EAST WEST... HOME IS THE BEST
Growing up in a small town with a population of less than 1500 people, my ideal for most of my life was to get out and see the world. Experience new faces and new places. That was the one goal I had for my life and one I have continued to strive for. However we live in a world filled with amazing spaces and places that most of the time we fail to see the beauty that is right under our noses.
For years I have travelled in South Africa experiencing the different towns. Travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg, Springbok to Port Elizabeth and also most of the small towns inbetween. Through all my travels most people I’ve met wanted to experience Namaqualand, the area where I am from.
For me Namaqualand is simply a small town place filled with people with small town mentality, but when you return home after hearing people yearn to go there you start to notice the little things, you start to see the beauty. You see your home through other people’s eyes.
What is most noteable is the fact that I have lived in this are most of my life,but before my travels I had no desire to experience the “tourist attractions”.
After 23 years of living in Namaqualand I finally went to visit the Namaqua National Park located 100km from my hometown. As I drove to the Park all I saw was dustcovered roads, grey bushes and mountain after mountain but looking closer I could see life under the dust. Dungbeetles running around trying to make a living, wild bucks running in the hills nibbling on the juicy bushes, dassies sunbathing on the rocks and smaller creatures playing in the sand. If you look closely you will see lines in the dust suggesting that not long ago a snake made his way on that path. But then just when you think the dusty roads and wildlife is all there is you reach the Namaqua National Park, and a wondeeful surprise will pleasure your eyes.
As you approach the Park the greyness suddenly makes way for an orange avalanche of flowers. Rolling over the hills and across the dusty landscapes which as we approach changes into masses and masses of indigenous flowers that captures your eye and you can believe that it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The closer you get more colourful flowers come out to play. Blue ones play peek a boo in the sea of orange, yellow flowers make a crown on the top of huge ant hills.
The flowers is only the beginning of the majesty of the Park, besides the flowers the variety of animals living in the park and making appearances as you enjoy the scenery stole my heart and all the other organs in my body. A space that not only pleased my eyes but soothed my soul.
Not only is Namaqua National Park home to the most beautiful flower arrangements and cutest animals I have ever seen in my travels, the people working there has the most beautiful souls.
Staying over in Namaqualand after a flower tour and listening to the stories of the local people is something that was not on my bucket list but it was the best experience I have ever had. One that will never be matched by anything or anyone.
This just made me realise that the saying “East West, Home is the Best” is not just a thing we say, it’s based on true experiences. No matter where I have travelled after that, my tourist experience at home was by far the best and most rewarding travel of my life.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
FEMALE EMPOWERNMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
Women is the backbone of our communities
The need for women empowerment is huge!!!
Rural women, who constitute one-fourth of the world's population, continue to face more difficulty than men in accessing public services, social protection, employment and markets, due to cultural norms, security issues and lack of identification documents.
“Rural women account for a great proportion of the world's agricultural labour force, produce the majority of food grown, especially in subsistence farming, and perform most of the unpaid care work in rural areas.” –according to the United Nations.
We continue to underestimate the value of women in Argriculture and development in our growing environment.
Women are the backbone of all systems in South Africa. Women are getting more value in the economic sector, they are getting more jobs and becoming the breadwinner in most household thanks to practices like women empowerment and BEE.
“Rural women typically work longer hours than men - they also have domestic and child care responsibilities. In Benin and Tanzania, women are said to work 17.4 and 14 hours more than men per week, respectively.”
What we seem to look over is the fact that women are getting more involved in the capital sector in the land while still being the caretakers at home. Women go to work 5 – 9 then get back home and make food for the family, take care of the children and do general housework. In most instances the man also works but after work he is too tired to help around the house and the daily chore falls to the woman.
"Women living in urban areas have started to delegate activities after work that has led to job development in aspects like childcare, homecare and cooking however rural women stil struggle with maintaining a full time job and being a homemaker.
What is troublesome is the fact that woman still earns less money than the men in the same job description. If you look at the distribution of salaries between men and women you will see that men earn substantially more than women.
Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals", show that men's average wages are higher than women's in both rural and urban areas.
Women have been fighing for equality for yea and it’s sad to see that till today the women is still being treated as if theyare not eligable to pay as much as their male counterparts.
Women have been discriminated against for a very long time and given the opportunity can surpass their male counterparts.
It is time that people especially woman get rewarded for their work and not based on their sex.
A strong emphasis needs to be put on empowering women, with the aim of bringing an end to genderalisation worldwide
The need for women empowerment is huge!!!
Rural women, who constitute one-fourth of the world's population, continue to face more difficulty than men in accessing public services, social protection, employment and markets, due to cultural norms, security issues and lack of identification documents.
“Rural women account for a great proportion of the world's agricultural labour force, produce the majority of food grown, especially in subsistence farming, and perform most of the unpaid care work in rural areas.” –according to the United Nations.
We continue to underestimate the value of women in Argriculture and development in our growing environment.
Women are the backbone of all systems in South Africa. Women are getting more value in the economic sector, they are getting more jobs and becoming the breadwinner in most household thanks to practices like women empowerment and BEE.
“Rural women typically work longer hours than men - they also have domestic and child care responsibilities. In Benin and Tanzania, women are said to work 17.4 and 14 hours more than men per week, respectively.”
What we seem to look over is the fact that women are getting more involved in the capital sector in the land while still being the caretakers at home. Women go to work 5 – 9 then get back home and make food for the family, take care of the children and do general housework. In most instances the man also works but after work he is too tired to help around the house and the daily chore falls to the woman.
"Women living in urban areas have started to delegate activities after work that has led to job development in aspects like childcare, homecare and cooking however rural women stil struggle with maintaining a full time job and being a homemaker.
What is troublesome is the fact that woman still earns less money than the men in the same job description. If you look at the distribution of salaries between men and women you will see that men earn substantially more than women.
Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals", show that men's average wages are higher than women's in both rural and urban areas.
Women have been fighing for equality for yea and it’s sad to see that till today the women is still being treated as if theyare not eligable to pay as much as their male counterparts.
Women have been discriminated against for a very long time and given the opportunity can surpass their male counterparts.
It is time that people especially woman get rewarded for their work and not based on their sex.
A strong emphasis needs to be put on empowering women, with the aim of bringing an end to genderalisation worldwide
Toddler Tales
Travelling with a three year old.
Anyone who has ever travelled with a toddler will know this struggle.
Being in a car with a little person who is just exploring the world will always turn into the weiredst Q & A session you will ever have.
“Mommy what is that thing next to the road?”
“Why is that there?”
“ What does that mean?”
And of course the worse question being asked a million times.....
“Are we there yet?”
Don’t get my wrong, I love travelling with my kid, it is an amazing journey because most of the time I will also learn something new before the trip ends. And if you are in a good mood this will be the most rewarding and fun trip.
Being stuck in a car with a three year old for 8 hours will have you pulling your hair out of your head. There is only so much games you can play to keep him occupied and if he is anything like my son, he would not want to play the same games over and over again. This will either make you or break you. Luckily for me this last three years have prepared me for moments like this.
Making up games and being able to entertain a thre eyear old in an confined space should really be considered as a superpower, because as any mother knows it is not something for the faint hearted.
One game that I saw helped and worked the longest was an adaption of I spy...
What we did was say.. I see a white car what are you seeing? And this game can go on till kingdom comes.
If he get’s bored adapt the game,s ay something you see and ask the child to guess three reasons why that is there. Also when you see little houses against the road, make up your own fairytale about the house or basically any object that you see...
A fun way to keep the little one entertained. Don’t forget to stop and go for little walks and sightseeing while travelling, this helps alot especially to keep the energy levels from going crazy.
It is a nightmare to travel with a three year old but if you play your cards right you can make this a fun filled wonder race.
P.S. Some treats and drinks along the road has never killed any kid.
What I also hate is driving somewhere and then making your child play on a cellphone or tablet the whole way. You do not realise how much you are robbing your child. This is a time to educate your child to help grow his curiosity, so make the best of these situations and do fun educational things.
Teach your child to recognise the road, to know certain beacons so he can always know where he is.
Anyone who has ever travelled with a toddler will know this struggle.
Being in a car with a little person who is just exploring the world will always turn into the weiredst Q & A session you will ever have.
“Mommy what is that thing next to the road?”
“Why is that there?”
“ What does that mean?”
And of course the worse question being asked a million times.....
“Are we there yet?”
Don’t get my wrong, I love travelling with my kid, it is an amazing journey because most of the time I will also learn something new before the trip ends. And if you are in a good mood this will be the most rewarding and fun trip.
Being stuck in a car with a three year old for 8 hours will have you pulling your hair out of your head. There is only so much games you can play to keep him occupied and if he is anything like my son, he would not want to play the same games over and over again. This will either make you or break you. Luckily for me this last three years have prepared me for moments like this.
Making up games and being able to entertain a thre eyear old in an confined space should really be considered as a superpower, because as any mother knows it is not something for the faint hearted.
One game that I saw helped and worked the longest was an adaption of I spy...
What we did was say.. I see a white car what are you seeing? And this game can go on till kingdom comes.
If he get’s bored adapt the game,s ay something you see and ask the child to guess three reasons why that is there. Also when you see little houses against the road, make up your own fairytale about the house or basically any object that you see...
A fun way to keep the little one entertained. Don’t forget to stop and go for little walks and sightseeing while travelling, this helps alot especially to keep the energy levels from going crazy.
It is a nightmare to travel with a three year old but if you play your cards right you can make this a fun filled wonder race.
P.S. Some treats and drinks along the road has never killed any kid.
What I also hate is driving somewhere and then making your child play on a cellphone or tablet the whole way. You do not realise how much you are robbing your child. This is a time to educate your child to help grow his curiosity, so make the best of these situations and do fun educational things.
Teach your child to recognise the road, to know certain beacons so he can always know where he is.
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