Preparation is no easy task...

Zulu Phrase of the Day:

Sisebenza kakhulu- We're working hard.

Classroom Update:

Wise Words from the Prof.





Out and About:

As we mentioned in the previous post, this last week has been focused on establishing connections with key Student Affairs entities at UKZN. The Director of the Multicultural Research and Resource Center, Dr. Renay Scales, was here during our second week (her perspective to come soon!), and diligently engaged senior ranking UKZN administrators; she's paved the way for us to do the same this past week. Because of the connections Dr. Scales has made with senior staff and matters of university collaboration, our meetings have focused on hands-on, student collaboration.

On Tuesday, we had a chance to meet with the president of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at UKZN. SRC is the equivalent of Mason's Student Government, and members of the SRC sit on every committee at UKZN; they also oversee all student organizations on campus. The purpose of our meeting was to determine ways in which Building Bridges can foster links between student leaders at Mason and UKZN. Our meeting also include the planning of a dual university fundraiser. We've decided to first engage in a small scale fundraiser for Streetwise (the organization we're volunteering with) for the remainder of our stay here that will lead to larger partnerships. This fundraiser also ties into the Community Engagement part of the Building Bridges initiative, and acts as a personification of our objectives coming together.

Tuesday night, we met with a United States diplomat here in Durban, who works as a Management Officer for the U.S. Consulate General. She welcomed us into her home, and cooked a wonderful dinner. Around the dinner table, we discussed a variety of topics, including her work as a diplomat in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Nigeria, and her experiences so far here in Durban. We talked extensively about PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), and she explained that, although U.S. funding has been put forth, there hasn’t been very much education about the U.S.’s role in this initiative. We told her about our program, and what we hope to accomplish immediately, as well as in the future, and she was interested in hearing our perspective on our experiences so far. The conversation also touched on the rich culture of Durban, and the easy access to such events as international film festivals, poetry readings, dance performances, and art galas.

Wednesday we met with the Director of the AIDS Program here at UKZN. The AIDS Program includes full coverage of ARV treatment and counselling for students, and an extensive Peer Education program. Through the AIDS Program we hope to realize the full vision of Building Bridges, and have Peer Educators from UKZN travel to the United States. The AIDS Program focuses on a broad range of social justice issues, such as women’s empowerment. The Director explained that his plans for the Peer Education Program are to encourage students to look beyond their academic field, and embrace the interconnectedness between different aspects of society, such as industry, health and the economy.




Alex, Whitney, the AIDS Program Director, Dr. Williams, Garey, and Dr. Webster


Wednesday night was a vibrant, necessary meeting with UKZN medical students who act as Peer Educators as well. As a part of their clinical work, medical students help run a clinic and orphanage in rural KZN. They were helping us plan the full-length version of Building Bridges by discussing community engagement possibilities for the future in Durban, as well as opportunities for South African students in the U.S. These students had a wide-range of expertise, and expressed a deep respect and responsibility to their campus community. Meeting with these students helped reinforce the purpose of the Building Bridges Program, and the value in true cross-cultural exchange. When we return to the U.S., we will keep in contact with UKZN students, and especially the medical students we met, and include them in the further planning of the program.

Thursday included more community engagement with Streetwise, as well as a visit to the clinic here on campus. The clinic offers primary health care services to students, voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT), and referrals to local hospitals. In addition, they provide direct treatment to students, free of cost, and also nutrition counselling and family planning. The nurse explained that, where HIV is concerned, the clinic is challenged in that high-risk populations, such as students having unprotected sex, are more reluctant to get tested. Other challenges include being greatly understaffed, and not being able to accommodate many walk-in clients, which could side track a students desire to get tested.

The Project:

As mentioned above, we’ve decided to collaborate with UKZN student groups to raise money for Streetwise, the local boys’ shelter we’ve been working with. We have created flyers and have begun to spread the word around campus about this cause. Since students are starting to refill the dorms, it’s a perfect time for this event, and we plan to fully launch our fundraising efforts on Monday of next week. This event has the immediate benefit of supplying Streetwise with much needed resources and funding, but also provides an opportunity for future collaboration between Building Bridges and the Durban community.


This weekend we will be travelling to Umlazi township to stay until Sunday. In addition to finding out more about township life from our hosts, we will also be meeting with the principal of a school to discuss ways in which students can exchange with youth in the U.S., and also participating in a range of cultural exchanges and activities.

Our "Res." Hooray for CJ!!!