Upstart - Grocott's Mail

UPSTART MARCH 20117awareNetQ & A with Thozi Ngeju, awareNet trainerWhat is awareNet?awareNet is a restricted (meaning, safe) website that is made especially for schools– mostly learners. It is safe because we create the accounts and not anyone cancreate one. It is a social networking website that works a lot like Facebook butsafer.Who created awareNet and why?awareNet was created by Mr Ron Wertlen and is developed by eKhaya ICT, an organisationbased in Grahamstown. It was created because of a need for a local andless expensive website that didn’t use too much bandwidth.When was it first launched?It was first launched in 2007Has it been successful?Given the interest it has generated from local learners and people from overseasplaces such as France, it has been successfulWho is Thozi?I am a Grahamstownian, born and bred. I like writing anything from scripts, shortWhat I learnt on awareNet?Ihave been using awareNet since last year and whatI enjoy the most is chatting with friends online viaawareNet. I know how to create a profile, write ablog, take pictures and to upload them,how to addfriends and how to change pictures.There are more projects that we could join such as theclan names and the World Aids Day project. In the clannames project I learnt that a person’s surname has history.I had the opportunity to ask my family about myclan name and where it comes from.stories and I like working with peopleThis year I’m looking forward to learning more aboutawareNet, join projects and learn everything there is toknow about the site.Asemahle Diniso • Grade 10, Nombulelo High SchoolI’ve learned a lot from awareNet. When I started goingto the awareNet meetings I didn’t know how tostart a computer but as time went by Bhuti Thozitaught me. Last year I learned how to log on to the internet,how to sign up, how to chat with people online.How did you find out aboutawareNet?I was browsing the Internet one dayand came across the website bychance. I decided to send an e-mailand they took an interest in my CV, sothey hired me.What is the best part about workingfor awareNet?Thozi NgejuThe best part is working with my mindand the opportunity to learn as I workwith kids – they teach one patience and using ‘accessible’ lingo.Anything else you want us to know about youProbably that I started out wishing to be a singer. I pursued music until I caught thewriting bug at about eighteen.Interview by Sathembisa Ngcani • Grade 10, Nombulelo High SchoolI like that you can chat with people in other provincesor even overseas if they are also on awareNet.I like that awareNet is very important to the Upstartnewspaper because last year we joined the WorldAids Day project on awareNet and it was published inUpstart. I would like to learn more about awareNet thisyear and the people who invented it.Sathembisa Ngcani • Grade 10, Nombulelo High SchoolBelgiumColine (18), an exchange student at DSG from Belgium tells PJ Olivier Upstarters all abouther country, what it’s like living there and how different it is to South Africa.Coline Muller a Rotary exchange studentfrom Belgium spoke to PJ OlivierUpstarters about the differences betweenher country and South Africa.Coline is spending time at DSG whereshe is trying to improve her English.This what they learnt.•Belgium is a small country in Europe• The capital of Belgium is Brussels• Belgian children do not wear uniformsto school• Sport is a subject at school• Belgium is a very safe country,there is very little crime• Belgian teenager go to parties fromthe age of 13• They can drive cars when they are16 years old• They drive on the left-hand side ofthe road• The steering wheel is on the leftside in their cars• It rains a lot in Belgium• It is very cold in winter and it snowsthere• When it is summer in South Africa,it is winter in Belgium• People drink a lot of beer in Belgium• There are 850 kinds of differentbeer in Belgium• They also speak different languagesin Belgium• The country is divided into Dutchspeakers and Flemish speakers• They do not have provinces like wehave, but there are lots of smalltownsAsanele Kaleni, Jasmine Kumm,Shawndray Jewell, Gillian Dreyer,Devron Plaatjies, Reggie Goba, KeenanMaart, Seviano Korkee, Callum Arries,Siya Zanil, Keith Trompetter PJ OlivierHoërskoolhttp://www.google.co.za/imgres?imgurl=http://goeurope.about.com/library/graphics/belgium.gif&imgrefurl=http://goeurope.about.com/cs/belguim/l/bl_belgium_map.htm&usgFEATUREW 2 word worth knowingKmonarchytype of word: nouna country that is run or governed by a king, a queen or both wherethey have all of the power to make decisions