ora20southafrica's Blog

School Hoildays

ora20southafrica — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 05:09:06 +0000

School hoildays are near, as they start on Thursday. The children are very excited. It has been a very interupted term with all the strikes happening. Hopefully the last term will go smoothly. Its the shortest hoilday only being 10 days long.

Fourth term the boys play cricket and the girls play netball

School Hoildays

ora20southafrica — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:28:47 +0000

So school is to end within the next three weeks, but the children haven’t between to school in a month. So we will have to wait and see what the government decides to do. Matrics are starting there final exams soon and they havent been attending school.

Strikes in South Africa

ora20southafrica — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:07:30 +0000

There have been strikes for the past 3 weeks in South Africa with regards to teachers pay and housing allowance. The children havent been going to school as they have been closed. It is getting very bad as the education children should be receiving they aren’t. Hope the strikes end soon

Arbor day- Spring

ora20southafrica — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:38:09 +0000

THE HISTORY OF ARBOR DAY

Most holidays remind us of past events, but Arbor Day, set aside for 
the planting of trees, looks toward the future. That is truly 
conservation. Conservation may be defined as the wise use of all our 
natural resources for the permanent good of all the people . It is a way 
of living that looks toward the future.

The idea of Arbor Day started on January 4, 1872, when J. Sterling 
Morton, then a member of the Nebraska Board of Agriculture, 
introduced a resolution that:

"Wednesday, the tenth day of April, 1872, be and the same is hereby 
especially set apart and consecrated for the planting of trees in the 
State of Nebraska and the State Board of Agriculture hereby name it 
Arbor Day; and to urge upon the people of the State the vital 
importance of tree planting .... "

He forcefully pictured to the people living upon the treeless plains of 
that state, what value, beauty and comfort the planting of trees would 
bring. Wide publicity and support were given the plan and over a 
million trees were planted in Nebraska that first Arbor Day.

This man, Julius Sterling Morton, like his beloved trees, had roots set 
solidly in American soil. In 1855 he settled on a quarter section of 
land and immediately started planting trees. In a few years he had an 
orchard of 300 trees -- later, another one of 1000 trees -- and, as editor 
of the Nebraska City News, wrote frequently on the value and wisdom 
of tree planting, From 1858 to 1861 he was Secretary of the Territory 
of Nebraska and for a few months was Acting Governor. He helped 
organize the Nebraska State Horticultural Society in 1869, and a little 
later was a member, then president, of the State Board of Agriculture. 
In 1885, Nebraska had 700, 000 acres of planted trees and had been 
nicknamed "The Tree Planters State". In 1893, he became the third U. 
S. Secretary of Agriculture, on the cabinet of President Grover 
Cleveland.

Arbor Day gave impetus to the swing of public opinion, from 
acquiescence in forest destruction, toward forest conservation, At first 
it was observed only by agricultural organizations and by towns, to 
encourage the planting of shade and forest trees, shrubs and vines 
along highways and about homes and public property. Educators soon 
recognized its worth and in 1884 the National Education Association 
voiced this approval:

"Resolved, that in view of the valuable results of Arbor Day work in 
the six states where such a day has been observed, alike upon the 
school and the home, this Association recommends the general 
observance of Arbor Day for schools in all our states".

The dedication of one day each year to tree planting with fitting 
ceremonies has grown in popularity. Arbor Day is now observed in 
every state, the date varying with the region. About half the states have 
enacted laws fixing the date; in others it is set by special proclamation 
of the governor. A few years ago, a movement was started to establish 
the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day. On July 10, 1949, 
Illinois became the eighth state to legally adopt this date. In some 
states, memorial trees and groves are planted on Arbor Day as living 
monuments to men who died in the services of our country. The 
observance of Arbor Day has spread to a number of other countries 
and, as in Australia, is observed as a school festival. The idea goes 
beyond the mere planting of trees, An essential part of the program is 
the continued care of those trees by individuals, schools or youth 
organizations.

Familiarity, with trees, breeds respect.

Interview with Kwuenele Mzimela 12 years old Grade 6

ora20southafrica — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:19:33 +0000

Kwuenele Mzimela 12 years old Grade 6

Fav subject: Arts and culuture because she likes to draw
Fav teacher: Ms Mpense, She helps them with there mistakes
Fav sport: Netball
What want to be when older and why: Nursue wants to save peoples lives

Interview with Jerome Gumede

ora20southafrica — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:19:22 +0000

Jerome Gumede is 10 years old and in Grade 4 Fav subject: Maths, because he likes numbers Fav teacher: Mr Depardon Fav colour: BLue Fav sport: football Fav team: Germany and Kazier Chiefs What he wants to be when older and why: Police Officer cause he wants to arrest people

National Womans Day- South Africa

ora20southafrica — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:50:37 +0000

National Women’s Day is an annual public holiday in South Africa on August 9. This commemorates the national march of women on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the “pass”, special identification documents which curtailed an African’s freedom of movement during the apartheid era.

On 9 August 1956, 20 000 women staged a march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act (commonly known as the pass law) of 1950. They left bundles of petitions containing more than 100 000 signatures at PM J.G. Strydom office doors. Outside they stood silently for 30 minutes, many with their children on their backs. Those who were working for whites as nannies were carrying their white charges with them. The women sang a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion: Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo! (Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock.). In the 54 years since, the phrase (or its latest incarnation: “you strike a woman, you strike a rock“) has come to represent women’s courage and strength in SA.

The march was led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia William- De Bruyn.

Since 9 August 1994, the day has been commemorated annually and is known as Women’s Day in South Africa. In 2006 a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans attending.

Children at Nkobongo

ora20southafrica — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:44:45 +0000

Here is a child from Nkobongo. The children there all love to go on the jungle gym and swings. The problem is that the swings are getting old and a little dangerous as they might break. I think they really need a new jungle gym there. That will bring smiles to there faces and they will love it.

Container Needed

ora20southafrica — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:38:28 +0000

At Nkobongo about two weeks ago, the people who own the storage container have taken it back. They are in desperate need of a storage container there. At the moment they are storing all the childrens art work, school work etc in a small room which use to be the office. They are in desperate need of a container to make life a lot easier.

School Work

ora20southafrica — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:41:32 +0000

So the children are back at school now for three weeks and everything is running smoothly again. They are still playing football and are one of the best teams in the area. They are looking for funding for sponsorships and transport. The girls play hockey at school. Winter is coming to an end and the days are getting warmer again. The children are very excited