Stories
Environmental awareness program, I decided to take a turn in Bushbuckridge municipaliy and engage with the community for sessions training. I successfully enganged with different stakeholders, NGOs, institutions, youth center, etc. Learner's seems to enjoy the most in the session its start and stop , because where they found direction in what must start and stop. Some learner's learn more about their daily activities that are harmful to their environmental and must stop doing it. They also learn more about activities that the must be emplemented in their environmentant, because is valuable and play a good rule to protect and prevent their environment like planting more trees and protect them, recycling, etc. What make them to be more intrested or enjoy this session its because damage have already been made by different activities that we do and that affects our environment. This session reviled to them what are the effects and give hope to make a difference in the environment. Participants discussed and debated more in this session because they don't agree with one another in some pictures in terms of start or stop, its how they learn and listening to different opinions. I have more elders active compared to youth in my sessions. The participation of youth compare to elders concerned me because I thought youth will be more active than elders. I decided to confront them and ask what's ,wrong , why they are not active and someone responded 'we are shy'. From that time my sessions start with funny or jokes to twist their minds and feel welcomed in the session. Most participants promised to take responsibility toward protection and prevention of their environment.
We had a training on 05th March at KTC community. The training was well attended and the participation was good. But they raise a concern that they would like to get more skills that help them to get jobs. I told them that I will inform my superiors. The group was very much interested on Retirement.
On the 26th Feb 2020 I trained at Philippi, the training was well attended and the participation was good. I admired to see young men in the training as some they dnt normally participate in such programs. We also had 2 community leaders who attended it was great to see them. This group engaged a lot on Needs and Wants but we concluded by saying our need are not the same they always depend on our environment and circumstances.
On the 20th Feb 2020 I trained at KTC community. It was well attended and we had to turn some people away as it was full already and we asked them to attend the following week. The training was well recieved and the group was bit matured. The had interest on Goals Setting and the drafting of a budget. The only challenge we encountered was the fact that there was also another training with in the venue but people who are working in the hall managed to sort this duplication and we managed to start. We then decided that I will train every Thursdays and the other program can be on other days.
I started Streetwise Financial Literacy on 19th February at Philippi. The training was well attended and the participation was good. The only challenge we had was the venue, it was double booked and that made us to start little bit later. Their interest was more on insurance and retirement. It was a wonderful group with different ages.
Imvelo yetu 2020 The programme has been welcomed very well by communities and schools. Recruitment was not a problem but I am now preferring schools because I can do 3 sessions a day which fast track the target. What was most enjoyed by participants: The part that caught the eyes of many of my participants is the relationship between cutting trees and the loss of oxygen. Many people did not the danger of cutting tress as they believe as long as there are trees it doesn't matter how much. We discussed this and made several examples of how important it is to have as many trees as possible. What was not enjoyed by participants: The discussion about ecosystem and the importance of all creatures was understood by most participants, however, they were all not happy about the the existence of the snake. I had to use all the information that Susan shared during T3 when I also did not agree with the snake issue. I managed to make them understand that it is fine to be afraid of something but that doesn't give us rights to kill. After a lengthy discussion we will finally come to an understanding that if human beings can stay away from snakes they will not be f risk to them. Impact of the programme: What I realized was that people were not aware that in as much as we need civilization but if we use nature to produce manmade product, we may end up with no nature which results in a series of problems like climate change. The desperation of life in their eyes make me believe they will make some changes by preserving nature. When I present certificates I always tell them they are now our ambassadors which means they have to educate others and stop those damaging nature. That statement make them feel important to this programme and I feel they use all they can to share the information whilst they change how they handle nature for generations to come. People enjoyed the card game as it gives them a chance to assess the situation and come up with solutions.
Environmental awarenes touched many people's life because some didn't know that their activities have an effects in the environment also contrite in the air pollution, noise pollution and lead to climate change. I made a big impact toward the Lihawu How base care, because they promised to take action, regarding activities within the community, making awareness to educate more people within the community about what we touched them. They said some of the activities wont be easy to be overcomed because most people won't understand , like the rubbish dumping, noise pollution, etc. If the government can assist with containers to dump rubbish in rural areas that can help. The program also contributed a lot in life skills general, because most of the things we teached them its wethin their environment. Have open their eyes about the goodness and effects in their environment and taken responsibility toward making change or raising more awareness to educate more people.
Investing and retirment was the most session they enjoyed as they taught investments are for people earning huge amounts , knowing about investment products and preparation towards saving helped them . Banking was also the most interesting part as they were not aware of most things about banking and what happens when you visit the bank . Tokens and dice game was the most difficult one for them as it requires intense counting and most people are illiterate they felt like its draining the lost interest in the training . These contract workers now they know are able to prepare for their retirement and can choose which product is good for them
Ive been training the ERS interns these are youth from disadvantaged remote rural areas who have never heard any business training , the only businesses they've been exposed to are grocery stores and tarvens nothing else so when tjinking about the business the first idea will the above 2 . Remember on our first sessions their businesses were mostly selling clothes that they've bought from Durban , openning a spaza shop and openning a tarven . The most enjoyes lesson according to my observation was when they realised that they can actually give themselves more than one job GETTING MORE IDEAS as it allows them to explore more what their villages and neighbouring one can offer or what other products they can add to what they already have it gave them the chance to think broader and out of the box . Value Chain was the.most difficult one , difference between the jobs especially the DOING AND MAKING JOBS , they were really lost on that but repeating it everytime before starting with the lesson of the day , COSTING AND PAYING YOURSELF was also challenging to them which I still believe they'll need to get an additional training but they have the starting point and it needs them to practise it on their businesses .They've never had businesses before or business mentorship so pricing product was something they didn't tjink it needs a formula . These young stars will now start businesses which will benefit the whole community in terms of clearing alien invasives , livestock management . Tjey are now able to distinguish between good and bad customers , draft their own business plan , to their books instead of hiring proffessionals , they can actually produce differnt products and can be able to market theur businesses and negotiate they know how to present yourself to potential customers and what to loom for in a customer and custome types , they can plan their businesses putting the VALUE CHAIN INTO PERSPECTIVE.
I've been training in schools as I belive that the youth can make a huge improvement if they're informed , they're studying natural science as one of the subjects but what really makes me sad in all the schools there's no committed teacher for this subject it's mostly ignored . These kuds at the beginning of the training they cant even tell you what is environment but as the training continues they start showing interest and engaging . All the schools I'm training in are combined schools kids from different far away villages .The most session they enjoyed it's the do's and stops as a result at the end of each session I allow them to chose 3 projects they want ro take part on as you see in the picture they're fighting to present their cards to me . As I've highlighted before the most difficult sessions for them is at the start where we talk about environment , ecosystem, bilogical invasion they can't even tell what is pollution , DEA needs to pay attention on tjis we normally take things for granted that people are ignorant but the reality is they don't associate themselves with ecosystem and the main subject to help them is the most ignored one .They see wattle around them but fir them its fine to have it , they see wetlands as dumping sites but after this training they are willing to rehabilitate them . The biggest impact which will come out of this training is more environmental projects wull be initiated and headed by these kids which will see teachers and community elders paying attention and also hoping that NATURAL SCIENCE will be prioritised have designated teacher . Most of these schools have been combined which I think will get the message across even to tjose communities we can't easily reached .
