannesburg in an area surrounded by Zulu Villages. The students will be accommodated at a youth camp near the hospital. For more information check out African AIDS Foundation’s website    http://www.africanaidsfoundation.org.au/ or phone 46580555 or GHAWS http://uwsms.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=78&Itemid=169 Photo – Jerome Crouche, Julia New-Tolley and Zainib Cheema with Dr John and Rosalie Schwarz. Kathryn Irwin is the fourth student travelling to Africa.

Tax Deductibility ....at last

A three year project encompassing three months working in Africa with African AIDS Foundation's in-country partners and significant work in compiling evidence to satisfy AusAID that AAF is an organisation that can deliver development projects overseas in an accountable manner has been finalised today. The Australian Government through AusAID, the Tax Office and Treasury has confirmed that AAF meets the strict criteria to manage overseas projects. Well done South Africa, Kenya and the AAF Board

Africa Bound 2011

Heading off again to Africa on 26 november for 2 weeks. Lots to do. University of Western Sydney Medical Students Association has four Med Students going to Emmaus Hospital for a five week elective and I will be there on teheir arrival to ensure things go smoothly for them
 Visiting Intumbane School plus the two new schools which have partnered up with Wollondilly Anglican college and Broughton Anglican College and get those partnerships moving.

Meet with Philakahle Board to discuss current and future projects and visit current projects to see how support in Australia is assisting African kids. As well as that will meet with a Zulu chicken and egg farmer to look at possibilities for small business enterprises in the villages raising chickens.

Hope to get to Spion Kop Game Reserve and a game of golf as well as visiting people I met last time.

On 8 December off to Kenya for a whirlwind four days. Attending a meeting to discuss a microfinance project which we may have a donor interested in supporting. Will also discuss current projects we have in Kenya and spend time with Bernard our partner who does amazing work in Kenya.

Back home and work on 13/12/11