ANXIOUS? Since the first lockdown, Paarl Rotary Club has hosted a variety of interesting guest speakers during Zoom meetings, including clinical psychologiest Johannes Schickerling.
Schickerling, a trauma therapist, addressed the Paarl Rotary Club on the psychological effects of the pandemic. He is the Director of SA Centre for Mental Health, responsible for psychotherapy and psychological assessment. According to Schickerling, many people have experienced anxiety during the pandemic, and the best step to take is to establish a fixed daily routine and stick to it. This will alleviate some of the uncertainty experienced during lockdown.
* Another guest speaker was Chris Booth, Content Producer of Rx Radio, who told Paarl Rotarians about this radio station which broadcasts in the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town and also in the paediatric ward of Paarl Hospital. All the content is produced by current or former patients in the wards. In the process, they receive training in the use of media. To tune in, go to www.rxradio.co.za.
* Economic tips were received from Maarten Ackerman, chief economist of Citadel Wealth Management, who addressed the Paarl Rotary Club just before the national budget presentation. He provided a local and global economic overview as well as discussing investment opportunities both in South Africa and abroad. Ackerman recommended investing offshore directly in the USA, UK, Europe or Japan while the Rand is strong. He pointed out that South Africa will miss out on the global recovery after the pandemic unless we speedily achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 and get people back into jobs with infrastructure projects. South Africa currently has the highest unemployment by GDP in the world.
* Wildlife conservationist Grant Fowldes, author of the book Saving The Last Rhino, also joined us on Zoom and showed interesting videos on the conservation and management of rhinos and elephants. He is proud of the expansion of the black rhino population, which was nearly extinct before conservationists acted to address the problem. According to Fowldes, Covid has exacerbated the scourge of poaching because of job losses.