Author Archives: pedicouncil

Armed revolutions. Warlords. Machetes. Bloody competition for scarce resources. AK-47s. Child Soldiers. Widespread corruption. Genocide. As I looked out the window of our international flight onto the Ghanaian runway, a flurry of previously latent internalized perceptions of Africa rose to consciousness. It was not the weeds on the runway that uncovered these thoughts. It was … Continue reading A Black Man Wearing a Beret Continue reading →

At Cradle of Humankind Museum a quote found on the wall of education really stuck with me. WB Yeats, writer and poet, said, “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of fire.” WB Yeats is saying that education should not be about snippets of knowledge that students collect as they move … Continue reading Juxtaposition of education from wealth to townships Continue reading →

In South Africa, creating jobs that are accessible to people living in townships is essential. Creating those jobs for women is even more critical because it gives them some financial stability and the opportunity to provide for their family. One place we stopped along the way that opened my eyes to the creativity of these … Continue reading Empowerment: One Tea Bag at a Time Continue reading →

Written by Emma Battey Continue reading →

Written by Emma Battey Continue reading →

(Photo – Dr. Prudence Layne, 2017) Kurt Egelhoff performs his one-man show For Generations, a powerful drama centered on Kurt’s struggles as a coloured man finding his way in a racist South African society. In the final scene, Kurt implores society to quit putting people of varying identities in boxes, and start allowing individuals to … Continue reading I am who I say I am Continue reading →

  The Table Mountain hike immediately following out 2+ days of travel scared me because I’m not a good hiker. I doubted I could make it, but once we began, I realized I wasn’t alone in my fears and could push to the top. Once I made it and took in the view, I discovered … Continue reading Conquering From Day One Continue reading →

Naïve. Naïve to the world he is growing up in. Enjoying the scenes of Seal Island with no ticket stub allowing him onboard. A smile on his face but no shoes on his feet. Infatuated with the ocean waves, but no family accompanying him to witness his personal joy. Naïve. Written by: Lizzie Worrilow Continue reading →

Written by Lizzie Worrilow: Quite ignorantly, coming to South Africa, I was unaware of the harsh realities that remained in place following the apartheid regime. This was especially true in the townships surrounding Cape Town- a result of forced removals from the city. What I saw in these townships was truly an eye-opening experience and … Continue reading A Never-Ending Cycle of Despair Continue reading →

  Each threading has a personal meaning to it that makes up a whole image. Just like individuals of the townships have their similar struggles but have different life stories.  This woman of the Philani Nutrition Project expresses her family ties through this beautiful threaded work.   Continue reading →