Olaudah Equiano: a Narrator of Persuasion

In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah Equiano skillfully represents the equal capabilities of nobility and intelligence from the African people forced into slavery. While his writing is steeped with a high acumen and earnestness, there is also a lingering sense of withholding that comes forth to the modern reader. Between the time of Equiano's tribulations and the time he penned his narrative, it was not the belief of the majority of Americans and Europeans that such slavery was wrong or evil–obvious by its long-standing practice.While our society today is much more privy to the certain horrors that occurred during the era of slavery, the people of this time were not so enlightened or understanding. This narrative was ever so delicate in order to make the readers accept the imminent need for emancipation of slaves. While his subject matter is a necessary base to his argument of equality for slaves, the true means of persuasion come from his tone and understanding of how exactly to address the white readership at the time of publication.His narrative is painstakingly tactful in the execution of such a tale during such a time. Equiano administers small doses of his hardships, tempered with his lightened, distanced recall, as well as his accounted fondness of the kind few he met throughout his journeys. By this systematic manner of narration, this piece works harder at being a persuasive work rather than a blunt historical account. The first thing to consider when reading this narrative is the calmness that constantly prevails in Equiano's tone.He keeps a rather composed demeanor in relation to the tumultuous events he describes. For example, when he explains the process of the buying market, he writes: â€Å"On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of the parcel they like best. † (1231). Instead of giving in completely with the emoti onal charge such a scene would produce, he removes himself to continue an unruffled tone. He sets the scene with this sentence before further developing the horrors in order to ease the reader into it.The use of the word â€Å"parcel† within this analogy puts him at a distance from the situation which further enables a calmer tone. Calm–yet the comparison of the slaves to â€Å"parcels† is still gripping by its reduction of people to mere idea of a package or item nonetheless. By extracting himself and explaining from a removed point of view, he can relate the events in an easier manner for the edification of the reader. As he continues with the explanation of the buyers market, he renders an almost clinical tone in order to suppress an all too emotional or frenzied retelling.He later states, â€Å"In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again. † (1231). For such a terrifying thing, he rem ains short and to the point. Equiano does not over indulge in describing these events he experienced, but delivers them in a balance of composure for the palpability of the reader. While his tone enables the reader to take in his story without being overwhelmed with the harshness of his tale, he also continually addresses the reader personally, which imbues a deeper connection between author and reader.Equiano spends a deal relaying background information as to his own personal roots and heritage in order to impart a further sense of himself to the reader. Immediately after doing so, he states, â€Å"I hope the reader will not think I have trespassed on his patience in introducing myself to him, with some account of the manners and customs of my country. † (1222). He takes great care in endearing himself to the reader in order to enhance their reception of him, especially as he is in the delicate position of being a representation of the slave population as well.In his effort s of persuasion, his image is of the utmost importance to his cause, therefore such declarations are helpful. Within such small statements he delivers and air of compassion and conscientiousness towards the reader. He later addresses the reader once again when he finally receives the document expressing his freedom: â€Å"As the form of my manumission has something peculiar in it, and expresses the absolute power and dominion one man claims over his fellow, I shall beg leave to present it before my readers at full length. † (1238). Here he shows the reader how earnestly he wishes them to know all that he has to share.This direct dialect towards the readers invites them to be a participant of his narrative by actively considering their thoughts and feelings. Equiano is very astute in making these requests to the reader because it fosters a feeling of connection to the material and a relation to the author. The more he succeeds in fortifying the bond between author and reader, the more he succeeds in ultimately persuading them to see how important it is that others like himself be free from such painful events. The most clever action Equiano employs in his narrative is his told exclusion.As he lays out the horrors he suffered during his passage across seas– stench, sickness, starvation, abuse, deaths–the vision becomes very terrifying and depressing. Today, it is known that these instances are only superficial to the true extent of the horrors on these slave ships, but such matters were far too delicate to publish at the time, and many people would most likely have rejected such a story as a fallacy. Equiano writes, â€Å"In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. † (1230).While it seems like a simple statement, it works on the minds of the readers in a way that is fulfilling to Equiano's objective. He leaves out the greater hardships, yes, but he lets the reader know that he did, and warns them that they were ultimately worse than they could handle. Much like in a movie when a scene cuts from something scandalizing, the implication is enough to stir the viewer. Equiano employs this same device in his narrative. After telling in detail the more superficial horrors, he delivers an image to the reader that is enough to offset them without turning them away, but they still do not fully understand at this point.Insinuating there is far more instills an uncomfortable nagging within the reader as to what exactly Equiano is leaving out. Equiano also assuages the reader by including white individuals of heroic character that he encountered. The element of race is of course very strong within such a text. Here, an emancipated African is addressing a large white readership about his struggles against his white oppressors–nothing short of sensitive. By showing his lack of bias towards race, but appreciation for character, he develops an sense of neutrality that is inviting for the readers.The reader's first encounter with a very upright white character is Richard Baker. In Equiano's description of him, he writes, â€Å"He was a native of America, had received an excellent education, and was the most amiable temper. † (1233). These are all characteristics that many readers would perhaps use in their own descriptions most likely, making him a relatable figure. His dynamic changes when Equiano later describes their relationship: â€Å"Soon after I went on board, he showed me a great deal of partiality and attention, and in return I grew extremely fond of him.We at length became inseparable; and, for the space of two years, he was of very great use to me, and was my constant companion. † The relationship of these two men was not just of distant appreciation, but he says they were companions. He portrays to the reader an honest, mutually rewarding friendship between a white man and a black man. This was not exactly a conventional friendship of the time, and he goes to describe their interactions with one another, between education, and the trials they faced aboard the ship where they would cling to each other when in fear.Richard Baker is not portrayed as one who elevated himself above Equiano, but treated him like an equal. His characterization is one to be admired by readers. When Richard dies, he continues his description of him while relating the sadness of his loss: â€Å". . . I lost at once a kind interpreter, an agreeable companion, and a faithful friend; who, at the age of fifteen, discovered a mind superior to prejudice; and who was not ashamed to notice, to associate with, and to be the friend and instructor of . . . a slave! † (1233).In this statement, he shows the reader a tie between his nature and his morals; he was a noble person who did not accept belittling or segregating blacks into a category outside his own humanity. Richard Baker is a very imp ortant character to the objective of Equiano because he serves as a template for the readers to aspire to. Another important white character is Robert King, the one who allows Equiano to finally purchase his freedom. With Robert, it is not as much his character that is the focus, but his very vital action which draws admiration.When Equiano finally brings Robert the forty pounds sterling for his freedom, he writes â€Å"My master then said he would not be worse than his promise; and, taking the money, told me to go to the Secretary at the Register Office, and get my manumission drawn up. These words of my master were like a voice from heaven to me. † (1237). This is a very indispensable part of Equiano's story because it is the very apex on which his struggling as one who is owned is overturned. Robert gains nobility in securing a way for Equiano to gain such freedom. Through Robert King's actions, the reader can see how monumental giving a slave their freedom can be.Equiano persevered through a great deal to accomplish this masterful narrative. What comes forth is a work of cunning that is highly thoughtful in its persuasiveness. As can be seen, he is very systematic in his way of pulling the readers into his narrative. He allows the reader to wade into his heartbreaking story by guiding them with a calm tone, then endears himself by establishing a personal dialect. The usual author to reader relationship is brought to a human to human level. Equiano's shrewdness in knowing what should be shared and what to leave as implications for the reader to administer their own imagination to.By this discernment he delivers a novel that works accordingly with the sensitivity of the time. He delivers relatable characters to the white readership that establish not only a further way to connect to the story, but also an example of conduct and treatment white people should extend to the black people and slaves. While the story is important to showing the readers how horrible the forced life and trading of slaves is, it is his technique and devices of narrating that deliver this from a story of tribulation to a motivator for change. Olaudah Equiano: a Narrator of Persuasion In The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah Equiano skillfully represents the equal capabilities of nobility and intelligence from the African people forced into slavery. While his writing is steeped with a high acumen and earnestness, there is also a lingering sense of withholding that comes forth to the modern reader. Between the time of Equiano's tribulations and the time he penned his narrative, it was not the belief of the majority of Americans and Europeans that such slavery was wrong or evil–obvious by its long-standing practice.While our society today is much more privy to the certain horrors that occurred during the era of slavery, the people of this time were not so enlightened or understanding. This narrative was ever so delicate in order to make the readers accept the imminent need for emancipation of slaves. While his subject matter is a necessary base to his argument of equality for slaves, the true means of persuasion come from his tone and understanding of how exactly to address the white readership at the time of publication.His narrative is painstakingly tactful in the execution of such a tale during such a time. Equiano administers small doses of his hardships, tempered with his lightened, distanced recall, as well as his accounted fondness of the kind few he met throughout his journeys. By this systematic manner of narration, this piece works harder at being a persuasive work rather than a blunt historical account. The first thing to consider when reading this narrative is the calmness that constantly prevails in Equiano's tone.He keeps a rather composed demeanor in relation to the tumultuous events he describes. For example, when he explains the process of the buying market, he writes: â€Å"On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of the parcel they like best. † (1231). Instead of giving in completely with the emoti onal charge such a scene would produce, he removes himself to continue an unruffled tone. He sets the scene with this sentence before further developing the horrors in order to ease the reader into it.The use of the word â€Å"parcel† within this analogy puts him at a distance from the situation which further enables a calmer tone. Calm–yet the comparison of the slaves to â€Å"parcels† is still gripping by its reduction of people to mere idea of a package or item nonetheless. By extracting himself and explaining from a removed point of view, he can relate the events in an easier manner for the edification of the reader. As he continues with the explanation of the buyers market, he renders an almost clinical tone in order to suppress an all too emotional or frenzied retelling.He later states, â€Å"In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated, most of them never to see each other again. † (1231). For such a terrifying thing, he rem ains short and to the point. Equiano does not over indulge in describing these events he experienced, but delivers them in a balance of composure for the palpability of the reader. While his tone enables the reader to take in his story without being overwhelmed with the harshness of his tale, he also continually addresses the reader personally, which imbues a deeper connection between author and reader.Equiano spends a deal relaying background information as to his own personal roots and heritage in order to impart a further sense of himself to the reader. Immediately after doing so, he states, â€Å"I hope the reader will not think I have trespassed on his patience in introducing myself to him, with some account of the manners and customs of my country. † (1222). He takes great care in endearing himself to the reader in order to enhance their reception of him, especially as he is in the delicate position of being a representation of the slave population as well.In his effort s of persuasion, his image is of the utmost importance to his cause, therefore such declarations are helpful. Within such small statements he delivers and air of compassion and conscientiousness towards the reader. He later addresses the reader once again when he finally receives the document expressing his freedom: â€Å"As the form of my manumission has something peculiar in it, and expresses the absolute power and dominion one man claims over his fellow, I shall beg leave to present it before my readers at full length. † (1238). Here he shows the reader how earnestly he wishes them to know all that he has to share.This direct dialect towards the readers invites them to be a participant of his narrative by actively considering their thoughts and feelings. Equiano is very astute in making these requests to the reader because it fosters a feeling of connection to the material and a relation to the author. The more he succeeds in fortifying the bond between author and reader, the more he succeeds in ultimately persuading them to see how important it is that others like himself be free from such painful events. The most clever action Equiano employs in his narrative is his told exclusion.As he lays out the horrors he suffered during his passage across seas– stench, sickness, starvation, abuse, deaths–the vision becomes very terrifying and depressing. Today, it is known that these instances are only superficial to the true extent of the horrors on these slave ships, but such matters were far too delicate to publish at the time, and many people would most likely have rejected such a story as a fallacy. Equiano writes, â€Å"In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. † (1230).While it seems like a simple statement, it works on the minds of the readers in a way that is fulfilling to Equiano's objective. He leaves out the greater hardships, yes, but he lets the reader know that he did, and warns them that they were ultimately worse than they could handle. Much like in a movie when a scene cuts from something scandalizing, the implication is enough to stir the viewer. Equiano employs this same device in his narrative. After telling in detail the more superficial horrors, he delivers an image to the reader that is enough to offset them without turning them away, but they still do not fully understand at this point.Insinuating there is far more instills an uncomfortable nagging within the reader as to what exactly Equiano is leaving out. Equiano also assuages the reader by including white individuals of heroic character that he encountered. The element of race is of course very strong within such a text. Here, an emancipated African is addressing a large white readership about his struggles against his white oppressors–nothing short of sensitive. By showing his lack of bias towards race, but appreciation for character, he develops an sense of neutrality that is inviting for the readers.The reader's first encounter with a very upright white character is Richard Baker. In Equiano's description of him, he writes, â€Å"He was a native of America, had received an excellent education, and was the most amiable temper. † (1233). These are all characteristics that many readers would perhaps use in their own descriptions most likely, making him a relatable figure. His dynamic changes when Equiano later describes their relationship: â€Å"Soon after I went on board, he showed me a great deal of partiality and attention, and in return I grew extremely fond of him.We at length became inseparable; and, for the space of two years, he was of very great use to me, and was my constant companion. † The relationship of these two men was not just of distant appreciation, but he says they were companions. He portrays to the reader an honest, mutually rewarding friendship between a white man and a black man. This was not exactly a conventional friendship of the time, and he goes to describe their interactions with one another, between education, and the trials they faced aboard the ship where they would cling to each other when in fear.Richard Baker is not portrayed as one who elevated himself above Equiano, but treated him like an equal. His characterization is one to be admired by readers. When Richard dies, he continues his description of him while relating the sadness of his loss: â€Å". . . I lost at once a kind interpreter, an agreeable companion, and a faithful friend; who, at the age of fifteen, discovered a mind superior to prejudice; and who was not ashamed to notice, to associate with, and to be the friend and instructor of . . . a slave! † (1233).In this statement, he shows the reader a tie between his nature and his morals; he was a noble person who did not accept belittling or segregating blacks into a category outside his own humanity. Richard Baker is a very imp ortant character to the objective of Equiano because he serves as a template for the readers to aspire to. Another important white character is Robert King, the one who allows Equiano to finally purchase his freedom. With Robert, it is not as much his character that is the focus, but his very vital action which draws admiration.When Equiano finally brings Robert the forty pounds sterling for his freedom, he writes â€Å"My master then said he would not be worse than his promise; and, taking the money, told me to go to the Secretary at the Register Office, and get my manumission drawn up. These words of my master were like a voice from heaven to me. † (1237). This is a very indispensable part of Equiano's story because it is the very apex on which his struggling as one who is owned is overturned. Robert gains nobility in securing a way for Equiano to gain such freedom. Through Robert King's actions, the reader can see how monumental giving a slave their freedom can be.Equiano persevered through a great deal to accomplish this masterful narrative. What comes forth is a work of cunning that is highly thoughtful in its persuasiveness. As can be seen, he is very systematic in his way of pulling the readers into his narrative. He allows the reader to wade into his heartbreaking story by guiding them with a calm tone, then endears himself by establishing a personal dialect. The usual author to reader relationship is brought to a human to human level. Equiano's shrewdness in knowing what should be shared and what to leave as implications for the reader to administer their own imagination to.By this discernment he delivers a novel that works accordingly with the sensitivity of the time. He delivers relatable characters to the white readership that establish not only a further way to connect to the story, but also an example of conduct and treatment white people should extend to the black people and slaves. While the story is important to showing the readers how horrible the forced life and trading of slaves is, it is his technique and devices of narrating that deliver this from a story of tribulation to a motivator for change.

Cultural Geography Modeling and Analysis in Helmand Province

HELMAND 1. PROVINCIAL PROFILE Source: UNDSS Provincial Assessment provided by UNAMA I. GENERAL INFORMATION A. Geography Helmand Province is located in the south-west of Afghanistan, bordered by Paktya, Ghor, Daikundy, and Uruzgan in the North-East, Kandahar in the East, Nimroz in the West, and Farah in the North-West. It also has a southern border with Pakistan. The Helmand River is the largest river running through the province, from Baghran district in the north of the province to the fishhook of the Helmand River running west into Nimroz province then into Iran.Except for the mountainous northern reaches of the province which experience heavy snowfalls in winter, Helmand is a desert plateau with rocky outcrops of up to 1,000 metres. The province covers an area of 61,829 km2, representing about 9% of the total Afghan territory. More than a quarter of the province (28. 9%) is mountainous or semi mountainous terrain while above three-fifths of the area (61%) is made up of flat land, as the following table shows: Topography Type by District District Flat Mountainous Semi Mountainous Semi Flat Not ReportedPage 1 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Total 61. 0% 15. 8% 13. 1% 9. 7% .4% Source: CSO/UNFPA Socio Economic and Demographic Profile The province is divided into 13 districts. The provincial capital is Lashkargah which has a population of about 201,546 inhabitants. B. Demography and Population Helmand has a total population of 1,441,769. There are 189,552 households in the province and each household on average has 9 members. The following table shows the population by district: Population by DistrictDistrict Lashkargah-Helmand Centre Nahr-i-Saraj Nad Ali Nawa-i-Barikzayi Garm Ser Sangin Qala Kajaki Baghran Musa Qala Nawzad Washeer Reg-i-khan Nishin Dishu Total Total Population 201,546 166,827 235,590 89,814 107,153 66,901 119,023 129,947 138,896 108,258 31,476 17,333 29,005 1,441,769 Source: CSO/UNFPA Socio Economic and Demograph ic Profile Around 94% of the population of Helmand lives in rural districts while 6% lives in urban areas. Around 51% of the population is male and 49% is female. The population is largely Pashtun, although there is a significant minority made up of Balochi tribes.Pashtu is spoken by 92% of the population. The second most frequent language is Dari, spoken by the majority of residents in 75 villages representing 4. 4% of the population, followed by Balochi which is the majority language in 28 villages. Helmand province also has a population of Kuchis or nomads whose numbers vary in different seasons. In winter 95,325 individuals, or 4% of the overall Kuchi population, stay in Helmand living in 49 communities. Nearly one in five of these (17%) are short-range partially migratory, and more than three in five (63%) are long-range partially migratory.Overall, for both categories, 20% of the community is settled. In the winter the long-range migratory Kuchi stay mostly in one location and don’t move around during the season. In the summer season, all of the short-range migratory communities that move to Garm Ser, Nishin, and Lashkargah districts belong to the Balochi tribes, while the Pashtun tribes are predominantly long-range migratory and travel mostly to Ghor, Ghazni, and Zabul provinces. Page 2 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile C. Institutional framework In total the government employs 4,363 people in Helmand province.As the table below shows, 66% of these are employees and 34% are contract workers, 94% of government workers are men and 6% are women: Number of Government Employees Male 1,345 Contract workers 2,764 Employees 4,109 Total Workers Source: CSO Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006 Female 118 136 254 Total 1,463 2,900 4,363 In addition, each province has a Provincial Development Committee (PDC) which is responsible for overseeing the progress made on implementation of the Provincial Development Plan, and which wil l lead the provincial development planning process in the future.The PDC involves all government line departments and other key stakeholder groups involved in development activities in the province. It also has a number of working groups devoted to different sectors, each of which should be chaired by the director of the core responsible line department. The structure of the PDC and its associated working groups approved by the Ministry of Economy for use in all provinces is shown in the diagramme below: Provincial Development Committee Structure endorsed by Ministry of Economy Governor/D. Gov PDC Central office Ministry of Economy Secretariat Department of EconomyEconomic Governance & Private Sector Development Economy (DEc) Dep of Finance Chamber of commerce Banks Youth and Culture Donors AISA UN Agencies Private sectors Provincial Council (PC) Social Protection Agriculture & Rural Development Health & Nutrition Education Infrastructure & Natural Resources Governance, Rule of Law & Human Rights Courts Attorney General Department of Justice Women’s Affairs Civil Service Commission Human Rights Commission Audit & Control Office Anti corruption (GIACC) Provincial Council (PC) PRT UN agencies NGOs( N &Int)Security Labour and Social Affairs (DoLSAMD) Women’s Affairs Rural Rehabilitation and Development Refugees and Repatriates Border Affairs Tribal and Kuchi Affairs Red Crescent Provincial Council (PC) UN agencies PRT NGOs (N & Int) Agriculture (DoAIL) Rural Rehabilitation and Development Counter Narcotics Environmental protection Provincial Council (PC) PRT UN agencies NGOs (N &Int) Public Health (DoPH) Urban Development Municipality Red Crescent Water Supply Private sector Environmental protection Provincial Council (PC) UN agencies NGOs (N& Int)Education (DoE) Higher Education Women’s Affairs Labour and Social Affairs, Martyrs and disabled Youth and Culture Border Affairs Tribal and Kuchi Affairs Provincial Council (PC) UN agencies PRT NGO s (N &Int) Public works (DPW) Urban. Development Transport Rural Rehabilitation and Development Municipality Communications Mines& industries Water& Power Agriculture Environmental Protection Provincial Council (PC) Private sector Banks PRT UN agencies NGOs (N &Int) National Security Council National Police.National Army National Security Border Affairs Demining Counter Narcotics Foreign Affairs Provincial Council (PC) UN agencies PRT Source: Ministry of Economy The Provincial Development Committee in Helmand province was formed in late 2005. In April 2007 UNAMA made the following assessment of the PDC in Helmand : UNAMA assessment of Provincial Development Committee in Helmand province Supporting Agencies Functioning Status of PDC meetings PRT and DFID support. UNAMA requested to train PDC members Meetings take place regularly once a monthPage 3 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Source: UNAMA, April 2007 Helmand also has a number of other bodies which play an active role in development planning at the local level. There are 14 District Development Assemblies active in 14 districts of the province, involving 435 male members and no females. Each DDA has its own District Development Plan. There are also 487 Community Development Councils in the province which are active in development planning at the community and village level.The following table shows the number of CDCs active in each district: CDCs by District District Lashkargah Nahr-i-Saraj Musa Qala Baghran Nawzad Nawa-i-Barikzayi Garm Ser TOTAL Number of CDCs 80 152 32 1 72 38 112 487 Source: MRRD, National Solidarity Programme (NSP) D. Donor Activity In addition to the activities of government agencies, a number of national and international organizations play an active role in promoting development in the province. For example, 8 UN agencies are currently involved in reconstruction and development projects in different parts of the province.These are shown in the following table: UN Operations in Helmand Activities Governance, follow up on DIAG, human rights UNAMA and capacity building in government. WHO Health and vaccination programmes WFP Work for food, school feeding, emergencies UNICEF Education, health, WATSAN UNOPS Infrastructure development UNDP Support to MRRD UNHCR Muhktar IDP Camp UN Habitat City profile Source: UNDSS Provincial Profile provided by UNAMA Agency Location Lashkargah All Districts All Districts All Districts All Districts All Districts Muhktar IDP Camp LashkargahThere are also at least 7 national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) supporting development projects across a range of sectors in the province, as the following table shows: International and Non-Governmental Organizations in Helmand Organization BRAC USAID/Communics Ibnesina Activities NSP and micro-finance activities Alternative Livelihood Programs Health activities Location Lashkargah Lashkargah Lashkargah Page 4 of 13Provincial Development Pl an, Helmand : Provincial Profile Mercy Corps CADG PEP Emergency Agriculture Agriculture Poppy Eradication Program Health Lashkargah Lashkargah Lashkargah Lashkargah Source: UNDSS Provincial Profile, provided by UNAMA In addition the following Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) operates as a facilitating partner (FP) for the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) in different districts in the province, as shown below: NGOs Facilitating NSP by District Facilitating Partner Garmser BRAC Lashkar Gah BRAC Musa Qala BRAC Nahri Sarraj BRAC Naw Zad BRAC Naway i Barakzayi BRAC Reg Source: MRRD,National Solidarity Programme (NSP) District II. CURRENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVINCE A. Infrastructure and Natural Resources The provision of basic infrastructure such as water and sanitation, energy, transport and communications is one of the key elements necessary to provide the building blocks for private sector expansion, equitable economic growth, increased employment and accelerated agricu ltural productivity. In Helmand province, on average only 28% of households use safe drinking water.About 94% of households have direct access to their main source of drinking water within their community, and the remainder 6% of households has to travel for up to an hour to access drinking water, as the table below shows: Time required accessing main source of drinking water In Community 94% Source: NRVA 2005 Less than 1 hour 6% 1-3 hours 0% 3-6 hours 0% On average only 5% of households in the province have access to safe toilet facilities.The following table shows the kinds of toilet facilities used by households in the province: Toilet facilities used by households None/ Dearan / Sahrah (area in compound bush but not pit) open field 7% 12% Source: NRVA 2005 Open pit Traditional covered latrine 64% Improved latrine 5% Flush latrine 12% 0% In terms of meeting the basic requirements for energy, on average 21% of households in Helmand province have access to electricity with more tha n two-thirds of these having access to public electricity. Page 5 of 13Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile The transport infrastructure in Helmand is reasonably well developed, with 62% of roads in the province able to take car traffic in all seasons, and 32. 5% able to take car traffic in some seasons. However, in 5% of the province there are no roads at all, as shown in the following table: Road Types District Lashkargah-Helmand Centre Nahr-i- Saraj Nad Ali Nawa-i-Barikzayi Garm Ser Sangin Qala Kajaki Baghran Musa Qala Nawzad Washeer Reg-i-khan Nishin Dishu Total Cars all season 62. % 51. 5% 78. 0% 91. 8% 90. 5% 60. 8% 78. 2% 19. 0% 98. 1% 66. 9% 45. 3% 42. 9% 32. 8% 62. 0% Cars some seasons 37. 3% 36. 9% 21. 3% 7. 5% 8. 8% 37. 3% 12. 4% 68. 6% . 9% 33. 1% 39. 1% 50. 0% 67. 2% 32. 5% No roads . 0% 11. 2% . 0% . 0% . 0% 2. 0% 8. 8% 11. 7% . 0% . 0% 15. 6% 4. 8% . 0% 5. 0% Not Reported . 0% . 5% . 6% . 7% . 7% . 0% . 6% . 7% . 9% . 0% . 0% 2. 4% . 0% . 5% Sourc e: CSO/UNFPA Socio Economic and Demographic Profile (AIRD analysis)The following table indicates road travel times between the provincial capital, Lashkargah, and the major district centres in the province, and other key provincial centres in the region: Road Travel Times Time Approximately 2 hrs–200 Lashkargah Kandahar City km Approximately 45 minutes– Lashkargah Grishk 80 km Approximately 2 hrs–150 Lashkargah Sangin km Approximately 2 hrs–150 Lashkargah Musa Qala km Approximately 2 hrs –150 Lashkargah Garm Ser km Approximately 4 hrs–300 Lashkargah Baghran km Source: UNDSS Provincial Profile, provided by UNAMA From To Road Condition Excellent/good (Route 1-bitumen road) Good (hard-packed gravel) Poor/Good (mix of desert and hard-packed gravel) Poor/Good (mix of desert and hard-packed gravel) Poor/Good (mix of desert and hard-packed gravel) Poor/Good (mix of desert and hard-packed gravel) As far as telecommunications is concerned, both the m ain mobile telephone operators, Roshan and AWCC, are present in the province.The signal of these two mobile operators covers mainly the provincial capital, Lashkargah, and Route 1 from Lashkargah to Khanadahar City. Page 6 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile B. Economic Governance and Private Sector Development Creating the conditions in which a dynamic and competitive private sector can flourish, is key to promoting economic growth, employment creation and poverty reduction. Helmand is mainly an agricultural province. There are two industrial crops grown in the province, Cotton is produced in 57% of villages, mainly in Nad Ali, Nawa-i-Barikzayi, and Garm Ser districts. Tobacco is produced in 24% of villages, mostly in Garm Ser, Kajaki, Baghran, Nad Ali, and Nahr-i-Saraj.To a smaller extent, sesame is produced in 10% of villages, mainly in Kajaki, Garm Ser, and Nad Ali; and sugar extracts in 6% of villages, again in Kajaki and Nad Ali mostly. The majority of commercial activity in Helmand is related to agriculture, animal husbandry, transport companies for import and export as well as the production and trafficking of narcotics. Agriculture is a major source of revenue for 69% of households in Helmand province, including 70% of rural households. Sixty seven percent of rural households own or manage agricultural land or garden plots in the province. However, more than one quarter of households (26%) in rural areas derive income from trade and services. A fifth of households (20%) earn some income through non-farm related labour.Livestock also accounts for income for a quarter of rural households (25%) as the following table shows: Sources of income reported by households Source of Income Agriculture Livestock Opium Trade and Services Manufacture Non-Farm Labor Remittances Other Source: NRVA 2005 Rural (%) 70 25 41 26 0 20 2 1 Urban (%) Total (%) 69 26 41 26 0 20 2 2 In 2005 there were 29 agricultural cooperatives active in Helmand in volving 5,266 members. This was an increase of around 15% in membership over 2003 when the figure was only 4,616 members. In 2005, agricultural cooperatives controlled a total of 20,063 Ha of land and achieved a surplus of produce for sale of 10,000 tons. As a result of this, each member held a share in the capital of the cooperative to the value of 825,900Afs.To all extents and purposes small industry is absent in Helmand and there is only a small production of handicrafts mostly related to jewelry, mainly in Nad Ali, Nawzad, and Garm Ser districts, and rugs in Nad Ali, Baghran, and Nawzad. Honey is also produced in 16 villages of 693, and karakul skin in seven. In 2005 23% of households in Helmand reported taking out loans. Of these loans, a small percentage was used to invest in economic activity such as buying land (1%), agricultural inputs (10%) and business investment (1%). C. Agriculture and Rural Development Enhancing licit agricultural productivity, creating incentives for non-farm investment, developing rural infrastructure, and supporting access to skills development and financial services will allow individuals, households and communities to participate licitly and productively in the economy.As agriculture represents the major source of income for more than two-thirds of the households in the province, rural development will be a key element of progress in Helmand. The most important field crops grown in Helmand province include wheat maize, and melon/water melons. The most common crops grown in garden plots include fruit and nut trees (67%) and grapes (26%). Wheat is also frequently gown in garden plots in the province (4%). Page 7 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Almost all of the households with access to fertilizer use this on field crops (95%) and to a much lesser degree on garden plots (1%), although 4% of households use fertilizer on both field and garden.The main types of fertilizer used by households in the province are shown in the following table: Main types of fertilizer used by households Human % Animal % % 93 Urea Average Kg per Household 466. 3 Kg % 86 DAP Average Kg per Household 268. 4 Kg 31 46 Source: NRVA 2005 On average 97% of households in the province have access to irrigated land, and 5% of households have access to rain-fed land. Households (%) access to irrigated and rain-fed land Access to irrigated land Access to rain-fed land Source: NRVA 2005 Rural 97 5 Urban Average 97 5 Seventy six percent of rural households and 97% of Kuchi households in the province own livestock or poultry.The most commonly owned livestock are poultry, sheep, cattle and goats as the following table shows: Households (%) owning poultry and livestock Livestock Cattle Oxen Horses Donkey Camel Goats Sheep Poultry Source: NRVA 2005 Kuchi 6 0 0 88 31 97 94 91 Rural 57 6 2 21 0 45 57 71 Urban 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Average 56 6 2 22 1 45 58 71 D. Education Ensuring good quality education and equitable acces s to education and skills are some of the important ways to raise human capital, reduce poverty and facilitate economic growth. The overall literacy rate in Helmand province is 5%, however, while 8% of men are literate, this is true for only 1% of women. In the population aged between 15 and 24 the situation for men is not much better with 9. 1% literacy, whereas for the women there is no improvement 0. 9%).The Kuchi population in the province has particularly low levels of literacy with just 0. % of men and no women able to read and write. On average only 6% of children between 6 and 13 are enrolled in school, however the figure is higher for boys at 11%. Furthermore, amongst the Kuchi population in Helmand, no boys or girls attend school during the summer or winter months. Overall, there are 225 primary and secondary schools in the province catering for 80,121 students. Boys account for almost 94% of students and about 99% of schools are boys’ schools. There are 1,452 teach ers working in schools in the Helmand province, about one of ten of whom are women (12%). Page 8 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Primary and Secondary EducationStudents boys girls 70,761 4,992 Primary 4,243 125 Secondary 75,004 5,117 Total 225 80,121 Source: CSO Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006 boys 164 58 222 girls 1 2 3 Schools Teachers Male female 1,280 172 1,452 Primary schools exist in only 101 of the total 1,705 villages which are home to 9% of the population. Fourty three percent of students must travel more than 10 kilometres to reach their closest primary school, while 29% must travel up to five kilometres. Secondary schools exist in only 45 villages, which are home to 2. 9% of the population. To reach their closest secondary schools 57% of students have to travel more than 10 kilometres, and more than one in five have to travel at least five kilometres. Access to high schools is even more difficult.They exist in only 17 villages in the province, and almost seven out of ten students must travel more than 10 kilometres to reach their high school, while another 12% must travel at least five kilometres. Helmand province also has a number of higher education facilities, although there is currently no governmental or private university in the province. There is an Agriculture Vocational High School with 2 teachers catering for a total of 146 students, all of whom are men and a Mechanics High School with 8 staff and 117 male students. In 2005, 14 students graduated from the Agriculture School and 8 from the Mechanics School. There is also a teacher training institute which had 134 students in 2005, 75% of whom were men and 25% women.Seventy two new teachers graduated from Helmand Teacher Training Institute in 2005, of which 67% were women and 33% men. E. Health Ensuring the availability of basic health and hospital services, and developing human resources in the health sector is essential to reduce the incidence of disea se, increase life expectancy and enable the whole population to participate in sustainable development. A basic infrastructure of health services exists in Helmand province. In 2005 there were 31 health centers and 2 hospitals with a total of 172 beds. There were also 60 doctors and 120 nurses employed by the Ministry of Health working in the province, which represented a decrease of about 15% in the number doctors and 14% in the number of nurses compared to 2003.The major health facilities in the province are shown in the following table: HEALTH CENTERS District Lashkargah Reg-i-khan Nishin Nahr-i-saraj Sangin Qala Musa Qala Kajaki Nawzad Washeer Garm Ser Nad Ali Nawa-i-Barikzayi Baghran Basic Health Center 3 1 2 2 1 2 3 1 4 2 3 3 Comprehensive Health Center 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 2 Provincial/District Hospital 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Page 9 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Dishu 0 0 Source: UNDSS Provincial Profile, provided by UNAMA 0 The province al so has 205 pharmacies of which 203 are owned privately and 2 are run by the government. The majority of communities do not have a health worker permanently present in their community.Eighty five percent of men’s shura and 73% of women’s shura reported that there was no community health worker present, and both groups most commonly said that their closest health facility was a Basic Health Center clinic without beds. Out of the total 1,705 villages, only 39 have a health center within their boundaries, and only 64 have a dispensary. Access to health care is very difficult for many people in the province with more than half of the population having to travel over 10 Km to get medical attention – 62. 4% for health centers and 56% for dispensaries. F. Social Protection Building the capacities, opportunities and security of extremely poor and vulnerable Afghans through a process of economic empowerment is essential in order to reduce poverty and increase self-relianc e.The level of economic hardship in Helmand is reasonably high. A quarter of households in the province (25%) report having problems satisfying their food needs at least 3 – 6 times a year, and a further almost third of households (31%) face this problem up to three times a year, as the following table shows: Problems satisfying food need of the household during the last year Never Households 39 (%) Source: NRVA 2005 Rarely (1-3 times) 31 Sometimes (3-6 times) 25 Often (few times a month) 5 Mostly (happens a lot) 1 Nearly half of the population in the province (49%) is estimated to receive less than the minimum daily caloric intake necessary to maintain good health.Almost two thirds of the population (64%) has low dietary diversity and poor or very poor food consumption as shown below: Food consumption classification for all households Households Very poor (%) food consumption 21 Rural 20 Total Source: NRVA 2005 Low dietary diversity Better dietary diversity Poor Slightly bet ter Better food consumption food consumption food consumption 43 35 1 44 34 2 In 2005, 30% of the population of Helmand province received allocations of food aid, which reached a total of 428,608 beneficiaries. In addition, of the 23% of households who reported taking out loans, 58% said that the main use of their largest loan was to buy food. A further 14% used the money to cover expenses for health emergencies.In the same year, nearly a quarter of the households in the province (23%) reported feeling that their economic situation had got worse compared to a year ago, and a third (34%) felt that it had remained the same, as the following table shows: Comparison of overall economic situation compared to one year ago Much worse 7 Households (%) Source: NRVA 2005 Worse 16 Same 34 Slightly better 35 Much better 9 Page 10 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile In 2005 two in five of all households in the province (40%) report having been negatively affected by s ome unexpected event in the last year, which was beyond their control.Households were most vulnerable to shocks related to agriculture, followed by problems related to drinking water, natural disasters and insecurity as the following table shows: Households experiencing shocks in the province (%) Types of shocks Drinking water Agricultural Natural disaster Insecurity Financial Health or epidemics Source: NRVA 2005 Rural 27 86 24 22 3 3 Urban Average 27 83 25 21 3 3 Of those households affected, over a third reported that they had not recovered at all from shocks experienced in the last 12 months (37%), and three in five said they had recovered only partially (61%). G. Governance, Law and Human Rights Establishing and strengthening government institutions at the central and sub-national levels is essential to achieve measurable improvements in the delivery of services and the protection of rights of all Afghans No relevant data analysed at provincial level available from national sou rces has been identified in this area. H. SecurityEnsuring a legitimate monopoly on force and law enforcement that provides a secure environment for the fulfillment of the rights of all Afghans is essential to ensure freedom of movement for people, commodities and ideas, and to promote social and economic development. A recent assessment made by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) reported that the prevailing security situation in Hilmand province remains extremely unstable, and is assessed by some security actors as being the most volatile province in Afghanistan. The prevailing security situation can best be considered by three distinct geographic areas; north, center and south. The north of the province, encompassing the Districts of Nawzad, Musa Qala, Sangin Qala, Baghran, Washeer and Kajaki is by far the most unstable area in the province, and perhaps the most volatile in the country.Throughout 2006 and 2007 insurgents and the International Security Ass istance Force (ISAF) experienced significant, unprecedented clashes, each suffering large numbers of casualties. It is assessed that both ISAF and the Government have no control in these areas. The center consists of the provincial capital, Lashkargah and four other districts. These are also assessed to be extremely volatile, although they are calmer than the northern and southern regions of the province. ISAF and the Government are also assessed to have little control of the area outside of Lashkargah, in particular because of constant attacks against Government targets in these areas.The south of the province encompasses the districts of Garm Ser, Dishu and Reg-i-khan Nishin, and the southern international border with Pakistan. ISAF assesses that the southern ‘frontline’ is an east-west line running parallel to the Hilmand river as it fishhooks to the west in Garm Ser District, South of that line Government and ISAF have effectively no control of the area. At times pa trols will enter the area for specific targeting and counter narcotics operations however there is no enduring presence. Garm Ser District Centre fell into the hands of insurgents on several occasions during 2006; ISAF forces remain in the District Centre and conduct operations through out the district. Page 11 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial ProfileThe UNDSS assessment highlights the following key factors of insecurity in the province: Factors of Insecurity Illegally Armed Groups (IAG) continue to operate in the province in a quasi-legitimate way, due to a lack of Government presence. Many groups are being referred to as â€Å"Reserve Police† or â€Å"Special Police† and are being deployed to the northern districts of Helmand and other problematic areas of the province for military operations. The Disarmament of Illegally Armed Groups (DIAG) programme is not currently operating in the province. The security situation within the province remains volatile with capable insurgent groups active, or at least present, in most districts.Criminality is no more significant in Helmand than in the surrounding southern provinces. Aside from drug-related crime, the Ring Road has been targeted by bandits as well as by insurgents. Property crime is also prevalent. Helmand is the largest opium producing province in Afghanistan.. Eradication efforts to date have not been successful. Although tens of millions of dollars have been spent and Ministry of Interior policemen have been killed carrying out eradication activities, in 2005-2006 the opium crop increased by 162%. Poppy cultivation is concentrated around the Helmand River with the bulk of production taking place in the Sangin Valley and surrounding areas.The quality and potency of the opium from these areas is renowned in the region. Involvement of Government officials in the drug trade is widespread in the province and beyond. Moreover, there are also clear linkages between the narcot ics trade and the insurgency, with the groups cooperating with each other for mutual benefit. The Afghan Eradication Forces (‘AEF’) sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior has been deployed to the province in order to undertake eradication and have met with fierce resistance. Illegally Armed Groups (IAGs) Anti-Government Elements (AGEs) Criminality and Organized Crime Narcotics Source: UNDSS Provincial Profile, provided by UNAMA Profile compiled by NABDP / MRRD Information SourcesAfghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006, Central Statistics Office Geography: Area Demography and Population: Rural and Urban population Institutional Framework: Total Government employees Economic Governance & Private Sector Development: Agricultural cooperatives, members, land, surplus, capital Education: Primary and secondary schools, students and teachers, Higher education faculties, total students, first year students and graduates, Students in university dormitories, Vocational high schoo ls, staff, students and graduates, Teacher training institutes, students and graduates. Health: Number of Health centers, Hospitals, beds, Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacies.Social Protection: Allocations of food aid, Page 12 of 13 Provincial Development Plan, Helmand : Provincial Profile Socio Economic and Demographic Profiles (per province), 2003, Central Statistics Office/ UNFPA Geography: Topography, No of Districts, Provincial capital – population Demography and Population: Population by district, Number of households, Main Languages Spoken Infrastructure and Natural Resources : Road types (analysis by Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development) Economic Governance & Private Sector Development:– Industrial crops, small industries and handicrafts Education: Distance from educational services Health: Distance from Health ServicesThe National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 2005, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and the Central Statistics Office, June 200 7 Demography and Population: Average household size Infrastructure and Natural Resources : Use of safe drinking water, Travel time to drinking water, Access to safe toilet facilities, Toilet types, Household access to electricity, Access to public electricity Economic Governance & Private Sector Development:Source of household revenue, Households taking out loans, loan investment in economic activity Agriculture and Rural Development: Most important field crops and garden crops, Fertilizer use and type, Access to irrigated and rainfed land, Ownership of livestock and poultry Education: Literacy rate overall and for population 15 to 24, school enrolments Health: Availability of community health workers, closest type of health facility Social Protection: Problems satisfying food needs, Population receiving less than minimum recommended daily caloric intake, dietary diversity & food consumption, Comparison of economic situation with 12 months ago, Loan use for food and medical expenses , Vulnerability to shocks, Kinds of shocks , Recovery from shocks National Multi sectoral Assessment on Kuchi, Frauke de Weijer, May 2005 Demography and Population: Kuchi population Winter and Summer Education: Literacy rate for Kuchi, School attendance for Kuchi (summer / winter)UNDSS Provincial Assessments or UNAMA Provincial profiles, Supplied by UNAMA Geography: MAP , Location and description, Demography and Population: Major ethnic groups and tribes, Institutional Framework: Line Department offices, Donor Activity: UN agencies and projects, IO/NGO agencies and projects Infrastructure and Natural Resources : Road Travel times, Mobile Network Coverage Economic Governance & Private Sector Development: General economic profile, Major industries/ commercial activities Health: Health facilities Security: Assessment of the security situation, Factors of insecurity Information supplied by United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) Provincial Development, Provincial Budget ing and Integration of the Provincial Development Plans into the Afghan National Development Strategy (ANDS). Draft Discussion Paper for the ADF) Institutional Framework : Assessment of functioning of PDC Information supplied by Ministries Institutional Framework: PDC structure (Ministry of Economy), DDAs and CDCs (Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development) Donor Activity: NGO facilitating partners for NSP (Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development)

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Food and Society - Coursework Example Issues falling under this heading involve such things as health and safety, food labeling and even what constitutes 'organic' food (Drake University, 2012). Food policy has many benefits, all of which are multiplied when the policies themselves are especially effective. Such systems spark changes in dietary energy and nutritional balance, in effect helping to promote child growth, while staving off all manner of diseases. Apart from this, having a good policy also helps to increase a country's income through agricultural development, which also works recursively by improving the nutritional status of people - a phenomenon most readily observable in developing countries. The need for food policy, on the other hand, should be readily obvious. Atkins and Bowler (2001) note the instrumentality of food in economic, political and socio-cultural issues, as well as its role in ensuring health and pleasure in everyday life. Lang and Heaseman (2004) add to this, talking of the significant impa ct of the emergence of global markets not only on the kind of food being consumed, but also on issues such as health, food security, social justice and overall quality of life. In fact, food policy has been globally acknowledged as an important facet of public policy (Cardwell, 2004; Conway, 1997; Coleman et al, 2004). Needless to say, while food policy is not quite as thrust into the limelight as other global issues such as terrorism, its far-reaching implications and consequences make it equally important, if not even more so. One especially important food policy issue in this day and age is malnutrition. Contrary to popular belief, however, malnutrition does not always refer to a lack of food, but may also come about as the result of eating too much of the wrong kinds of food, and too little of the right kinds. This means that while those who eat too little are most likely malnourished, it will not necessarily follow that one who eats a lot can automatically be assumed to be heal thy - on the contrary, one who falls under the latter description could very well be classified as obese. This paper, then, shall aim to connect the issue of obesity and, to a lesser extent, malnutrition to the hospitality industry, and to come up with ways in which it can be addressed. Malnutrition and Obesity: A Food Policy Issue Malnutrition in general is said to result from a poorly balanced diet, wherein one's consumption of nutrients is skewed in some way, shape or form (Sullivan and Sheffrin, 2003). A report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in 2009 told of more than a billion people dying of hunger, with 17,000 children specifically dying everyday (CNN, 2009). In fact, it has been attested that malnutrition kills upwards of 9.5 million school-aged children each year. Such a high body count becomes even more understandable - and more terrifying - when one accounts for the interaction between malnutrition and certain killer diseases. Malaria, for instance, is already known t o claim many lives on its own; combined with malnutrition, however, it becomes capable of racking up a mortality rate comparable to that of the infamous Black Plague. Malnutrition usually, but not always, refers to a lack of food intake; however, as Pinstrup-Andersen and Watson (2011) point out, malnutrition can easily be about taking in way too much food, or even not taking the

What is the role of broca area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is the role of broca area - Essay Example The region was named after a French neurosurgeon called Paul Broca who is responsible for the discovery of the role of Brocas area when he was examining the brains of patients who had difficulty in language. Anybody with damaged Brocas area of their brain will not be able to understand the language properly, but they will have difficulty in the speech formation and production. Another brain region called Wernickes area is connected to Broca’s area (Grodzinsky, pg. 7). The Wernickes area is also responsible for the understanding and processing language, and when the area is damaged, it lead to a deficiency of language but one fail to remember the details. Together with the Wernickes area, Broca’s area is located within the left hemisphere of the brain. Given its role in language production and understanding, Broca’s area has a perfect proximity to the motor cortex, therefore, the neurons from the Broca area sends signals to the larynx, to the tongue and finally to the mouth motor areas. The mouth motor area then sends the signal to the corresponding muscles which, therefore, facilitates the creation of sounds. According to a recent study on the functions of the left frontal gyrus in the verbal fluency, it is found that the pars opercularis (Brodmann area 44) sub-serves phonological fluency while pars triangularis (Brodmann area 45) is responsible for the semantic fluency (Grodzinsky, pg. 19). Being located within the frontal lobe of the brain, Brocas Area is linked to the human language and speech. Brocas Area is strictly associated with the production of language, it also has an important role in the understanding of language as well, and also deals with production of speech related actions and gestures. A person with damaged Brocas Area will suffer from Brocas Aphasia, which does not interfere with the way a person understands a language but will make the person have a

Performance in Basketball and Badminton Essay Example for Free

Performance in Basketball and Badminton Essay Mostly stood at top of key waiting for people to pass to him and so did little movement  Major strengths of activity one- Basketball  1. Very good natural speed, able to keep up with the pace of the game  2. Natural accuracy when passing and shooting at short range  3. Good control of ball able to move at speed and hold control  4. Held his position as point guard well  5. kept away from opposition tackles  Major weaknesses of activity one- Basketball. 1. Over confidence when playing against people he thought he was better than  2. Over exerted himself and got tired  3. Head down when dribbling and missed lots of movement off the ball  4. Unable to throw ball long distances accurately  Major strengths of activity 2-Badminton  1. Short serve was effective in troubling their opponent.  2. Able to clear the net 90% of the game.  3. Net shots were good and they made the opponent struggle to return.  4. Good at using tactics to beat their opponent.  5. Smash was powerful and well positioned most of the time.  Major weaknesses of activity 2-Badminton  1. Lack of power in most shots.  2. Grip on racket was too tight so he couldnt control the racket effectively.  3. Movement on court was lacking and he didnt return to the centre of court often enough.  4. Overhead clear was not powerful enough to force opponent to play from the back of the court. Evaluation of Basketball This activity was not performed too well by the candidate. The subjects passing was weak, inaccurate and predictable so it was very hard to receive his passes. When receiving a pass he often went straight into dribbling this meant that he instantly lost his triple threat position. His shooting was often wayward of the basket and he could only score 50% of his lay-ups and rarely hit a shot from any distance. When laying up he took 3 steps to settle himself in and this in a game would be a travelling violation, which means that even if he scored the basket would not count to the score of the team and he would give away possession of the ball. In comparison with the rest of the group his skills were below average as the group were a top set PE group and most had a relatively good command of the group. His dribbling however was not too bad and the technique was similar to the demonstration given by the teacher in the fact that the ball was kept close to the body and the fingers were used to control the ball. His knowledge of the skill however was limited as he continued to double dribble on occasions, particularly when setting up for a shot or a pass. He also mainly used his right hand and when trying with his left he quickly lost control and dropped the ball then he was not fully committed to regaining control and instead of chasing the ball he pulled up and gave up the chase. Off the ball he was unable to gain a good position when on offence and never made any cuts into the key and he was always trying to get behind the ball this made him little threat towards the defensive side. When on defence he always chased the ball wherever it went and this left a hole in the defence that was easy to get through and this is a game-losing flaw in his skills. The group were performing a specific defensive strategy that the subject didnt seem to understand. Compared to players who were seemingly good at basketball his overall skills were relatively poor.  Overall his abilities in basketball are not effective but he could improve a lot and be good enough to hold his position in a game situation. His levels of fitness seemed to be quite high, particularly his speed over short distances, but his enthusiasm during the game seemed to affect his endurance because as the game progressed he seemed to be suffering from fatigue and the rest of the group were then able to take command of the game.

Hip Mask Representing An Iyoba Essay Example for Free

Hip Mask Representing An Iyoba Essay The exquisiteness of the material and the sophistication of the carving indicate that it was created by the exclusive guild of royal ivory carvers for the king. This exquisite piece is made out of ivory, iron and cooper. This piece also contains pieces of inlaid metal and elaborate coral carvings. The piece dimensions are as followed; H. 9 3/8 x W. 5 x D. 3 1/4 in. (23. 8 x 12. 7 x 8. 3 cm). The mask is a sensitive human idealized portrait, depicting its subject with softly modeled features. This piece is framed with an elegant tiara-like coiffure and openwork collar. The pupils were inlaid with iron metal, the forehead has carved scarification marks and also she is wearing bands of coral beads below the chin. In the necklace you can see miniature motifs that represent heads of the Portuguese soldiers depicted with beards and flowing hair. In the crown tiara-like coiffure are carved more Portuguese heads alternated with figures of stylized mudfish, which symbolizes Olokun, the Lord of the Great Waters. You can see that some of the necklace portion is damage or missing and this could be due to the age and fragility of the coral. This piece is from early African art also known as â€Å"Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba†. Today, you can find this piece at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Although images of women are very rare this piece has come to symbolize the legacy of a dynasty that continues to the present day. In many of the African cultures the head is a very important, powerful and symbolic piece. The head was consider to be the symbolic center of a person’s intelligence, wisdom, and ability to succeed in this world and/or to be a tool to be able to communicate with spiritual forces in the ancestral world. In Art of History, published in 2011, both Professor Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren claim that â€Å"one of the honorifics used for the king is the â€Å"Great Head†. The head leads the body as the king leads the people. All of the memorial heads include representation of coral-beaded caps, necklaces and royal costume. Coral, enclosing the head and displayed on the body, is still the ultimate symbol of the oba’s power and authority. † In an article titled â€Å"Iyoba Idia: The Hidden Oba Of Benin† published in 2006, issue 9 of Jenda: A Journal Of Culture And African Women Studies Nkiru Nzegwu wrote â€Å"Iron and copper inserts were embedded in these cavities in the original model and formed part of the decoration. Some have claimed that these cavities were receptacles for embedded magical potions, and there is a historical explanation for them. The striations were the result of incisions a local doctor-diviner made to disfigure Idia and render her unattractive to Oba Ozolua. As narrated by the present Oba Erediauwa, Idias parents did not wish her to become an Obas wife, and the oracle they consulted advised that they mar her beauty to make her ugly to the Oba (Kaplan 1993, 59). The two incisions not only scarred her face but, to make assurance double sure, they also contained potent medicinal potions which the consulting physician-diviner had assured them would repel Oba Ozolua. The royal explanation is that the plan failed because the Oba sensed that something was wrong before he even saw Idia and quickly neutralized the effects of the medicine. † This is a pendant or ornament mask that represents an iyoba (queen mother-the oba’s mother), the senior female member of the royal court. It’s believed that this piece was produced in the early sixteenth century for the King or Oba Esigie, the king of Benin, who ruled from 1504 to 1550. This piece is to honor his mother, Idia. There are different versions of the purpose of this piece. The most common ones is that this was used a as belt ornament and it was worn at the oba’s hip. The Oba may have worn it at rites commemorating his mother, although today such pendants are worn at annual ceremonies of spiritual renewal and purification. Esigie had the support of Ida and the Portuguese soldiers in the expansion of his kingdom. Ida is remembered for raising an army and using magical powers to help her son Esigie to defeat his enemies.

Concepts in solution focused brief therapy

Concepts in solution focused brief therapy SFBT, believe that solutions ensue when there is a change in negative interactive patterns and behaviour and as such, giving new meaning to clients problems and tools necessary to solve their them (Stalker et al., 1999). SFBT does not pathologize but rather focuses on clients strengths (Gehart and Tuttle, 2003). It orients clients to a solution talk rather than problem talk. The SF, therapist therefore works with the clients to find solutions as they occur. This pragmatic approach to therapy utilizes concepts that enabled clients to find solutions (Cunanan, McCollum, 2006). This modality strongly supports the view that there are solutions to almost every problem and that everyone has the capability to solve their own problems. The SF, therapist believes that people are dynamic and not static and that change is constantly occurring. The SF, therapist explores with the clients problem areas that they want to change in their lives while encouraging the continuance of areas that are currently working for them. The therapists and clients then co- construct concrete goals of a preferred future and subsequently create a change within themselves (Lewis and Osborn, 2004). There are many concepts which play a vital role in this modality, these include: re-session change (Lawson, 1994; Lethem 2006, 2002), moving from a problem saturated talk to solution-focused talk (Langdridge, 2006; Lethem 2002; Talyor, 2005), looking at the exception to the problem (Ruddick, 2008), viewing change as a constant, recognizing that language has meaning and experiencing hope (Gehart and Tuttle, 2003). Pre-session change The pre-session change is the concept that assesses to see if there have been any changes for the client prior to beginning their initial session (Weiner-Davis, 1987 as cited in Lawson, 1994). This pre-session change is an integral part of therapy as it helps the therapist to begin a dialogue in focusing on the solution and helps the client to see the possibility of change (Lethem, 2002). Problem saturated talk to solution talk According to Taylor (2005), moving from the problem-saturated story to a solution talk is one of the main goals of therapy. The problem-saturated story usually occurs during the initial stage of therapy. The therapist will take a non-judgmental stance to the client story while formulating the problem that the client is sharing, while gently helping the client to shift focus and explore possible solutions. The therapist also helps in directing the clients to make goals that they would like to accomplish during and after the course of therapy (Jordan, Quinn, 1994). During this process the therapist takes a curious/neutral stance in understanding the client and their presenting issue. While the therapist focuses on the here and now of the problem and how its currently affecting the client, they help to re-focus the client in the direction towards the future (Adam et.al., 1991 as cited in Jordan Quinn, 1994). The SFBT therapist re-directs clients from a problem saturated story to a state of solution oriented story. This shift allows the therapist to begin the process of building upon the clients strength in order to help them to identify solutions to their problem (OHanlon and Wiener-Davis, 1989 as cited in Reiter, 2007). Looking at the exceptions to the problems Eliciting feedback from the client about the differences when the problem did not occur, or occurred with less severity, helps the therapist identify strengths, embedded in exceptions that the client can utilize in the future, (De Jong Berg, 2002). The use of expectancy, derived from the work of Milton Erickson, was utilized by de Shazer utilized to help clients capitalize on the resource they possess within themselves to solve their problem. The art of solution focused therapy involves not only bringing awareness to the exceptions of problems but rather the solutions that lies in their repertories. According to O Hanlon, (1999) there should be positive expectancy talk. Change is constantly happening and hope This therapy assumes that nothing is always the same, it is the belief that change is occurring all the time and small change is generative, as one small changes leads to larger changes. Additionally, this assumption also means that problems are only as big as ones definition to them. Our definition defines both the experience and size of the problem. Change occurs when clients can look at the exceptions to their problems and make that shift from the problem-saturated story to solution-focused talk (Simon, Joel K. Nelson, Thorana S. 2007). Change can be measured with scaling questions, so as to get an overview of where the client is at and if any small changes have occurred (B.OConnell, 1998). According to Miller, Duncan and Hubble (1996, p 218), hope is the exercising of ones belief that something positive will happen in each session. This takes a team approach, both therapist and client work together actively to get an outcome which finds solutions to the clients problem. Assumptions of Solution Focused Brief Therapy This theory utilizes 12 assumptions, John Walter Jane Peller (1992) from their text Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy (pp 10-34) described the following assumptions: 1. Focusing on the positive: 2. Having clients identify the exceptions to the problem. 3. Change is occurring all the time. 4. Small change generative, small changing leads to larger changing. 5. Clients are always cooperating. 6. People have the natural resource within themselves to solve their problems. 7. Meaning and experience are interactionally constructed 8. Actions and descriptions are circular. 9. The response you received is the meaning of the message. 10. The client is the expert 11. Change is constantly occurring. 12. A treatment group comprises of members who share stated goals and have desires to accomplish these goals. Nature of Reality in Solution Focused Brief Therapy Reality is the construction of ones language and as such, problems are maintained when ones construction disregard their natural capability and resources. Steve de Shazer, 1991 stated that clients and their belief system constructs reality; reality is therefore invented rather than constructed. In the event that the reality that the client is living in at present is not working for them, then the therapist can gently invite the client to enter into a momentary hypothetical. This allows the client to enter into a reality where anything is virtually possible. This gives the client the opportunity to dream as to what they would be doing in the event that this miracle was to occur. Miller, (1996) stated that therapists can use the intervention of the miracle question to enter into this reality. The use of the miracle question allows the therapist not only to join with the client but to also enter the world of the client. This intervention allows for the client to imagine a better future reality in which they want to create the future (De Shazer, 1991). According to Nelson and Thomas (2007), reality is based on how the client chooses to live their life and their perception of what life is about. Each individual owns the architecture of their reality, and they choose how to shape their world. A therapist can however identify with the reality of their clients through the use of language. According to Harland as cited in de Shazer (1991), language constitutes the human world and the human world constitutes the whole world. In order to understand the clients language, the therapist has to enter into the world of the client and understand what is happening for the client at that moment. This allows the therapist to get a clearer understanding of the clients viewpoint and what motivates them to think as they do (Odell, Butler and Dielma, 2005). In SFBT, therapists respect the clients for who they are and the reality in which they live. The therapist takes a non-judgmental stance and doesnt make comparison with the clients past issues, but rather focuses on the here and now present of the client. Miller posits that therapists respect their clients point of view by understanding the language in which they speak. Language is the clients thoughts that help to shape and express who they are. The therapist and the client enter into a therapeutic relationship through the client language as the main vehicle to their perception of reality. Understanding the clients reality is a process. Initially, the therapist is unable to be a part of the clients reality because they are on the outside; however, as the sessions progress, the therapist becomes more familiar and better able to comprehend the clients language, and subsequently becomes a part of the clients reality (Miller, (1997b) De Shazer et al., argues that people use language to shape their reality and to assist in establishing the meaning of situations, relationships, others and self. They further note that the meanings people assign to a situation may limit the range of solutions to a problem, which is of particular interest to solution-focused therapy. They explained that every individual constructs his or her meaning based on previous experiences, beliefs, family of origin or societal view (De Shazer et al. 1988). Furthermore, they posit that clients stories are usually more problem-saturated than goal-oriented. Hence, it is easier for clients to focus on their problems than the solution. As such, when the therapist and client interact, there is a `co-creation of realties; therefore, differences in perspectives and meanings should be defined Bobele et.al, states expertise lies in the manner in which the conversation is conducted, not in the ability to convey a venerated body of information (Bobele, Gardner, Biever, 1995, p. 16). Philosophy proposes that reality exist objectively in the world irrespective of ones subjectivity, language or thoughts. I believe that a persons perception is his or her reality, and so what I believe becomes my reality; subsequently, what I believe in does not necessarily hold true for someone else. For example, I believe in a supreme being and that is a part of my reality; however, that might not be the reality for another person who sees himself as a God. A persons reality is shaped by his or her beliefs and value-systems, or anything that seems real to him or her whether its conceptualized by the mind or an extension of self or environment. Reality does exist for me, but there are several forms of reality. What I can see and touch and what I believe exists not in a physical state but by fai th. I define truth as being an accurate account of reality -a claim that has been proven factual. However, I would suggest that there might be several versions of truth. Truth can be based on my perception of what is true. But this may not necessarily be factual. For example, others may not share my belief that chocolate tea is pleasant to the taste; hence, truth can also be relative. Furthermore, if everyone were behaving in a certain way and someone came along behaving in the opposite manner, and then the perception would be that something is wrong with him or her, a plausible conception of insanity. If relatively, speaking nothing is innate to a newborn baby if the mind is a blank slate, then everything we know is learned from some source. If your only source told you, the moon was a space ship in the sky, then that would be your truth. After dissecting all these terms, I believe that objective and subjective truths co-exist in my reality. I know that certain things are just facts, yet at the same time I am aware that some things that were previously taught me as truths are not based on factual grounds. For example, my value system is not based on facts, but rather on my beliefs, my truths and my reality. It defines who I am as a person. Having the knowledge that my reality may differ from my clients reality, it is imperative that I am aware of my own bias and not project my reality unto my client, as this would be counterproductive, as the client would be seeing through the lens of my reality and not theirs. It is vital for clients to know what is real for them and how it affects their lives. However, through the therapeutic relationship, my reality may be shared not imposed or forced upon clients when I integrate therapeutic interventions and feedback to clients. SFBT has reinforced for me that language helps to shape ones reality and is a driving force in how we construct or de-construct our reality. Human Nature in Solution Focused Brief Therapy SFBT has a positive approach to therapy and toward clients in general. SFBT views clients as natural problem-solvers who have only lost sight of their ability to solve problems. Another common believe is people are not the problem but the problem is the problem. Furthermore, it utilizes and enhances the clients capability. Every person has the natural resource needed to cope even before the use of interventions. Hence the therapy process should constitute of promoting and finding the solutions that naturally lies within the clients (Peller, J.L., Walker J., 1992a). This theory also reinforced the concept that the client is the expert, and the solutions lie within them. In SFBT, the client is the expert, and the facilitator takes the position of not knowing and of leading from one step behind through solution-focused questioning and responding. SFBT is focused on finding solutions not problems and therefore does not look at a person in the sense of being maladjusted. It is the behaviour that causes maladjustment and not the innate qualities of the person. The clients narrative determines much about the repeated patterns of dysfunctional behavior (Peller, J.L., Walker J., 1992b). In SFBT therapy, the client knows the solution, and the role of the therapist is help clients to identify these solutions while maintaining a respectful and supportive role and not to be confrontational but, only make suggestions are necessary alternatives (De Jong Berg, 1998, p. 21). In SFBT, the therapist is seen as a collaborator and consultant, there to help clients achieve their goals. With SFBT, clients do most of the talking, and what they talk about is considered the cornerstone of the resolution of their complaints. Usually, SFBT therapists will use more indirect methods such as the use of extensive questioning about previous solutions and exceptions (De Jong Berg, 1998, p. 21). Self is the consciousness of ones own identity; it is what defines me as an individual. It is the component that makes up my personality. Self is who I am as an individual, which comprises my strengths, limitations, dreams, fears, likes and dislikes. My sense of self follows a consistent pattern personality and behavior does not change, and is made up of past, present experiences, values and cultural background. In contrast to this, the essential self is more of the ideal self; it is the self I hope to be, the self I desire to accomplish. Murray Bowen speaks about the solid self, which is highly differentiated free of emotional process. However, for me, the solid self is like my essential self where I am more highly differentiated, less reactive, and accepting of my faults. It is a wiser me, a mature, less indecisive me, an empowered me. The main difference between the two selves is one, the self is who I am in reality and the essential self is who I hope and want to be. I believe what makes individuals different is their individuals background and cultural/family values. Furthermore, ones environment and genetics both influence what makes each of us who we are. What makes me who I am today are my culture and family values, the environment that I grew up in, the parenting style that I experienced and my experiences. This academic programmed has greatly influence my way of thinking, and has forced me to do a lot of introspection, which has been an avenue that Ive used to better understand myself. One major thing that my life experiences have taught me is that the difficulties I have encountered in my life can be likened to my life test. I feel at times Ive been given the same exam over with a few changes in the questions and by now I have to come to know the end results. As this process unfolds I have become less anxious as I believe the end result will be successful and if not its ok as I can rest assured that this test will come again. I have always been given the opportunity to take my life test over and with each success; I have become stronger and empowered. With each failure Ive also experience growth as I make adjustments so as to do better. I believe that in order for an individual to experience a fulfilling life, they should live with (1) with no regrets and know that what they do is done to the fullest. (2) Accept the things they cannot change and (3) learn from their mistakes, which will by extension make them stronger. Nature of change in Solution Focused Brief Therapy In the solution-focused approach, change is viewed as a process that is inevitable and constant (de Shazer, 1985), clients situations may often fluctuate and often the small changes may seemingly go. Therefore, it is imperative for therapist to help clients to identify when these changes occur and attempt to identify circumstances and behaviors that encourage the desired change (de Shazer, 1985b). In assessing the problem, the therapist looks for past, present or even future exceptions, in addition to identifying clients strengths, this may enable them to reach some solutions. Solution-focused brief therapy focuses exclusively or predominantly on two things (1) helping clients to achieve their desired outcome through the setting of personal goals and (2) looking at the exceptions to the problems through the implementation of previous solutions. (de Shazer, 1985c). Change is in my viewpoint a permanent modification of behavior. While change is dynamic there is some amount of finality to it, something that is adjusted can be re-adjusted, but true change has a degree of permanence. Change removes us from our comfort zone. Change has a ripping effect on those who wont let go. Change happens for me when I confront and accept that I need a behavioral modification. Acceptance for me is the turning point for change. Change begins in my heart having that desire to want better; it might be awkward and uncomfortable at first, but then it becomes more accepting and more understanding. What I have gathered from doing this research and attending classes is that therapy as a process aids understanding and recovery from psychological difficulties. Therapy deals with underlying issues spanning across inter/intrapersonal conflicts, for example depression and marital conflict. Therapy provides an avenue to express ones feelings, understand patterns of thinking, gain perspective or knowledge surrounding past events and to obtain guidance to the right path. I believe therapy happens when one consciously seeks help for change; when there is a willingness to work on ones self, therapy ensues. Therapy happens when change occurs. For me, this program has been one big therapy session and my change has occurred in small increments, based on my willingness to visualize the change in my mind and take the steps necessary to execute that change. That change for me is feeling exposed, honest with myself but freshly aware of who I am as an individual. The relationship between client and therapist is integral, as it determines whether that client leaves the therapy room being a more mentally healthy person or worse off than when they first entered. According to Carl Rogers, the therapeutic relationship forms the foundation for treatment. If a helping relationship is not the number one priority in the treatment process, then clinicians are doing a great disservice to their clients as well as to the field of therapy as a whole. I strongly believe that for me to have a successful outcome in therapy, I must first join with my client, showing a genuineness to help, validate and empathize, give positive regard and help set goals with my client. Most of what I have learnt from my professors, advisor, supervisor, classmates, research and life experiences has formed the building blocks of my therapeutic stance. It is my hope that with this foundation, I will be an effective therapist, one that will join with clients in terms of where they are at and help them work through their problems. Furthermore, openness to change and a willingness to adjust so that I can better meet the need of my clients for both therapy and personal growth is intrinsic.