In this issue:

• Fair Trade in Tourism Accreditation

• The Spirit of Uthando

• Uthando Visual Presentation

• Field Trips : Quote of the Quarter

• The Projects

• Other Bits and Pieces

Whilst contemplating the most appropriate introduction to this newsletter I came across a quote of Helen Suzman in which she said, 'I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic; I am hopeful.' This was expressed during the dark and depressing Apartheid years. Mrs Suzman died this year at 91 years of age, but she will always be remembered for being one of the longest serving members of the South African parliament who championed the rights of the poor, the underprivileged, the prisoners held without a trial and the disenfranchised during the bleak days of Apartheid.

I believe these words are totally appropriate to the times we live in today. We must remain hopeful for a better, peaceful, more equitable and just world. We live in truly significant and dramatic times, and as always my message is that it is our shared humanity and our common destiny which binds us together as the human race.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE TOUR OPERATORS, HOTELIERS, TRAVELLERS, BENEFACTORS AND THE MYRIAD OF OTHER PEOPLE FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO HAVE SUPPORTED UTHANDO AND THE PROJECTS IN ANY WAY, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Fair Trade in Tourism Accreditation

In November Uthando received the prestigious Fair Trade in Tourism accreditation. Uthando is now one of 57 tourism business in the country to receive this accreditation.
Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable tourism development. We do this through awareness raising, research and advocacy, capacity building and by facilitating the world’s first tourism Fair Trade certification programme. FTTSA awards the use of special label to qualifying businesses as a way of signifying their commitment to Fair Trade criteria including fair wages and working conditions, fair purchasing, fair operations, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture and environment. By electing to stay at or use the services of an FTTSA-certified establishment, tourists are assured that their travel benefits local communities and economies, and that the business is operated ethically and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

The facebook group continues to grow and has proven to be a very effective tool to inform people of events, campaigns, news and interesting bits and pieces. If you are on facebook please do sign up.

The Spirit of Uthando

The goal of Uthando was always to create a family of people from all over the world, working together and cutting through racial, cultural, social, economic and political differences. In just over one year we have achieved this goal and here are some stories :

Wooten Family (Canada)
The Wooten family participated in a field trip in August this year. Ryan and Amber subsequently decided to request the guests attending their wedding to donate to Uthando Projects in lieu of gifts.

The Wooten Family on safari in South Africa

Stern Family (Canada)
After participating on an Uthando tour Doris and Richard Stern initiated an agreement between Uthando and the “Friends of the South African Performing Arts (FOSAPA) Canada”. We look forward to working together with the Sterns

Shaw Family (England)
They Shaw family were so inspired by the people they met that they  decided to do a fund raiser at home. They held a garage sale with cakes ( including Notwanda's vetkoek), soup, children's activities etc. They raised £375.00. Remarkable.

The Shaw Family Garage Sale

Rose Festival, Moenchhagen (Germany)
A rose festival is held once a year in Moenchhagen, close to Rostock in northern Germany. Details of the rose festival in their homepage www.koehlers-rosenhof.com. 2009 was their 4th festival and the number of visitors has climbed steadily since its inception. They offer musical entertainment: two live bands, food, drinks, kiddies entertainment and arts and crafts, plants and, of course, about 10 thousand roses that they produce ourselves. Eike and Hans-Heinrich Koehler

Annie Ayton of Safari Plus wrote……
“When my friend, Frieda, and I visited some of the Uthando charities earlier this year I couldn’t have imagined that within a few months we would be gathering all kinds of bric-a-brac, homemade cakes and jams, copious amounts of second-hand books and once-loved childrens toys for a table top sale in the village hall in order to raise some money.  I had fantastic support from Frieda, Maggie and Clare on the day, plus a generous donation from Meg from my book club – a huge thank you to them all.”  Annie and Frieda have taken Beauty for Ashes under their wings and been such wonderful benefactors."

Uthando Visual Presentation
Thank you to Ross Dawson and Amy for producing a wonderful presentation. Please click on the links below to view the presentation on You Tube or My Video.

http://www.myvideo.co.za/video/uthando-south-africa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OkDKgJhzew

Field Trips : Quote of the Quarter
The morning we spent with you visiting the projects was for me, the highlight of our trip to Cape Town.  It was not only meaninfgul and interesting but totally inspiring.  The courage of Margaret and  Nokwanda and the team from the Abalimi vegetable gardens to pursue their projects in the midst of such adversity and poverty is incredible.  The sights we saw and people we met that morning have stayed with me since and I hope will remain with the boys for ever and cause them to appreciate the advantages they have in life. I very much look forward to receiving your news letter and keeping up to date with developments at the various projects.
Many thanks
Pearce Family
London
July 2009

See below some news from the projects and some of the ways in which Uthando is assisting the projects.

The Siyazama Garden - Abalimi Bezekhaya (Urban Agriculture)
www.abalimi.org.za

Purchase of further equipment for their kitchen and catering business.
Purchase of beads so that the members of the group can make beaded products for sale at the gardens.
Purchase of decent office and communication equipment to assist the admin team in supporting the micro farming movement.
And Beyond held a team building day at the gardens. It was a wonderful morning of weeding, snailing (collecting snails) and general cleaning up.

2010 will see the sale of the Harvest of Hope recipe book to people interested in purchasing a momento of their Uthando tour.

The And Beyond team building day

Agency for Refugee Education, Skills Training and Advocacy (ARESTA)
www.aresta.org.za
The printing of 400 English Books for their beginner English language classes, and 200 copies of their vitally important Information Booklet (ARESTA Overview, Updated version)

Amy Biehl Foundation
www.amybiehl.co.za
Uthando is very proud and privileged to be working with the Amy Biehl Foundation.
We are working with Giltedge Travel and Zurich Insurance in putting together a soccer tournament in Cape Town on the 27th in April next year. Watch this space.

James with Linda Bielh at one of the after school programmes

Beauty for Ashes (Prisoner Rehabilitation)
The purchase of Duplicate manuals and DVD’s for their life skills course in Pollsmore prison. This course will impact the lives of 20 women. Assistance to Busisiwe and Charlene (both ladies are out on parole and staying at the Beauty for Ashes halfway house) in furthering their education. Busi is enrolling at INTEC to complete her school leaving certificate and wishes to work towards qualifying as a nurse.

Busi and Merle, strong and inspiring women at the Beauty for Ashes halfway house

Dance for All (Promotion of Dance in Disadvantaged Areas)
www.danceforall.co.za
Thank you to Travel and Wedding Concepts for their generous annual sponsorship of Dance for All. The money assists with the purchase of dance clothes and shoes for the children which is so vital, and with almost 1500 children in the programme their needs are considerable.

The annual xmas concerts are always such a delight and an inspiration, I just wish more people would join me in attending the show. Daisy Ions from Cape Concierge wrote…..
A fantastic experience, and most importantly one that never at any moment gave a feeling of ‘us - the privileged’ and ‘them - the project’.  We were simply members of the audience mixing with the family and friends of the performers.  And what a performance they gave.  From the little ones beaming in their tutus to the electric presence of the senior dancers, the whole show was mesmerising.  It was a privilege to be there, and I am humbled by the achievements of the directors, the teachers, the choreographers and most of all by the students themselves.

The children rehearsing for their annual concert

Hlanganani Ngothando (Various Community Projects in rural Kwa-zulu Natal)
www.hno.co.za
Purchase of developmental equipment for the Esinqobile Therapy Centre as well as installation of a ceiling in their disabled crèche / early child development classroom.

Home from Home
www.homefromhome.org.za
Assistance in equipping their new home for orphans. They now have 15 homes and provide a home to 88 children, which is a remarkable achievement and they do need all the assistance they can get.

James House (Assistance to vulnerable children)
www.jameshouse.org.za
The purchase of school school uniforms, stationery and general school supplies (bags, pencil cases, lunch boxes, etc). These items are being purchased for the children in their  residential programme, as well as the children they serve in the Isibindi Programme.

Jikeleza Dance Project (Promotion of Dance in Disadvantaged Areas)
www.jikeleza.co.za
Thanks to the generosity of Priscilla Macy and the Global Sojourns Giving Circle for their enormous contribution in helping the young ladies grow in so many different ways through the growth and empowerment workshops.

Khayelitsha Special Needs School (School for Disabled Children)
Purchase of a range of equipment for their skills departments, woodwork, beading, sewing, cooking and artwork.

Children from the Khayelitsha Special Needs School produced the most colour and beautiful seat covers and place mats for Andre and Jennifer from Trans Africa Safaris to take with them to the Virtuosa Conference in Las Vegas in August. The seat covers and place mats were used at one of the dinner hosted by Trans Africa, and were given to the  guests after the dinner. Trans Africa kindly donated a fantastic stereo set to the school.

The children in the art class at the school with their dedicated teacher Mr Zazaza

Woolworths My School Programme:
Woolworths offer their clients an opportunity to nominate a school, and for ALL purchases Woolworths give an amount to that school. Uthando has waged a very aggressive campaign to get as many South Africans to sign up to the My School Programme in support of the school as possible.

Khumbulani Centre (Pre-school / Soup Kitchen / Support Group for HIV Positive People)
Assistance with monthly expenses, rent and other overheads.

Khumbulani Centre now has a wonderful outside playground for their children.
The new playground at Khumbulani Centre

Kiddies Educare
Assistance with monthly overheads and expenses. Money has also gone into their reserve account with the goal of replacing the shack with a proper building / brick structure.

Mdzananda Animal Clinic ( Healthcare for Pets in Khayelitsha)
www.mdzananda.co.za
Purchase of chlorine gub for washing and sterilization of equipment, cages, vehicles etc. the upgrade of their wendy house to comply with SAVC standards.

Neighbourhood Old Age Homes ( NOAH, Care for Destitute Elderly)
www.noah.org.za
Purchase of equipment to enable the oldies to produce soaps, thus assisting them in generating an income for themselves in 2010.
Contribution to the Khayelitsha social club funds for outings.

The oldies with Thembie at NOAH in Khayelitsha making soap

Contribution to the Khayelitsha social club funds for outings.

Thank you to Terra Nova and Centre Stage Travel for hosting the Christmas party at Kirstenbosch Gardens, what an amazing day.

Place of Hope (Centre for Abused women and children
Thank you to efforts and generosity of Chrissie Lynch from the UK, Uthando commenced working with Place of Hope. As with most centres for abused women and children in Cape Town, they are bursting at the seems and struggling for funding. The monthly donations assist in covering basic expenses.

The Place of Hope

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. Uthando continues to promote this business to tour operators and tour guides. ALL people that visit T-Bags absolutely love it, and purchase their products as gifts and momentos.

Thandolwethu Day Care Centre
Assistance with monthly expenses and overheads.

Volcano Arts Project (Township Theatre Company)
Uthando is assisting Volcano with the construction of the theatre at his home. The half built theatre is already proving to be an enormous success, despite still being very much a construction site. It is a place for the drama group to jam, rehearse and involve the local community.

We had a particularly wonderful afternoon with a visit from the German musical group of 40, the Tourchester Lich, lead by their conductor Andreas Moeschl.

The Tourchester Lich at the still under construction Volcano Arts Theatre

Beading Project (Empowerment Project)

Every client that attends on an Uthando tour is given a beaded bookmark. The quality of the bookmarks has improved tremendously since the inception of the initiative and I always hand them over with great pride. With the great increase in numbers of people on the Uthando tour, the ladies making these products have also increased their business substantially. 

Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum
During the Fair Trade site assessment by Lisa Scriven, I discovered this amazing museum. It is tastefully done and explores one of the cornerstone policies of colonial and Apartheid South Africa. It is incredibly authentic with a visit to one of the original hostel dwellings being a particularly powerful experience.
Location, Lwandle township just outside Gordons Bay / Somerset West.
www.lwandle.com

Eziko Restaurant
Where possible Uthando will use the Eziko restaurant in Langa. The Eziko Cooking and Catering School, located in the heart of Langa Township just 15kms from the centre of Cape Town, was established in 1996 by a former Langa High School teacher, Victor Mguqulwa. Eziko offers a wonderful place for visitors to enjoy great food, whilst also supporting their incredibly empowering cooking school.

Bringing Items for donation to projects
Many people ask what they can bring to South Africa and donate when visiting the projects. Anything that is donated is handed to the director of the project being visited and not to people at the projects themselves.

Thanks again for all the wonderful support from so many people, love and good wishes for the festive season and lets all remain hopeful for a transformational and progressive 2010.

James Fernie and the Board of Uthando

Registered Section 21 Company 2007/030289/08
Tel: +27 21 683 8523 | Fax: +27 21 683 8520 | Mobile: +27 82 496 4889
Skype: james.uthandosa
www.uthandosa.org
PO Box 16491 | Vlaeberg | 8018 | South Africa

is a member of: