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
