Millions are spent on building stadiums for the 2010 World Cup, while budgets for research are being cut.

It is a worrying phenomenon for the research community that research is apparently being put on hold to fund the World Cup, especially given the already dampened global economic climate.

An article by Cornia Pretorius in the July edition of the Mail and Gaurdian’s Higher Learning supplement, states: “The National Research Foundation (NRF) recently canned a joint project involving researchers from South Africa and Spain, citing a diversion of public funds to preparations for the 2010 World Cup and the global economic crisis as the primary reasons for cancellation”.  

 This is ironic in the context that the World Cup is premised to build the South African economy, boost job creation and promote further opportunities for international interest and collaboration. Key researchers and academics, quoted in the article, believe this decision has far-reaching, negative consequences for the South African research community.

 Legislative and policy gaps remain a hindrance to South Africa as a developmental state. Research is necessary to inform policy structures and implementation, but if budgets are cut, where will this leave South Africa?

Children from Hout Bay are kept off the streets with soccer, in the Stars in their Eyes project.

Ironically, even though South Africa will be hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup in less than a year, physical education is deprioritised in schools across the country. The benefits of sport for one’s well-being are disregarded.

This was the opinion of guests at a colloquium hosted by the Social Transformation Programme  of the Department of the Premier, on Thursday the 25 June. The goal of the colloquium was to address the issue of how sport could contribute to social transformation.       

 The colloquium consisted firstly of a panelist discussion, where key stakeholders and academics working within the arena of sport and transformation put forward their views on sport as a mechanism for social transformation. Both the achievements and challenges at a policy level and grassroots level were raised.

Following the panelist discussion the floor was opened to the guests for comments. The floor’s diverse composition made for an insightful discussion. An interesting point to arise from the discussion is the fact that physical education is no longer included in the South African school curriculum.

Sport has many benefits and should be practised in schools.

Luckily, with South Africa’s responsibility as host of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, sport has been pushed up the priority list, for example with the Stars in their Eyes project that aims to uplift children in priority areas through soccer. However, sport needs to be prioritised even more. South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup should be used to put sport back into schools.

 While doing an evaluation of the Stars in their Eyes project, Development Works explored the many benefits that sport has for children. It does not only keep them physically healthy, but also keeps them from the streets, gangs and drugs, builds their self-esteem and teaches them to work hard within a team. This is very necessary.

Women often still perform gendered roles in the workplace. Photo by Chris Kirschhoff.

Women’s “resistance” to traditional gendered roles performed within the family structure, has led to “new” roles of performance in relation to work, marriage and childcare.

Throughout history certain norms were created determining gender roles. Women were perceived as the primary caregiver and men dominated in the workplace. Within the home these norms were learnt and thus maintained. In past decades this has apparently started to change with more women entering the working world.

 This shift in women performing work outside the home is associated with the female claim to autonomy. But how free are women really, even in their new roles? This “autonomy claimed” in many instances is contradictory.

 Women perform work within a gendered environment which reproduces the inequalities apparent within the ‘family’ and other social institutions. For example, look at the “glass ceiling effect” – the fact that women rarely reach prominent positions in a company due to discrimination. Also, very few women have yet been employed in male dominated areas such as the construction industry.

Photo by Chris Kirschhoff.

 There is apparently a lot of attention paid to the unequal position of women in the workplace, but the policies and structures implemented by government to address inequality in reality furthers the persistence of gender inequality. According to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, women are entitled to at least 4 months of Consecutive  Maternity Leave, while men get 3 days Family Responsibility Leave. Does this not imply that the woman should stay at home and start raising the children while the man can go back to work almost immediately?  

 Top-down policy measures will not work as the historical construction of appropriate gendered behaviour is deeply rooted within the social fabric of society. It is only from “below” that this issue can truly be addressed.

Photo taken by Anatelle Ford for the Adonis Musati Project.

More than a decade ago, Archbishop Desmond Tutu defined Ubuntu as an ethic which is upheld by someone  who ‘…has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.’ In short, he described ubuntu as the essence of being human.

But what is the meaning of these words in the face of the mistreatment of refugees in South Africa? In front of the Department of Home Affairs, there are always refugees who have been sleeping on the pavement for days, trying to obtain an asylum seeker’s permit. They are not even allowed to use the building’s toilets and risk losing their place in line when seeking this service elsewhere.

 Recently it was said in the news that a lorry reportedly carrying sewerage had sprayed effluent onto hundreds of desperate immigrants – young and old –   at the Methodist Church refugee camp in Johannesburg.

 For decades, refugees have been a significant feature of the South African landscape.  South Africa has given official recognition to refugees, a move that has been highly appreciated.  However, refugees have experienced varying degrees of acceptance or rejection as they strive to make a living in a foreign land.  

Photo taken by Anatelle Ford for the Adonis Musati Project

 The scenarios presented above and other untold stories, makes one wonder whether the ethics of Ubuntu will remain a political philosophy. Ubuntu calls us to place equal value on all individuals, to raise the voice of those who otherwise cannot do it for themselves. It defines what it really means to be a human being.

The Adonis Musati Project, for one, believes in the spirit of Ubuntu. Named after a young Zimbabwean who died of starvation on the streets of Cape Town, this organisation aims to support refugees in their endeavours to make a life for themselves.

 The Development Works team hopes to support them as much as possible.

NGOs, CBOs, small business owners and even government are increasingly making use of Free Libre and Open Source Software.

If you still think that FLOSS is just something you do after you have brushed your teeth, you have not yet joined the ranks of those realising the benefits and potencial of  Free Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS).

“Free” means the software gives you “freedom”, but it is not necessarily always cost free. With FLOSS you can view the source code of a program and if you have the technical know-how, you can alter that code to enhance the program. With proprietary software the code is hidden. You are also allowed to copy and share Free and Open Source Software and do not need a registration code, as is the case with proprietary software.    

The Free Software Movement, consisting of people who believed that if you love software you should set it free, started in the early 1980’s.  It culminated in the Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985 by Richard Stallman. They are “dedicated to promoting computer users’ right to use, study, copy, modify and redistribute computer programs”.  

Groups working on a tight budget such as non-governmental organisations, community based organisations and small businesses are increasingly making use of this type of software. Even government has realised the potencial of FLOSS, announcing in 2007 that they would migrate to Free and Open Source Software. However, they have not fully implemented the use of FLOSS yet.  

Free and Open Source Software can also be used for education in resource-poor schools and by entrepreneurs trying to make a living.  

Members of the Development Works team attended Joomla training conducted by the organisation FLOSSnet last week. Joomla is Free and Open Source Software used to design and manage websites.

A scene from Freedom Behind Bars

Society’s tendency to “throw away the key” distances us as individuals of society from the humanity of those in prison. We label them “criminal” and “prisoner” and treat them as such. This veiled lens through which we see these individuals is highlighted in the documentary that was screened at the Labia Theatre on Orange Street this last Sunday 17 May.

Finding Freedom Behind Bars follows the work of two Zen teachers with inmates of Malmesbury Prison in Cape Town. The focus is on mindfulness; being consciously aware of one’s actions through mindfulness techniques such as meditation. This initiative forms part of the Mindfulness Prison Project.

What was so powerful about their journey is that the mindfulness tools taught to them by the Zen teachers allowed them to gain an understanding of themselves. It allowed them and us the viewers, to look into their hearts and see the humanity that is present there. Their individual stories lift the veil from our eyes. Against the very harsh environment of prison, the inmates are challenged to view themselves to seek alternative ways of being that allow them to confront their past and challenge those around them to see them as human.

Despite their crimes, these individuals are vulnerable human beings who now have to face the outside world. The documentary also gives hope to finding solutions to the high recidivism rates. More than that, “Finding Freedom Behind Bars” calls us to embrace our own humanity and be mindful of our thoughts, feelings and actions towards those in our society who need our understanding and compassion.

The documentary Freedom Behind Bars was shown at the Labia Theatre.

“CWDM invites NGOs, social partners and service providers to submit proposals for a variety of rural and social development projects and programmes, as listed below.Fund Objective: The projects have been established by the CWDM to provide limited grant funding to organisations and social partners within the district that require capital to implement or expand community development projects. Approval Procedure: All applications for the projects will be submitted to an Approval Committee, which will shortlist organisations and social partners that can be supported within the available funds. 1. HIV AIDSThe CWDM is calling on NGOs and social partners involved in efforts to reverse the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS in the CWDM area to submit projects to be implemented in one or more of the five municipal areas. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions. Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: – Interventions focussing on the poor and on creating awareness and behavioural change contributing to abstain or delay first sexual intercourse – Prevention and awareness of HIV – Interventions contributing to safer sex practises – Interventions contributing to improve gender relations and addressing gender-based violence – Provision of support and care to HIV positive individuals – Access to nutritional and food security to HIV positive persons – Interventions focussing on the provision of youth-friendly, sexual reproductive health services – A detailed project implementation plan. Expertise Needed – Extensive proven experience in and knowledge of working with infected and affected individuals – Knowledge of the status of HIV in the Cape Winelands region – Capacity to roll out community-based projects – Excellent communicative and report-writing skills – Excellent financial accounting skills.2. ELDERLYIn order to improve the livelihood of the elderly in the Cape Winelands District with resources, the CWDM is calling on NGOs and social partners involved in working with the elderly to submit projects to be implemented in one or more of the five municipal areas. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: – Community-based interventions focussing on activating the mobile elderly (e.g. home gardens, social networks and recreation) – Focussing on restoring human dignity of the elderly and contributing to enter generational empowerment – Creating awareness on the rights of the elderly – Critical interventions focussing on the poor on farms – A detailed project implementation plan.Expertise Needed – A sound understanding of the Western Cape?s (and Cape Winelands?) socioeconomic profile – An insight into the issues, challenges and opportunities of the elderly – An understanding of the relevant acts and legislation governing the rights of the elderly – Extensive expertise in research methodology, project management and quality management – Excellent data analysis and report-writing skills.3. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIESThere are many opportunities within the Cape Winelands District to integrate people with disabilities into society. At present people with disabilities still experience attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers. In order to improve the livelihood of individuals with disability, the CWDM is calling for NGOs and social partners involved in working with people with disabilities to submit projects to be implemented in one or more of the five municipal areas. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: – Creating awareness on the rights of individuals living with disabilities – Addressing the current socioeconomic situation of individuals living with disabilities, focussing on the poor and those on farms – Interventions to decrease dependence on state grants – Interventions focussing on accessing contributions to ensure greater inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream society – Baseline information on accessibility of public and other buildings to people with disabilities – A detailed project implementation plan.Expertise Needed – A sound understanding of the Western Cape?s (and Cape Winelands?) socioeconomic profile – An insight into the issues, challenges and opportunities of individuals living with disabilities (rural areas, etc.) – An understanding of the relevant acts and legislation governing the rights of individuals living with disabilities (rural areas, etc.) – Extensive expertise in research methodology, project management and quality management – Excellent data analysis and report-writing skills.4. SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODThe CWDM is committed to providing support to vulnerable individuals within the district through the development and implementation of suitable developmental programmes addressing the needs of the poor. To this end, the CWDM is calling for NGOs and social partners to submit projects/programmes to be implemented in one or more of the five municipal areas. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: – Uplifting the livelihood of vulnerable and poor individuals – A detailed programme implementation plan – Interventions aimed at improving food security amongst the poor and the farm dwellers – Interventions aimed at providing credible information and data on the plight of vulnerable groups amongst the poor.Expertise Needed – Capacity to roll out the programmes – Excellent communicative and report-writing skills – Excellent data analysis skills.5. WOMENThe CWDM strives to ensure that the rights of women are adhered to within the district, and therefore intends to implement programmes that eliminate the social, economic, political and environmental ills being experienced by women. The Municipality is committed to promoting gender equality by empowering women in the key areas of Career Development and Life Skills.In the light of the above, the CWDM calls for credible social partners to submit projects in the above-mentioned areas. Workshops are envisaged to improve the skills of approximately 300 women throughout the district. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: – Career development – Life skills – Education of women in poor communities and on farms who are living on social grants, on how to access and better manage these – Education of women and raising awareness, especially of female-headed house- holds in informal settlements, who suffer as a result of family violence, fire and the effect of alcohol and drug abuse. Expertise Needed – Proven capacity to roll out the community-based projects and programmes – Excellent communicative and report-writing skills – Excellent financial accounting skills.6. YOUTHThe CWDM strives to ensure that the rights of youth are adhered to within the district. To achieve this, the CWDM intends to implement programmes that eliminate the social, economic, political and environmental ills being experienced by youth. The CWDM is committed to promoting gender equality by empowering youth in the key areas of Career Development and Life Skills.To this end, the CWDM calls for service providers to submit proposals for conducting training workshops in the above-mentioned key areas within the five B Municipalities. The workshops are to improve the skills of approximately 300 youth throughout the district.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following:- Career development- Life skills.Expertise Needed – Proven capacity to roll out the community-based projects and programmes – Excellent communicative and report-writing skills -Excellent financial accounting skills.7. SUBSTANCE ABUSEIn order to address drug and alcohol abuse in communities within the Cape Winelands area, the CWDM is calling on NGOs and social partners involved in working with substance abuse to submit projects to be implemented in one or more of the five municipal areas. A strong focus will be put on rural interventions.Scope of WorkProjects/programmes should be geared towards the following: -Creating awareness on substance abuse – Addressing the current situation of substance abuse in communities on farms -Building capacity to minimise substance abuse- A detailed project implementation plan. Expertise Needed Capacity to roll out community-based projects.CONTENT OF ALL PROJECT/PROGRAMME PROPOSALS~ Business contact details~ Business description~ Business location (B municipality, ward, etc.)~ Business aim and objectives~ Business activities~ Business outputs and outcomes~ Clearance of cash flows and financial projections~ Number of jobs created (temporary and permanent)~ Detailed breakdown of cost~ Management structure~ Upfront declaration of any other sources of income to the business.ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION~ Bank details~ Signatories to bank account~ Auditing details~ Latest financial statements and audit reports (if available)~ Constitution~ NPO registration (if applicable).GOVERNANCE OF THE FUNDThe Fund will be managed directly by the CWDM through the Department: Rural and Social Development. The Fund will be governed in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act. Service Level Agreements will be entered into between all the organisations and the CWDM, in terms of which monthly reports must be submitted by the organisations. ENQUIRIESDirect any enquiries regarding these proposals to Myrtle Benjamin at myrtle@capewinelands.gov.za, or Claude Schroeder at cschroeder@capewinelands.gov.za, or contact them on tel. 086 126 5263. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALSDuly completed proposals, in a sealed envelope and endorsed with the name of the applicable proposal, must be placed in the official tender box in the foyer of the following Cape Winelands District Municipal Offices before or on Wednesday 6 May 2009: 29 Du Toit Street,Stellenbosch ,51 Trappes Street, Worcester ,56 Bad Street, Montagu 46 Van Reenen Street, Robertson,27 Munnik Street, Ceres ,194 Main Street, Paarl.” (Tradeworld, 16 April 2009)

Seriously though, the recession has the potential to have a profound affect on the life experience of large number of the inhabitants of this planet – and that probably includes you too. Some, of course, will become unimaginably richer; most will be left fighting for their survival. Some economists have even rubber stamped the idea that the global recession has the potential to progress into a global depression, an economic phenomenon that has not been seen since the 1920s. This would surely be the greatest economic event of living memory.

South Africans to an extent have thus far been exempt from the punishment being meted out to our first world brothers and sisters. This may have lulled us into a false sense of security, perhaps based on the premise that our financial system is not as underlyingly flawed. However, we have been assured by the number crunchers and academics that all and sundry on the planet will have their turn; we just have to be patient.

But who is to blame for this catastrophe? Fingers are quickly pointed at our American friends who have committed the most blatant acts of greed, negligence and stupidity over the past several years. They are under world scrutiny for their imaginative creation of wealth through the indiscriminate lending of money to people who could not, in the long run, afford to pay it back. If you have ever lent money to an unreliable relative or a reckless ‘friend’ then the madness of this business venture should be obvious. Not to our American friends. No. This was too much of a good opportunity to live the American dream.

But, you may ask, what triggered this massive financial system failure? Sure, the business models being employed by the US financial sector would have eventually toppled over as any good pyramid scheme does in the end. However, the American economy could simply not withstand the heat caused by rising global prices. The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India & China) countries have been at the forefront of aggressive economic development policies, amongst other developing countries, over the last few years, which have driven the global demand and price of goods, translating into rapid global inflation. The progress of developing nations, among a range of other factors, has had an enormous impact on the US economy exposing the cracks in its foundation and catapulting it into economic trouble.

And now here we are, watching the drama unfold in front of us as politicians all over the world run around trying to save us from the brink of economic disaster. Somehow I get the feeling that I am watching the equivalent of a hostage negotiator trying to put out a raging forest fire – it all just does not fit. The uncertainty of our futures should certainly increase the business of fortune tellers and sangomas alike. There is now a very thin line between paranoia and omnipotent wisdom when interpreting the direction the economy will take. Your guess is as good as mine. Or an economist’s for that matter. The silver-lining is that humanity always seems to come out the other end a little stronger, and perhaps a little wiser.

Jeremy West is a Cape Town-based business analyst. This opinion piece debates a topical issue – start a conversation and have your say by sharing your comments here.

This content can be found on the following pagehttp://www.investorwords.com/cgi-bin/getword.cgi?id=1418&term=depression

Well done to all our athletes who competed. Just the mere fact that Khotso and his fellow team-mates qualified for the Olympics made them winners even though only one medal was brought home, not only is Khotso a winner, but he has proved that he is one of the best in the world.

]]> http://developmentworks.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/south-africa-is-proud-of-you-khotso-mokoena/feed/ 6 developmentworkswordpresscom http://developmentworks.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/indian-hiv-campaign-goes-digital-and-our-ever-growing-population/ http://developmentworks.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/indian-hiv-campaign-goes-digital-and-our-ever-growing-population/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:47:06 +0000 developmentworkswordpresscom http://developmentworks.wordpress.com/?p=59 ]]> Officials in India have come up with a novel way of communicating an HIV awareness message to an ever growing population.  A cellphone ringtone that chants “condom! condom” will be used as a way of trying to inspire Indians to take heart and heed of a safer sex message.  This use of techonology will hopefully enable HIV educators to raise awareness of the need to practice safe sex. For more on this clever use of technology visit iolhivaids.co.za

Even though India has a population of 1,128,289,843 its HIV positive prevalence of 2.5 million is relatively small, in relation to the size of its population.  Visit Medindia.net to find out more about the growth in India’s population of literally 29 births per minute.

More info on the planet’s burgeoning population from medindia….

“Rate of Increase in World Population

In our existence for the last 52,000 years on this planet Earth, there have been a total of about 106.billion people. Every year we add almost 78 million people to the world population and are rapidly consuming its resources.

In the year 1 AD we were only 300 million and our population was growing slowly at 0.5% per year. At the start of 1980 the world population was 4.4 billion but in 20 years we added over 1.6 billion people and the population was 6 billion. By 2015 it is predicted we will be more than 7 billion. A British Physicist estimated this alarming rise and predicted our current growth as follows-

‘At the current rate it would take only about 50 years to populate Venus, Mercury, Mars, the moon, and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn to same population density as Earth. . . It would take only about 200 years to fill [the remaining planets] “Earth-full.” . . . What then? .’   - J. H. Fremlin”