Jeandre HLM Blog

First Aid Course (Level 1)

2010-02-24T22:02:00.000-08:00

On 23 February 2010, we started with our First Aid course. We did Level 1 of the first aid course.

It was very interesting to learn how to help other people when they are injured or very ill. We first learnt about what the basic princaples of first aid was, and then progressively moved on to the treatrment and procedures of what to do ion certain cases of injuries or illnesses.

On the first day (23 February 2010) we learn how to do Cardio Pulminary Resuscitation (CPR).

Here are the steps to do Cardio Pulminary Resuscitation (CPR):

Firstly check the hazards around the patient to make sure the scene is safe and in a workable condition.
Then try to get a response from the patient and see if he is alive, if not, continue.
Call for help, phone the ambulance or E.M.S ( Emergency Medical Services).
Then you open the airway of the patient by tilting the head backwards, and checking if anything is blocking the airway. If something is blocking the airway, remove it, and check if the patient is breathing, if not, continue with the procedure.
If there was an obstruction in the airway, and the patient is not breathing after you have removed the object, give 2 rescue breaths.
If the patient is still not breathing, then start by pumping the chest and starting the heart.
Continue doing the rescue breaths after giving 30 chest compressions, and continue checking the air way. If the patient is breathing, you can stop, and wait for the E.M.S.

The whole training and course was very interresting, and I hope in future we can continue with the levels and get a higher qualification!

Getting to know all the different Departments

2010-02-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

On monday the 1st of February, we had to complete a task where we had to visit all the different Departments of Sondela. Here is what we had to find out:

Who the Head of Departments are (HOD).
If the HOD's are managers on duties over week days and weekends.
The HOD's cellphone numbers.
Who the Supervisers are.
How many people work in the Departments.
Find out the functions of the different Departments.
How many people work under the HOD's.

We went to the following Departments:

Store Room
Security
Salon
Guest House
Workshop
Maintanance
Food and Beverage
Wild Life Centre (WLC)
Reception
Spaza Shop
Petrol Station
Academy
Horse Stables
Sondela Share Block (SSB)
Makhato Houses
Chalet Management

We learnt a lot about Sondela and how the system here works. It was interresting to get to know all the people on Sondela, and to see what they exactly do here.

I will never forget this experience!

Bela Bela Town Tour

2010-02-03T22:09:00.000-08:00

Information Centre:
9h35-9h45

Directions:
Upon entering Bela Bela from the Pretoria side you see a collection near thatch shops the info centre can be found there.

Commentary:
The stuffed animals get your attention. Lots of pamphlets and helpful staff to guide you.

Graveyard:
9h50-10h00

Directions:
The graveyard is found behind the Spar.

Commentary:
It’s right slap bang in the centre of the town. Vandalism is obviously a problem here. The wife of Andries Pretorius, Christina Pretorius lies here and it is an interesting story for tourists.

African Market:
10h05-10h25

Directions:
The market is found in Ritchie street after turning right from Potgieter street.

Commentary:
The people at the market are very friendly and quick to talk to you. They were ready to tell us how and where to take our photos.

Block House:
10h30-10h40

Directions:
This is found in Paul Sauer street. Follow Potgieter right until you come to the railroad turn right into the township turn right into Paul Sauer and follow until you see the Block House.

Commentary:
Lots of info and a story to be found here like the bullet holes in the building. It probably dates back more than a hundred years back.

Silos:
10h40-10h47

Directions:
Turn right in Marx street then right Potgieter street then right in Mile street and then right in Paul Sauer street.

Commentary:
Silos are in good condition and there are interesting facts that you can give tourist about them. Really overwhelmingly big.

Township Tour:
10h50-11h00

Directions:
Turn right in Marx right in Potgieter right in Mile and continue.

Commentary:
The people were quick to wave to us. Lots of stalls and hawkers along the road it is also neater than any township we have ever seen.

Approximate time of Departure: 9h00 from Sondela
Approximate time of arrival: 11h15 to Sondela

Wild Life Centre ( WLC)

2010-02-03T04:30:00.001-08:00

The Wild Life Centre, or otherwise known as the WLC, is a rehabilitation centre.

There are the current creatures there:

Hippo
Lion Cubs
Rhino's
Giraffes
Zebras
Bless Buck
Duiker
Tortoises
Carocles
Serbal

Hurt and injured animals are kept and rehabilitated there. Some will be released back into the wild, some will stay there for their whole entire life, because they wont be able to function in the wild.

There are currently 4 people working at the Wild Life Centre. They have different feeding times, and it stretches through the day AND night,

The people who work at the Wild Life Centre live in a place called The Village, and it is located at the back of the Wild Life Centre, with their own personal rooms.

People, that is to say guests, can camp at the Wild Life Centre, and help with the feedings through the night and day, and help take care of the animals, and make sure they are safe and properly fed.

Spraying of the Red-billed Queleas

2010-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

On Monday, the 1st of February, we had to perform a very daunting task.

Red-billed Queleas are a type of bird that feeds off seeds. Mainly they feed off grass seeds that are formed on a long type of grass plant. At a certain time in the year the grass forms seeds on the plant itself, and after a while the plant throws them off to the ground. The Queleas then feed off the seeds that have been thrown off. When the rain comes, the seed is then splashed with dust and water, burrying it in the ground. It then starts to germenate and makes its own plant. When it rains, and the seed gets burryed, then the Queleas move to a location where there are still seeds on the grass plant, or where the seeds have fallen to the ground and it hasn't rained yet.

Red-billed Queleas are a pest in Southern Africa, it has learnt that it can feed off of farmers grains. Queleas stay in colonies of 1000 - 4 million, and if all of them feed at the same time, they can destroy hundreds of thousands of rands, and this can happen almost everyday.

If they are not controlled, the nations food supply can suffer, as well as the farmer who is losing his grains and money.

This precise event happend to farms around Sondela. One day the farmers followed the Queleas at dusk, and found their nesting place on Sondela itself. They then contacted the Government, and told them the problem. Then the Government contacted Sondela, and informed them of the situation. Sondela of course understood the situation, and cooperated.

The spraying was scheduled for the 29th of January 2010, but Sondela was unpreparred, so it was rescheduled for the 1st February 2010.

All the farmers met at the Brown Hyena ( Boys students house), and there they picked up the volunteers and students that were willing to help. From there they followed the road down to the breeding area. The breeding area was in the bush, so we had to walk for quiet a distance. There was a breefing given to us, so that we were well informed what the procedure is all about, and how the procedure works.

We then set up flares and cleared the area of all non-targeted birds and animals. We investigated the trees where the birds bred in, and took out a few nests to see what they look like.

There after we evacuated the breeding area, and it was getting dark. We went back to the veichels, and viewed the spraying of the Queleas from a distance. After 2 hours we left the scene, and went back home.

The next day the area was cleaned of all birds. There were a few animals that have been poisoned, but they have been saved, and have been given an antidote to the poison.

It was a sad, but good experience, and I'll NEVER forget it!!

Welcoming

2010-02-01T22:21:00.000-08:00

Every Monday and Friday we do welcoming of the guests, were we greet them at the reception, and take them through to the pancakes station, where the can enjoy a pancake and some juice and wine tasting.

The reason we do welcoming is to make the guests feel welcoming the minute they set foot on Sondela. We want to make them feel at home, and feel at ease.

Welcoming starts at the main gate, where a guest gets greeted and receives his or her green conservation slip. There after the guest makes his way either to reception or the caravan park, where they will receive a warm welcoming, and be taken through all the procedure to book in, and all the rules of the farm.

They then get tacken throgh to a table we call the pancake station, where they will reseive a pancake each ( Max. 6 pancakes per Chalet or caravan), and a small glass of juice. For the Chalet guests who book in at reception, there is also wine tasting. The reason Sondela lets the guests taste wine, is because when they first enter the Chalet, they will see three bottels of wine ( Dry Red Wine, Semi-sweet White Wine, Dry White Wine). If they already have tasted the wine at the pancake station, they can taste which one they preffer, so that when they enter the Chalet they know which bottle to open. Any open bottels or broken seals will be deducted of the deposit that has been paid, so that the guest doesnt directly pay for the bottels of wine.

Welcoming starts at 13h00 evry Monday and Friday. On Fridays welcoming continues until 21h00, and on Mondays until 19h00.

Guests from the Chalets only recieve their keys at 15h00 and there after.

To do welcoming is a great privellege, because you work with people and meet new personalitys evry day, and you learn a lot of people skills.

So welcoming is quite enjoyable, IF you know what you are doing.

First Days at Sondela

2009-12-30T01:11:00.000-08:00

My first days at sondela was kind of tough, but after a long days work, you sit down and think about what you achieved that day, and you think to yourself that it was actually a great day.

I first started out as a PH ( Personal Helper), but I was later moved to FNB ( Food and Beverage) wich was actually an improvement for me. I started of as a runner, taking dirty plates to the kitchen, then after that I was a waiter for a day, where I made R70 in 3 hours! It was great! I then worked in the cocktail bar for a few days, and then I started selling menu's. You start off by asking the guest hows his/her stay is so far, and then you start explaining to them how the menu works, because it isn't your everyday menu that you find at a restaurant.

I wanted to give up at one stage in my time during my stay here at Sondela, but the people here are so great, that with a few sentences, they changed my mind for me!

I love working with the people in my department, because they are so supportive and kind.