Best Trip Highlight besides Cape Town

So I'm finally back in the land of fresh milk and boneless chicken. Life on this side of the world has taken a standstill for now. Not much to do but pack and warm that couch. Not to worry though as my precious Duke awaits.

I thought that I might as well continue with the blog and post the promised pictures. I'll probably appreciate it in a few years. So here goes...

Welcome to the Drakensberg Mountains.

Appreciating natural beauty and food.Traditional Zulu dwellings.Jason, overly fascinated by the free roaming cows. This photo marks the beginning of his vanity. For the entire album of Jason and South African scenery, contact him directly. Teasing.

Note: Telephone pole. It only arrived two or three years ago.
The start of the looooooooooooong hike to Ceiphus' (our walking guide). Breathtaking sights during the hike.How the hell did I get here?
Thank you mom and dad. Without you, I would not be here, in this amazing land, having these unforgettable experiences. Little elementary school kids walking home from school, by themselves. They walk 1-2 hours to and from school everyday. Now that's dedication to one's education. We finally arrived at Ceiphus' home. (6K later).Thoreau would surely appreciate Ceiphus' living conditions. A traditional Zulu meal, courtesy of Ceiphus' wife. We were here for snacks, not a meal. Traditional zulu healers dance for us.His family.Next day, short hike to see some 8000 year old rock art.Rock art in its purest forms. No museums, no conservation parks.
Impromptu service day at the school.We speak English. They speak Zulu. But we all speak the universal language of soccer.
This should suffice this part of the trip.

The day my life changed. For real.

August 11, 2010

It was just an ordinary day. It was the feeling that was extraordinary. As I told my fellow Duke Engage buddies, my insides were happy and glowing, and there was not one thing that could have ruined that feeling. Thinking back, I don't know why I knew or rather how I knew that my life changed that day. I am now wishing that I wrote my feelings right when it happened because it is not the same writing about it once the feeling has subsided.

Yesterday, I went with SDCEA to DUT (Durban University of Technology) to hear a talk on Air Quality Monitoring by a retired professor, Jean Faullimmel, from France. He talked about how the NGOs in France worked in line with the government and the public sector to control emissions. His talk was very informative, and without a doubt, I gained a lot from it. However, my life did not change because of his talk but rather what I realized during his talk. As I was jotting down the differences between France and South Africa and thinking about how the system he was advocating would be difficult to implement here, I realized something.

Unlike in France, where the NGO shows the government increases in air emissions and the goverment quickly takes action and reduces the driving speed limit, in South Africa, the case is completely different. Many can easily attest to the view that the government of South Africa is unresponsive to the concerns of its people. We, the people of SA and the NGO, cannot rely on the government as the French do. As the professor said, change in the environment can be made with the assistance of the government because the power is truly within the government. But when the government chooses to sit idly and not exercise this power for the sake of their people, as it does here in South Africa, we cannot not do anything.

So, at some point during these thoughts about the challenges that SA has with environmental legislation, I realized that one of the biggest problem was that we still cannot adequately link the environmental data that we have to the data on health, especially in the south Durban basin. Correlating the two would be the answer to putting the pressure on the government. Therefore, I have decided to forever veer away from my neuroscience dreams and pursue what I have been passionate about but just never realized: the environment and its impact on health.

I have always voiced my dislike for writing. I am realizing now that if I am passionate about something, like the environment, then I can write a book if I have to. This blog, for instance, did not injure my soul. I actually enjoyed it.

So, family and friends, here's a toast to finding yourself in the most unexpected situations and to realizing your passions. Let's hope I never forget this moment and carry through with my new life goals.

BP still leaking here in south Durban

Aug 12, 2010

Today, Mr. D’sa (my boss from SDCEA) invited me to attend another meeting with him. This was the Sapref Environmental Performance Review. In a nutshell, this meeting was part of the process that Sapref (which is a joint venture of BP and Shell oil refineries) must follow in order to renew their permit to essentially pollute in the area. There were city officials, Sapref officials, NGOs like SDCEA (for whom I intern) and groundWork, and a few select community members present at the meeting.

To begin with, I found out only today that Sapref is in fact the biggest refinery in South Africa. I always thought Engen, which is seen outside my room window, was larger than Sapref, but apparently not. Sapref processes up to 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day! Imagine that and now add Engen’s refining and all the other industries’ contributions!

This is Sapref (BP and Shell South African Petroleum Refineries.) The green land to the right was the old Durban International Airport site. Imagine the first impression one gets looking out the airplane window!One important point to note regarding this meeting is that first Mr. D’sa is well known, even by those he hasn’t met just yet. Next is that although I knew there were high levels of benzene being released into the atmosphere by these refineries, I never grasped the gravity of the issue until the Sapref official talked about benzene urine tests for their workers. Obviously one would not test for this one chemical if it wasn’t that prevalent and problematic.

Also, I found it highly ironic (and Mr. D’sa noticed as well and made a valid point regarding it) was that in terms of community initiatives taken by Sapref, there was nothing relating to educating or sponsoring asthma clinics or anything related to teaching about pollution and its impact on health. Rather Sapref demonstrated pride in funding for HIV programs and science laboratories. Mr. D’sa argued this point by reminding Sapref about the health study they funded in 2006 in collaboration with Engen and Mondi to assess the impact of pollution on respiratory problems in the community members. This study concluded that the pollution in the area did in fact contribute to the severe respiratory illnesses in the area, and yet here is Sapref choosing HIV over asthma as an issue to help resolve. According to a Sapref official, when they asked the health clinics, which issues needed assistance and were prevalent, the asthma issue was suggested but “to a less extent” than issues such as HIV, pregnant mothers, child care, etc. This is absolutely crap! Ask anyone in the south Durban basin, and they shall tell you that asthma and respiratory illnesses should be addressed first. Additionally, if Sapref helped fund the health study mentioned above, then probably they too realized its superiority over the other issues in this area.

Lastly, Rico who works at groundWork asked Sapref if there was a collaboration plan with the other industries to collectively reduce the SO2 and other emissions in the area. The answer, unsurprisingly, was that there was no such effort. So essentially what I gained was that Sapref had their self-interest and only their self-interest in mind.

Anyways, that was another interesting experience that I had. The best part, there was free food!
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Future updates on Drakensberg trip, CAPE TOWN highlights!, and other great stuff coming soon. Please be patient.

I'm not a writer.

July 2, 2010
Area Clean up: Clairwood

We, Nawaal and I, thought we were going to speak a little on what we did this past week on the clean up and workshop in Wentworth. However, when we got there (Clairwood), it wasn't so. There was a shack set up with chairs for some people to sit on. One speaker was giving a talk on waste while standing in the middle on the road. There was a translator since the people spoke only Zulu.

One of the first things I noticed as I stepped out of the car was a rotten pungent smell. There were heaps of garbage/litter on the sides of the sidewalk. I kept thinking to myself that this was where hundreds of people were staying. Once the speaker finished his talk, the clean-up began. There were enough packets to be distributed for collecting the trash. There were enough gloves as well; however, these gloves were cheap plastic ones, the kind that cafeteria ladies use, ones that rip easily. I found it highly ironic that the government officials leading the clean-up kept encouraging the children to use these cheap gloves when most of the same children were walking on the heaps of trash, barefoot. I did not realize until I was informed by my colleague that the dirt mixed in with the trash was also probably soaked with petroleum. The dirt was wet and of a dark grey color, and right opposite the shacks, there was a parking lot filled with trucks either transporting or leaking petroleum.

There were several government officials and reporters at the event. However, I gathered a very superficial feeling of their presence. For instance, some officials picked up the empty packets and took pictures as if they were helping out with the clean-up. A few took pictures of us as well, which I wasn't too happy about. I didn't want to be associated with this group of hypocrites. I wanted the people of Clairwood to know that there were people who sincerely cared about them and weren't there to act for the press. I wanted them to think that we who cared would return. But of course, coming back was out of my control.

We were offered water bottles by the officials, which I politely refused, not because my thirst was quenched already, because it wasn't, but because I thought by my not taking the water bottle, it would mean one extra bottle available for the people from the shacks. Boy, was I wrong.

I interacted with some of the Zulu children, with some success. I asked one his name in Zulu (it goes something like "ubani kamalako?"). To my amazement, he understood and replied "Isipele". I think he appreciated it when I repeated "Isipele" to show him that I understood as well. Then one of the children asked Nawaal for water so she decided to give the water bottle to him. Soon as this child began sipping from the bottle, more children saw and came over for their share of the water. They all were huddled around the child with the bottle, some snatching for the bottle, but each taking turns for a sip. It occured to me at that point that the children probably did not have immediate access to clean and sufficient drinking water. And, I also realized that the children were not getting their own water bottles as I assumed. (My assumption was based on the last clean up I attended, this one sponsored by the NGO I work for, SDCEA, where the children each received their own bottles of minerals/soda.) Nawaal pointed out to me what looked like two gallons of juice that was supposed to be distributed to the clean-up volunteers. We were both infuriated that the officials openly drank bottled water, whereas the volunteers received the cheapest "no name" juice there is.

Before we left, some reporter took a group picture of the government officials. Somehow we were included in this picture. Basically, I felt that the newspaper report would uphold the officials (and now us) to saint-like statures, describing their deep concern and generosity for the people from the shacks. To me, it looked more of a political stunt that would only further distance the people of Clairwood from the government officials.

The Clairwood area has been the worst area I have thus far experienced in South Africa. I thought Wentworth, where I live, was shocking with trash lying everywhere and the Engen refinery polluting in close proximity. Wentworth, however, is nothing compared to Clairwood. Clairwood, once a vibrant Indian community, now seems run-down due to the industries that still continue to expand in the area. The roads are narrow, and the houses, falling apart, seem to sprawl in every direction. The atmosphere is confining and restricting in many ways. To add to the already existing problems of pollution and et cetera, the government is now building a new oil pipeline, twice the size or larger than the old one, next to the old one in the same area. According to Lushendrie, the shacks in the area that we cleaned up will probably be forcibly removed by the government in the upcoming years for more industrial expansion.

Pictures may be coming soon.

Toxic Tour: a tour of the industries of the area in which we live

A view of the industries in the surrounding area.

Engen refinery in the midst of homes. Note the flats' proximity to the refinery.A closer look at Engen. The big round containers are storage tanks. Note the empty space on the lower left corner. There was a tank on fire at that site that burned for about 5 days, not so long ago (November 2007). The fire was not contained, but rather let burn out. The cause was investigated to be a lightning strike (believe it or not?).
Engen polluting on a daily basis. It's worse when they flare (usually at night; less community vigilance).So this house was bought off by Engen because there were oil/gas leaks underneath the foundation. The house is right off a busy road (Tara Rd) that is still in use. There are several pipelines running underneath this road (15 gas pipelines or so). Hazardous? Probably.

The school that broke a Guinness world record. It was the school with the highest percentage of children with asthma (52%). What an accomplishment! Thanks Engen and south Durban industries!

More industry in the area.
A gigantic storage facility and the Durban harbour in the background.

See those flats in the back? My boss lives there. In their backyard, a heavily polluting chemical industry.
And we visited a landfill site.
Methane gas, great!

Today's dinner menu: Fried Calamari

My first vuvuzela and also one of the most difficult ones to blow, it seemed. Blowing a vuvuzela is a skill that obviously I lacked.The night of the semi-finals at the beach fan park (Germany vs. Spain). Though I'm not one for seafood, that night I craved some fried calamari!-July 7, 2010

My first protest.-July 10, 2010

STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING!
Little child can't even read and is supporting the cause, whereas those who fully understand the problem just stood outside their homes and watched.

Note the Engen refinery, so close to the communities.

The shacks of Cate Manor. This is the Africa that you see on tv and to everyone's dismay, still exists.

We met with a member of the South African Parliament, Gareth Morgan (Democratic Alliance Party). He took us on a scenic hike in one of the area's nature reserves and gave us an interesting overview of the South African governing system.

More photo diaries

My work entails getting the youth excited about their environment! We did an area clean up with the children from the flats. Naughty, naughty children.-June 29, 2010
See that kid in the green Ben 10 shirt? Let him not fool you. He may not be able to say his own name, but this kid sadly has a foul, foul mouth (Just imagine what the poor child must be exposed to if he can't say proper words yet but can swear).

On the 4th of July (Happy independence, America), we were invited to the U.S Consulate's home. We met several interesting people, including the couple that invented the first HIV prevention gel! (At that time, I had no idea of this.)

(Picture coming soon.)

First day of work and BEST DAY OF LIFE.

SDCEA sponsored workshop for the youth regarding waste and other issues. What an exciting first day at work! (No sarcasm intended).

...and then I leave work early to see MY FIRST FIFA WORLD CUP GAME LIVE!!! Oh yes, be jealous. That's the group! So although its Netherlands vs. Slovakia (Qtr-finals!), we thought we might all match and support BAFANA BAFANA (who are out of the World Cup at this time, FYI)

Say hello to Moses!

What a sight!

Yes, sir. That's me! I made it! (And my life is complete.)

Feel it.
It's majestic.
I have no words.
The best seats in the house. Center row and no one in front of us, which means I could stand, sit, and shout as I pleased. Note: yellow pouch was our gift for dancing on stage

So you see those people dancing on stage. That's not us. But as soon as this video ended, we all went to the front and got picked to go up on stage. And did we go up and dance like these silly people in the video? You betcha! (I'll find the actual video of us and put it up sometime in the future)

The mexican wave with sixty-something-thousand other people. Note: vuvuzelas in background