Pick up a book & expand your world on World Book Day

In the busy world we live in, a lot of us don’t have the time or the patience to read. Now that television, video games and movies are so readily available and easy to consume, we often associate reading books as something we had to do in school.  Many of us would shudder at the thought of reading a book for pleasure.

But since today is World Book Day, we thought we should remind you just how amazing reading can be and what it can do for you.

1. Enhanced brainpower

Reading a book will help you optimise your brain and improve in almost every area of your life. People who read have higher intelligence and more general knowledge than those who don’t. Research has found that reading, in general, makes you smarter and it keeps you sharp as you age. No matter what you want to do or become, you can’t do it without more knowledge and reading is an excellent way to get more information on your future plans and where you want to go.

2. Reading reduces stress

By simply opening a book, you allow yourself to be invited into a fantasy world that distracts you from your daily stressors. If you’ve had a stressful day, a book can easily distract you and get your thoughts off your worries for a while. Reading is the best way to relax. Reading an amazing fiction book is perfect right before bed time. Sometimes it’s hard to put the book down if it’s really good, but you’ll still be relaxed.

3. Improved logical thinking

If you’ve ever read a murder mystery and managed to work out who the murderer is before it’s revealed by the author, you’ll know that analytical thinking is boosted by reading. Readers improve their general knowledge, and more importantly are able to spot patterns and clues quicker. If you can spot patterns quicker, your analytical skills receive a boost.

4. Build your vocabulary

It’s no secret that reading increases your vocabulary and improves your spelling, but did you know that reading increases your vocabulary more than talking or direct teaching? Reading forces us to look at and try to understand words that we might not have seen or heard recently. Knowing what other people are saying and using the perfect words to convey your feelings is a critical part of boosting your brainpower.

5. Improved creativity

Reading books takes you to places you’ve never been, and as a reader you might often wonder how a writer can piece together real or fictional events with such accuracy and detail. Reading about places you’ve never been to (or even places that don’t exist) opens your mind up to new possibilities and allows you to be more creative in your own thinking.

Here are some common reasons why we don’t read and the ways you can get around them:

I don’t have enough time

Try to set aside ten or fifteen minutes every day for reading. Whether it’s just before going to sleep, while travelling in the bus to work or even while eating, you might just find that this little bit of “me” time will become your favourite time of the day.

I don’t have the patience

For those who have never sat down and read a novel of their own choosing, finding the patience to get into the book might be an uphill task, as the activity is so unfamiliar. Perseverance is the key here, so make it a habit to read for a few minutes every day. Once you get into the book you’ll find it easier to get stuck into it.

Books are boring

There are millions of books in existence, each one on a different topic, portraying different scenarios and covering dozens of different genres. Therefore, all books cannot be the same and all authors certainly cannot be the same. Take the time to make a list of the things that might be of interest to you (you could base this on the type of movies you like to watch, or the activities you enjoy). If you don’t like the first book that you try, remember not to give up on the idea of reading. You’re bound to find something that you like if you keep on looking.

Books are too expensive

If you find that bookshops don’t suit your budget, the best place to start a love affair with reading is at your local library. The books may be slightly older than the latest novels at the book store, but the good news is that books don’t have expiry dates like food at the supermarket!

“Reading takes us away from home, but more importantly, it finds homes for us everywhere.” - Hazel Rochman

Aids Day Workshop at Eduloan

World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection

 

Mr.MlulekiZazini, the Secretary General of the National Association of People Living with HIV and Aids (Napwa), spoke to Eduloan and shared his experiences on the virus. He discussed the following:

1. HIV testimony

2. Living a positive lifestyle (Know your status, nutrition, treatment and positive living)

3. Rights of people living with HIV and HIV/AIDS in the workplace

4. Latest developments in research for HIV/AIDS Cure

Thereafter all staff joined hands in prayer for those infected and affected. The prayer was lead by Nkosinathi Kobo.

Below is the beaded HIV/AIDS emblem that was handed out to employees, all proceeds went to the Topsy Foundation to fund their HIV and AIDS projects.

The Topsy Foundation partners with rural communities, empowering people infected with, and affected by HIV and AIDS, through medical care, social support and skills development.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

1. To offer relief, care, medical and support services, to people living with HIV and AIDS and families who are affected by HIV and AIDS, in rural communities.

2. To provide for the needs and personal development of orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.

3. Poverty alleviation and the empowerment of rural women through skills training and job creation.

The Shukushukuma Beadwork Project is one of the many skills development projects that they run whereby local women are taught different beading techniques by Christine Fischer, a well-known Johannesburg artist who manages the beadwork project, focusing not only on the training of the women but imparting essential knowledge pertaining to the whole process. This includes guiding the women through the production process, understanding the associated costing and marketing, in a drive towards entrepreneurial independence for the women.

Fighting abuse in the home and at schools

The World Health Organisation says children who grow up in families in which there is intimate-partner violence may suffer a range of behavioural and emotional disturbances that can be linked to the perpetration or experience of violence later in life.

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children is an international campaign. It takes place every year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). The period includes Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day.

During this time, the South African Government runs a 16 Days of Activism campaign and every year, government, civil-society organisations and the business sector work together to broaden its impact. By supporting this campaign, thousands of South Africans have also helped to increase awareness of abuse and build support for victims and survivors of abuse.

Is 16 days enough?

To be a child in South Africa is to walk a fragile path to adulthood. Our country is home to nearly 19 million children, many of whom are vulnerable. Two-thirds of all children live in poverty – many in homes with unemployed, single, chronically sick or elderly parents and caregivers. Poverty collides with South Africa’s severe AIDS epidemic, high unemployment and poor service delivery to create great hardship for thousands of families.

Many children experience a broken journey through school, interrupted by irregular attendance, absent teachers, teenage pregnancy and abuse and violence in and around schools. South Africa’s high levels of poverty continue to deny thousands of children access to quality education. Around 27% of public schools do not have running water, 78% are without libraries and 78 per cent do not have computers.

The country’s high prevalence of HIV and AIDS has resulted in high rates of orphaned children. Around 3.7 million children have lost one or both parents, many to HIV-related illnesses. Most orphans live in extended families, already under stress due to the impact of the pandemic. Childhoods are stolen as children take on adult roles, drop out of school and go without healthcare and good nutrition.

Joining hands against abuse

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

Eduloan advocates people to change their lives by acting today. If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse, now is the time to speak out and end the violence. Don’t wait until tomorrow to act against abuse, take action today – because tomorrow might be too late.

For advice on how to report woman or child abuse, visit the SAPS website or contact Lifeline on 0800 150 150.

Statistics taken from UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/southafrica/children.html

When the going gets tough: 5 creative ways to succeed as an unemployed graduate

Have you ever heard it said, if it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger? While it's not always the most wonderful thing to hear, history seems to have proven that it is true. People facing challenging times learn not only from their mistakes, but they're forced to get creative and come up with new ideas and solutions. Oftentimes, a new and greater success rises from the dust. 

During times of heavy unemployment and economic challenges, necessity often forces people of all ages, races and levels of society to get creative and find a unique way to make a living.

In South Africa, young graduates are finding it harder to get their feet on the career ladder. Job ads always seem to ask for “experience”, but it’s not always easy to get that experience when you’re just starting out.

Here are a few options available when the doors are getting slammed in your face:

1. Sign up: take time to do unpaid volunteer or intern work in your chosen industry. This approach can help to solve the “experience” problem and will show potential employers that you’re committed to developing your career.
2. Research and write: after graduation, it’s easy to let everything you’ve learned slip away, especially if you haven’t used it in a while. So keep on researching new trends in your field of study and writing about what you’ve learned and noticed. 
3. Use social media: social platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn and a blog can be very useful in networking with others in your chosen field and potential employers. Take time to engage in conversations about your line of work.
4. Think about following up your degree: getting an additional diploma in another field might just help you to get started in a job, even if it’s in a different direction to what you studied for your degree. You can always try to make your way back to your chosen career later when you have more work experience.
5. Make money: instead of waiting for that dream job to come along, take time to think of how you can utilise the knowledge and talent you have to start earning income all by yourself. Your entrepreneurial path might not follow your intended career path, but somewhere along the line you will be able to put the knowledge you gained from your degree to good use. And you never know – your micro-enterprise might just end up making you happier!

If you have any other suggestions that might help unemployed graduates find a way to make a living, let us know in the comments section below.