THE YEAR OF 2021
STAYING ON THE
PULSE PULSE
JAN-FEB EDITION
09 NINE THINGS TO KEEP YOU ON THE PULSE
1. GREETING FROM DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER 2. IAMPASSION FOCUSES 3. MENTAL WELLNESS 4. HEALTH TIP 5. FINANCIAL WELLNESS 6. EDUCATION 7. LOVE 8. COVID-19 VACCINE 9. BECOME A STUDENT
01 greeting IAMPASSION
REBUILD, REIGNITE, REGENERATE The year of bringing new life 2020 has been a challenging year worldwide, on just about every front possible. At the beginning of this new year - I would like to take the opportunity to greet all our students, parents, partners, and friends of IAMPASSION (IAP), and to welcome those that are new to our platform this year. IAP remains committed to innovation in the development sector and in response to the ongoing global pandemic, we have maintained this commitment with an even greater degree of innovation. Our projects for this year are designed in a manner geared toward the maximisation of effectiveness, efficiency and value. The innovation component of every project rests on each team to ensure that we meet the passion of team members and respond to the gaps prevalent in this time of crisis. As IAP moves into its next phase of REGENERATION in 2021, we plan to work more closely with you - helping tap increasingly into the incredible wealth of talent that you all represent, to solve your problems, help support your priorities, and more simply, accompany you to the next level of success! On behalf of the IAP team, I wish you all a fantastic new year. With love, Bradley Van Reenen Director & Founder
BRADLEY VAN REENEN
IAP FOCUSES
02
03 mental wellness Megan Press
how to maintain good mental wellness Mental wellness is important to live an abundant life. Ultimately our thought will affect our speech and how we engage others and respond to our circumstances. There are specific hormones that keep our thoughts and mind in perfect balance. Ever hear the saying 'it's okay not to be okay '? well the saying may be true and it may be that it's okay to have a down day but to remain there will result in our mental state developing downward thinking habits.
To maintain good mental wellness here are few simple steps : 1. Get good sleep. 2. Celebrate the smallest of victories in your day even if getting out of bed is one of them. 3. Have a morning declaration that speaks to you and your potential, say it and repeat it throughout the day if you need to. 4. Speak to someone close to you, a family member, or a friend to find out how they are doing. 5. Make some time for physical activities take a walk or go outside for a moment and be grateful for the gift of life. Find an inspiring book to read. 6. Drink lots of water while sneaking in a piece of chocolate for balance.
05 health tip Tamsyn Percival
SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL When it comes to health and wellness, the topic most often spoken about is how to go about losing weight- shedding the kilograms. Now we know our output or energy expenditure(movement/exercise) needs to be more than our input or calorie intake (eating)but there is one factor that is often not taken into consideration in our weight loss calculation and that is our sleeping habits. Sleep is an essential need for our bodies to refresh and rejuvenate for the next day. A good night’s rest results in optimal mental and physical health.
How many hours do you sleep a night? 1. Research shows that 7-9 hours is adequate. 2. Insufficient sleep leads to overeating; naturally, our bodies look for resources for it to keep going if it did not get enough rest. 3. The body also holds on to our fat reserves to keep us fuelled for our usual day to day activities when it did not have enough sleep.
06 health tip Tamsyn Percival
What about our sleep quality? Consider the following tips: 1. Reduce chronic stress that has the potential to result in poor sleep and overeating due to negative emotions. 2. Avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime (especially caffeinated products), this will reduce the success of weight loss and lead to skipping breakfast the following day. 3. Dim your room and electronic lights 30min before bedtime to prepare for sleeping. Sleep in complete darkness exposure to artificial light can lead to a restless night. 4. Each person has a natural body rhythm. You may be an early bird or a night owl. Find your rhythm and fly with it. Take care of yourself- you matter, and you are worth every effort to be a healthier, better version of yourself!
07 financES Andrew Stewart
Finance in a Pandemic A new year has dawned and as a generation, we are living in one of the most uncertain times especially where our finances are concerned. However, it is still important to determine where we see ourselves and what we see for ourselves where our lives and the standard thereof is concerned.
A few things to manage your finances to strategically progress through a pandemic. 1. Income: Ensure you at least have 2 streams of income, creating these streams by thinking about what you are good at and thinking about what you love. 2. Save: Make a big emphasis on saving as you receive income, this will allow you to build a reserve for unforeseen expenses that may occur and for those big purchases to avoid purchasing on debt. 3. Spend: use your money to ensure you have covered all your necessities, your survival and energy is important for doing better every day. You need to at some point gratify yourself with a treat, so you know your work is beneficial. 4. Pay it forward: Even more so in this time make an extra effort in paying it forward. If you have you are blessed, show others that we are still a nation of Love, Care, and Consideration. We will turn all uncertainty into potential opportunities, one step and one moment at a time.
08 EDUCATION Prudence Present
Ready or Not, School is here! After 2020 being an unprecedented and uncertain year, we are standing before the date of the schools reopening for the new year. Whereas in previous years we would have been eager and excited to start school there is some anxiety in the air as educators, learners and parents do not know what to expect when the school doors open.. 2020 was a tough year on all levels and in this case, it affected the academic sector broadly. It not only affected the learning experiences of learners physically but also challenged the mental wellbeing of both educators and learners, to some resulting in dropping out of school. Teachers are specifically anxious because of the lack of support from the government in keeping them safe,” “Teachers want to be at work, but they want to work under proper health and safety protocols” (Charles, 2021)
Though very disappointing we believe that as we approach the reopening of the academic year the relationship between government and educators will improve and that the school year will commence smoothly.
We want to wish all educators, learners, and support staff well with the start of the 2021 academic year. Though under uncertain circumstances we believe that the passion and purpose of education will be the driving force for this year.
09 LOVE Charline King
LOVE LOCKED DOWN South Africa saw a strong increase in the rate of divorce cases last year during the extension of our lockdown. Months in close proximity proved too much for some couples. According to recent statistics, 4 out of 10 marriages are said to end in divorce before reaching their 10th anniversary. However, amidst dire challenges introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic, we still saw a considerable amount of couples “tying the knot” during what proved to be an uncertain time. Could this then confirm the phrase “Love conquers all”? Ahead of the month of love we have met up with some couples who have unlocked some nuggets on what kept their relationships thriving during what is known to be a challenging time for the majority of couples in South Africa. Here’s what we found the questions varied around how they met and how long they were dating. Thus including what they found most challenging during this time and advice, they would give to other couples.
10 LOVE Charline King
The couples we interviewed all varied between 2- 8 years. What they all had in common was the challenge of how and when they would connect and communicate. In addition, they also share what contributed to the success of their relationships currently. A crucial aspect of this includes taking time and effort to either see and speak to their loved ones, whether it be physically or virtually. Another crucial aspect to the success of the relationships was having patience with one another and not becoming familiar with their partners’ capabilities. Finally, what was quite intriguing was that all couples made reference to having a strong relationship with God, in that they encouraged that this would lead to living wholesome lives individually before pursuing any relationship with a respective person. The advice these couples had to offer holistically encapsulated patience, compromise, transparency, effort, and loving one another through various challenges.
In this survey I got to see some challenges couples were faced with and what exactly they had to sacrifice to reach mutual grounds of understanding, proving that regardless of the circumstance, when a commitment is made between two people, romantically or not, no challenge is too difficult to overcome. Love remains the most powerful and we have the power to choose it over and over again. Ultimately the couples proved that choosing love on a daily basis is a choice, lets continue to strive towards choosing love every day this month and the remainder of this year.
Four out of ten marriages end in divorce before their 10th anniversary | Statistics South Africa (statssa.gov.za) Four in 10 marriages don’t last 10 years, Stats SA say (sowetanlive.co.za)
11 covid-19 Charline King
VACCINE ON HOLD On Sunday (7th February 2021), Minister of Health, Mr. Zweli Mkhize announced the temporary hold on the new Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine that was scheduled to be distributed throughout South Africa during this month (February 2021). Data has shown that the vaccine gave minimal protection against mild-to-moderate infection caused by our country's dominant coronavirus variant. Previously the 1 million doses were produced by the Serum Institute of India(SII). Instead, presently vaccines will be developed by Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer in the coming weeks while experts consider how the AstraZeneca shot can be deployed, allowing the vaccination program to proceed for the next four weeks. This is what will now be available to health workers first. The AstraZeneca vaccine will still remain with us until scientists provide direction on what we need to do on the way forward. When the trial of the vaccines began, before October 31, 2020, the results of the vaccine were promising and the likelihood of protecting citizens against mild cases of the virus. Results have shown that the vaccine was 75% effective with a single dose in 14 days. The same results could not be replicated based on the new variant of the virus. Professor Glenda Gray confirmed that results from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were more promising. A single-dose of the vaccine was shown as 85 percent effective in preventing severe disease and death in the 501Y.V2 variant. On Friday,5th February 2021, Health Minister Mkhize told members of the health portfolio committee, that the country would be getting 9 million doses from Johnson & Johnson, 20 million from Pfizer and 12 million from the Covax facility. Anban Pillay, health ministry deputy director-general, said the expiry date on the AstraZeneca doses was in April. The government was speaking to the SII to seek an extension or exchange in the vaccine. In addition, it is advised to continue practicing a positive attitude towards all regulations. Whether it is by being mindful of our social distancing and remaining by masking up and sanitizing. Current trials on the AstraZeneca Covid-19 has shown to only be 22 percent efficient against the variant found in SA Doctors and researchers are confident that it will prevent Covid illnesses and death. The Government is halting the rollout of the vaccine temporarily following the results of the trial. South Africa’s First Vaccines to Arrive Amid Storm of Criticism (bloombergquint.com) South Africa’s First Vaccines to Arrive Amid Storm of Criticism (bloombergquint.com) www.enca.com/news/astrazeneca-vaccine-22-effective-against-local-covid-19
12 become a student Marco Williams
Why should I join the Youth Cafe? If you are a hardworking, energetic, and teachable individual, then this opportunity is just for you. Joining the youth cafe will give you the chance to expose yourself to a new environment were growing in the different spheres of your life and embarking on new journeys are key. The youth cafe allows you to take off the limitations and unbox your potential. It is a place where your vision has no limits.
Who must apply? People that form part of the NEET group (Not in Employment, Education or Training) and who is between the age of 14-35.
When you must apply. Applications open from the 8th of February to 18th of February 2021.
What do I need to apply? Attach a copy of your ID, Birth certificate, or Passport with your application form.
13 become a student Marco Williams
How must I apply? Step one: Contact us on one of our social media platforms or email us informing us that you are interested in one of our courses. Step two: Receive the application form, complete it and email it back to us with a copy of your ID, Birth certificate, or Passport. Step three: Wait on a response whether the application was successful or unsuccessful.
We are looking forward to hearing from you. Ps. Remember the courses are FREE. Cell: 067 046 8793 Email: marco@iampassion.org.za Whatsapp: 067 046 8793 Facebook: IAP Youth Cafe - Mitchells Plain Instagram: @iam_yc
contributers BRADLEY VAN REENEN Founder
CHARLINE KING
MARCO WILLIAMS
TAMSYN PERCIVAL
MEGAN-ANNE PRESS
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
ANDREW STEWART
PRUDENCE PRESENT
NICOLE GOLDING
SHANE-DEAN ARENDSE
Writer
Coordinator
Editor
Designer
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