Uthando on tour had a friendly greeting from children playing at the Manyanani Peace Park in Khayelitsha

Uthando celebrated its first birthday on the 10th of October 2008 as a registered section 21 company, although it has only been operational since May 2008. In seven shorts months much has been accomplished, and I am very grateful to the wonderful people locally and internationally, both benefactors and projects alike, who continue to shine a light on Uthando South Africa. In the August Uthando Newsletter I mentioned that the world was facing imminent and unprecedented crises, and in September the capitalist world as we know it was shaken to its core with the collapse of several financial services giants, with the subsequent formulation of massive government bailouts to save the worlds financial infrastructure. Inspite of these turbulent and uncertain times, I am overwhelmed at peoples commitment to social development and the generosity of spirit. More than ever, people need to work together, to share, to help each other, and to overcome the enormous challenges that lie ahead for humanity.

Accreditation / Membership
Uthando is pleased to announce its membership of Proudly South African. Proudly South African is an exciting campaign to promote South African companies, products and services which are helping to create jobs and economic growth in our country.
Uthando will use Proudly South African as a networking mechanism with access to government and corporate South Africa.

Board Members
Uthando is in the final stages of confirming new board members who will bring innovation, energy and vibrancy to Uthando. Watch this space.

End of year functions
Uthando is far more than just about financial and other assistance, it is also about bringing people together. Thus, as we approach the festive season Uthando is “pairing up” Cape Town based tour operators with projects during the coming weeks, with the goal of spreading some festive cheer.
Toescapeto is hosting a christmas party for the children from James House in Hout Bay.
Livingstone Safaris and Mushinda Tours are hosting a party for the elderly people at Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (NOAH).
The Eco-ist, Signature Tours and Centre Stage Travel are hosting a party for the children from Khumbulani Centre.

Through these functions, the staff at these companies will get to interact with the people at the projects, learning about each other and reaching across the socio-economic and racial difference. Watch this space for photos in the next newsletter.

World Travellers Philanthropy Conference:
3 – 6 December 2008
I am very pleased to announce that I have been invited to and will be attending this conference being held at Arusha in Tanzania. Thank you to the Ford Foundation for covering all the costs of my attendance at the conference. It will be an amazing opportunity to learn, share and network with people who share a similar philosophy and approach to philanthropic tourism. I have no doubt Uthando will benefit tremendously from my attendance at this conference. I will let you know all about it in the next newsletter.

Field Trips
The Field Trips continue to go from strength to strength, and guests continue to comment on the authenticity of the meaningful interaction they have whilst on an Uthando Tour.

We are very pleased that in October, New Frontiers Tours named the Uthando Field Trip as one of the “Top 10 Travel Experiences in South Africa for 2008”

Some highlights from the tours :

Handing out cots to day care centre in Philippi

Audley Travel donated money for the purchase of baby cots, MAGI (www.magi.org.za) matched the donation, and in the end Uthando distributed 15 cots to 6 pre-school day care facilities in Philippi and Khayelitsha. Duncan Middleton and Peter Felix had an exciting day seeing some of the pre-schools to which cots were given, and took great pleasure in seeing sleeping babies in some of the cots donated by Audley Travel.

Gloria with Duncan and Peter at Khumbulani Centre

Soccer Kits : A Dutch family came on tour and handed out 33 soccer kits (representing Dutch football clubs) to the captain of the soccer teams at three different schools in Khayelitsha. It was a remarkable day for all concerned, and the children were so incredibly grateful and excited to receive their new sportswear.

The elderly ladies at NOAH with Thembie (their social director, in the red dress)

NOAH choir concerts : In October and November the old ladies at NOAH had a choir competition at their social hall in Khayelitsha. The guests on tour on these particular days had a magical experience of listening to the soulful singing of these beautiful elderly  people. They also tell their heartbreaking stories of some of their experiences during the Apartheid years, if they could write books they would all be best selling novels. The Uthando guests are always welcomed to NOAH with love and warmth, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to make these visits.

Volcano performing their drama “stop tik” show at the NR Mandela School in Gugulethu

Volcano Arts School Dramas : On the 31st of October and 7th of November guests on tour watched the full length drama production of the Volcano Show called “Stop Tik” which was presented to the students at high schools in Khayelitsha. The show canvasses the issues relevant to the abuse of the very harmful drug Crystal Meths which is ravaging the townships. The Rodger Family from England had the following to say of their experience on tour “An exceptional, moving and thought provoking day”.

Guest Comment of the quarter :
One of the highlights of Cape Town for us was the Uthando tour with James.  He was very interesting to talk to and is doing really good work.  The projects we visited were all unique and really showed us a positive side to the townships.  Seeing this positive helped balance any feelings of sadness in witnessing such extreme poverty.  We really enjoyed interacting with some of the locals as well.  So, thank you for bringing this to our attention, it was definitely one of our favorite parts of the trip as it helped connect with the place we were visiting more deeply.
Bill and Angela Ling
NYC, USA  (Roar Africa)
October 2008

New Project
The South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP) is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, dedicated to improving the lives and opportunities of children in the townships through education and life-skills training. SAEP’s Early Childhood Development Programme provides support for 16 independently run township pre-schools/day-care centres through the Safety Unity Crèche Forum in the informal community of Philippi, assisting them through the transition from simple day care centres to early childhood development centres. The network of educare centres together caters for 880 children, who range in age from a few months to 6 years. With very limited resources, these centres provide:

• Safe day care from 6am to 6pm
• Two nutritious meals a day
• Pre-school preparation and supervised play
• Training and employment for 50 otherwise unemployed women

SAEP acts as a link between individuals & organisations who want to help young children as well as those in need, by facilitating:

• Recruitment and placement of local and foreign volunteers to assist in the stimulation of the children, maintenance of buildings, staff training etc
• Collection and delivery of donations of food, equipment, toys and clothing
• Financial training and management
• Fundraising and marketing
• HIV/AIDS and other training
• Coaching and mentoring of principals at the centres

"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together."
Desmond Tutu

Projects

Through this newsletter, Uthando will keep readers up to date with developments at the Uthando projects.

Scarlett from Go2 Africa at the Abalimi Vegetable Garden in Khayelitsha

Abalimi Bezekhaya (Urban Agriculture)  www.abalimi.org.za
Nokwanda and her team are building a thriving little business through the refreshments provided to Uthando guests on the daily scheduled tour. Guests on tour really enjoy visiting the beautiful and extremely productive vegetable garden run by the elderly ladies.

Harvest of Hope Launched  : this scheme buys, packs and sells  organically grown produce to high-end school community families. The produce is grown by community gardeners in the subeconomic areas of Cape Town. Abalimi buys top quality produce from the community farmers in advance, thus guaranteeing them a steady and reasonable income, with good prospects for growth. Abalimi also trains and mentors the farmers, bringing them out of Survival into Subsistence and Livelihood, so they can participate in the scheme. Harvest of Hope is - as far as we know- the only such scheme operating in a major urban centre, in South Africa.

The English language class at ARESTA

Agency for Refugee Education, Skills Training and Advocacy (ARESTA) www.aresta.org.za
Aresta had to cut back the art classes at the project due to lack of funding. Uthando aims to address this in the new year.

Beauty for Ashes (Prisoner Rehabilitation)
The Director of Beauty for Ashes wrote…….

"It is such a joy to work with women who are so thankful and grateful for the little you provide. This is my greatest joy serving the needs of women coming out of prison. The house is full. One woman arrived without any resources, only the clothes on her back. Another arrived a week later having been alienated from her family to such a degree that they would not acknowledge her as a person at all. Both these woman approached me to thank Beauty for Ashes for aiding them in their dire circumstances. One woman will begin a Nursing Course within the next week and the other will begin working for Umoja learning beading and sewing and earning as she does this. It is only a miracle and the generous donating of funds by people that make this possible in the financial climate we are now experiencing. For this I am so deeply grateful to God and my fellow man."  - Stephanie Van Wyk

Dance for All (Promotion of Dance in Disadvantaged Areas)www.danceforall.co.za
Hosting their annual Christmas concert on 22 November in Gugulethu. It will be a truly spectacular performance by these incredible children.
Time : 3pm
Venue : Masikhanye Centre, Gugulethu
Cost : R20.00 per person (payable at the door)
Audition are taking place in December for children over 18 years of age, to join the Dance for All Company in Cape Town.

Esinqobile Therapy Centre www.hno.co.za
Located in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, this centre caters for 38 children with both mental and physical disabilities. Each child goes through a series of twelve exercises a day including speech therapy and basic creche learning activities.

Grootbos Foundation (Environmental Protection) www.grootbosfoundation.org
The Grootbos Foundation is very proud to announce that at our recently held fifth annual Green Futures graduation ceremony, our 12 students again attained a 100% pass rate! The class of 2008 have all found employment, and the guys and girls are excited to be entering the workplace with their new skills and confidence. The Green Futures Nursery also had its best year, and managed to generate some good funding for a few of next years students, who have already been interviewed and short listed. We were also very happy to have recently helped July Dingani, a Green Futures graduate from 2005, to start his own business! July has bought a vehicle, and started Walker Bay Eco-Services, where he is employing three other men to help him with alien plant clearing and fire wood cutting. It’s great to see one of our graduates take such initiative, and provide employment for his compatriots.

Home from Home (Care for Orphaned Children living with HIV) www.homefromhome.org.za
Home from Home now has ten homes open in the Western Cape and is hoping that its 11th, in Hawston outside Hermanus will be open by Christmas. We are currently providing homes for 72 children, with an additional 60 places at the Home from Home Day Care Centre in Khayelitsha. With a further seven new homes planned within the next six months, it looks like its going to be a very busy 2009 for us!

Hotels Housing Trust (Provision of Housing / Shelter)
The Hotels Housing Trust was started in 1998. Visitors from the UK, with connections to the Gatsby Family Charitable Trust, wanted to do something to help provide housing for destitute shack dwellers who live near the airport and on the outskirts of Cape Town.
To date, over R2 million has been raised through their brochure’s capabilities and has been used to:

1. Fund the building of 136  homes in the Victoria Mxenge Village in Philippi. 
2. Building of a crèche in Victoria Mxenge in Philippi
3. The building of 8 homes, via Habitat for Humanity South Africa, in Mfuleni.

-           To celebrate National Woman’s Day 4 – 8 August 2008, staff from the hotels who support the Hotels Housing Trust came out and volunteered to build another new home in Mfuleni, Cape Town.

Hout Bay Music Project (Tuition of classical music, performance and theory)www.inkamvayouth.org
Thank you to Tana Travel for the substantial donation to Hout Bay Music Project, which was matched by the Multi-Agency Grants Initiative (MAGI). The money was used to assist with instruments, music books, their new vehicle which they use to transport them to gigs which assists them in income generation, and tuition costs.

Learning to play the marimba at Inqayi Educational Trust

Ingqayi Educational Theatre Project
Uthando introduced Ilios Travel to this project, and Ilios have included a stop at Inqayi  their “Walk to Freedom Tour”.

Ixopo Village School www.hno.co.za
A very underprivileged but innovative school located in the rural Kwa-Zulu Natal town of Ixopo. The school is supported by HNO with a number of programs including health clinics, oral health programs, art classes, choir, gardening and an English reading initiative.

James House www.jameshouse.org.za
In August this year, James House realised a long-cherished dream when it relocated from the prefabricated structures it had been operating from for decades to a beautiful new home on a 4,000 sq meter property. The new residence accommodates 15 children, our administration team, as well as a team of 14 community childcare workers serving just over 600 vulnerable children in the Imizamo Yethu community of Hout Bay.

Jikeleza Dance Project www.jikeleza.co.za
Jikeleza are hosting their annual Christmas Concert on the 5th and 6th in Hout Bay. It is a magical performance of dance and entertainment. If you are in Cape Town, don’t miss it.
Friday 5 December at 7.30pm
Saturday 6 December at 3.00pm
Venue : Kronendal School, Andrews Road, Hout Bay
Cost : R30.00 per person (payable at the door)

Global Sojourns Giving Circle are making a substantial donation to Jikeleza which they plan to use for the hosting of 4 workshops in 2009 involving over 50 of their young female students and covering themes such as teenagers and sex, HIV, alcohol and drug abuse, teenage preganancy, nutrition and hygiene and respect for self. Issues which these disadvantaged children deal with every day.

Khayelitsha Special Needs School
A very reputable Cape Town tour operator has expressed an interest in adopting this school. Watch this space.

Khumbulani Day Care Centre
Gloria and her team:

1. run a pre-school for 165 children, 20 of whom are HIV positive
2. run a soup kitchen for very destitute people
3. manage an amazing vegetable garden which feeds hundreds of people
4. run a support group for people living with HIV / AIDS

Audley Travel donated 8 cots to Khumbulani Centre

The staff at Learn to Earn

Learn to Earn (Skills Training / Empowerment Project) www.learntoearn.org.za

In February 2008, Learn to Earn launched a new Graphic Design course, which runs for a full year aimed at matriculants with limited resources to further their studies at tertiary level. The course is designed to provide these young people with natural creative flair with a bridging course for tertiary study, skills for freelance and entrepreneurial pursuits or job placement/internship opportunities.

To date, Bongi Basela has been accepted at CPUT for Graphic Design (3 year Diploma) and Thokozani Mpofu has been accepted at Stellenbosch University for Graphic Design (degree programme).

Manyanani Peace Park www.abalimi.org.za

All guests on the Uthando Tour are now given a beaded Uthando bookmark in the Uthando colours of white, black and green, made by the ladies at the Vuka Senza Project located at the park.

Mandela Park Mosaics www.mandelaparkmosiacs.co.za
Mandela Park Mosiacs is undergoing some changes at the moment and will shortly be moving from their home in Hout Bay to their new home in Khayelitsha at Learn to Earn. All the staff that are currently with the project will be remaining so the same high quality commission mosaics and products will continue to be produced.

Building of kennels at Mdzananda Animal Clinic

Mdzananda Animal Clinic ( Healthcare for Pets in Khayelitsha)

As part of Grand Westin’s social responsibility programme, the staff of the hotel built kennels at the clinic on 1 November 2008. A great day was had by all and some lovely new kennels for our best friends.

Nazareth House (Care for Aged, Children and Hospice) www.nazhouse.org.za

Watch this space!

Neighbourhood Old Age Homes ( NOAH, Care for Destitute Elderly) www.noahorg.za

NOAH is garnering support to build a much needed multi-purpose geriatric centre in the very poor area of Khayelitsha. There are NO facilities for destitute elderly people in this area apart from the very limited ones provided by NOAH.

Pebbles Project (Support to Children with Special Needs) www.pebblesproject.co.za
Pebbles have just taken on an additional three farms which will benefit from their crèche and after-school club programmes from 2009. 
The buzz in the office at the moment is all about our first mobile Toy Library, due to be launched at the beginning of December.  The Toy Library, which has been jointly sponsored by WOSA UK, The Importers Committee and The SA Open, will give the children they work with the chance to each take a toy home to play with on a rotational basis.  Bearing in mind that these children have rarely, if ever, owned their own toys, you can imagine the obvious joys this will bring.  However, just as importantly, the act of playing with these specially selected toys will help the children to develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally.

South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP) www.saep.org

Four of the SAEP pre-school centres received cots financed by Audley Travel and Multi-Agency Grants Initiative (MAGI).

Sunflower and Butterfly Project www.hno.co.za
Located in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, they provide comfort to rape survivors through the issue of Sunflower Bags as well as working through local hospitals to decorate crisis centres. The project serves the local magistrates court in their intermediary room, enabling children to give evidence in camera out of view from their perpetrators.

T-Bag Designs (Empowerment, production of products from dry tea bags) www.tbagdesigns.co.za
The production of the most wonderful products from dry tea bags, sent by people from all over the world.

Thola Ulwazi Creche www.hno.co.za
A crèche situated in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal, it operates from a small out-building at the local club, an initiative of an innovative farmers wife. The crèche is also part of a pilot early childhood health program.

Volcano Arts Project (township theatre company)

Volcano have just finished the season for their drama production dealing with the devastating affects of Crystal Meths otherwise known as TIK in South Africa. The show was presented to many schools in the townships. Uthando is hoping to finance the next production commencing in January with the theme of Soccer and 2010.

"Good works are links that form a chain of life."
Mother Teresa

Uthando wishes all members of the Uthando family locally and internationally ; benefactors, projects and philanthropic travellers alike, a peaceful and restful closure to 2008, and may 2009 bring a strengthened resolve to bring happiness, contentment and prosperity to all the inhabitants of the world.

Love and good wishes

James Fernie and the Board of Uthando

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."
John F. Kennedy