Support South African Water Conservation Interns

In the time since our last report, I had the memorable experience of spending a day with the Chris Buckley Interns at the uMngeni-uTukhela Waterworks (UUW) plant in the Chesterville township.  I was invited by our program partners, UWW and the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), to visit the plant, hear about how the Buckley Interns were progressing, and to attend presentations by Nolubabalo and Msizi on what they had accomplished and learned in the first half of their internship year.  It was going to be an exciting day.

Both Nolubabalo and Msizi gave wonderful presentations, demonstrating not only that the Buckley Internship has brought their classroom work to life through hands-on engineering experience, but also that each of them has matured and gained in professional competence.  While both had told me that they were not confident public speakers at the start of the internship year, the interns now feel at ease when asked to talk about their work as young chemical engineers.  Their presentations were articulate, engaging, and informative.  Their supervisors and mentors from UUW and MUT spoke highly of both interns and clearly knew them well, reflecting the high quality of focused mentorship that the interns are receiving.

Our tour of the waterworks facility was an experience I don’t think I will ever forget.  As we walked in a group – the UUW and MUT staff members, the interns, and I – there was plenty of time to ask questions about how everything worked and what the challenges are for providing clean water to expanding urban and township populations.  The interns explained things as we went, and I felt so grateful to be there with them, to see what the Chris Buckley Memorial Internship is becoming and what it is making possible.  I also felt a profound sense of awe that is hard to put into words on seeing the massive quantities of water that move through that plant every day, coming in filled with impurities and leaving as potable water.  This is the stuff  that sustains life, and we can so easily take for granted both the presence of the water and the care that goes into making it safe for us to consume and be sustained by it.

Msizi had made a comment to me several weeks earlier that resonated with this thought.  “As we drink water,” he said, “or use it for washing, it is so clean and clear.  But we do not always think of how it became clear.  A lot goes into that, and now I understand it.”

There was one other thing that Msizi said to me that I want to share with all of you, our GlobalGiving donors.  Among the shortlisted applicants for the Buckley Internship in this inaugural year, Msizi was the oldest.  He had finished his classroom requirements several years earlier and had been unable to complete his studies for lack of a funded internship opportunity. 

“This opportunity makes a very big difference in my life,” Msizi mused.  “I was just staying at home and almost forgetting the things I know.  Now I am the guy who got this internship.  This work allows me to use what I learned in school to solve problems.  It has really helped me a lot.”

Changing lives.  Enabling young people to pursue careers in the care and conservation of a precious, life-giving resource.  Assisting in the mission of higher education and the training of a next generation of water engineers.  This is what all of you are making possible through your generous GlobalGiving donations in support of The Chris Buckley Memorial Internship.

From all of us here in Durban, thank you!  We look forward to keeping you updated on what your generosity brings to life.

“This is something huge for me.”
 
These are some memorable words from a recent conversation with Nolubabalo Ntabeni, one of the two inaugural Chris Buckley Memorial Internship receipients currently pursuing their work-integrated learning placements at Umngeni-Ukhutela Waterworks, thanks to your support for the Chris Buckley Memorial Internship & Bursary Fund through GlobalGiving.  This is the third and final year of their study towards a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering at the Mangosuthu University of Technology in Durban.

I caught up with Nolubabalo last week to chat about how the internship is going, what she is learning, and what it means to her.  One thing is clear: your generosity as a donor to the Chris Buckley Memorial Internship is making a very big difference in Nolubabalo’s life.

The training and exposure that Nolubabablo and her fellow Buckley Intern (Msizi Mazibuko -- we will be interviewing him soon!) are receiving is providing an immersive exposure to how water is processed and made available across a large network of waterworks.  They  have now been trained in sample collection and testing for E. coli, ammonia, nitrites, and other potential contaminants at a number of treatment plants.  Not only are they responsible for the testing, but they are learning with both depth and breadth about the impact of water contamination and quality on local ecosystems, all while developing some valuable personal skills and insights.

From the interview: 

MB:  What is your favourite part about your internship activities?

NN:  My favourite thing is being in the field, because I learn so much by seeing these units physically, not just learning about theory.  Also, the experience of taking the samples on your own.  I have learned so much to be able to do this.  You cannot bring the whole plant to the lab, so I have learned how to take samples from various sites and check to make sure we are not overdosing or underdosing.

MB:  How is the internship impacting you personally?

NN:  The Buckley  internship has already really helped me to grow as an individual, helping me to work consistently and submit my tasks on time, meeting deadlines. I can say that this internship has also really boosted my confidence.  I have always been afraid of making presentations but we get a lot of practice in speaking.  Now I am able to stand in front of people and present my work without being scared.

MB:  What are you learning about the water sector through the internship?

NN:  I am learning that not only is water a precious resource that needs to be used wisely, but it needs to be managed and treated properly.  Being from a rural area, I keep thinking about how people in rural communities are consuming water from unsafe sources, so it is very important to educate people about water treatment.  Now I understand more about the challenges and processes involved in providing clean water for communities.

And then came the part about something huge.  When I asked Nolubabalo if there was anything else she would like to add, this is what she offered:

NN:  I have done some research about Prof. Chris Buckley.  I am really inspired by him.  This is something huge for me – seeing the bigger picture beyond this internship and what it is a part of.  I would wish that this program never stops. I wish one day to be one of the donors so that those who come after me can be supported by this program.  I will never take this opportunity for granted.

Thanks to you and the whole community of Chris Buckley Memorial Internship & Bursary donors, a young South African from a rural background is living her dream of pursuing the training needed to begin a career in the field so greatly impacted by Chris.  She is inspired not only by the the outstanding, structured work experience she is receiving, but by being part of Chris Buckley’s legacy.  That is, in a word ... huge.

Thank you so very much for making this possible.   I hope you feel a great sense of personal reward in seeing what your generosity can do.

We will continue to keep you updated!

With deep appreciation,