The volunteer-led magazine with ever-changing voices exploring different perspectives on today’s rapidly-evolving world.
Health
Aiming for Zero Hunger in South Africa What Has Been Done and What Still Needs to Happen
Have you ever been really hungry at school or work? If that’s a yes, then you know most people are not in the best of emotional states when they’re hungry. A hungry child at school is more likely to experience mood swings, aggression and poor academic performance than their adequately-nourished peers. Sadly, hunger is a daily reality for 23 million children in Africa alone.vThe UN Sustainable Development Goals consist of 17 goals to help promote prosperity for everyone around the globe while protecting the planet. Goal 2 is Zero Hunger, which seeks to ‘End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.’
You’re Eating Microplastics in Ways You Don’t Even Realise
We’re increasingly aware of how plastic is polluting our environment. Much recent attention has focused on how microplastics – tiny pieces ranging from 5 millimetres down to 100 nanometres in diameter – are filling the seas and working their way into the creatures that live in them. That means these ocean microplastics are entering the food chain and, ultimately, our bodies.
Zero Chance of Day Zero? Think Again Cape Town on Track to Be First City in History to Run Out of Water
Cape Town is currently in its worst drought in 100 years. We get it. We know. Or do we? So far 60% of Capetonians have not adhered to the delegated amount of 87 litres per person per day. This suggests that the majority of Capetonians are not aware of the harsh reality Day Zero would bring. Put simply, if we continue on our current trajectory then Day Zero will fast be upon us. That is a guarantee.
Being Vegan in Cape Town Is the Mother City Vegan-Friendly?
Is the Mother City vegan-friendly? According to The Vegan SA Directory, in Mother City there are about 60 vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants. We tried three of them to dispel the myth that vegan cuisine is ‘boring’ and to prove that being vegan is easy, with a little creativity and balance in your dishes.
Projects Abroad Nutrition Programme A Short Film by Anne van Verre
Cape Town’s communities have been struggling to cope with a myriad of health issues for decades. These ailments vary from weight issues to diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Tragically, 45 out of every 1000 children die before their first birthday due to preventable health issues. Every day 22% of children in South-Africa suffer from hunger and 58 people die from diabetes. Projects Abroad started the Nutrition Programme to help the people in these communities.
Nutrition Project Cooking Competition Graduates from the Project Show their Skills in a Cook Off
Let’s admit it, we all love food. However, how aware are we of what we consume and put into our bodies? According to Sweet Life magazine 1 out of 5 South Africans over the age of 35 have type 2 diabetes and more than 50% of them are unaware of it. Not only is diabetes consuming us but so is obesity and malnutrition. Projects Abroad’s nutrition project recently held a cooking competition in the community of Vrygrond. The aim of the competition was not only to cook delicious meals but nutritious food as well.
Support for Mental Disability Comcare Promotes Activities to Assist Vulnerable Members of Society
In South Africa, about 75% of individuals with mental health disorders either do not get the care they need or they receive inferior quality of treatment. The problem is exacerbated by not only the stigma around mental illness but also by South African healthcare failing to invest in solutions. Michelle De Goede, the director at Comcare, a non-profit organisation offering support and accommodation to individuals with mental disorders explains, ‘People with mental illness and psychiatric conditions are stigmatised. There are still myths that they should be locked away in an institution because they are dangerous, that they are criminals, or that every single person with mental illness is a drug user.’ But this should not be the case.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome The Tragic Untold Story of Addiction & Neglect
Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition caused by drinking during pregnancy, affecting three million people throughout South Africa. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed by the mother, a child can be born with debilitating physical and mental disorders. As a result, these babies are more likely to be abandoned by their mothers.
GMO Foods Are We Headed for Disaster?
Have you ever read the back of food labels and noticed the words: ‘Might be genetically modified’? No? Well you’re not alone. That’s how most South Africans would respond. But the reality is that many foods are genetically modified because South Africa is the world’s eighth largest GMO producer.
The Slavery of Alcohol The Biggest Threat for South Africa
Alcohol is the main drug in South Africa with 30% of the population being either alcoholics or at risk of becoming so. According to WHO, South Africans drink in excess of five billion litres of alcohol per year. If that’s not bad enough, alcohol abuse tends to be a prerequisite to health problems, criminality and socio-economic burdens. But who is the abuser behind these statistics? And what can be done to prevent alcohol abuse?
