The meeting of the 2009 Global School Journey co-ordinators and Port Shepstone Twinning Association was held at Port Shepstone Junior Primary on Friday 7 August 2009 at 13:00.
Attendance
GSJ co-ordinators
Joyce Majola from Izingolweni, Mzi Ndwalane from Nyandezulu, Sibongile Zamisa from Magog, Gertrude Lushaba from Mfazazana and Zodwa Shezi from Ekubusisweni
ESayidi FETC representatives :
Mr Vezi eSayidi FETC: Gamalakhe campus deputy manager, Mr Joe Booyens eSayidi FETC: Gamalakhe campus Tilana van Vuuren eSayidi FETC: PA to Rector Dr Sipho J Nzimande and PSTA management ,member
PSTA Management:
Gulshera Khan ,Dudu Malinga, Judy Mkhize,Pauline Duncan
Host Family – as observer
Tholakele Masondo
Apologies
Lynne Footit, Dell Pendock, Christa Nightingale and Silvy Ragoobar
The meeting was chaired by the convenor of the 2009 GSJ to SA convenor, Pauline Duncan.
The full report of the meeting has been circulated, and dealt with the programme, transport, co-ordinators and host families, finance, First Aid, diet, shared accommodation and diet, meeting the needs expressed by the respective groups in the rural areas and in Gamalakhe, meeting with South Coast Hospice, safety and security, a visit to Murchison Hospital, cellphones and a number of issues like bringing towels and wearing name tags.
Planning well in advance is essential for the success of a visit of this magnitude and diversity. This is happening and it involves a wide range of individuals, organisations and communities, whose co-operation is really appreciated. This is clearly expressed in the extract from the concluding section of the 2007 GSJ to SA Report, as below:
In ending this report, I would like to say the following:
In giving thanks and credit to everyone who has helped to make the 2007 Global School Journey such a success, I can think of no better way of doing this than describing ubuntu, the philosophy of morality, humaneness, care, understanding and empathy, of sharing and hospitality, of honesty and humility, as defined in Mike Boon’s The African Way.
Ubuntu is best explained through the expression: umuntu ngumuntu ngamuntu, which means: A person is only a person because of other people. Rank means nothing unless one’s spirit and humanity are of the same stature. Ubuntu is not empirical. It does not exist unless there is interaction between people in a community. It manifests through the actions of people, through truly good things that people unthinkingly do for each other and for the community. One’s humanity can therefore only be defined through interaction with others.
It is believed the group is as important as the individual, and a person’s most effective behaviour is in the group. All efforts working towards this common good are lauded and encouraged, as are all acts of kindness, compassion and care, and the great need for human dignity, self-respect and integrity. And so the success of the 2007 Global School Journey is your success. Congratulations and thank you.
Pauline Duncan
Convenor: 2009 Global School Journey
