Michigan State University XO Deployment Initiative: Zonkizizwe

Mission Statement

We believe that the children of Zonkizizwe, South Africa have the potential to become community leaders. However, numerous challenges to their growth and development daily threaten their ability to realize this potential. Our approach to education in this difficult setting paraphrases the Chinese philosopher Laozi: to lead from behind, to provide good soil in which the seeds of knowledge and empowerment can grow.

Goal

To equip the children of the Vumundzuku-bya Vana (VVOCF) center with tools to create and learn through the OLPCorps program.

Team Members

Name	Concentration	University	Primary Contributions
John Simpkins*	International Relations, Sci/Tech/Env Public Policy	Michigan State University	Political Coordination, Technological Development
Alexandra Carter*	Comparative Cultures and Politics, Intl Development	Michigan State University	Pedagogical Method Development
Alex Hill*	International Relations, Global Area Studies: Africa	Michigan State University	Logistical Coordination
Ryan Hagen	Journalism	Michigan State University	Public Relations/Fundraising
Nicole Iaquinto	Social Relations and Policy, African American and African Studies	Michigan State University	Proposal Consulting and Planning
Nathaniel Gray	Master of Science in Information Candidate	University of Michigan	Technological Consulting

Team members traveling to Zonkizizwe are denoted by asterisks.

Budget

A preliminary budget can be found here: File:Projected Budget MSUXODI.pdf.

Lesson Plans

LONG-TERM PROJECTS:

- VVOCF Website - develop the existing Wordpress blog to include entries from the kids with their stories, poetry and other forms of self expression, interviews, graphics/animation, videos, short-term project feedback and updates, etc.

- Web-pals - Use Jabber to chat with other students across the globe. Trade stories, history, etc. and share with your class. Keep each other informed about what you are learning in class and compare your lessons and experiences.

- Oral history project - construct a history by interviewing a community member about an event important to their lives. One example could be the history of VVOCF/Zonkizizwe.

SHORT-TERM PROJECTS:

- Reporting - have students pretend to write for the local newspaper. They will interview someone they think is important in their community, using text or video. Articles could be published on the website, with the student's choice of pictures, formatting, etc.

- Make a map - each student uses Paint and photos to map their community. They can exchange maps with others, maybe make it a quest for "treasure" at the end of the path. This will also need geometry/math skills, as an exercise of proportion and distance, and could incorporate appropriate programs on the laptops.

- Animation - have students in groups prepare a set of images, and write a corresponding story. Trade images with another group, and write a story for theirs. Afterward, have groups share their created stories, and discuss the different resulting stories, and larger idea of perspective.

- Interview a community leader, parent, grandparent about their history (beginning of VVOCF/Zonke history)

- Design and Organize projects around the VVOCF center such as write plays for the children and youth to perform, design murals to paint on the outside walls of the centers, etc.

- Journals: have the children and youth keep journals where they can write about anything from their day to day life, their goals, poetry, etc. They can either share these journals or keep them private. This could act as a therapeutic exercise.

- Cultural expression: collect recipes, stories, traditions, information about dances, music, about their various cultures etc. and put them together in a document to send to their pen pals in the US. With 11 official languages, hundreds of other languages and dialects, many ethnic groups, and a very rich history, South Africa has much to offer the rest of the world.

VVOCF's Location

<googlemap version="0.9" lat="-26.405016" lon="28.180361" zoom="14"> -26.415285, 28.177217, http://vvocf.wordpress.com/what-we-do/ </googlemap>