Week 11: Article on Community Development

This week, we were to find journal articles relevant to our project. I found an article that aligns quite well with the goals of our service learning approach. In the article titled "Community development in South Africa:Its use as an intervention strategy" in the journal of International Social Work, Travis and colleagues examined whether if community development would be appropriate in the communities of Cato Crest, Bhambayi and Ndwedwe within the province of KwaZulu Natal, which is the largest and poorest province in South Africa.
To assess this, three of the largest role players in community development were interviewed, namely community development committees, community development field workers, and community development and social work academics. In summary, the community development committees, which consisted of committees already existing in the communities, stressed the importance of developing electricity, road, and water infrastructure. The community development field workers, who had working relationships with the communities, expressed the importance of social and economic development, which encompasses not only building infrastructure but also building the people in terms of life skills and asserting themselves. And finally the academics echoed the field works in stressing how vital human development is in addition to infrastructure development.
Travis and colleagues expand upon the importance of combating the so called "culture of entitlement" where community members expect NGOs, the government, or other agencies to build their community for them. Thus it is important to maintain a "facilitator role" so that we aren't the only source for an idea or technology. Community development is ideal in the sense that the people empower themselves to create the community they want to live in. Because there is disagreement between the three role players, the importance of dialogue between them is important before large scale projects should be attempted.

Week 10: Bringing Light to Egoli

I'm super excited to finally have our service project! We will be partnering with Egoli Electronics to bring electricity to nearly 3/4 of the residents in the township who still do not have electricity. The small township-based business is providing portable electric batteries to the other 1/4 of residents, but our group was considering other alternatives to providing affordable, reliable light.

I had heard about Liter of Light a few years ago, but the company's simple yet elegant concept immediately came to mind when Dr. Gilbert was going over the four total service projects in class. To light up many homes in the Philippines, a hole is cut in the roof to insert a plastic 1 liter bottle filled with filtered water and some bleach. The solution then refracts sunlight throughout the home and charges a solar cell, which powers a light to also be refracted during the night. Liter of Light and other similar organizations have brought this innovative lighting solution to many countries around the world, and partnering with them may be a solution we can present to Egoli Electronics.

Official Liter of light video: here
Comprehensive news video: here

Week 9: Top of the Top Ten

I began this class with a very limited and narrow understanding of South Africa's history, culture, and issues. Now, after nine weeks of research that has culiminated into a "top of the top ten" list that our class gathered, I have a much more comprehensive view of the nation. I have learned about the turbulent history of the nation from colonization to apartheid to a New South Africa. I have learned about the prominent issue of race and how pervasive the topic is in every day culture. I have learned that not all are equal in today's South Africa: coloured people, women, the LGBT community, and many more still live under a blanket of oppression or discrimination. And I have learned that And I have learned that with this inequality there are many other issues that the newly democratic nation still needs to face, including education reforms, gangs, and the abject poverty disparity. As we continue past the halfway point of our course and begin designing our service projects, I will keep this new knowledge in mind and close to my heart so I understand both where we are going and why we are there to serve and learn.

For reference, here are the top 10 items that my peers and I have gathered:

TOP 10 READINGS & VIDEOS

Maymester 2015, South Africa  

1. Power and Privilege Definitions

2. Apartheid Timeline

3. Not White Enough, Not Black Enough

4. South Africa Progressive on LGBT Rights but Gays Still Battle for Social Reform

5. Cape Town: Gangs, Race and Poverty 20 years after Apartheid

6. Realizing Women's Rights in South Africa

7. Here's how South African students talk about race and gender

8. ‘Winnie’ fails to capture the essence of Mrs. Mandela

9. Bucket list to visiting South Africa

10. Culture in South Africa

Week 8: Top 10 Peer Research Items

This week I compiled a list of ten items I found useful and compelling to me that my peers have researched. It was a bit difficult to pick just ten, but here is my list I assembled for a variety of areas about South Africa.

(in no particular order)

1. Power & Privilege Definitions - Joshua Alvarez
2. Apartheid Timeline - Joshua Alvarez
3. South Africa's Post Apartheid Generation - Connie Garza
4. US Anti-Apartheid Movement Helped Bring Change to South Africa - Bianca Alcorta
5. Inside South Africa's whites-only town of Orania - Elisa Benavides  
6. Say It Loud, I'm Coloured and I'm Proud - Amanda Lin
7. Opinion: In South Africa, it’s often said that being gay is a ‘western’ thing - Ignacio Cruz
8. South Africa's Ticking Time Bomb: Youth unemployment and economic inequality are making for an untenable situation. - Nestor Castro
9. Realizing Women’s Human Rights in South Africa -  Denice Carpenter
10. Cape Town: Gangs, Race and Poverty 20 years after Apartheid - Denice Carpenter

Week 7: Peer Research

This week, I poked my head into three items that my classmates researched last week.

The busts of Paul Kruger, JBM Hertzog, DF Malan, JG Strijdom and Hendrik Verwoerd overlook the town of Orania.

As Americans, and hence historically anti-apartheid (credits to Bianca Alcorta for finding that article), we rarely hear from the pro-apartheid side, namely those of Afrikan decent. Elisa Benavidas found what I found to be a fascinating article on an all white, ethnically Afrikan town of Orania. Afrikaners are the descendants of the original French, Dutch, and German settlers who settled in South Africa in the 17th century and eventually came to establish the apartheid system to maintain dominance in the country. Orania was established just shortly before the end of apartheid in 1991, and has been a mecca for Afrikaners who felt displaced by the heralding of the new democratic system. Amide interesting facts about the independent infrastructure of the town, low crime rate, strict rules, and eerie atmosphere emerges the Afrikan view of apartheid. Many in the town found nothing wrong with the system and felt displaced by the end of it. One man complained of "reverse racism" and having difficulty find a job. Whereas most of the world praise FW de Klerk for helping to bring an end to apartheid before Nelson Mandela succeeded him as president of South Africa, the owner of the local bar blames him for "the plight of [the Afrikan] people." Oriania even has busts of old Afrikan leaders overlooking the town, a testament to how the spirit of apartheid still lives on.

I have heard the term "the lost generation" used in several contexts now. In an article that Denice Carpenter shared, it refers to the generation after apartheid who still struggle to get an education. Not only do about half of all students drop out at some point with many failing matric exams but many schools also end up shutting down from lack of funding, especially in rural areas and small provinces. Thus many of the Lost Generation ultimately do manual labor or criminal/gang activities. Fortunately, generous efforts from individuals like Oprah Winfrey and nonprofit organizations have made strides to provide for the education of South Africa, but much work remains.

In another look at the young adults of South Africa today, a short documentary that Connie Garza found titled "South Africa's Post Apartheid Generation" examined where many people in my own generation are in life and their viewpoints on politics and apartheid. Many of the young men and women interviewed are now working in the arts and were born near the end of apartheid. Their parents all grew up and lived in the apartheid system with some who participated in anti-apartheid movements and one mother who was nearly killed. It still strikes me how recently apartheid was abolished, and how the varying opinions on the degree of change since. Nearly all who were interviewed showed a drive to become successful in this New South Africa.

Week 6: Layers of Complexity

"She will never give up." This was one of the most striking lines to me as I watched Winnie Mandela, a major motion picture based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography Winnie Mandela: A Life. I remember in some of our blog posts last week that the movement against apartheid was not simply led by Nelson Mandela but was also greatly contributed by other great figures, one of whom was Winnie Mandela. Although the movie didn't go in depth on many aspects of her life, it does give a very solid impression of what this women suffered through in her fight against apartheid.Her relationship with Nelson Mandela marked her as a political threat very early in their marriage, leading to police harassment, being fired from her job, banishment to a small Free State town, and even betrayal and violence within her allies. After watching both Winnie Mandela and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, I want to read the books that inspired the two movies to learn more about the complexity of these two historical figures' lives.


But life is rarely black and white. Lindsay Johns wrote an excellent piece titled "Say It Loud, I'm Coloured and I'm Proud," which dives headfirst into the layers of identity and labels that the South African people align with. Hundreds of years of a métissage (mixing of blood) between a multitude of hertiages has produced the Coloured identity, which is distinct from being Black or White. What surprised me the most is how adept South Africans can be at identifying what to call other South Africans, whereas a foreigner (who will be me this summer) may not see the characteristics that set the groups apart. For example, Johns used Denzel Washington and Usher, two prominent black men in America, as an example of who South Africans would call Coloured. Unfortunately, the politics of apartheid and the new Afrocentric ANC Government have put Coloured people at a disadvantage. However, Johns ends on the hopeful mission to first focus on being " children of the universe and citizens of the world" before worrying about labels and races.

We have parallels in our own backyard with America not being simply black nor white. An essay titled "A Hispanic Civil Rights Movement" by Juan Williams explores the struggle of our nation's largest minority group in their own fight for equality. The movement is a great example of the power that organization of many diverse groups can have to create change. Hopefully racial tensions can be set aside in America as minorities band together in great movement for equality.

[Congrats, you made it through my long rambling! Here's a fun article as your reward: 
How to Spot an American Anywhere in the World]

Week 5: From Selma to Johannesburg to Cape Town

This week, I watched two incredible movies about civil rights movements in both the U.S. and South Africa. In the movie Selma, Martin Luther Kind led protesters in a undying march for the equal voting rights. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, follows Nelson Mandela life from childhood to the ending of apartheid and his victorious presidential election.

I was constantly at awe at how selfless these two civil rights leaders were in their pursuits for freedom. Both dedicated their entire lives, and even risked their lives, to sway entire nations to their cause. It was amazing how they were able to rally both political and social support, with constant references to "The People" they were fighting for. It was also incredibly painful to follow the suffering The People endured. Reading on paper about the brutality and injustice they faced is one thing, but witnessing it through video makes it all the more real. But it is from these historic films that I can understand more where the people of South Africa are emerging from. Apartheid ended merely 20 years ago, and many of the people impacted by the oppressive policy are still alive today. It are those people that we will be working with this coming summer. I am glad to have watched these movies so I can see not only the struggle but also the resilience the people of South Africa had in their fight for equality and freedom.