Background for Maditaba 'Anna' Ramokanate

My Name is Maditaba Ramokanate, I have a baby girl; I am a person who communicate with people at all levels. I leave in Kanana. I am the daughter of  Sabuti and Motlalepule Ramokanate. I am the first born at followed by a younger sister and a younger brother. My mother is a single parent, my father passed away in 2007, may his soul rest in peace. 

I started school at Bathabile Primary School in 1998 completed my grade 7 in 2004 and started my high school at Mmokeng Secondary School in 2005 and is where I  completed my matric in 2009. And now I am proud to say I have started College in 2012 at the WORLD DISASTER MANARGEMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (WDMCC).

Family Life

Before my father passed away, life at home was better but now thing are more difficult. He was bread winner, now he’s gone we are struggling at home even though he did not make much at his job we at least knew every night we would sleep with something in our stomach; and would have lunch money when we went to school. 

My mother is unemployed; we are surviving with one child’s grant. My family is not wealthy; even now we live in a shack, sad. When it rains it looks like flood inside the house, water is all over. 

Since I’ve completed my matric in 2009 my mother didn’t have money to take me to school and at that time my father was already gone. I sat at home trying to apply for learnerships, internships and bursaries till the fall of 2012. It was very painful for me seeing my classmates going to universities and college at that time. On 10^th September 2012 things changed.

Learning about WDMCC

One day my younger sister went to her former school and came with forms to fill out. They had written on the top ‘The Marry Dlamini Disaster Management Community College.’ I ask her about it and she told me just a little bit. At first I didn’t think much about WDMCC or what might be taught there. I knew about something about disasters each time it rained. After she was unable to pass her matric exams I was able to take her place because we were from the same school and that’s how I got into this college.

It is good to attend this college in Kanana and we have Mr. Landon who is helping us even though he is going to leave in a few weeks’ time.  Thanks to Skype we can get other lectures like Ms. Jan, Kay Goss, Dr. Zodwa Dlamini thought out the year. This school will bring a great future for me and my family and community. With the computers, the internet and FEMA we are now able to take online tests, it brought a difference in my life, because I’d never taken such tests. It helps me feel successful each time I get the email from FEMA saying I have passes and can print my certificate.

Future Outlook

After these 2 years, I am looking forward to get my associate degree and have a good job so that I can be able to help my family, to put bread on the table and build them big house, one that doesn’t flood. I’d like to further my studies beyond these 2 years and I want a good job; it would make a huge difference at home.

I want my father to be proud of me. He always wanted success for me before he passed away as his big girl, that’s what he told me when he was alive, also to make my mother proud too. 

I am looking forward to see where my disaster management courses can take me. I have always wanted to be a professional Nurse, Doctor or Public Health and Medical service Manager and this college is opening my eyes to other ways I can help my community. I want to be a mentor of present and future generation to the people in situation like mine. I want to make a difference in my community to teach them how to prepare, response, mitigate and how to recover from disasters. I want a bright future, actually I have it now because am in WORLD DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE this college is my key to success.

Challenges

At first it was the school was very challenging because I didn’t know much about emergency management. I was also computer illiterate, I knew how to turn it on & off and how to write in word but, I didn’t know about styles or change fonts stuff like that. When we started at the school we didn’t have any material. It was difficult but White was so helpful to us he got the lessons and passed them on to us.

First Days

First days were okay, but not good enough because we didn’t have materials. When time went on things got better, Mr. Landon Densley came and at first it was so difficult to understand his “U.S’s English” but now we are used to it, one day I wish I could talk like him (wink). He is so very passion, great lecturer and so helpful to us, yes things are getting better. We have computer working, internet, soon we going to get our students’ card and T-shirts. I now have my student number from FEMA and I am able to take FEMA Independent Studies and get my certificates.

Choices to Come

I came to the college to learn more, to get a better education and to succeed in future. This college is my key to success.

Highlight

It was helpful to learn about basic emergency planning because I now have my own family plan for my home that’s so helpful to my family. It helps us know how to evacuate and where to find some important things if any disaster might occur.  We have also had the opportunity to develop an emergency operations plan (EOP) for Kanana Secondary School. It is also been so great to have the support of the Disaster Management Center (DMC) and the Fire department because they’ve provide us with important information that we need to know.

Low Light

We are not in primary school anymore we are adults, and as adults we have choices. It’s hard to see poor choices being made by some of the students, sometimes they come, sometimes they don’t, and that’s my low light. I think that education is so important and to see them just throw it away makes me sad and mad at the same time.

It is very hard for me to wake up in the morning, smiling. I don’t let the lack of sleep take over because I’ve slept enough though 2010-2011. It is NOW the time to wake up, to change my life, and have a bright future.

Second Semester

I am looking forward to passing all of the tests and assignments that will be given to me for the second semester, even for the whole two years. I am also looking forward to getting my Associate EmergencyManager (AEM) certificate.