SciFest Diary - Day 1

And so it begins ... today was the first day of Scifest. Having only finished my first audio slideshow last night at 11 I was quite tired for the first day. Things have gotten underway pretty quickly and still feeling a little bewildered to say the least.

The first multimedia package Hayley and I are working on is "Makana's Weighty Problem" - it extends from the lecture we attended today by Jane Badham about whether or not there is a magic bullet for weight loss. I'll give you all a hint - there isn't one! Prior to the lecture I conducted some background research on increasing obesity in South Africa and South Africa's obsession with weight. I found a really good site that discussed these statistics and it is official - people in South Africa are getting fatter! During the lecture, I kept trying to create a link between what Badham was saying and how this would affect the Grahamstown context. What sparked my interest is that, specifically in underdeveloped countries, low income families are the ones who suffer mostly from obesity. Badham suggested that the way to curb what she ahs called a "global epidemic" is through education and empowerment.

This got me thinking about Grahamstown, and how the many impoverished schools would be educated about nutrition and correct eating habits and lifestyles on a small income. I then came across the Pharmacy faculty's fringe event that aims to empower local knowledge specifically in school children to combat and prevent obesity and incorrect eating habits. They have put together a computer programme together with the Computer Science division that educates kids about diet and obesity. They take a very interactive and visual approach to educating kids and I thought that was quite a nice link.

I also managed to get a few pics of people eating - although they looked quite perplexed! Hayley and I plan to conduct audio vox pops tomorrow under the title of "What is the most extreme thing you have done to lose weight?" I have also emailed the Rhodes health suite manager janet kelly to ask her about the issue of health and lifestyle in Grahamstown and have asked her whether she knows of a local Grahamstown nutrtionist/ dietician who would be able to give me a broader understanding of Grahamstown's eating habits.

So, that was my first day, not too shabby. Tomorrow will prove busier I'm sure. Stay tuned for the next installment ...