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Sipho Dube
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Thousands of children in rural areas throughout the developing world, including South Africa, brave the elements daily on their long walks to school. CSIR intern Sipho Dube is confident that research can play a significant role in ensuring that the needs of these children, transport stakeholders in their own right, are considered when national transport policies and strategies are formulated.
Since joining the CSIR in July 2006 as an intern in the organisation's rural accessibility and development research team, Sipho has been involved in research aimed at developing improved methodologies to ensure that the interests of children are at the forefront of policy and planning. With a BA (Hons) in environment and development studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the young intern is ideally placed to undertake the significant amount of fieldwork involved in his chosen field of research.
Asked why he pursued an internship at the CSIR, Sipho explains that, as an undergraduate, he used to attend lectures by Rob Hounsome, one of the CSIR's environmental experts. "I was intrigued and inspired by the idea of working for a national research council and the CSIR's strong focus on human capital development was a definite plus for me," he says.
Sipho is currently studying towards a Master's degree in geography at the UKZN, and is clearly passionate about the CSIR's research in the field of child mobility. "Children and youths under the age of 18 have traditionally received very little attention in mobility studies in developing countries, despite the fact that affordable and reliable transport is critical in enabling access to fundamental services and resources, such as health care and education," he explains. "This is especially true amongst children in rural and peri-urban areas, for whom isolation, long distances, poverty levels, poor infrastructure and limited transport services inhibit access to services and resources."
Since the impact of infrastructure provision is seldom viewed from the perspective of children and the youth, little systematic research has been undertaken to inform policy and strategy formulation around rural accessibility issues relevant to this group of stakeholders. Sipho points out that, in the majority of cases where research concerning this group is conducted, it is carried out by adults, rather than integrating children's right to meaningful participation in processes directly affecting them. "Without children's active input into research issues affecting them, strategies and policies will continue to be devoid of the voices of the very people they impact on," Sipho comments.
Some two years ago, the CSIR undertook a pilot study on the mobility and access issues impacting on South African children in rural areas. The study, which formed part of an international study to test a child-centred participatory research methodology, illustrated that children were able to conduct research among their peers, as well as disseminate information and ideas around child-centred research among one another.
"The children enjoyed taking the initiative and being responsible for planning and conducting research," Sipho says. "They were clearly capable of generating relevant questions around a particular topic and developed the ability to probe more deeply into areas of relevance."
Building on the work undertaken in the pilot study, the CSIR is strengthening its knowledge base on issues around child mobility and participatory child-centred methodologies, and refining the methodology applied in the original study. The ultimate aim is to create an evidence-based toolkit and methodology to encourage government to engage children in the formulation of national policy.
Sipho has the good fortune to be mentored by CSIR researcher, Mac Mashiri, an expert in rural infrastructure and development research. "Mac is well known for his consistent and innovative contributions in the field of rural infrastructure and development, and I am fortunate to have the benefit of his knowledge and expertise," says Sipho.
One of the highlights of Sipho's internship has been the opportunity to co-author a paper on the CSIR team's research findings to date. Titled Unpacking child-centered approaches to child mobility and access research, the paper is still to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. He is also contributing to a guide on research methodology for staff at CSIR Built Environment.
Asked about his plans for the future, Sipho indicates that he would like to continue his involvement in research that supports decision-making at national level. "The CSIR offers a multitude of opportunities to develop one's personal skills, and if offered the chance to stay with the organisation for the next few years, I would definitely do so." Also on the cards is a PhD, once he has completed his Master's. Children and youth in rural South Africa have clearly gained a committed champion who believes in the power of research to improve their quality of life.
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