EWB News 2008
Alex Abraham update
What a ride the last eight months have been. I've done and seen more than I had ever anticipated, and the more time I spend with my kids and this city, this country, the more I fall in love. Though similar in some, in most it has and continues to be so different from past experiences. One can only imagine what the next stretch will bring. Once I made the decision to stay on for an extra year, there was never any doubt that I had made the right one.
In reflecting upon this experience thus far and whether it has changed me it is difficult to pinpoint precise examples of how, although an experience I had recently - or perhaps more accurately a friend of mine had – did make me aware that it has at least somewhat. For the past month and a half, I have had a steady stream of visitors from home, all for whom this has been their first trip to Cape Town and Africa. One of my friends is a particularly gentle soul, the eternal optimist who always looks for the good in people. An endearing quality, what it means in terms of how she has seen South Africa has shown me how after only a brief while, the way one sees things in this country can change significantly. Her reaction to the bars on the windows everywhere we went was one of shock and sadness. “I want them to take the bars off,” she told me, “let the people in.” Granted, this was her first trip to a developing world country, and had I not been as fortunate as I have been to have travelled extensively since a young age, my reaction upon seeing how hectic the security measures are everywhere you go may have rivaled hers. My actual response was closer to prompting a discussion on how it is indeed sad that this is the way things are, but that the economic climate of this country and systemic injustice that continues to run rampant has forced people to resort to such seemingly aggressive measures to ensure their own personal safety.
My friend also visited Fezeka with me, and spent the day as an observer in my classroom. An eye-opening experience for her, from the shacks we passed along the highway en route to Gugs, to the size of my classes and how cold it was in my unheated classroom with windows that do not close.
Time and time again she would say to me how overwhelming the whole situation here was, and asked what could be done? How do we change things on a massive scale? She mentioned how ostentatious she felt wearing makeup and nice clothing when visiting the townships, or how jarring it was to her to notice how every manual labor or basic service job is done by a black person.
My reactions to each of these comments – seemingly naïve to someone who has lived here for some time – was especially of note to me as many of them I had shared when I arrived. It was here that I realized how I have changed since January. My ability to digest the inequality that surrounds me every day has become much greater, and my feelings of overwhelming helplessness have been replaced by hope for what can indeed be accomplished.
I remember not long after arriving and beginning at Fezeka, I felt a great sadness at what sort of lives lay ahead for this generation of kids. With English literacy skills as poor as many of theirs are, their futures lie in serious limbo. As I have written about in my blog, I arrived equipped with a Western attitude that education can save the world, and if students just study and try hard enough, the world is theirs for the taking. While my belief in this mantra has not changed and I am as strong of an advocate of the importance and power of education as ever, my understanding of what it means in a township context has adjusted somewhat. Coming to terms with what is actually possible to accomplish given the resources available and constraints at hand was and continues to be a difficult process, although I am determined to not get discouraged. I am just one person doing all that I can, and I am slowly realizing that that is okay. I often find myself wishing that there were more hours in the day or that time would slow down so these kids would be given the chance to catch up (at least on an education playing field) to their more affluent colleagues for whom every opportunity has been afforded.
On the positive side, the list is endless. Every day I am inspired by my students and their energy and strength. The joy that I experience on the everyday, not just through interactions with my students but in the day-to-day living in Cape Town is substantial. The rewards of working in a context like this are numerous, tempered only by the realities that surround me.
Perhaps this is one of the main insights I can offer to the person who will join me at Fezeka next year is that they must be prepared for the inevitable sadness and feelings of helplessness that will come with this experience. They must however rest assured in knowing that while the actualities of the situations won’t necessarily change, their attitudes likely will over time.
Each time word comes across about an initiative that EwB is seeking to fund and push forward, it is exciting and encouraging. At the same time however, we must take care to not bite off more than we can chew. Insofar as the initiatives that we have explored so far, the IT seminars, the photography venture and the ikapa dance workshops all seem to be working out very well. The feedback I have received from the participants of the IT workshops has been very positive, although admittedly I have not seen a great deal of follow up since the TWB contingent left. In my limited time and experience here I have seen somewhat of a trend in this area – with great excitement about a new program or initiative, but very little in the area of what comes next. I have tried my best to encourage teachers to continue to feel comfortable using the lab and to get their students in there. There has been some overall improvement in teacher use of the lab although I am not sure how consistent this has been. I foresee this being a continued area of focus and need for improvement. I do not know the details as far as numbers of teachers who attended the workshops, and do believe Ted has requested such a report from Swallows.
I have started an after school computer class with students who are interested. Thus far it has proved very successful. We have begun by looking at the very basics of computer use – what various keys mean, what can be done with the mouse, how to navigate, set up an email address, etc – and so far it is going very well. It is so encouraging and inspiring to see these kids using computers and being so excited about it. I look forward to seeing where we can go and how their computer literacy can grow in the coming weeks and months.
The iKapa dance workshops are going well. This week is the third week since they began that they have been running. From speaking with the students who have been taking part their response has been wonderful and they seem to be enjoying what they are doing. I have not spoken with Tanya since the workshops began but will touch base with her in the next week or so to see what feedback she has received on her end.
I have not received much feedback from the photography workshop other than to hear that the kids enjoyed it immensely. Has EwB communicated with Swallows about his thoughts on what was learnt and accomplished? What feedback did Lori give as far as what potential she thought exists for these kids to carry on what work they had begun?
Things with the drama club are going well. Through a friend of a friend I was able to get someone from the Baxter theatre here in Cape Town to come and meet with the group and critique their play. We are in the process of trying to get their play accepted into the iQuasi (sp?) festival which showcases new talents. At the moment I am waiting to hear back from someone on their end regarding their thoughts on what the students have put together and whether they think this is something they can work with. When the representative from the Baxter was here however, he was very positive and encouraging about what they are doing, which was wonderful.
On the whole, I feel good about the various initiatives that EwB is helping to birth and push forward at Fezeka. Things happen slowly here, and often take a great deal of coaxing and legwork. That being said, I have seen first hand evidence of the benefits of what can be accomplished and am encouraged by what I have witnessed.
Woza Africa
In February 2008, our annual Woza Africa fundraiser was held at the Kay Meek Theatre in West Vancouver. This time we were pleased to highlight an incredible individual, Yamoussa Bangoura, who is working on creating a circus school in the city of Conakry in Guinea, West Africa. Yamoussa was the star of the show and, together with a number of West African artists and musicians, put on an excellent performance.
In the first half of the program, Astrid Sherman and the excellent dancers from the Pro Arte School of Dance provided a very entertaining program. For the first time, we were able to partner with a youth circus troupe in Vancouver called CirKids, who brought a further dimension to the evening.
We were able to raise more than $20,000 on that evening alone. A third of the money raised was given to Yamoussa for his Kalabante Circus school project and the balance went to projects at the Fezeka Senior Secondary School in South Africa.
Check out: www.kalabante.org
Teachers Without Borders
Photos: Teachers without Borders - Canada
Teachers without Borders presented two four-day workshops in Mitchell’s Plain and Philippi (Fezeka Senior Secondary School) respectively during the June school holidays. These were well attended and of great value to educators. The main focus was on Integration of ICT in the curriculum and we were quite amazed at the similarities in our experiences. They also discussed ICT sustainability, useful websites and even motivated and assisted educators to create their own Wiki spaces. The educators found it most useful and were quite enthused and inspired to get on with the job.
 They also visited certain schools in the first week of the third term to assess and assist educators with ICT integration in the classroom. At Portlands High they gave EIWB training and had a session with the whole staff on ICT policy and sustainability.
The presenters were well-prepared and the workshop was a great success. Educators ensured us that they would gladly sacrifice another holiday to attend a similar workshop. The hands-on experience they have gained during this time instilled much confidence in them and it was wonderful to see their timidity dissolve and boldness rising up within them.
At the end of the week, a number of educators expressed their sincere gratitude towards both Khanya and Teachers Without Borders for this most invaluable intervention and urged us to do more of the same.
Mark Swartz
Western Cape Education Department
Khanya Project
District Coordinator
Compassionate Eye
Digital Storytelling group
In August 2008, the IT teacher (Swallows) and two students (Monica and Lwando) attended a 10-day workshop at Hector Peterson School, where they were trained in special digital photographic skills, including digital storytelling. This workshop was a collaboration between Bridges to Understanding (www.bridgesweb.org), Compassionate Eye and Education without Borders. Swallows and the two students will become in-house mentors for a year long photographic arts program scheduled to start in January 2009 at Fezeka Senior Secondary School.
Bridges group with Bishop Tutu ( including Monica and Lwando)
In addition to helping us fund the photographic arts program, the Compassionate Eye Foundation has also enabled us to start the first dance program at Fezeka Senior Secondary School. We are hoping this program will begin shortly and will be supervised by iKapa, a Cape Town dance company.
Photographers by Chance
 Monica and Lwando are 10th grade learners at Fezeka High School in Guguletu just outside Cape Town, South Africa. Both outstanding learners in the academic fields, they were chosen for the photography course in Kraaifontein earlier this year together with a group of other learners from Hector Peterson High School, also in the area. Neither of them had ever tried photography before, but the course turned out to bring about talent they didn't know they had.
“I found out that I can communicate through photography” Lwando says. An important realization for youngsters who grow up in areas where there's a lot to say, but few who know how bring the message across. He agrees with Monica that the pictures talk about their life. In fact, they both feel they have learned about their own life through the camera lens. A task they keep working on, even after the course has finished.
Their work comes together in two films they made with the rest of the class. A compilation of photographs put together with captivating lyrics, also created by the group. The one film is about health in the townships and the other about the environment. Both are absolutely stunning pieces of work and show indisputable talent. If this project is anything to go by, there is an abundance of potential waiting to be nourished out there.
“It was also a great experience to meet other people from the area as well as overseas. I didn't have any expectations about the other participants, but it was fun to meet people from different places and we have stayed in contact” Lwando explains.
He wants to be a sound engineer or go into the film industry. And Monica, a chemical engineer. No matter what, it is definitely not the last time either of them pick up a camera.
Fezeka School Choir
Through a generous donation from the Law family in Calgary, we have been able to produce the first CD of the Fezeka School Choir. We are now selling these CDs in Canada to raise more funds for the school. Please phone 604-224 3077 to order your CD. A great Xmas present!!
Film project
A film is being made about the Fezeka School Choir and, in particular, its inspirational teacher, Phumi. The film will give some of its profit to a Salisbury group in England that is collecting funds for the purpose of setting up scholarships for Fezeka Senior Secondary.We are hoping to partner with the film company (CieL productions)and the Salisbury group to assist in this scholarship project. Check out www.fezeka.com to pre-buy the DVD and help make this film a reality.
World Series of Poker
The Benson World Series of Poker continues to be a solid contributor with respect to fundraising. Every few months a wonderful poker evening is put on at the Shark Club in downtown Vancouver and a lot of fun is had while collecting money for the Fezeka project.
UN chooses EwB
We were invited to send a Board member to speak at a United Nations conference in August 2008. Terra Sweet, a teacher who is a member of our Board, volunteered to go to New York to speak at a panel discussion to over 600 young people who are interested in NGO work. We are honoured to have been chosen.
Terra’s story
August 21, 2008
 My experience at the UN is one that I won’t soon forget. I considered it an honor to be able to go on behalf of Education without Borers and share with others our perspectives on the Millennium Development Goals and on working as a small NGO.
When I arrived on Day 1 of the conference, it was surreal. I took the subway in from Brooklyn with the rest of the morning commuters; with my heels on and laptop in hand, I felt like just maybe I was blending in as a real New Yorker. Approaching the UN, I saw a crowd at the entrance but was quickly fished out of it by a young girl (an intern) calling out for Youth Assembly participants. I introduced myself to her and let her know that I was a speaker, to which I received a very warm welcome and instructions of what to do next. Once inside the building (after an airport-esque security check), I was greeted by another one of the young interns. He outfitted me with my I.D. badge that would allow me access to the area of the building where the conference was taking place – an area not open to the general public who are visiting and touring the building.
Side bar: included in this not-for-the-public zone was a seating area and café – complete with smokers ashing their cigarettes into the UN-supplied ashtrays. Amazing to see that (and smell it – yuck!) in 2008.
I made my way through the smoke to Conference Room 4, the room I would be in for the next 3 days. It certainly wasn’t the UN Security Council room, but it was very UN-ish: long, rounded rows of desks, each outfitted with a microphone and an ear piece, which I suppose is used for translation when such service is offered. (At this conference, it was not.) Surrounding the room were little windows with language signs indicating where each translator would be situated. Beyond the rows of desks, some stadium-style seating for audience overflow. At the front of the room, another long desk set up on a stage, a microphone and name plate indicating each seat.
I found a desk for myself, the conference began, and for the next several hours I listened to people speak to this large room full of people, just as I would be doing the next day. Some of them were more interesting than others, as one would expect, and seeing them up there put me more at ease with my own “speech”. Perhaps that was because it was while listening to these speakers that I had a brainstorm of what to do for my talk. You see, as much as I had been reading and writing and working on what I would say, I had not yet put anything together that clicked for me. In turn, I felt that it would not click for the audience, and that was making me nervous. I knew I needed something that was “me”, and for whatever reason, that something came to me as I was sitting there listening: I would read them a story. A story that I could then use as a jumping point for the things that I wanted to share with the young particpants. As an elementary teacher, and even more as a children’s book lover, reading aloud is something that is familiar to me and that I am comfortable with – the idea clicked with me. While I understood that I would not be reading to third graders as I do at school, I also knew that stories can be worthwhile at any age. Also, to be honest, it made me giggle to think that I would be reading a story to hundreds of people at the United Nations.
After a full morning of speakers, I left the UN and set out on a mission to find my book. I visited a Barnes and Noble in Greenwich Village and was both surprised and relieved to see that one of the books that I had in mind to use was right in front of me on a prominent display. It had been my second choice, but my first choice was nowhere to be found (in that store, nor in any bookstore in Manhattan!), so I took it as a sign and purchased a copy from the display. The book was, Miss Rumphius, a story I had read to my class this past spring. They loved it, and it has a great message to it – several in fact.
I was eager to get to work on rewriting my talking points and integrating the story into them, so I found an (oh-so-New York) diner to have lunch and get down to business. I had also had the idea to show the trailer for a film being made about Fezeka’s choir, so I needed to 1) buy a memory stick on which to save it and 2) find wireless internet, preferably free. Luckily there was a Staples across the street from the diner, so after I finished my lunch, task #1 was completed with ease. I asked the friendly gentleman who helped me pick out a memory stick if he knew of a place in the neighbourhood that had wireless internet. He gave me the best answer: “We do! Downstairs.” Et voila, task 2 complete! There was a perfect little cubby desk with a plug for my laptop and the (free!) wireless internet was a snap to connect to. And so for the next four hours, I sat in Staples re-formulating what I would say the following day and downloading the film trailer that I would show.
By the time the next day had rolled around, I was bouncing between feeling confident and nervous as all heck. Our panel started late. The awards ceremony scheduled before us ran quite long, but we were asked to have our portion wrapped up at 12:00 as per the original timetable. Unfortunately, the speakers on my panel didn’t shorten their talks to accommodate, which left me and the Mediators Beyond Borders representative with very little time. My allotted 20 minutes was now supposed to be cut down to about 5. This made me more panicked than I would have liked to be as I was forced to cut out more than half of what I wanted to say and rush through whatever I was able to get out. In the end, I read the book, connected a couple of my points to the story while giving some info on EwB, and while it almost didn’t happen due to time, showed the film trailer to conclude. Went over my 5 minute limit, but what else could I do really?
Now, after all is said and done my report on the event goes something like this:
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Wow to EwB being invited to an international event held in such a prestigious venue. Also, good “bragging rights”, aka more credibility, for EwB. (Not that we aren’t a credible organization already!)
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A great opportunity for “brand recognition” for EwB. Our logo, website, and e-mail address were on a huge screen during my talk and our name was on the event web site. Our little info flyer was also on a table available for people to pick up at their leisure.
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Networking – honestly, it didn’t seem to be the ideal situation for it, and this was disappointing. Other speakers were mostly in and out with little chance to mingle with them, and the participants were off to smaller workshops. (I had really hoped to be able to have a conversation with Arun Ghandi, but he was whisked in and out of the building very quickly and a crowd engulfed him while he moved from A to B so he was difficult to get to. A UN celebrity of sorts. All I could manage was to squeeze through the crowd for a handshake and a “Nice to meet you, Mr. Ghandi,” before I was pushed out of the way for someone else’s turn.) On the flip side though, I think the fact that we were there will offer us a good set-up for future connections. That is, if we determine that a partnership with, for example, Mediators Beyond Borders would be beneficial, it will be helpful to contact them with a “We met at the UN in August” type e-mail, rather than just a cold call out of nowhere. I suppose that’s what networking is really.
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I’m glad I was able to give some exposure for the film on Fezeka’s choir and Phume. While it will be hard (impossible?) to measure the usefulness of this, I think that any publicity for the film (and for EwB) is better than none at all. It made me wonder how our partnership with Ciel Productions will grow. I think partnering with them could be a great opportunity for EwB, and in turn, Fezeka.
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My biggest disappointment was the lack of time I had. I hated being so rushed and having to leave out so much of what I wanted to share. I don’t want to dwell on this as there is nothing to be done about it now, but it was really not ideal. I feel like I wasn’t able to do EwB and Fezeka justice, which frustrates me.
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MTV had a speaker at the conference, and there could possibly be some worthwhile education/philanthropy sections of their web site for EwB to take advantage of and/or for Fezeka students to connect to. I need to check out their web site to investigate this further.
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Something to consider: EwB business cards. I really could have used them, and I remember thinking this at the sugarandsugar event as well.
After the event was complete, one of my new New York friends asked me how the success of attending the conference could be measured. I wasn’t sure how to answer that, other than to summarize my experiences and thoughts as I have done above. I think this opportunity was yet another stepping stone in the journey that is Education without Borders. Overall, in my opinion? Success. Perfect? No, but what journey ever is?
New principal at Fezeka
A new principal, Mr. Zinzile Bobi, has arrived at Fezeka and has been very enthusiastic about the work that Education without Borders has done at the school in the past. He hopes to continue to work with us. He has already established a warm connection with our representatives in Cape Town (EwB Cape Town) - namely, Ted Weber, Roger Trythall, Ernie Bulgin, Louise Egedal and Wallace Manyara
Old Dominion visit
A group of young students from the Old Dominion University in Virginia arrived for a three-week stint at Fezeka Senior Secondary in July. They were instrumental in assisting students to set up a web site and also the beginnings of a library. They were also involved in AIDS education.
Founding Members of the newly-launched Fezeka Book Club
EwB Cape Town update
Our representatives in Cape Town (EwB Cape Town) have been working at a great pace behind the scenes. They have been meeting regularly with the Western Province Department of Education (Mr. Schreuder) and with Mr. Bobi, the principal at Fezeka Senior Secondary. They have also begun work towards the creation of a sports field. Quotes have been obtained for the cost of erecting a fence around the field and links established with a volunteer sports organization, Hoops 4 Hope, which has already started a basketball program at a facility in Gugulethu and has invited some Fezeka students to join.
Work opportunity
EwB is actively seeking a second volunteer teacher to join Alex Abraham at Fezeka, starting in January 2009. We need a teacher who is skilled in information technology, mathematics and science. This type of teacher has been suggested as the need for teachers in these categories is very high.
See also: EwB Events
For further information, call (604-224-3077) or e-mail
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