Online Community Building

I have been watching Wicked Mike ever since he started Knysna Keep. In fact it was some time before he started Knysna Keep that we first spoke. He is a writer, a communicator and these are the sort of people that interest me. But unfortunately he sees everything as a mirror image of  himself and that amounts to nothing other than a wasted talent. An independent spirit? Maybe, but I don’t think so. More like the blind spirit weighed down by phobia’s such as arrogance, fear and paranoia.

Whatever his problems he started deleting my comments from his blog and I think its time to take him on. He is no different to those he criticises. And what gets up my nose is that he doesn’t have any of the answers either. Nothing other than a mean, malignant mean spirit with ill intent. The other side of the coin. The dishonesty, the irony, the wasted time.

But this is what got me “banned”

So be it. Whose Wicked………? Wicked Mike?

Iam Chris Wallo from the southern region of Malawi(Thyolo Dsistrict)Did my MSCE in 2004 At Good Maganizo Private.Due to lack of space in the constituent colleges of the University of Malawi I was Successful to see my self through to one of the Five colleges despite sitting for the entrance examination.
In 2006 I left Malawi for South Africa to find away of how best I could help myself further my education but all my efforts ended up in futality as I could secure a job that could see me attain my Tertiary education.Nonetheless,coming from a very poor background and with a big extended family my parents couldnt afford to fund my education,Hence my Secondary School as well was funded by a well wisher.
In one of my endevours in looking for something profitable to do,I faxed and Emailed my CV to different individual,companies and organisations but couldnt receive convincing responses until one day when MARK ALLAN called me that he caught an eye on my posting and advised me that there is a lot of work on the internet as far there composure,eagerness and enthusiasm.I tried different researhes on line and his suggestion proved to be the best offer one can make(instead of giving me fish,he gave me a fishing rod that everytime i need some fish I should do the fishing myself instead of asking him for fish)

This blogging is all about empowerment. It’s about giving the real voice of Knysna, its people and its businesses a space on the web. I am taking part in what one might call a social experiment, empowering myself I guess by writing for the web. Selling articles about cuisine and hospitality in Knysna. It’s fun and it’s generating a small income too. The plan though is for me and hopefully others like me to train people who (and this is a prevalent problem in S.A. to this day) need employment. People who need to have a voice.
Skill in using the web to communicate is now and is becoming even more of an essential for anyone trying to employ themselves or even just speak about an important issue. The internet is too valuable a resource to allow a few people talking about oysters to make up the bulk of Knysna’s voice on the web. Check it out and get involved. There are already interesting things taking place ( not least of which is web exposure for the ‘real’ knysna. All the great places that take a bit of looking for. Places where people are passionate about the cuisine they prepare for Knysna’s global visitors.

Listen, learn and get involved and take action. I’m sure that is the main aim and concern of all of us, conservationist and environmentalist, every human being who believe in saving our planet.

We may ask ourselves the Question is it not a little too late. I believe in saying its never too late to do something .We see on the news daily reports about natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and floods…how do you explain it all. Is planet earth not trying to tell us something? We cut off trees destroying nature for buildings. What must happen before we listen? Every human being no matter how small the contribution, can do what they know to help save our planet. We must all encourage and share our knowledge so we can be united. Motivate and empower ourselves and others so we can not only talk about doing something, but actually act and get involved.

We have a responsibility to take care of our planet. Many organizations are working in the communities and are directly involved in the work they do. They have the power to educate and, motivate the people they work with. We need to have like recycling festivals, competitions, put up posters at every business and public space to just increase the awareness and education of recycling. People will listen and act. Lets make it a team effort like we all say that there is no I in team.

I come from the northern part of Malawi; I was born in a rural village in mzimba district where my parents are staying. I grew up in Blantyre the commercial city of Malawi where I was staying with my uncle I did my primary school in Blantyre from standard one (grade one) to standard 8(grade then I was selected to go to secondary school (High school) from form 1(grade 9) to form 4(grade 12). Where we obtain the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE). Then if your MSCE grades are good enough you write the university entrance exams. I had very good grades and I wrote the entrance exams and passed. My uncle who was doing all the school fees and other basic things, died when I was in form three. Now my parents are poor they can not afford to pay me the university fees that is why I failed to go to university. I came here with the hope to help myself in anyway to make my future bright.

I was very much interested in poems the time I was in standard 7 and my teacher helped me a lot. I loved poems I always wanted to write a poem and recite on a radio station. My interest in poems grew very much and I started writing them when I was in standard 8. After classes  I couldn’t go home but to the radio stations to recite my poems, I  made friendship with the announcers and producers of the programmes on  radio and they could features me on their programmes  I was so much excited when my friends at school tell me that they heard me on radio my teachers were very much happy with me  .Then I found  a friend who was also interested in poetry he also joined me then we were two.

.After hearing  my voice on radio I wanted to recite my poem on TV programmes so that my friends can see me, people loved my poems very much. The time came when I had to write the poems for certain companies that had promotion programmes on radio so that I can advertise their products though my poems, they were paying me but only now I realize that it was too little but because I was doing  this just for pleasure.  I was sending some of  my poems to newspapers for  publication. Then I started writing the short stories also to publish in the news . I was very excited when on of the musicians asked me if he could use one of my poems that was published in the news  to create a songs for him self and that song won first prize in Carlsberg beer  music promotion. its when I knew that my songs can be turned  into music then with my friend we started writing poems for music .We entered into a music studio where we recorded one song after a donation from one of  the producers of radio programmes .it was a well produced song those days. Then we had also a help from that musician  who turned my poem into song to shoot our song into a video and put it on TV programmes that was another success .But music did not take away my talent in writing I was still writing good short stories and poems and were published in newspapers .Then I joined Malawi writers union organisation (non profit organisation) to boost up my talents but also to have an access to their computers. At this organisation we used to teach other children in school how to write good poems and short stories .Then I was elected to be a publicity secretary budding desk for (Mawu) that is when I was in form 4(grade 12) Even though i am here in South Africa the malawi writers union  is still  active and i still participate by sending my articals  and my annual membership fee.

What makes us truly happy? We all want to be happy and content, but what makes us to be so stressed and unhappy. People are using drugs to forget or suppress their feelings.

We all want to just forget about our problems even if it is just for a moment. Our young people are committing suicide now more than ever these days. We can ask so many Questions but we can only ask one important question “why”. Is it the pressures of today to succeed or the thoughts that we may not be good enough to be successful? Happiness for me is to be content with who you are and where you are. Always live in the moment and enjoy just being. My faith and love for God keeps me grounded and humble. Be content and you will be happy, just my opinion. This is something I wish all of us. But what does happiness and prosperity mean. A life in the lap of luxury? If that were the case, then people who are rich and well off must be really happy. My knowledge is saying not all these people are happy. Health? I’m not sure because we know many healthy people who is very unhappy. An ingredient to happiness is social relationships and a good family life.

Let me share with you a short story I have read in a book not long ago .That made me think that everyone is responsible for his or her own happiness. That happiness is all in the mind .Author :Unknown to me

A Chinese legend happiness, luck, or misfortune?

In a village in China there once lived a farmer. He was the only one in the vicinity to own a horse. When the people looked at the horse they said: “That’s a nice horse. What happiness for the farmer!” But the farmer would always answer: “Happiness or misfortune, who knows?”

One day the horse ran away .The neighbours felt sorry for the farmer: “What misfortune!” The farmer simply answered: “Misfortune? Who knows?’ After a few days the horse came back with a number of wild horses. The neighbours congratulated the farmer: “You must be really happy!” The latter said: “Happy? Who really knows?” After a while the farmer’s son caught one of the wild horses and tried to tame it, but the horse threw him off. The son broke his leg. The neighbours expressed their sympathy: “What misfortune!” The only son the farmer has! Who knows if he will ever walk again?” The farmer only murmured: “Misfortune? Who knows?”

A few days later, war broke out. The soldiers of the emperor came to recruit all young men. But they had no use for the farmer’s son with the broken leg, and so they left him at home. Many now said: “What luck!” But the farmer merely countered: “Luck or not? Who knows?”

There is one important thing that we can conclude from this legend: nothing that happens was happiness or misfortune in itself. It is up to the individual to decide whether something is cause for happiness or unhappiness.

My happiness truly lies in the belief in God and HIS love for us.

How to be certain of destroying your happiness

Always think ill of yourself .

Brood over your failures for weeks on end.

Always compare yourself to others,and whatever you do,never be content with what you have.

Whatever you do, never forgive anyone.

Never take joy in a flower,a ray of sunshine,or drop of rain .Instead, wait for for perfect happiness.

Ways of making myself useful to other people on the Internet.

I was thinking a lot about the idea of marketing entrepreneurs in and around our communities of Knysna. Looking for people by means of making use off the local action ads by placing an ad. Do research about them and to give them exposure to be able to find more customers .Many have good ideas and are working hard and have great talent ,but often don’t market themselves and making use of Internet, because they maybe don’t have the knowledge off.  

I can ask for assistants from a person who is willing to do so to take pictures and put the pics on the net and write about the business .The soup kitchens who desperate needs funds for the unemployed and sick people in the communities, we can raise funds to sustain them and keep them going .I think that the soup kitchens really does have a great benefit for the people and helps us. Unemployment has sky rocketed over the past three years and hunger has increased tremendously, without it we and specially the kids would go hungry for days on end. The soup kitchens is making a huge different in our lives . We can see and idenify  the needs and by the net we can assist them. I know off a person that lives in Nekkies who is a very good poet,if i can publish her poems on the net I’m sure people will love it.I can write about what i know and my own opinions on everyday life.What are you good at and give knowlegde to others. Sharing your skills with others by charging a fee for your time and knowledge.

I am Tedius Theu a Malawian nationality, I did my high school at st pius secondary school and finished in the year 2006 with a qualification to write the university entrance exams. I wrote the exams and passed but due to lack of finance I failed to go to the university.

Then life was not good at all as everything depends on money, I decided to come to South Africa to see if I can raise some funds to help my self in this school issue. I then found a job at outeniqua trout lodge as a resort manager. I worked there for two and a half years.

I could not see my plans going through, and then I decided to find a job in knysna town together with my wife Christina.

We emailed our CVs to more than 100 tourism places to ask for the job as a Managing Couple. Some people responded to our email saying; they don’t have work available at the moment and that they will keep our CVs, if they have a vacant they will come back to us.

We did not stopped there but to advertise in some of the news papers in town as a Managing Couple, Domestic worker for my wife and Gardening work for my self so that we sustain our life as we are looking for a good job. It’s when Mr Mark came across my advert as a gardener IN ACTION AID. He called me to his house and I worked there for four day. Through our discussions Mr Mark found that gardening work was not my type of job that suit me, then he put me on the internet to tell people about my skills so that I can find a proper job.

Because he saw that I had knowledge in computer he started to give me some advice and to teach me things on how i can use internet  to generate some money for my self using the computer that I had.

I graduated in 1999 from my school in Cape Town .I came to Knysna my home town where my family is. Since I had many work opportunities. I started working at the Werkswinkel for people with physical ‘disabilities’ .I worked in the needlework department sewing enviro care bags and place mats .In 2002 I Received a bursary from the rotaries to study professional secretary through correspondence at Damelin college. Unfortunately for me it was the wrong choice I had no interest in the career choice .I never had accounting and typing as a subject at school so it was difficult for me to continue working on my own.

I attended a few computer classes with Creative Minds and at the Knysna Primary beginner’s courses, as I did not have any computer skills at all. It was very helpful and gave me a lot of knowledge into the world of computers. In 2004 I joined an organization called MADaboutART who Works in uniting children across the world in understanding and fighting HIV and AIDS.I worked as a facilitator and than as the office manager.MAdaboutARt gave me a lot of information about HIV ad AIDS that i would never have known .They are truly making a difference in the community and the many children they working with.  In 2006 I had the privilege to go to London to represent the youth of SA and the organization MADaboutART at a conference. I was invited by Unicef and DFID and was the keynote speaker, this was to inform the global forum on children affected by HIV and AIDS .I volunteer at Sinethemba as a story teller and by teaching them to read and write. Sinethemba is a rehabilitating program for street children and they assist by helping the children to get back to mainstream school.

I attended a three weeks residential Life skills course with Youth Futures Data in Plettenberg Bay. We did a lot off life changing challenges to help us deal with the everyday matters and help make informed choices for our own life. We gained and learned about teamwork and leadership skills, conflict resolution, financial responsibility, social responsibility. I can honestly say the course help me so much that I came out off my shell and face the world with confidence and be more responsible for my life. In 2007 I attended a business course (how to start a business) with business outreach, business budgeting and Management planning for community projects. I also worked at times during elections for the IEC registrations and as a voting official. In 2009 MADaboutART involve me to do an archive for them of all the art pieces of the children.

In 2010 I had no idea what I should be doing. I had this idea of starting my business of transporting people who is not able to go around on their own and is struggling with public transport, with two partners. I placed an ad in the local action ads in Knysna searching for help and guidance and mentor ship. I received a few responses. I got a phone call one evening from a man called Mark and he advised me to start a business on the web .He gave me Kens number and together they involve me on how I can use the web to work for me. I now know how to ad content and pictures on a web site. How to do listings and how to get seen on Google. ’ getting there and need to practice and work as hard as I can to make a success of this venture. I need to just make myself useful and see a need in the communities and help people and to get seen on Google. I’m learning so much and hope to gain more knowledge and confidence thanks to Mark Allen and Ken.