President’s Pen 22 August 2016
This week’s speaker was Lea Sander, Life Coach and Counsellor. In recent times, Lea has worked in Tanzania, Fiji, Sri Lanka and locally at Inverbracki Refugee Centre.
Her current involvement is in a combination of education and agricultural self-sustainment program in the Kalahari called the “Kalahari Experience Development Initiatives (KEDI), where Lea is the project officer.
“KEDI evolved as a response to the challenges faced by year 12 graduates in the Moshaweng Valley of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa.
Beyond school there were no opportunities for them – no pathways to higher education, skills training, employment, apprenticeships or work experience. Isolated and poor, 90-95% of them were languishing in their villages, feeling powerless and hopeless about ever having a positive future. The promise of education alone being the road to success does not hold true in the desert.
KEDI is all about development
Four portfolios focus on different areas of community support and all projects fit under one or more of these portfolios
-Vocational Training
-Arts
-Food Security
-Community Health
KEDI functions on the basis of establishing a budget for a project, raising the required amount either by fundraisers or donations, and then commencing the project. ALL contributions of any size are valued towards reaching the end goal. Indeed, it is how many KEDI projects have been achieved!”
KED-J Moshaweng Job Support Service MJSS
2014 MJSS was established. Since then youth and community members have had access to a world beyond their village. It offers internet and photocopying services and many online opportunities that previously never existed.
The first operator was Tsholo – a young woman from the village who received a scholarship to study Social Work. Unable to find employment, she returned and began volunteering at the school until KEDI employed her. Trained by KEDI team members, she quickly established a strong and popular service for learners and community members. This role led to success in being hired as a Social Science teacher in a nearby primary school.
Maitseo, another young woman from a neighbouring village, has taken over the operator’s role. Tsholo became her mentor and trainer and has equipped Maitseo to provide the same excellent support to all those who seek assistance.
Maitseo is an extraordinary businesswoman! KEDI no longer needs to support the cost of internet data to run the service – this is being covered by fee-paying community members and there are always surplus funds at the end of each month.
KED-A ‘Daddy’ – Artist & Sculptor
A self-taught artisan, using simple hand-tools and abundant care, Daddy sculpts raw, unique and beautiful soft-stone sculptures which all have a meaningful story. Lea discovered his work in a village mission.
Daddy was poor and struggling to make a living when Lea first met him, but now, from sales of his sculptures in Australia this quiet, unassuming young man has altered his life of poverty to a basic but life-sustaining income, allowing him to remain in his remote but cherished village of Loopeng.
KED-F "Dirang Basadi" Community Food Garden
Lack of water, searing heat in summer and below zero temperatures in winter are just some of the conditions the Tswana people deal with constantly.
KED-H Moshaweng Clinics Support Program
There are NO doctors in the Moshaweng Valley clinics. Visiting specialists are non-existent. HIV/AIDS, TB, diabetes,hypertension, teenage pregnancies, and alcohol and substance abuse are all serious and escalating conditions.
All serious health problems must be referred to the nearest hospital 65 kilometres away. Most people do not have a car and may not have the funds required for a taxi when there is a medical emergency. Patients have died waiting for the ambulance to arrive. There are no counsellors or social workers, despite a chronic need for both. And nursing staff work long hours with massive responsibilities.”
Acknowledgements:
President’s Thought for the Week
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” Dalai Lama
