Abahlali computer training, 10 March 2007

[fsg_gallery id=”411″]The first round of the Abahlali computer training project, envisaged as an ongoing cyclical project, began three weeks ago. 40 Bahlali are being trained in computer skills for 10 3 hour Saturday morning sessions in isiZulu and isiXhosa by Bahlali who already have these skills. Students were elected from a carefully worked spread of settlements and the curriculum was decided by the students in an open discussion in the first session and each session is evaluated with a discussion at the end which is used to plan for the following week.

Discussions about a skype connection with militant shack dwellers in Cite Soleil in Haiti, initiated from Haiti, are now underway. This will be made easier by the fact that David Ntseng speaks French. If this works well it would be good to try to do something similar with Harare, Lusaka etc.

After today s session it was off to the Siyanda settlement in KwaMashu for a mass meeting and screening of Breyani and the Councillor and a film about operation Murambatsvina in Zimbabwe – which now looks to be repeated in Zambia.

Tomorrow the same two films will be screened in Motala Heights in Pinetown after a workshop in which Motala residents will discuss and reflect on their recent experiences of evictions, forced removal, forced homelessness and then, finally, a major victory against evictions won in principle in court and confirmed in practice by mobilisation in the settlement.