Global Warming and Namibia

The other day in class, I was talking about synthesis reactions with my grade 9 physical science classes. One good example of this is photosynthesis (yes, because it has the word “synthesis” in the name, but also because they have already learned about it in life science, and it’s a more concrete example for them than the stuff we did in organic chemistry!!)

The interesting thing (at least to me!) was that when we talked about carbon dioxide, they immediately told me that photosynthesis is good because it takes carbon dioxide out of the air. The same thing happened with fuel combustion – they immediately connected the release of carbon dioxide with global warming and the ozone layer. (side note – I commented that whenever they turn on the lights, they’re using electricity which means coal is being burned somewhere. “But Miss, don’t you Americans have many more lights than we do?” Touche, Namibian learners.)

some of my grade 9 learners 

Now, I know these kids don’t always perform the best in school, and they definitely struggle in science more than normal students in America. But as soon as you mention carbon dioxide, they jump to climate change!! How is it that we still have Americans who don’t believe in climate change, but these poor-performing learners in Namibia can tell me the causes of global warming, problems with ozone layer depletion, and actively discuss the effects of climate change on their community??

And it’s not just the kids. Some of the adults I was talking to the other day, about the drought currently facing all of Namibia, had some interesting insights. In the US, we’re used to elders telling us how much harder things were when they were kids. (“I had to walk 2 miles to school, uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow…” you know those stories?) Here, it’s the opposite. The elders never whine about anything. And maybe it’s just a cultural thing, I don’t know. But I find it interesting when they tell us how much cooler the weather was when they were kids, how much more rain they used to have. How we’re having droughts more frequently how, and they feel like the sun is burning their skin more now and do I think it could be because of the ozone layer disappearing since they were kids?

On a tangentially related note – if anyone has great ideas for bringing solar power to southern Africa, you should totally jump on that. I can’t imagine a place better suited for photovoltaic technology, but there’s absolutely none here!!!

ok, I know I already posted pictures of athletics. But seriously, look at that blue sky! there are never, ever clouds here! It's kind of weird actually...

Volunteer Overload!

Last week, 4 extra Peace Corps Volunteers came to Tses! This had two significant outcomes:

1.     Our community was really confused about the number of white people

2.     We had a wonderful week-long business training for the youth/community!

lots of volunteers, all in my living room!

Peace Corps helped me to organize a week training worshop on business development (including what makes a good business, how to register your business, writing a business plan, and making sure your business succeeds). 4 of our business volunteers, Marie (from Aroab), Mayank (from Luderitz), Adam (from Otjiwarango) and Neil (from Okahandja), came to stay with me in Tses for a week to run the workshop.

The workshop was one outcome from our local Youth Development Group – the people here really want help starting their own businesses. Jobs are hard to come by and money is scarce, but they are a hard-working bunch and we really want to get some local businesses going before the big Tses Glass project comes in and starts taking over the village.

Our 4 business volunteers with a few of their trainees at the workshop

I’m really excited that the workshop happened at all, because funding is hard to get for big projects like this, and the group actually had to do some fundraising on its own. But they pulled through and we raised N$1 000 to accompany the N$5 000 provided by the regional council to help us pay for the workshop. 

A local concert for the kids was one way the youth raised funds for the workshop

4 of the volunteers who stay in Tses permanently - we participated in the concert to help fundraise! Let me tell you, learning to play the guitar in a week is a terrible idea.

The volunteers ran sessions from 8-4 every day, including some time for one-on-one meetings with our local business-people-wanna-bes. 

Marie working with Zelda, one of my favorites from the Youth Group 

Neil working with Saartjie (her name sounds exactly like mine but with an "r". Confusing.) 

After the workshop was finished, the feedback I got from our community was that it was “great” and “informative” and “they knew so much!” I think they are really grateful that so many ‘experts’ were willing to come to Tses for a whole week to spend time with them. And even though some of them may have struggled with the English a little bit, I think everyone got something out of it! This will be a great starting point for us to move forwards from.

Proud trainees after finishing the workshop!

track in Keetmanshoop

Once again, I spent much of the last weekend at a track meet! I absolutely love track and field, but it is SO different to be viewing it from the other side! Coaching is really, really different from running as an athlete! (I did especially love the part where one of my learners asked for sweets – I told her she had to wait because she hadn’t earned them yet. “But why can you keep them then, Miss? You don’t have to do ANYTHING…” thanks.)

Aside from the part where I’m a coach instead of a runner, track here is really just a whole different animal.

some of my kids at the Youth center where they spent the night

For instance – some of my learners participated in field events like high jump and javelin. Let me tell you, our school does NOT have high jump mats or javelins. One of my boys was really interested and so he has been practicing javelin by himself with a treebranch (also shockingly hard to come by in Tses)! Some of them high jumped before in primary school, so we practiced one day on some mattresses from the hostel and they just went for it at the meet! They do really well given these constraints. One of my girls jumped 1.35m SCISSORKICKING the bar. She can’t go backwards. It was so impressive!

One of my boys throwing a shot for the second time in 2 years!

I have never seen such a successful scissorkick.

There are also some interesting cultural comparisons to be done at meets like this. Our region varies a lot socio-economically, and we have the highest Gini coefficients in all of Namibia, 0.63 (the Gini coefficient ranks discrepancy in where wealth lies). So we had one school competing that had only white learners. They wore spikes, knew how to use starting blocks, and raced events like the hurdles.

These aren't my kids - but have you ever seen hurdles like these??

Start of the under-17 girls' 800m - you'll notice the girl on the left is wearing spikes and the 2 in the middle have on socks because of the rocks on the track

Then there are schools like mine. All of our kids are barefoot, most of them haven’t seen a hurdle outside of the regional competition, and we most definitely don’t have organized practice through the school! I’m proud to say, they definitely still held their own.

 Aloysius ran a 10:20 for a 3k, barefoot on a cinder track. He won, and had 0 competition.. he just jogged with the other guy until the last lap, which he ran in a 63 low. Not even tired. I really hope they advance him to the national meet in Windhoek!