Another early start being on the road by 7:00 am. The first stop was Zamuxolo where Steven wanted to interview 2-3 learners who had been part of the demonstrations in 2014. After the customary greetings with the Principal permission was granted for the interviews. It was pleasing to note that each of the learners recalled the demonstrations with fondness repeating the key points without being prompted. The demonstrations had left a lasting impression on these learners.

A sad moment was experienced where learners from the lower grades raced to the school gate. The boys formed a circle to urinate on the road while the girls went a little further up a small embankment to relieve themselves. I was told that a new ablution block was completed but had not yet been handed over. These learners have the right to the dignity that most other learners experience. I have no answer but am committed to making a change for these and other learners.

The highlight for the day for the whole school was a demonstration of the drone. Despite being told what was about to happen the school was absolutely silent as Igor prepared the drone. It finally lifted off to the amazement of everyone who could not believe what was happening in front of them. After hovering for a few second Igor directed the drone to rise up some 40-50 m to load applause from everyone. Seeing the joy on their faces was worth all the time and effort indicating the importance of real Science and Technology demonstrators in these communities.

I call these Siya moments after Siya Xusa who lived some 100 km from this community. His life was transformed when he saw an aeroplane for the first time when he was just five years old. He is an innovator and entrepreneur making a significant difference on a global scale having emerged from a deep rural community.

We planned the trip over the mountain past Sedubipoort. Steven and Igor were not prepared for the vista that they were presented at the top of the mountain looking back at Cofimvaba. I have little doubt that the footage taken of this vista will be magnificent but nothing like what awaited them around the next corner. We had to stop the car immediately as Steven had seen the opening scene for the video clip looking over the Kei River valley.

Two more vistas opened up as we progressed over the mountain which equalled what we had experienced previously. We paused for a few minutes to launch the drone to fly over a community near Kwaza much to the delight of locals in distant huts.

Another unique experience was being confronted by burning tyres and a road block with disgruntled locals protesting over the lack of service delivery. In true local spirit a gentleman in a dilapidated bakkie pulled up and instructed us to follow him as he knew a short-cut. This saved us a lot of time as we still wanted to drop into St Marks to shoot another Hydrogen Fuel Cell school.

The drone was launched once again much to the delight of the local school children many of whom recognised this ‘white man’ from last year. After a long day driving we arrived back in PE safely after 38 hours on the road covering over 1200 km.

Zamuxolo

Grade R’s Saying hello.

The Grade R Classroom

An ablution block awaiting to be handed over.

The local loo for the little ones – in the street

A Grade 7 class in a mud walled hut learning English

Igor entertain the school with the Drone

Playful times with a skipping rope

A local watching a football match near Arthur-Mphebe

Steven in action

Trying their luck to catch the drone.

Steven and Igor preparing the opening scene for the video

An early morning start for Steven, Igor and myself departing from Port Elizabeth at 05:00 am. I was not prepared to spend two days with a film crew to prepare a 5 minute video clip of the Cofimvaba Rural Schools Fuel Cell Education Initiative sponsored by Anglo American Platinum. It turned out to be a stop start process of unpacking and repacking photographic equipment to capture unique moments round nearly every corner. I am also not sure whether Steven and Igor were prepared for what they were about to encounter in the schools despite being briefed about the project.

We arrived at Mvuzo in the Cofimvaba district before 10:00 being met by the Principal, Mr Mqomboti. An outdoor classroom was set up with the learners sitting on the veranda looking down on the demonstration table. This also provided strategic vantage points for the cameras to capture the moments on video. The first session included about 70 learners and the interactions were very positive with many questions. The wind cooperated allowing for a totally clean energy demonstration.

While Steven and Igor were filming individual interviews a second group were given the same demonstrations. Again the sessions was well received where individuals with talent were again identified as part of this human capital development project.

On completion of the interviews the film crew moved to the real Hydrogen Fuel Cells which generate electricity for the Android Tablets in the classrooms and the computer room. It is hoped that the learners and the teachers made the connection between the demonstrations and the real fuel cells on the school property.

We left the school round 14:00 and decided to do a trip to see further schools. This included a trip into Cofimvaba for fuel and then onto Zwelibangile. We stopped at the top of the pass which presented up with magnificent view of the Kei River valley. Half way down the pass the decision was taken to launch the Drone helicopter with a GoPro camera to capture the scene that lay before us. Little did we realize that opposite the Zwelibangile school we would experience the purity of surround sound of a community preparing for the end of the day. Sheep were bleating while being herded into the kraals, a grandfather was calling his daughter on the opposite of the valley, goats bemoaned being locked up for the evening, chickens and geese added to the noise, all while smoke rose from cooking fires and locals went about their daily tasks. It was an experience that no camera could capture even with the best sound recorders.

The return trip took us past Zenzile, Siyabalala, Bangalizwe and on past St Marks and Arthur-Mphebe to reach the farm near Cathcart after 7:00 pm. The day ended with the customary braai and appreciation of the quietness of the Coverside Farm where the crickets go to bed after 8:00 pm.

Sunrise outside Fort Beaufort

Mvozo outside Cofimvaba

Ideal outdoor classroom