As part of the activities of the global diversity network of the British Council, a pilot programme was recently launched in Karachi. The objective of the programme, that was co-partnered by the Karachi Vocational Training Centre, was to prepare a report on the global pilot study for job attachments of people with learning difficulties.
Since the programme entailed 14 students of KVTC working for two weeks, the first step of the pilot study was to train and equip the British Council employees to interact in a meaningful way with children with learning challenges so as to be able to get them to successfully perform different tasks. They, discovered though, during the two weeks of internship that it takes a great deal of effort to integrate people with learning difficulties in a normal working environment, but that it can be done, and is extremely fulfilling.
The special children, on their part, found out that they coped remarkably well with adapting to a new environment; interacting with strangers; taking on a new routine; and executing office tasks. In fact, they gained tremendously in confidence and self-esteem. — Shanaz Ramzi
Greener than organic
Though organic farming is relatively easy on the environment, buying locally grown food, even the pesticide-sprayed variety, is usually more earth-friendly than buying organic, a new study contends.
Published in the journal Food Policy, the study found that the transportation of food over long distances — anywhere outside a 12-mile radius — can cause more harm than the growing of food with non-organic methods.
The team calculated a shopping basket’s hidden costs, which mount up as produce is transported over big distances. The study found “road miles” account for proportionately more environmental damage than “air miles”.
“The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat, as our actions affect farms, landscapes and food businesses,” said study coauthor Jules Pretty of the University of Essex. “Food miles are more significant than we previously thought, and much now needs to be done to encourage local production and consumption of food.”
Professor Pretty and his colleague Tim Lang, from City University, UK, painstakingly estimated the environmental price tag on each stage of the food production process. That price might reflect, for example, the clean-up costs following pollution, or the loss of profits caused by erosion damage.
“The price of food is disguising externalized costs — damage to the environment, damage to climate, damage to infrastructure and the cost of transporting food on roads,” said Professor Lang.
Researchers found that the UK would save some $4 billion a year in environmental and traffic costs if all food consumed was locally grown, and an additional $2.1 billion a year if all food were grown organically.
“It is going to need some sophisticated policy solutions,” Professor Pretty said. “You could say we should internalize those costs in prices, so that it affects people’s behaviour. That might be economically efficient but it lacks on the social justice side because it will affect rich people much less.”
The study authors are advocating that consumers make ethical choices about the food that they buy, and that supermarkets label items with the number of “food miles” they travel to get to the store. — Samina Iqbal
Crucial years
Adolescence is the age between 10 and 19 years. Presently there are 1.2 billion adolescents in the world, with four out of five living in the developing world. This was stated in a recent issue of the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. Adolescence is the journey from childhood to the world of an adult. Physiological, psychological, physical and emotional changes take place in this period. The body matures and the mind becomes independent but at this stage assistance is needed to cope with the change. Adolescents are no longer children, but they are not adults too. They can undertake risks without thinking of the consequences. They get fascinated by thrilling adventures and start living in a world of dreams.
Adolescents need extra nourishment as they grow rapidly. In developing countries, girls having low priority are fed less than the boys. This is a risk factor for the future as these girls have low birth weight babies. Pregnancies seen in girls below 18 years age can be a high risk for loosing the mother during childbirth.
Behavioural problems like smoking, drug abuse and alcohol intake are formed due to peer pressure in this age. Road accidents due to breaking traffic rules are seen more in adolescents. Depression and low self-esteem are common in adolescents
Proper care emotionally and physically, both at school and at home, provides good mental health. School teachers and school environment play a vital role in character building and personality development. A smooth passage of the adolescence years will provide a healthy future. — DrFatema Jawad
