After a few recent bumps in the road, we have officially decided that no one will be travelling there in January, as we had once planned on. In class today, we discussed alternatives for how we can use the money that we have raised, now that it is not being fully used on a conference. Below are the two main options that were proposed in class:

1. One option that was discussed was a “virtual conference.” In other words, Namibian students would submit their research papers to an online database, which would act as a source of information, and a vehicle for sharing innovative research. The research abstracts would then be judged by a panel of experts, and money would be rewarded to students with the most outstanding papers.
2. We also had a conversation about using the money as “grant money” to award to worthy projects in Namibia. This money could be used by the individual or organization to carry out their proposed project.

Other exciting news: Oly and Kelsey have proposed dates to go to Namibia to film the documentary. They also announced that a staff member from iMedia, Elon’s graduate communications program, will be joining them in the endeavor and assisting.

With this being our last class of the semester (cue the tears) we have set forth a few goals that we hope to reach next semester:

1. We want to see the success of a virtual conference in January
2. Move forward in awarding money to student abstracts/proposals
3. We want to continue our relationship with the Burlington Housing Authority, hopefully moving into working on a bigger project with them.
4. We would like to present at SURF at Elon University

After much research and debate among our cohort over the past few weeks, we have decided to move forward in vetting Ecology Action as our partner.  As a class, we respect and admire the mission of EA, and believe that their values parallel our passions, and could very well benefit Namibian communities.  EA’s goal is to use the Grow Biointensive method for sustainable agriculture to nurture healthy soil fertility, produce high yields, and conserve resources.  However, they don’t stop there – they are committed to making this system be known and used on a worldwide basis.

In learning more about EA through Steve Moore, the vice president of the organization and an Elon professor (how convenient is that?!), we were excited to begin the vetting process and to learn even more about the organization.  So, we reached out to John Jeavons, director of Ecology Action, for a brief Skype session.

We had several questions about the methods used in Ecology Action, and Periclean involvement with the process in Namibia. John Jeavons was very thorough and responded to our concerns or confusion with evidence and facts.  His in depth understanding of farming techniques and soil types across the world was evident through his answers. However, what was most apparent was his passion for helping others by sharing this knowledge with us and the various communities he’s worked with.  Some shocking facts that stood out were with the current use of “traditional” farming, people are depleting the soil 18-80 times faster than in nature.  And in contrast, the methods used by Ecology Action actually build up the soil 60 times faster than nature does.  This is a huge feat given the extreme over-farming in the world that evokes serious consequence in nature and hinders our ability to keep producing food for future generations.

After our class had the opportunity to speak first had with the director of this program, we felt confident in our decision to move forward working with Ecology Action.  By the end of the day, we had gained a much better understanding of organic farming, and had made significant progress as a class.

–  Cayley and Caila

 

Hi, my name is Caila Yates, and I grew up in South Carolina but recently moved to sunny California.  I am a public health major with minors in poverty and social justice and exercise science.  On campus, not only am I an Elon College Fellow, but I am also involved in intervarsity and Greek life.

I chose to apply to be a Periclean Scholar when I heard about it from the students in the class of 2016.  This program stood out to me because I am very interested in the international health initiative and I enjoy learning about unfamiliar cultures.  I also think that Periclean provides a unique opportunity to work with a group of people with the same passion and drive to make a global impact that I have.

Throughout high school, I worked with various non-profits in my community such as Water for Life, which raises money to build irrigation systems in third world countries.  I was also blessed with the opportunity to travel to Peru in order to provide basic health education classes to the locals and to build water wells in two separate villages.  Working with these has allowed me to learn a lot about how non-profits work as well as how to work as a team toward a common goal.  I also have an open mind, which will certainly benefit the group because I love to hear from everyone and incorporate all ideas.

My expectations for the course are simple, but not necessarily easy.  First and foremost, I hope to create a bond with the group that is unlike any other, and is genuine and deep.  Although I have experience in working with groups in the past, I have never worked on such a large project with so many people.  I also expect to learn a lot about Namibia both from my peers and through personal research because I really do not know much about it right now.  Finally, although I know it will take time, I expect to create a project that we are all passionate about and that we can all be proud of.