Will South Africa Achieve the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) by the projected years? For example, the goals suggest ‘complete poverty and food insecurity eradication by 2030’. Although the country-wide goals are seemingly hopeful and a lot of change needs to occur within the next 10 years for them to even seem possible, I can play my part. Within the Kenville community at which I am placed, I can ensure greater SDG achievement. As an OT student at this community we have provided health promotion and implemented multiple effective projects. Five of the sustainable development goals shall be discussed with how we as OT students have aimed for systematic change, relating to these goals, within this community. Please click on the link below if you would like to understand the situation of poverty in SA more http://www.un.org.za/sdgs-series-article-1-poverty-in-south-africa/
The first SDG which will be discussed is goal 2: No hunger. This goal suggests that food security is more than just the availability of food; it also encapsulate issues of affordability, nutrition/food utilisation and stability of food supply into the future. (Statistics, South Africa, 2017) The OT students are starting a project to assist community members who do not have food security and suffer from nutritional deficiencies, through starting a vegetable garden. Community members have poor nourishment, as a result of poverty and do not ensure a balanced diet. The CCG’s will distribute the crops to the most-needy families at the time of crop harvest. An example of someone who would benefit from this initiative is a client with a leg amputation, who has recently suffered from a stroke and lives alone on top of the community hill, with no family support.
‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages’ is the third goal. The NDP envisages South Africa having a health system that works for everyone and produces positive health outcomes by 2030. (Statistics, South Africa, 2019) Health promotion is encouraged through speeches given in the Kenville clinic community lines. The OT students have also improved health promotion strategies through an interesting initiative known as Blaumier, at the high school. Topics such as substance abuse and teenage pregnancy are discussed and educated through dramatic performances, done by the pupils. Once a week, the students have also been going to the pre-primary school discussing substance abuse with the children in grade 5 and 6. The mothers and babies’ groups have proven successful, as well as the screening of babies and children have ensured important health promotion towards child development and maternal health. The OT students also screen young children at the various community creches when going on home visits. The OT service provision has been extremely effective in providing rehabilitation to clients, as well as home visits to particular clients. Two examples of this include a 17 year old spinal-cord injury (SCI) client who is no longer using his wheelchair but rather a walker, enabling greater independence in every day activities. Another example is the OT student recognizing a client from the community recently had a stroke without him being informed by the hospital, and therefore ensuring a weekly treatment stroke programme is performed.
Please find attached a link which describes the SDG’s of SA in more detail file:///C:/Users/sutto/Pictures/SDG_Baseline_Report_2017.pdf
Goal number 4 states that the country should ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Free, quality education leading to effective learning outcomes should be apparent by 2030 ( Statistics, South Africa, 2019) I am currently facing the difficulty of finding an appropriate school for my client with a physical disability after his SCI. According to one of the young Community Care Giver males, the cost of school fees for the year at Sea Cow Lake Secondary High School is R1200. This is a reasonable price considering the socio-economic status of the Kenville community and the community members can therefore afford their necessary education. The students are currently working with the foundation phase pupils of Kenville Primary School providing intervention to the pupils who are not coping, such as autistic, ADHD and fine-motor problem cases.
The poor stimulation of children causes a delay in child development for many of the community babies and children. This poses threats towards their ability to cope when they begin school. The OT students have started a programme with Siyasizana creche, allowing for greater education stimulation, as well as provided them with toys and the opportunity for occasional outdoor play. Unfortunately, the creche has an estimated 20 children, in a small shack, with limited air flow. The children are between the ages of 6 months and 5.5 years and there are only either one or two ladies to look after all of them each day. Attending to children of multiple age groups threatens the stimulation and growth necessary for the older children before entering primary school. For example, the children have poor English skills, including naming shapes and colours. The students have put up multiple posters, provided education cards and stimulated the children through activities once a week. The students have also encouraged carry over by the ladies who run the creche. The OT students are also performing a study skills workshop for pupils within the Marion ridge community to assist with greater educational performance.
Another South African SDG goal by 2030 is to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. According to the NDP, South Africa must find ways to urgently reduce the alarming levels of youth unemployment and to provide young people with broader opportunities. (Statistics, South Africa, 2019) An alarming number of clients who come to occupational therapy are unemployed. The students encourage return to work through rehabilitation, work hardening and work conditioning, however the community is drastically poor and the reality is that many clients have not had a job within the last 5 years. The students encourage their clients to return to work or find a job. My SCI client’s 27 year old brother is unemployed. He is a strong man with great potential. In a discussion with him he has agreed to find work again as a butcher, with previous experience and skill in this work field. Another opportunity to encourage the youth to find employment would be to educate the Grade 11 and 12 learners at the high school, of the potentials after high school. It would also be important for them to understand the bursary and scholarships available for them to apply to, in order to receive a tertiary education
Goal 11 states that we should make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The average residence period within urban informal settlements has increased from about two to four years in the early 1990s to 10 years currently. (Kgame, 2018) The community suffers from poverty related crime and violence. The high school stated that they have lost all their expensive equipment e.g. computers due to theft. An unfortunate case that the OT students are dealing with is a 10 year old pupil who has been roped into a gang of high school boys who do drugs and steal from houses. The students have informed the principal of this and are having weekly sessions with the child. The provision of health care rehabilitative services has created an awareness of care and inclusivity for the community and creating an element of greater health safety assurance and efforts.
Please find attached the link which explains how SA is doing in achieving these goals: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/south-africa-progress-UN-global-goals/
There’s no doubt that South Africa faces various
significant challenges when it comes to achieving the SDGs — mostly as a result
of the injustices caused from its apartheid past. Ending extreme poverty
by 2030 is an ambitious goal, and to achieve it energies must be focused on
supporting the most vulnerable. It requires everyone, including ordinary individuals
and leaders, to play their part to ensure that the Sustainable Development
Goals remain our focus.
References:
1. Statistics, South Africa. (2017). Sustainable Development goals: Indicator Baseline Report. Retrieved on the 13/3/20 from file:///C:/Users/sutto/Pictures/SDG_Baseline_Report_2017.pdf
2. Statistics South Africa. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals: Country report 2019. 1-316. ISBN 978-0-621-47619-4
3. Kgame, M. (2018). How Close is South Africa to Achieving the Global Goals. Retrieved on the 13th of March 2020, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/south-africa-progress-UN-global-goals/
4. Picture retrieved from Facebook.
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