International Mindedness at WIS

Dear Community,

This past week was an action-packed celebration of books, the start of the IGCSE exams, and preparations for next weekend’s International Day. 

This upcoming week features a famous explorer (Tuesday from 6:30pm, neurodiversity week, Tuberculosis Awareness Day (Thursday from 7:30am), and International Day (Saturday from 2:30pm).

Karlis Bardelis - Completed Circumnavigation of the World 

On Tuesday at 6:30pm, we will have Karlis Bardelis at the WIS Auditorium where he will present about his 7-year entirely self-propelled expedition around the world. In 2016, he rowed from Luderitz Namibia to Brazil. In 2018 he cycled on a tandem bicycle from Brazil to Peru and then rowed 26,000km across the Pacific alone. In 2022, he rowed from Malaysia to Sri Lanka and then onwards to Africa. He had some complications in Somalia, and then eventually made it by bicycle to Luderitz this past week! Please consider joining this talk, as we celebrate his achievement and join in this spirit of adventure and international-mindedness!

Neurodiversity and Autism Awareness Week

At 7:30am on Thursday morning 11 April at the WIS Fish Eagles Nest, Hannah Gorelick will lead us through the captivating world of neurodiversity and fellow parents will share experiences and insights on supporting and recognising neurodiversity in children. Consider joining this special coffee morning! 

We are encouraging everyone to wear bright and vibrant colours for the duration of this week. (And clothes with no itchy tags!)

Here is a video that has been shared by the Learning Support Department: 

Neurodivergent and Proud: Breaking Down Stigma and Building Community

Tuberculosis Awareness Day - Thursday April 11th

We request that everyone will please wear red, for TB Awareness, on this Thursday. Ms Sapna Morris and some of our DP CAS students are also conducting a fundraiser to help 75 patients with TB in the Khomas area. SPAR is offering a bag of groceries to meet these patients’ food needs, for N$270 per bag. Donations can be made to classroom teachers or to Sapna Morris at 264-81-143-4456.

Some additional information and resources about TB are included below.

International Day - Saturday April 13th - Flag Parade and Welcome Starts at 2:30pm 

We are very excited for this year’s International Day! The programme, map, and parent volunteer signups will be distributed on Monday. If you haven’t been before, this is an absolute must-attend event. This is one of WIS’s greatest traditions, and certainly the highlight of the WIS year! Our students are very excited to perform, to represent their country/countries in the flag parade, and to sample all of the tasty food and fun games from around the world. Consider wearing your optionally traditional clothing. While we aren’t widely advertising the event beyond “friends of the entire WIS community”, please be sure to invite your friends and families. Admission is free. Food and drinks will be plentiful and for sale. 

With warmest best wishes,

Ethan Van Drunen

Director

TB RESOURCES

Key facts

• A total of 1.3 million people died from TB in 2022 (including 167,000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV and AIDS).

• In 2022, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, including 5.8 million men, 3.5 million women and 1.3 million children. TB is present in all countries and age groups. TB is curable and preventable.

• Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about 2 in 5 people with drug-resistant TB accessed treatment in 2022.

• Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 75 million lives since the year 2000.

• US$ 13 billion is needed annually for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care to achieve the global target agreed at the 2018 UN high-level meeting on TB.

• Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Websites:

Republic of Namibia: Ministry of Health and Social Services

https://mhss.gov.na/search?q=tuberculosis

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tuberculosis (TB) | CDC

World Health Organization

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis

Stop TB Partnership

https://www.stoptb.org/

Videos:

Animated videos for children

1. https://youtu.be/qlKwAH-8cmI?si=kAwtclciBl0oeYxV

2. https://youtu.be/Ory6peTgTEo?si=8BYP0Sap-92aqdyy

3. https://youtu.be/VnF47GGAU8g