First Aid Exercises

WDMCC students were busy this week doing first aid exercises for the first time and it was amazing how the students managed to corporate doing the following exercises:

   Ø  Choking

   Ø  CPR

   Ø  Helping three injured people

Even though we lacked materials but we were creative enough to come up with ideas on how we can make our materials such as:

Ø  Scarf

Ø  Two liter bottle

Ø  Keyboards

Ø  Toilet paper

Ø  Chairs

Ø  Chalks

Ø  Brooms

The students were excited about the exercises because some of them never experienced the feeling of acting before. Some parts felt real and it was so touching to an extend that some of us were being shocked and forgetting that it was only acting, but what is good is that after the exercise we felt proud of ourselves and felt like true Emergency Managers.

I have learned that incidents can happen anywhere at any given time therefore it is important to have the basics of first aid so that we can be able to deal with small incidents that may occur in our daily lives. 

Enthusiasm Towards Mathematics

It is a great pleasure for us the students of WDMCC in Kanana. I am very proud of the way things have been running since from the first  year of my attendance here at the college.The second year has been very challenging especially when it comes to the subject of Mathematics because I have never done the subject in high school  and I saw it as a difficult subject that I could not understand it based on the signs that are being used. It was bit hard for me to understand but I was determined to learn even though it was difficult!

For the past few weeks we have been doing English; learning how to use literature when we read or write letters, poems and novels. English is very important for every Emergency Managers or Emergency students to know and understand how to use some of the punctuation when it  comes to reading and writing of English letters and etc.

The way things have been happening I have been trying to strike my brain so as to make sure that I understand Maths and English. It is hard for one to understand but it requires some efforts and determination to enable me individually so to make sure that they will benefit me in future. Being a student requires efforts to make sure that the dreams that I have set up become true in any other way.  

The importance of learning English and Maths.

It has been a challenge for me and some of the students here at WDMCC having lessons on English and Maths. English was not so difficult because we all have learnt it at school but the lessons that Mrs. Sandra sends to us it was a bit different from the one that we have learned during our high school time. But I can tell it has been a great time learning English in a different way, more especially when coming to the grammar rules, and working on our "Resume" it was my first time doing a Resume. I have never done it before. I only know how to type a C.V but it is different. I find it more interesting to do a Resume because it is something new to me; it has a photo of me and all the things that I have done in life and the experience that have. We are learning a lot from Mrs.Sandra, and she is so kind to all of us; we are great full to have her as our lecture.
Since we are going to the holidays we are looking forward to work hard when we come back to the class.

Maths is the subject that most of us here as learners have the problem with but with the help we get from our coordinator, White Semoisi, we are getting there slowly but surely. I have a problem with Mathematics because at school I did Maths literacy and I was not solving for x and now I am able to solve for it because most of our learners here they have done mathematics at high school. With their help, I am getting there. Mrs. Puja Carg is the person who is in charge for Maths lessons and she is doing great so far. She knows how to prepare us because she is sending notes and some practice so that we can work out the problems we have with Maths.So we want what is best for us as students and I can tell we are getting the best from both our lectures so far even though we are struggle a little with Mathematics we promise the best at the end.

Special thanks to our leaders Mrs.Jan Paschal, Mrs. Kay Goss, Mr. Landon Densley and all the lectures who are involved. God bless all of you guys!      

The importance of language for Emergency Managers

It’s really amazing to have added something new in our college since well we know that it’s crucial for Emergency Managers to be able to communicate fluently with other people. English is an international language, so it will be an advantage for one to know how to speak, read and write it.

Mrs. Sandra Provence is very patient with us and she is doing her level best to ‘cook us’ thoroughly, she has made us realize the importance of language and the mistakes that we make and end up losing the context of what we want to say, so far our English language skills is improving.

    As WDMCC students we are very excited and grateful to Mrs. Sandra and everyone who is involved in this college for granting us the opportunity to learn and be the best that we can be.    

The last lap

Everyone is busy in WDMCC.

The most important thing in life that take out people from dark to light is education, so let’s encourage young generation about the importance of education. Life is so simple when you have studied and believe that God is there to show us how to succeed in life. This year is for WDMCC students to complete what they have been studying. We can’t wait for the day we will be receiving our Associate Degree and later, our AEM certificate. It’s going to be like our dreams come true.

         We are about to hit our destination and there’s so much work to be done since Mathematics and English has been introduced in the syllabus. Looking at where we were to where we are now it brings hope and inspiration.   It is the last year, the last semester and lots of work we must complete before our exams and final Emergency Management essay. The most interesting thing is that we are learning new things- how to collect our resumes and how to make our references. We are doing well with Ms. Sandra Provence; she is showing her interest to us and help with world literature.

        Everyone here is busy doing his/her work to be completed because our graduation ceremony is around the corner, and no one will be graduating without completing the work. We also remember that we have to have 100 hours for General Management Training and 100 hours for Emergency Management Training.            

I cannot wait for that day! GO WDMCC GO!!!

   

AEM Application

Today is the 10th of January, an important day in my life: My Birth Day. I write about this because I feel it is also important as I believe what I am going to say is one of the developments that are going to change my life and that one of my fellow students.

As we are nearing our completion of two years here at World Disaster Management Community College, WDMCC, with just under six months remaining, we have started with the preliminary application for Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) certification.
Ms Valerie Lucus-McEwen, CEM, our Professor in the United State and one of the Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) commissioners in the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), is mentoring us through the process of AEM application. She is giving us a 'taste' of what we should expect and what is expected from us as applicants.

We have browsed the IAEM website for more information on this application. There is a lot of information that we found on this website: The requirements of both AEM and CEM candidates; Various forms that should be completed. We have also received e-mails from some members of the commission who have promised to guide us and give us any information that we may require regarding our AEM application.

All students are happy to start with application process. The interesting part about this application is that we will be the first in South Africa, and few in Africa, to obtain such certification from IAEM. Well since this certificate is recognized globally, it will be valuable credential to have. It will also help us prepare for applying for CEM in the future.

GOOD LUCK to all WDMCC students!

A terrible accident in Mpumalanga

This is the terrible accident in Mpumalanga on Moloto road near Kwaggafofontein on Monday 11 November where a bus collided with a truck and 11 people where critically injured, 3 died at a hospital while 26 died at the incident scene.

The bus being taken away after the accident.

Strong wind storms in Kanana

Kanana is a very small and lovely township which is less vulnerable to most of disasters that occur in other places. It is not easily affected by disasters but what happened in front of my eyes yesterday (13 November 2013) was so touching after the strong winds in the evening took two shacks down and about six of them roofs destroyed. It was  really a sleepless night for most people as most people don't have their Emergency Operation Plan which could have been more helpful to them.

Finishing our first module for the second year

It has been really good since we started our second year, we have just finished our first module which was about community and family preparedness.  We really enjoyed the module since well the module was more focused on our daily lives. 
We even did the preparedness surveys and it made it more interesting because we realized that most of our parents have the same mindset about emergency preparedness. They believe that there is nothing to prepare for. The only important phase for them is response because they think that nothing is hard to deal with, '' God is the creator of everything''. They don’t understand that all the faces of emergency/disaster management are important, more especially Preparedness as it is the foundation of emergency/disaster management. It is a disaster-readiness function and includes pre-disaster planning, training, higher education, exercises, drills, standards, technology, outreach and partnership.

Kenya's Westgate Mall attack

Officials trying to help people escape during  Kenyan Mall attack

Kenyan Mall burning

Some injured and dead people inside Kenya Mall.

The difference made by service blog

The service blog made me to feel or realize that I am making difference in my community. Every time when I get into my class my, learners become so happy. They are free to ask questions and the participation is so good. At first I thought it was going to be difficult for me to teach them because teaching is not in my blood, what I like is saving lives (Bio) but am doing well. I thought that they were not going to listen to me because am not their are teacher and am so young. You know children have this tendency of that they are not going to be taught by a younger teacher  like me, but my learners took me like their are own mathematics teacher, they don’t have that tendency. Every time when I ask questions they give me answers. They even raise up hands to tell me that they don’t understand. In them I see the doctors, teachers, etc of tomorrow. 

Our Dedicated Ladies of WDMCC

From left: Dikeledi Ramatladi, Mary Semoisi, Tsholofelo Gaborokwe, Nthabiseng Rapulumo, Refilwe Khoza and Maditaba Ramokanate

Ladies of World Disaster Management Community College at Are-fenyeng Primary doing their community service. They are loved and cherished by learners at this school. Learners cannot to wait see them in front of them everyday.
I love the reception we are getting from the principal, teachers and all the learners. Learners regard us as their teachers and give us the same respect as they give to their everyday teachers. I love the way they keep their uniform: They are distinguished in their uniform.
The school's environment is so clean that one cannot say it's a primary environment. It is these elements and many others positives that we come here everyday and give our services to these learners while we are still studying towards our Associate Degree in Emergency Management.

Our Mentoring Program is underway

Tsholofelo Gaborokwe giving Math lesson to Are-fenyeng Primary School learners during our Mentoring Program.
We are making difference in our community. Share with us some of the initiatives that you or your community is taking to make a difference in people's lives.

More pictures are on the World Disaster Management Community College Facebook page. Please like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for more and updates, @WDMCC.

THE FINAL EXAM, 2013

Honestly speaking, the exam was not that difficult as I expected it to be. We knew most of the answers to questions that appeared in that exam because had we revised all the independent studies that we did this year together as a class. I think that was the trick that made me understand more about the studies that we did. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my classmates for helping each other. Like they usual say “every finish line is a beginning of a new race”.

I admit the race has been long and tiring but it has been worth it and I can't wait for the second year which will be my last year, then I will be doing my thing at Disaster/ Risk Management Centre as qualified Associate Emergency Manager.

The Essay Writing

The emergency management essay was a bit challenging but I was very exited  to write it because I as a young and up coming emergency manager  shows that I have action plans for my community. The essay gave me a chance to  be creative and responsible about my community and it also gave me some ideas on how to plan because I know a little about planning for an emergency, especially for my community. The students were very excited about writing this essay, especially when they found out that they will be writing this essay for their community. It felt like reality and it gave me a clear picture on how to write a comprehensive document to address my community.

Know Your Place

It is common senses that everyone should love, respect, know and care for themselves before they can do so to others other people can do the same about them. It also begins at home. 
Most of the things we learn from our homes. Some we learn from school, colleges or universities. Some people like to travel to other countries so they can know more about them. Some look for the information from books, magazines, newspapers or through the internet, or any source that is available to them. Other people do so without knowing much about their own country or the place in which they live. How much do you know about your country or the place in which you live?

 We, students WDMCC, have added information about our township, Kanana, in wikipedia. You can check it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanana,_North_West. This shows that we know about our township and we encourage everybody to find more about their countries and the places in which they live.
The information on this page will not only give people more information about Kanana, it will also assist emergency managers in times of emergencies or disasters.

BOSTON MARATHON ATTACK

What happened in Boston is a huge tragedy, so many people were injured, three people lost their lives and some of the buildings were destroyed.  The Boston marathon is an international event that unites all countries but what happened tore them apart. We hope that people who are responsible for this disaster should be held accountable for the terrible thing that they did. Some people are heartless, selfish and they are ignorant because the impact of this disaster caused peoples careers. The sad part of it is that children were involved and had to witness this terrible incident, now they have to live their lives in fear.

We hope and pray that everyone gets the best medical care especially the children.

Revising for final exam

We have been preparing ourselves for the final exam that we are going to write for our first year and we are working together as a team to revise the FEMA tests that we wrote. So far we have been working well and I am sure that we are going to nail this exam with high marks. This show how positive we are to make it through to graduate and be professional emergency managers, we have a long way to go because we still young and ambitious. My follower students let’s not let this opportunity to pass us by while we still got it, so let’s grab it with both hands and make use of it with lots of effort.

Big up to all the students who are still attending and willing to make their dreams come true regardless of the challenges that they face in their everyday lives.       

Where are young Emergency/Disaster Managers?

Emergency/Disaster Management is one of the courses that are emerging in recent years, especially in African countries. Well, in some African countries is still to implemented. Out of 23 plus universities in South Africa, only one offer Masters in Emergency Management, University of Free State. Thanks to World Disaster Management Community College (WDMCC) in Kanana which just started in 2012 for offering Associate Degree in this course.
I have talked to, met and know many Emergency Managers and still in communication with them. Most of them, if not all, are old or can I say, experienced. This brings to me the question: Where are the young Emergency Managers? Is this course only for elderly people only? I hope not.

New York City and South Africa, Kanana in WDMCC are trying to bridge that gap. I hope all the students can start realizing that we should make something to grow in this field. I am happy for all WDMCC students and soon to be the learners in the new emergency school to be opened in New York. Big up to all the founders of these schools.  

being back from long Easter holidays

A big thank you to everyone who is involved in this college for making this happen because if it wasn’t because of their efforts, their hard work and the light that they have brought to brighten our future, we wouldn’t be here today. As we are about to finish our first year, we are hoping to complete all the work so that we can graduate in just over a year's time to get our Associate Degree. It really feels good to be back from the holidays because we are just polishing the few work that is left behind as almost everyone is done with the FEMA tests. I really can’t wait for that to happen and I thank god for giving us the wonderful people who have started this college. They have made us realize that we have the abilities and the potential to make it in life.