tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49978581420513286272024-02-19T08:12:55.622+02:00Roadtrip 2011Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-17746581495465556972011-10-28T09:31:00.007+02:002011-12-21T15:21:37.982+02:00Full Circle<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdUpeSwT_gYTFiLEmmLrM72gKrJ_P_02ByDIIBHIKXiGZPUvmWM7tJp8h5RNb2MhTk0NwWN-bp4XER7v0NPimBqDvjOk0G0daFHlqzU_RmKkQpc4UW51mStt_c4TK0UwPIWKntoTIPFGp/s1600/Foundation+Book+Cover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdUpeSwT_gYTFiLEmmLrM72gKrJ_P_02ByDIIBHIKXiGZPUvmWM7tJp8h5RNb2MhTk0NwWN-bp4XER7v0NPimBqDvjOk0G0daFHlqzU_RmKkQpc4UW51mStt_c4TK0UwPIWKntoTIPFGp/s640/Foundation+Book+Cover2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Old Mutual Foundation book "J<b>our</b>ney", a fulfilment of our vision.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wow, almost four months to the day after we set off on our wonderful road trip, we can proudly present to you our beautiful Old Mutual Foundation book entitled "<b><a href="http://www.omms.co.za/foundation/"><span style="color: blue;">J<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">OUR</span></b>NEY</span></a></b>". (If you click on the link, you'll find a snazzy online version, where you can flip through it page by page.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><br />
It’s the strangest feeling to hold in your hands the tangible end-product of something that started as an idea, a thought born in conversation, which took root and grew into a plan, and filled out with action (and loads of stress!), and then finally produced results. I’m sure most parents must have a similar feeling when they look at their kids…. hmmm, maybe we won’t go down <i>that</i> road, some parents might mutter about wanting to reverse their results!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">We’ve had such positive feedback from those people who’ve already received copies, and invariably they comment on two things, the first is Mark’s great photography and the second is that they so enjoyed reading the stories - it’s not just another corporate report! So a message to any other corporates out there, don’t overlook the power of story-telling when trying to reach an audience! And yes, our beneficiaries, without whom we would not have had any stories to tell, will all be receiving copies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">We launched <b>J</b>OUR<b>NEY</b> in September, amidst our glittering (green) Old Mutual Staff Volunteerism Awards where we were delighted and proud to host Archbishop.Emeritus Desmond Tutu as our Guest of Honour. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTmKY-TyhylsC1LmBvUWXL7aZdbc3L9Vb1WKLedy9gFGmhqze6QpDATyDd01C_z5zHPXH054ZS3L6Kc6xxeUL-DTqy_YIVByNWUDsCTIStDVQkGqOrlRh-zKTQApUC4QZgnmkjDVxIrfA/s1600/DesmondTutu_StaffVolAwards+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTmKY-TyhylsC1LmBvUWXL7aZdbc3L9Vb1WKLedy9gFGmhqze6QpDATyDd01C_z5zHPXH054ZS3L6Kc6xxeUL-DTqy_YIVByNWUDsCTIStDVQkGqOrlRh-zKTQApUC4QZgnmkjDVxIrfA/s640/DesmondTutu_StaffVolAwards+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Old Mutual Foundation Road Trip exhibition hosted at the annual Staff Volunteerism Awards. From left, Diane Ritson (Interim head of OM Foundation), Archbishop Emeritus Tutu and Kuseni Dlamini, CEO Old Mutual & Emerging Markets. Photo by Mark Wessels. </span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Every year, the Old Mutual Foundation recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary work of our many staff volunteers out there in our local communities – these are everyday ordinary folk who do extraordinary things in their communities, quietly, and without compensation or fanfare. So it was a fitting platform to showcase the Old Mutual Foundation project exhibition of our road trip images and launch our book. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">On top of it, we were thrilled to also pick up some great media coverage. Check it out … </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqGe-qvcUuoTAyGH1QsUbg05uE8NAUI6waodUU-vxrtdWmVbYvG_upOhEzplsUNifKYdTuTYuAUHVxZZEHx04rBhRav3oWiUjfHb4c9nnbq8tBhyphenhyphenUi0_IIYnquPaZ9-Cg8oqOFoidehwW/s1600/DailyTimes_RoadTripImages+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqGe-qvcUuoTAyGH1QsUbg05uE8NAUI6waodUU-vxrtdWmVbYvG_upOhEzplsUNifKYdTuTYuAUHVxZZEHx04rBhRav3oWiUjfHb4c9nnbq8tBhyphenhyphenUi0_IIYnquPaZ9-Cg8oqOFoidehwW/s640/DailyTimes_RoadTripImages+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Daily Times, Thurs 29th Sept - a fantastic spread of Mark's photographs!</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ClIUiuRJ9Cvs4LmevfnRMNYn_Kawpt_IcwuxVuUufcq6yn2xn-dSJwHPvBl5PC2fjk4uQhy2GKDXqFRV6hDNNgm-ywo3DKfu5DsTYlILt9iu316PkEKtOLzuzgSUDkBGqKoJg_-Vg7vq/s1600/DieBurger_TheArch+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ClIUiuRJ9Cvs4LmevfnRMNYn_Kawpt_IcwuxVuUufcq6yn2xn-dSJwHPvBl5PC2fjk4uQhy2GKDXqFRV6hDNNgm-ywo3DKfu5DsTYlILt9iu316PkEKtOLzuzgSUDkBGqKoJg_-Vg7vq/s640/DieBurger_TheArch+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Die Burger, Fri 30th Sept - "The Arch" at our 2011 Staff <br />
Volunteer Awards ceremony</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">And here we are, a-rootin’ and a-tootin’ for your <b><a href="http://www.sablogawards.com/"><span style="color: red;">2011 SA Blog Award</span></a></b> vote! Come on, admit it – when have you ever read such an interesting <b><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">Business Blog</span> </b>or else a <b><span style="color: blue;">Travel Blog</span></b> with a social conscience? S</span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">o spread the word via FB, BBM, Facebook and Twitter and make a noise to put socially responsible corporate investment on the South African blog map.</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-80882847330232081342011-08-16T08:47:00.005+02:002011-10-30T15:53:00.272+02:00The last blog<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQhTbwKfEAc91nfo-yaui88Rk2mPZWvtr4S4SXGEF8IiRHqkd9CYI5tt5LjOKq_e8r81Depg5-INPay7iANyihWoRRz5v-45D2SRZSFOi7I-uSb758zkDuVDxmwStvcHMgFt6R4zflt5Q/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQhTbwKfEAc91nfo-yaui88Rk2mPZWvtr4S4SXGEF8IiRHqkd9CYI5tt5LjOKq_e8r81Depg5-INPay7iANyihWoRRz5v-45D2SRZSFOi7I-uSb758zkDuVDxmwStvcHMgFt6R4zflt5Q/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW015.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The end of the Old Mutual Foundation road trip ...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wow! And what a journey it turned out to be. A few thousand kilometres, some amazing people, a beautiful country and a lost wallet in a baobab tree. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The focus of our journey when we set out was to gather the stories of the lives touched by the work of the Old Mutual Foundation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Storytelling is such a powerful medium that connects people at a heart level - across colour, creed and continents. An ancient wisdom, it’s as relevant in our modern boardrooms as it is sitting around a fire under the stars at night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s been wonderful to see the response to our road trip blog and the stories of the Old Mutual Foundation projects. Mark’s powerful imagery contributed enormously to the success of our blog and I only wish that we could’ve also inserted Tim’s video clips as well (a learning for our next blog!). To date, we’ve received 15,809 hits with a loyal following amongst Old Mutual staff and overseas readers from around the world. Here are the top 11 countries out of over 50 countries:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin: auto auto auto 4.65pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 284px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">South Africa</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">13647</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">United Kingdom</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">482</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">United States</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">453</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Germany</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">355</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Netherlands</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">54</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">India </span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">45</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Australia</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">37</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Malaysia</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">30</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Philippines</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">30</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Canada</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #e7e7e7 1pt solid; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15.75pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">29</span></div></td></tr>
<tr style="height: 15pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 164pt;" valign="top" width="219"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Colombia</span></div></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: #f0f0f0; border-left: #f0f0f0; border-right: #f0f0f0; border-top: #f0f0f0; height: 15pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 49pt;" width="65"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">29</span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What’s next you may ask? Well right now, the job at hand is to compile these stories into a book which will be available at the end of September. It’s going to be a great book, documenting the journey of the Old Mutual Foundation and the projects that we’ve covered in the road trip blog. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We'll let you know about it once it's printed and available.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To all those who’ve travelled this memorable journey with us, thanks for coming along and if you’re in the ‘neighbourhood’, drop us line and let us know about you and your world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yours in spirit, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Louise Jones</span><br />
<a href="mailto:ljones4@oldmutual.com"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ljones4@oldmutual.com</span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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</div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-3691267493450787162011-08-05T09:28:00.003+02:002011-08-10T10:01:33.554+02:00Eat your vegetables!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UxdzwtHrEyFLq3_hE29QKeR6HOKfC334D9T9uz9wPN8XdeFvL8JSxeYYFrdHj2VujX0jddLhW2scavk24SwZlE2dDixOHi0Um03oLNMDH-79UukKyjN-n8QzHp_yGEdfylgyLl7eBxFq/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UxdzwtHrEyFLq3_hE29QKeR6HOKfC334D9T9uz9wPN8XdeFvL8JSxeYYFrdHj2VujX0jddLhW2scavk24SwZlE2dDixOHi0Um03oLNMDH-79UukKyjN-n8QzHp_yGEdfylgyLl7eBxFq/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW014.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Reikemetse Co-operative ladies, with their bottled vegetable business in Thaba Nchu, Free State. (Ma Selina stands in the centre foreground.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For someone who grew up not really liking their vegetables, I’m finding these pretty tasty. We’re standing in Ma Selina’s vegetable bottling business in Potsane, a small village on the outskirts of Thaba Nchu. The house is constructed of orange clay mud bricks and the bare ground around her homestead has neat brushstrokes in the dirt, an indication of a house-proud owner who has neatly swept every morning. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzw5VLYJGURrJ_qzzbts4aa94uxcrHTebp2dpZbLbrVv_3qAmpqvAiEv-aBodGOY1lt-utbx5JfuxxLizAhz8-3Jar1F_gSF25pYT_4wWChNVON3Fa8lxwolO_ympr84mgpjOJGc4UMAXl/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzw5VLYJGURrJ_qzzbts4aa94uxcrHTebp2dpZbLbrVv_3qAmpqvAiEv-aBodGOY1lt-utbx5JfuxxLizAhz8-3Jar1F_gSF25pYT_4wWChNVON3Fa8lxwolO_ympr84mgpjOJGc4UMAXl/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW002.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thaba Nchu is about 65km east of Bloemfontein near the border of Lesotho. The Free State is famed for its flatness and there’s an old joke that says on Sunday you can see Wednesday coming over the horizon. Although seemingly featureless, there’s a spaciousness about this part of the world that is refreshing, with a dome of blue sky above you, and air that's clean and clear. It’s the sort of beauty that sneaks up on you unawares, there’s nothing remarkable about it (you think), until you leave and then discover that you miss the space.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoCyvTYlNTW0ETZhgS5FFIxpZO5faI5LjfXj-hNM92NBEW-sa4n7_Y2Ya9xGUb9ZgcrRycQ_VjKUOueMP6nawSHuIkfevfyB0TE4C-RwrwAHSbvlQGfa5v190Vw4iBWyIGmWfP7ewn_zd/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoCyvTYlNTW0ETZhgS5FFIxpZO5faI5LjfXj-hNM92NBEW-sa4n7_Y2Ya9xGUb9ZgcrRycQ_VjKUOueMP6nawSHuIkfevfyB0TE4C-RwrwAHSbvlQGfa5v190Vw4iBWyIGmWfP7ewn_zd/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW001.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given the low population in this province and that the main hub of industry is Bloemfontein, the outlying towns in the area battle with a depressed economy and unemployment, and poverty and malnutrition become real issues in the smaller villages like Potsane. So Ma Selina’s Reikemetse Co-operative is contributing towards job creation and poverty alleviation. It’s these types of small energetic enterprises that are needed to develop a strong grassroots economy. Which is why in 2010, the Old Mutual Foundation invested R179000 into their co-operative (Reikemetse mean “We stand on our own” in Sesotho) and it’s given the business a kick-start for purchasing materials and constructing a small 3-roomed factory from which the ladies can operate. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGA3TBxu7TR-RPzQuKN2xzThUkb-CFeaeP9iAOmANPKqp-UsHTQcGUbzbO8FrOjIKCVV9m7d19mR5ro1SsKxKv4tjq-byfw-jcpZcEwBwcgnNvRvbC-bZeMy8yGo1LtCAgjjeQ7k-23eM/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGA3TBxu7TR-RPzQuKN2xzThUkb-CFeaeP9iAOmANPKqp-UsHTQcGUbzbO8FrOjIKCVV9m7d19mR5ro1SsKxKv4tjq-byfw-jcpZcEwBwcgnNvRvbC-bZeMy8yGo1LtCAgjjeQ7k-23eM/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW012.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR1ALH1ACh5A4m0KVcB9j8J84prh3AzKfUEsKJhs7WISCWLQ0HH2yyatDr7YjMKMMNT2sMZMmyJ9hX-g9BLEEYptQGknH9_nB6AFyCPRAiM0R_6ez2r-8qg52C57NZ3gEq5OFYCcqPV8W/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR1ALH1ACh5A4m0KVcB9j8J84prh3AzKfUEsKJhs7WISCWLQ0HH2yyatDr7YjMKMMNT2sMZMmyJ9hX-g9BLEEYptQGknH9_nB6AFyCPRAiM0R_6ez2r-8qg52C57NZ3gEq5OFYCcqPV8W/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW003.jpg" t$="true" width="426" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s evident that the ladies are proud of their work. They’re all kitted out in neat, white uniforms and caps. A bowl of soapy water and towel have been set on a chair outside their kitchen and no-one comes in without washing their hands. Inside the kitchen, the ladies have started cooking up a storm for our visit. Everything smells really good, and they’re all chattering away like mynahs birds whilst peeling tomatoes for one pot and a pile of pears for the other pot. I can’t speak Sesotho and they can’t speak English, so strangely we seem to be able to communicate best in broken Afrikaans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNuxzBInDoQ3YZoEVNGN-asj9hyphenhyphenJih9Sokkx0PIYPH83DJpycIS8CjZOvlY9rojmKOZelgXpQT1Nn3YCketBRhKwIKj7mZsB18e8tRB0n9VtiqwrjI597R5rKGEh8eExp_OaW-Kpmj1WF/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNuxzBInDoQ3YZoEVNGN-asj9hyphenhyphenJih9Sokkx0PIYPH83DJpycIS8CjZOvlY9rojmKOZelgXpQT1Nn3YCketBRhKwIKj7mZsB18e8tRB0n9VtiqwrjI597R5rKGEh8eExp_OaW-Kpmj1WF/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW010.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7264wtYr_f6ngEHw4snz4gLwkf9SCxhZ5L1c3TV8SE6xmRuBktBdDKPaKhr-oUtNVCxHfbWxoUvTGtArAEw2rq6zMLkoP9O6tN9O7_Us6pllj5BWsnAEXYq5c2I3KV6EoVZoYSyIAl3bA/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7264wtYr_f6ngEHw4snz4gLwkf9SCxhZ5L1c3TV8SE6xmRuBktBdDKPaKhr-oUtNVCxHfbWxoUvTGtArAEw2rq6zMLkoP9O6tN9O7_Us6pllj5BWsnAEXYq5c2I3KV6EoVZoYSyIAl3bA/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW008.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I speak with Ma Selina she tells me there’re 10 ladies in the co-operative, they buy their foodstuffs in at wholesale price and make up to 50 bottles in a day. They have a range of products from bottled vegetables like tomato relish, beetroot, carrots and atchar to bottled pears (each bottle neatly labeled), which they sell at nearby Thaba Nchu. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As with all small businesses we’ve spoken to, they have similar challenges – needing to secure regular contracts to various retailers and battling with access to transport. With the profit from their sales, they can contribute towards their household income. Ma Selina says, “I've learnt a lot since we started in 2008. When we meet together as women, we can stand together as a united front. We can advise each one another and our families can survive. Then we are able to help other people in the community.”</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQGfFSS_-zSyZK7q4E6iPfO6cKfkkyox7hMlrDBLQrNMWPfDpQCIJh2PQ2UkIQSUvGztoqbg71ESUtc6dN9U6Ul3jAZrCxy01WttdxxVrli4Pgzvc9J8rvn3EfICWJG3mvWFYUhUFNWOm/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQGfFSS_-zSyZK7q4E6iPfO6cKfkkyox7hMlrDBLQrNMWPfDpQCIJh2PQ2UkIQSUvGztoqbg71ESUtc6dN9U6Ul3jAZrCxy01WttdxxVrli4Pgzvc9J8rvn3EfICWJG3mvWFYUhUFNWOm/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW013.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"As women, we must stand together," says Ma Selina Mokgothu, Chairperson of the Reikemetse Co-operative. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m impressed at their positive attitude towards creating a business, albeit a small one (for now), it's about taking initiative and being prepared to work towards a better future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later as we’re outside filming, Tim has asked the ladies to walk down the path towards tim. They're a bit awkward and we have to repeat it a few times. However after a few takes, we finally give them the thumbs up and they start ululating with delight. Of course there’s even more giggling when Mark gets onto a chair and starts directing them for the shot, “werk vir my,” he says - I presume this is his Afrikaans equivalent of, “work it baby!” Either way there’s much delighted laughter and I can see that this is going to provide conversation around the cooking tables for months to come!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcsUwciJnq3BG_Q7krcGppdmeD4Ch32MSoXkOFagpE965R79yH5CQTWTtb_pHwnP2MNWatpylcb13GLOk8p8MNAq5ZTtXfN5jLZOtHHJkWi2o9UFOky-uluaDP8KbmavX4z4ynVwwlhDt/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcsUwciJnq3BG_Q7krcGppdmeD4Ch32MSoXkOFagpE965R79yH5CQTWTtb_pHwnP2MNWatpylcb13GLOk8p8MNAq5ZTtXfN5jLZOtHHJkWi2o9UFOky-uluaDP8KbmavX4z4ynVwwlhDt/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ThabaNchu-Reikemetse-13072011-MW006.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We pack up to leave and I make sure that there’re a few bottles of delicious products tucked into my bags. So for those faithful blog readers who’ve enjoyed every step of the way with us, drop a comment and we’ll make a plan to get some to you. First come, first served!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s time to head back to Bloemfontein for our flights. This time it really is the end of the road for our Old Mutual Foundation road trip, Tim’s heading back to Jo’burg and Mark and I are flying back to Cape Town. We bump down a dirt road, dodge a few sheep and there on the side of the road is a huge billboard that says, “Come back soon to BIG SKY country.” </span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-72490261972126801982011-07-28T23:14:00.007+02:002011-08-01T15:10:10.774+02:00Diamonds in the rough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienyurAZJ5xLhl7Zkb1MPN2tz5kl2TpP9Irt0C8wXwvhx-DkAGT-FHclR48vXULtdrOA5BPJCi6A3s8IdJ2dEvIk3qaEhKF6doxGVaizwLrJQ1OssSBkae_n9qMu6T8Yoi72DrR412hZc9/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienyurAZJ5xLhl7Zkb1MPN2tz5kl2TpP9Irt0C8wXwvhx-DkAGT-FHclR48vXULtdrOA5BPJCi6A3s8IdJ2dEvIk3qaEhKF6doxGVaizwLrJQ1OssSBkae_n9qMu6T8Yoi72DrR412hZc9/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW017.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“So did anyone see any ghosts last night?” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ask the un-askable question at the breakfast table this morning. We all sheepishly agree that it probably wasn’t the best night’s sleep we’d ever had despite the fact that our rooms were delicious and the beds warm. “I woke up, but decided not to open my eyes,” admits Mark, “if there was something there I didn’t want to see it!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this morning we're all feeling a bit scratchy but nevertheless looking forward to the day. We have a few hours free before heading to our project <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">²</span> Coffee Shop</b>, so the plan is to walk about Kimberley’s old mining town and see the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">groot gat</i> itself, the Big Hole.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those of you who like me aren’t too familiar with Kimberley’s history, back in the old days in 1871 diamonds were discovered on a featureless, flat-topped hill. Soon thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing but picks, shovels and hope descended on Kimberley and created the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. By the time the mine closed in 1914, it had produced 2722 kgs of diamonds including many of the largest diamonds ever found. Today what remains is a massive crater 214m deep, that has filled with water. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6-E8SFnlTsTHLC4bAuK7Jr54AhJWd5hm3VbUfcuKPtP1gYbcSBwOMaugTzx0KTd3mR8-fKDknY0PYp08iPcPK-I8z3jVC-7u3DnMxFtAgqIt_uWmteNXPr2OyoO_1o2IHVvm22x-AQ8D/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6-E8SFnlTsTHLC4bAuK7Jr54AhJWd5hm3VbUfcuKPtP1gYbcSBwOMaugTzx0KTd3mR8-fKDknY0PYp08iPcPK-I8z3jVC-7u3DnMxFtAgqIt_uWmteNXPr2OyoO_1o2IHVvm22x-AQ8D/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW003.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The history of the town and those bygone days of mad, crazed diamond-fever and power struggles for wealth and control are well-captured in the preserved and restored buildings. It really is an experience to wander through shops, step over tram lines, and imagine the noisy saloons and rough miners. All searching and hoping for that one big break, convinced that the next bucket of dirt would yield it…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebEN2Q7_4MO7Fu3p16d9HTBHzlYo_CkPAUFkhOTlGiqyaAtOnk03ifzZvut8aaj7A9Z45uLSh5lawgOZPI_aOBa8kKqYDfHxaMCZlDG6zN_-UBV0_M_0n5oxKflIylJXmCNPz2JqlWdXC/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebEN2Q7_4MO7Fu3p16d9HTBHzlYo_CkPAUFkhOTlGiqyaAtOnk03ifzZvut8aaj7A9Z45uLSh5lawgOZPI_aOBa8kKqYDfHxaMCZlDG6zN_-UBV0_M_0n5oxKflIylJXmCNPz2JqlWdXC/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW004.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Big Hole itself is a site to behold and going on tour underground really gets one to imagine, even if just a glimpse, the dangerous mining of 150 years ago, rock falls, deaths and desperation. Those must have been hectic days! Anyway, after swooning over some of the most beautiful diamond displays I’ve ever seen, we eventually hustled off to find diamonds of another kind.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje8JiIiiXMnvwJdxlXvSwhyuzFTzILXSmF4x1Ppc56eavUTxtFDWJSCgNh_Ltv07oibbpghFQu_1DZfQg4Ck8if4dQTOLJbltRo1QOIJQJv_xuTHVyXi1wO4DkCG5JKYE0qbChWSohTI5/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje8JiIiiXMnvwJdxlXvSwhyuzFTzILXSmF4x1Ppc56eavUTxtFDWJSCgNh_Ltv07oibbpghFQu_1DZfQg4Ck8if4dQTOLJbltRo1QOIJQJv_xuTHVyXi1wO4DkCG5JKYE0qbChWSohTI5/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW016.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The worlds largest yellow diamond, The Tiffany Diamond, purchased in 1878 by Tiffany's & Co and now permanently on display with the famous diamond merchants.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turning into Diamantveld Hoerskool, we meet up with Anne McLean who started the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">²</span></b> or ‘Maths x Music’ Coffee Shop in 2004. Anne has always had a desire to work with underprivileged kids, “it’s like a calling for me, a passion.” she explains. “When I studied at university, I even took <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isiXhosa</i> lessons because I believed that I’d be teaching in the Transkei. I never saw myself working in privileged surroundings.” Having qualified as a maths teacher and gone onto to become a school principal, Anne always dreamed of starting a project that would unlock the potential of children who were locked in schools that would never realize their potential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">² </span></b>programme supports 240 school-kids (60 each from Grade 9 – 12) from surrounding schools, based on their potential in maths & science, their spirit of commitment and their helpfulness towards other kids. The programme entails weekly lessons and holiday schools. The Old Mutual Foundation is currently funding 60 Grade 10s. Anne tells me how she got connected with us. “One day one of your advisors phoned to sell me a policy. I told him, I don’t want to buy anything from you, just give me the name of someone in Old Mutual who can support this project.” The rest is history as they say. Anne laughs, “I just dream it and God makes it happen.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And what impact has the programme had, I ask Anne? She introduces me to two young lads who have especially come here to meet us today. Goodwill and his friend Orapeleng are both from Galeshewe, an impoverished area of Kimberley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having graduated from school last year, they both describe<strong> </strong>how<strong> M</strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">² changed something for them. Instead of just ‘cruising’ with ordinary marks, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">² </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">ignited a love for maths and science and their marks climbed into the upper 70s and higher. In fact, last year Goodwill was the only Grade 12 scholar in Northern Cape to achieve 100% in maths! I look with pride at these polite, well-spoken young men who are now studying Computer Science at Wits. Despite their excellent results life isn’t easy, they’re still battling to get bursaries and their first year at university is proving a tough challenge.</span> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUxLlkLK4VGSphZF3arATSwE-Zv2EbxrvTcZmWcZL8ZnME5DswRck8lsFQKOYuzxNkonXtnffkbRr3im3ZsIUSzk5NnpHHh0q8QbCwdRvAec_7AYph8ZUMTm7llVcySTJK3RkgTd3RZJ6/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUxLlkLK4VGSphZF3arATSwE-Zv2EbxrvTcZmWcZL8ZnME5DswRck8lsFQKOYuzxNkonXtnffkbRr3im3ZsIUSzk5NnpHHh0q8QbCwdRvAec_7AYph8ZUMTm7llVcySTJK3RkgTd3RZJ6/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW006.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Goodwill Tshekela (19), M2 graduate and top Maths student for 2010 Northern Cape, achieving 100% pass.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We then go through to ‘your Grade 10s’ as Anne calls the group of children that Old Mutual is funding. They’re busily involved performing chemistry test on local water, as part of the United Nations International Year of Chemistry. I’m reminded of my own schooldays and how I loved getting stuck into the practical experiments, it made the learning so much more fun. Lastly we head off to the school hall, where another class is choreographing a dance routine to loud music. “It’s all part of enjoying learning,” says Anne, “music and maths come from the same part of the brain.”</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iD8fV4WtNLcGcZEOimstwcrmKNLEvHT014hXGrGp4mDQfB3jpA7wCZjdNw1MfUxiE-o5FElTTV0Fx8BKfW2b0CnESEconRqi9aADPDextWEXoeP7Nla3rpryVNgrSkx3JpIee21PaXmC/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iD8fV4WtNLcGcZEOimstwcrmKNLEvHT014hXGrGp4mDQfB3jpA7wCZjdNw1MfUxiE-o5FElTTV0Fx8BKfW2b0CnESEconRqi9aADPDextWEXoeP7Nla3rpryVNgrSkx3JpIee21PaXmC/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW010.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anne amidst a swirl of students</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NSXOEB8BhILUs8J36_kg8mUCRictwU4nVwBButYi0sEOR7hP2aP_XGTw2l1qg_Bx1nY3n9u6Y6Qm9igKx5vQrMzpV9KPcsw0WT-5ZI_TTo5cXBq3cY74hpIDgzlyi_wLIKNex6kCHXGm/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NSXOEB8BhILUs8J36_kg8mUCRictwU4nVwBButYi0sEOR7hP2aP_XGTw2l1qg_Bx1nY3n9u6Y6Qm9igKx5vQrMzpV9KPcsw0WT-5ZI_TTo5cXBq3cY74hpIDgzlyi_wLIKNex6kCHXGm/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW002.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">United Nations, International Year of Chemistry water sampling experiments being conducted by Grade 10s. Diamantveld Hoerskool, Kimberley.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzExgeHM6-maONqBwL1ZixNoLE0EYzOX42jyiquU9Y5rf-ydj9_f4Xyi3GNkpp8QYICPEprn336QT4YSAivDR3wKmrimRXU-p08iFlQeHKy62HHx8JQWGdN06E0D-cvPOQ2kribkwzLd0/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzExgeHM6-maONqBwL1ZixNoLE0EYzOX42jyiquU9Y5rf-ydj9_f4Xyi3GNkpp8QYICPEprn336QT4YSAivDR3wKmrimRXU-p08iFlQeHKy62HHx8JQWGdN06E0D-cvPOQ2kribkwzLd0/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW003.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Reflections on science</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQxbSFapGSs-E_GITxI_bx7j0xfZzWRd8atrNkbZ6marFYhIrbt43qtLPUNGYCdyPdPEEwUVdlGrxhdkvUQT2ws21ztTCmrlj96i-1qNLE5CNFYKb3l8hpEN3KoBvp3kZ6xbLv5d5KNxs/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQxbSFapGSs-E_GITxI_bx7j0xfZzWRd8atrNkbZ6marFYhIrbt43qtLPUNGYCdyPdPEEwUVdlGrxhdkvUQT2ws21ztTCmrlj96i-1qNLE5CNFYKb3l8hpEN3KoBvp3kZ6xbLv5d5KNxs/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-Diamantveld-12072011-MW011.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Teacher and mentor, Anne enjoys interacting with all 'her kids'.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As we’re walking along the corridor, a group of students ambles noisily past us. For a moment I catch a glimpse of the headmistress in Anne. “Excuse me,” she says to the group sternly, “where is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fast</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">formal</i>?” The group is immediately chastised into silence and move off at a faster, quieter pace. Oh boy, I’d forgotten about that side of school life!</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s late afternoon and time to head off, we’ve still got 200km to drive through to our last project in Thaba Nchu. The N12 road is surprisingly heavy with traffic and there’re plenty of Stop/Ry/Go constructions which make our progress slow. But strangely the flat featureless Free State has its own unusual beauty as evening hour approaches… </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9wyEotZeW41c5PLaOYkPFUuYuZ9R_92YLT2YEK-QJlxM8G1j7NK1CVEu7UMo2_iXcpfxKIYCdRyPLFxMbo6MpjXHdMdhZqkCsXem24m34hsVhC80OxlT9Eyi9iEC1yWkwCgEMEz7JOFU/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9wyEotZeW41c5PLaOYkPFUuYuZ9R_92YLT2YEK-QJlxM8G1j7NK1CVEu7UMo2_iXcpfxKIYCdRyPLFxMbo6MpjXHdMdhZqkCsXem24m34hsVhC80OxlT9Eyi9iEC1yWkwCgEMEz7JOFU/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHoleExtra-1112072011-MW008.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ballerinas of the bushveld ...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">We eventually get to our hotel in Thaba Nchu after sundown. It’s a massive place (with over 150 rooms) but weirdly silent and empty, it feels like we're the only three people staying here tonight! By now it’s cold and dark and we walk to our rooms down one long corridor after another, it’s eerie and uninhabited. “Sjoe,” I remark to Mark and Tim, “so did either of you ever see the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Shining</i>?” </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The guys groan, “Louise that’s even worse than ghosts!” Oh no, bang goes another night of sleep...</span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some more of Mark's funky <em>hipstamic pix</em>...</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUBoBJ33sdzzsBjk6H7q2C_9Wvl8ySAz8-v6iCnErBT5CKEtaAjRkN4XT6p-dyoN2yHCzgK7csNttLBgI-F_4_xsNfBnqnyMf5EFZZLfSJEVci32l34AoxtQNsM4LKp8ENN65bIGpP_9f/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUBoBJ33sdzzsBjk6H7q2C_9Wvl8ySAz8-v6iCnErBT5CKEtaAjRkN4XT6p-dyoN2yHCzgK7csNttLBgI-F_4_xsNfBnqnyMf5EFZZLfSJEVci32l34AoxtQNsM4LKp8ENN65bIGpP_9f/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW013.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWkeA2AlhhgtYECSIa-VzULcGvQZTiqJXKAo8BAVqE26oNnGNeaDbmDY3MxiCassn3cVMUThLY0meEgbNn_qKCHP-uGQbwG4stfOrT3FXitLgIGMniszp9QrqLZE9amIn4sBUVZo3q1Bs/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWkeA2AlhhgtYECSIa-VzULcGvQZTiqJXKAo8BAVqE26oNnGNeaDbmDY3MxiCassn3cVMUThLY0meEgbNn_qKCHP-uGQbwG4stfOrT3FXitLgIGMniszp9QrqLZE9amIn4sBUVZo3q1Bs/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW004.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FWZSb-Et0paPA6Qh2f1kBu9FAHMEypdFUO-nC1rzGNWWt3hGPo0NTsRz4-77owN2lZpw2qzg_lUM_X1X_PXmbKkDfgZ3w2BE0nHd_dabwLm6kFB4l4yTfeM8p8ZC1-24eKOEKcpbZPGO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FWZSb-Et0paPA6Qh2f1kBu9FAHMEypdFUO-nC1rzGNWWt3hGPo0NTsRz4-77owN2lZpw2qzg_lUM_X1X_PXmbKkDfgZ3w2BE0nHd_dabwLm6kFB4l4yTfeM8p8ZC1-24eKOEKcpbZPGO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Kimberley-BigHole-1112072011-MW001.jpg" t$="true" width="640" /></span></a></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-43512190079576477332011-07-19T22:22:00.002+02:002011-07-22T09:26:35.668+02:00Willard is wired!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hooboy, it was the strangest feeling coming back into the office after being out on the road for three weeks. The only experience that I can liken it to is if you’ve ever slept out in the open under the stars and then you have to go and sleep indoors. Everything seems small, with the walls too close and you feel restless for open space and cold air keen on your face. Sigh, well as least I do … </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I guess adaptability is one of our strongest features of being human and before you know it, you’re back into life routine. People would say to me, so did you have fun? And I’d really think about my answer and couldn’t honestly say yes. Because fun seemed too frivolous a word – our journey had been exhausting and exhilarating; it had been a privilege, we’d laughed a lot together, but there was also a responsibility to report back meaningfully on the stories we were coming across <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> we’d worked really hard, often past midnight, every night. So the best I could say was that it had been intense.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark, Tim and I had worked well as a team, so when we got together again for our last three projects we spontaneously broke out into a slow-motion movie-style run towards each other, grinning like Cheshire cats. Of course the only way to start our day was to go and have a slap-up breakfast, bacon, eggs and boerewors nogal. Lekker!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here we are, in picture-perfect Cape Town and our project today is called Feeling African. It replaces the earlier project that we couldn’t see near Kruger (Hlanganani Arts & Crafts who we were really sad to miss). </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45A7xVtLzCMszEA-fJLed03EMiF3wDW3azFyO67DtiFVMgqJ15DLjGlBGyNkV0uEAsOB8q1IPgoTvbZpz9-mRvYK6Q0IEXdjOEllfJj4tmvGVfngwaqGbMszzhaQ2aqwdN9V0uPunh2Nt/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45A7xVtLzCMszEA-fJLed03EMiF3wDW3azFyO67DtiFVMgqJ15DLjGlBGyNkV0uEAsOB8q1IPgoTvbZpz9-mRvYK6Q0IEXdjOEllfJj4tmvGVfngwaqGbMszzhaQ2aqwdN9V0uPunh2Nt/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW006.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Willard Musarurwa, business-owner of <em>Feeling African</em>, Woodstock, Cape Town.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basically this is another <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.fetola.co.za/clients-and-funders/old-mutual-foundation/"><span style="color: blue;">Old Mutual Legends</span></a></b> project, similar to the </span><a href="http://www.waste2wow.co.za/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waste2Wow</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> people that we visited up in Jo’burg. (Read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://oldmutualfoundationroadtrip.blogspot.com/2011/07/springs-soldiers-wow-waterfalls.html"><span style="color: blue;">Of Springs and things</span></a></i>). OK, brief explanation: the Legends programme specialises in selecting really good small businesses and entrepreneurs and helps gives them a ‘leg-up’ so speak onto the next level of business, with intensive business advice and support on a range of subjects such as costing and pricing, marketing, employment and sourcing access to markets. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Old Mutual Legends Director Cathy Wijnberg is clear when she says “We can’t afford to take on lame ducks; we haven’t got the time to waste.” So the selection process is quite stringent to ensure that only those who’ve already survived the first critical period of growth are taken onto the programme. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Mutual Foundation has funded the Legends programme over R3 million since 2007, because growing successful businesses is a key factor in stimulating our economy and job creation. The programme has grown so successfully - it has over 80 business beneficiaries like Willard around the country, and it training up another 60 this year - that it was a finalist in the 2010 Mail & Guardian <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Investing in the Future Awards</i>. Quite an achievement for such a young project!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDEq0D2__2BBULjr6BXBc_OfogPnApVnhzhyjvWb5XTFH1Qoh_EKPZh6JmQC1p9-NC-JzqKL1o1ZjwVDwhpAVyOcI5cLoXD9Ipo2sXqYCEhTqb7DEL7829tYtoCCpxeipyTJ9h4PWBX7/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbDEq0D2__2BBULjr6BXBc_OfogPnApVnhzhyjvWb5XTFH1Qoh_EKPZh6JmQC1p9-NC-JzqKL1o1ZjwVDwhpAVyOcI5cLoXD9Ipo2sXqYCEhTqb7DEL7829tYtoCCpxeipyTJ9h4PWBX7/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW001.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Old Mutual Legends Director Cathy Wijnberg and Willard Musarurwa discuss one of his products.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Willard Musarurwa (33) one of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Old Mutual Legends</b> beneficiaries. He’s a big man with gentle sunny energy and a wide easy smile. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His business <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feeling African </i>makes funky colourful wire craftworks and furniture which are sold locally and exported. His most successful collaboration has been with New York designer Stephen Burks. Willard is married to Anna and they have two sons, Kelly (8) and Tyrone (3 weeks only). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Hmmm, </span>I wonder how much sleep Willard’s been getting lately.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpILHu_yIMtBPJkI39grMHc0QrzUuqPI-VUK9oWV4N0ticGXGTYGUs4-YjyYmpHphTCNjybD-HtxUubPPP8uAQ_HAwFkGC15RRSlPsjOr1C9vcR7KT7riyq0T3jDZNuvCP7y_qtjg4Zxv/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpILHu_yIMtBPJkI39grMHc0QrzUuqPI-VUK9oWV4N0ticGXGTYGUs4-YjyYmpHphTCNjybD-HtxUubPPP8uAQ_HAwFkGC15RRSlPsjOr1C9vcR7KT7riyq0T3jDZNuvCP7y_qtjg4Zxv/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Feeling African</em> wire products are powder-coated to produce a range of vibrant, colourful furniture.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Willard’s story is an example of persistence. Zimbabwean by birth, he came to Cape Town in 2000 looking for greener pastures. “In Zim, the cracks were already starting to show,” he remarks settling down on one of his hand-crafted stools. "I had a dream that one day I would own my own business,” he says. “It wasn’t easy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I came to Cape Town, I looked for a job but couldn’t find one. I used to make wire key rings, candle holders, fruit bowls, even tortoises - people really loved those.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would sell them on Long Street at night, in the clubs.” I’m amazed, why in the clubs? He grins, “At night, when people are drunk it’s the best time to sell.”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL2Qn4fA1NwKBAj_s2wQLbs_7ZopubVZR6I3VT0lQc8Ahn0nWaPan5yz7keeDfxnmCy4n71RF8RyMFAdGUOsJXGaarmZylfnnNBWzm9R-PEUwkg2TZvf4_zyTsQjEW67Z_dGr0k8aS-NT/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL2Qn4fA1NwKBAj_s2wQLbs_7ZopubVZR6I3VT0lQc8Ahn0nWaPan5yz7keeDfxnmCy4n71RF8RyMFAdGUOsJXGaarmZylfnnNBWzm9R-PEUwkg2TZvf4_zyTsQjEW67Z_dGr0k8aS-NT/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW005.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A man and his business. "I'm happy and proud to be a business owner. I've overcome many challenges."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this wasn’t a sustainable living. Things shifted in 2003 when he approached the Cape Craft & Design Institute who helped transform him from a street vendor into a small business. “When I got my first order from a shop in the Waterfront,” he remembers, “they paid me with a cheque for R7000, I was so excited!”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd_WHzNlVcByxw4cVxfSggMKETQ4_LgXz3gNBdu32fmOxk_esdld8y-yXizkmSKXe7H2_6W7LEqdNkZgt729p-AEkN25ih7Jyb-IH7iypQelfx18oYis77ZtTs5RTuDkTuVNl8t5timRh/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd_WHzNlVcByxw4cVxfSggMKETQ4_LgXz3gNBdu32fmOxk_esdld8y-yXizkmSKXe7H2_6W7LEqdNkZgt729p-AEkN25ih7Jyb-IH7iypQelfx18oYis77ZtTs5RTuDkTuVNl8t5timRh/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW003.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Alexio, originally from Mthatha is now a fully employed wire-worker for <em>Feeling African</em>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Willard was accepted onto the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Old Mutual Legends</b> programme in 2008 and his business has gone from strength to strength. Now he has access to a professional support network, regularly exhibits in trade shows, employs six full-time wire-workers and pulls in extra workers when there’re really big orders, “and we’ve been able to buy a bakkie,” he adds proudly. His products are sold in leading SA interior shops and have featured in local and international magazines. “I want to be a role model for young people in the townships,” he says, ”I want them to know that you don’t always have to go out and look for jobs, you can start your own business!” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sjoe, it feels good to know that we've helped someone like this. Willard's a good guy and he's worked really hard to make a success of his business.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfshwU1W0OQtJfgz7JtSU0LJl3wMyZlgSnQSSgyFDgAY2N473Bk2Bhk1U_BUOSTykWfhth-vDlyL2EOJkRpsqwCU0mktdtjOsXRrFKwvBPc3xLeqCmtN09KtYUxnW-BRiOWiixfmPx94vZ/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfshwU1W0OQtJfgz7JtSU0LJl3wMyZlgSnQSSgyFDgAY2N473Bk2Bhk1U_BUOSTykWfhth-vDlyL2EOJkRpsqwCU0mktdtjOsXRrFKwvBPc3xLeqCmtN09KtYUxnW-BRiOWiixfmPx94vZ/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-FeelingAfrican-Woodstock-11072011-MW002.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Martin, originally from Messina, Limpopo province, is now a fully employed wire-worker for <em>Feeling African</em>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s time to bundle up our gear and head off to the airport again (this time without the overweight luggage saga). We’re on a late afternoon flight to Kimberley for our next education project, M<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">² Coffee Shop. </span>Hooray, I’m excited because I’ve never seen Kimberley’s famous Big Hole before and it’s one of those fun things to tick off the list and say that you’ve done. The guys are keen because I’ve booked us into the historical old mining town and we’re staying in the old-timer rooms from the 1870s. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later that in evening in Kimberley, as the young woman is showing us to our delightful rooms with wooden floors, high-backed enamel bath and a zinc roof that gives the odd creak every now and then; we laughingly make a casual enquiry, “So are there any resident ghosts?” Now this is definitely the wrong thing to ask late at night as I’m about to be left alone in my huge room in which I’m going to rattle around by myself… let alone anything else rattling around me. Tim leans over and says to me, “Do you notice she didn’t say no, she just smiled at us.” Oh boy, too late, now the seed has been planted and we’ve all got the heebie-jeebies. Oooer, this was going to be a long night!</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-46303240999609728682011-07-13T08:02:00.004+02:002011-07-14T13:27:25.516+02:00Huistoe (but not finished...)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLJjIa17Ly-BwdLsaMqO9Im5AvJFO2jtdfvLOBv0U0bLtPOzwbSeXrJwdTWTc5NgUFZUTof3Xamqjmdu__aFY8Zp_ubWXaa-fGWseQPOYowRthTzoLZt9k8pXJXbvvyLzN7rHMXyEJLgV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-LanseriaFarewell-Gauteng-25062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLJjIa17Ly-BwdLsaMqO9Im5AvJFO2jtdfvLOBv0U0bLtPOzwbSeXrJwdTWTc5NgUFZUTof3Xamqjmdu__aFY8Zp_ubWXaa-fGWseQPOYowRthTzoLZt9k8pXJXbvvyLzN7rHMXyEJLgV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-LanseriaFarewell-Gauteng-25062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg...freezing cold! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mark and I are flying back to CT, Tim and son Brandon and daughter Ashley have joined us to say farewell. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Although our big road trip is finished, we've still got a couple of project visits to complete... so don't leave just yet!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Hi all, just a few brief blog details to let you know that this is d-day of our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big</i> Road Trip… Tim is back home with his family in Jozi and Mark and I fly back to the Mother City. There are two people that I particularly want to thank and that's Tina (Mrs. Tim) and Tami (Mrs. Mark), it’s not easy holding down the home fort on your own with kids.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Technically speaking although we’re heading home, we still have three more projects visits to complete. If you remember </span><a href="http://oldmutualfoundationroadtrip.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue;">The Journey</span></i>,</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <strong>projects 22 & 23 in the Free State</strong> ‘fell off the bus’ during school exams in June and we could only visit them during July. And Hlanganani Arts & Crafts near Kruger couldn’t make our dates, so we’ll be documenting a replacement project in Cape Town. However these will be fly-in fly-out visits, so although our Road Trip is homeward-bound, we’ve still got a few more project visits to tack onto our blog<br />
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Thanks to those of you who’ve travelled every step of the way with us. With almost 11 000 hits on our blog from Old Mutual staff and a strong following of readers in the UK, US, Germany, Colombia, Australia, India, Kenya, Uganda, China and Israel to mention just a few countries, we’ve been simply blown by the comments, feedback and support. It’s really been a very meaningful experience and we’ve tried to keep it real. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Stay with us for this last leg and I’ll keep you posted for the remainder of our journey. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS: The Last Road Trip blog is still going to happen with Mark and Tim, but <em>ag</em>, you know with guys, they need time to prepare... </span><br />
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</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-52260645572485403782011-07-10T17:28:00.007+02:002011-07-17T19:26:24.397+02:00From darkness into light…<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBidWwLX_BNDMdUI3WOeNsbKse3hvoA0np4qUaXhfvfB8_uz2UqfTSdQQpSBT8hFtMDuXYMkO-x740YY1OJbN3s-TDl_2KIoJqakw0uhyphenhyphenwt0IlmSJImCC6KGq7JhJtB46Q8s8gbT4lXCxJ/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBidWwLX_BNDMdUI3WOeNsbKse3hvoA0np4qUaXhfvfB8_uz2UqfTSdQQpSBT8hFtMDuXYMkO-x740YY1OJbN3s-TDl_2KIoJqakw0uhyphenhyphenwt0IlmSJImCC6KGq7JhJtB46Q8s8gbT4lXCxJ/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Children's toys at the Child Protection Unit, Daveyton SA Police Station, Johannesburg. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Statistics estimate that in South Africa, a child is raped every twenty-four minutes.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I have learnt about a <strong>J88 </strong>form. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is a medical report completed by a doctor or medical attendant, of an alleged offence in cases of rape, sexual and physical abuse. The form documents a complete physical examination including gynecological and anal examination and male genitalia. On the form are a number of schematic drawings of a person’s body where the doctor has to indicate location and manner of injury. It is a sobering form to contemplate.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are standing in Daveyton, a suburb in the far east of Johannesburg. At the Daveyton police station, there is a child-friendly unit which was provided by funding from the Old Mutual Foundation. (A similar unit was also funded in Kraaifontein, Cape Town). These units offer a safe, non-threatening environment where children involved in cases of rape, physical and sexual abuse can be interviewed by members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS), a special unit of the South African Police Service SAPS. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4v63SzZciK5UbSY1PkeWrc3gQapxMANtZ6pak1hA9_hLq3hYX-P0zJE-QY0Gi9-Gfcb4euR9peETh_w3DWwi_kmZtWdOqaldGhHvPq5c5SojUAXqdxsreSBmcSy31NREa1BnpjficVPV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4v63SzZciK5UbSY1PkeWrc3gQapxMANtZ6pak1hA9_hLq3hYX-P0zJE-QY0Gi9-Gfcb4euR9peETh_w3DWwi_kmZtWdOqaldGhHvPq5c5SojUAXqdxsreSBmcSy31NREa1BnpjficVPV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lieutenant Colonel Katie Segatta, Krugersdorp FCS Unit, SA Police, tells us about her work and some of the cases she's dealt with. She has been with the SAPS for 16 years. "I couldn't possibly think of doing anything else," she says, "this work is my passion." </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Inside the unit, the walls are painted a gentle peach colour and have children’s murals of Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger and Piglet. Off the entrance area is a separate bedroom with child-sized chairs and table, colouring books, crayons and loads of teddies and soft toys. We are talking with Lieutenant-Colonel Katie Segatta, of the Krugesdorp FCS Unit. She has recently completed a specialized forensic training course which covers Clinical Forensic Medical Examination and Expert Witnessing. This was organised by </span><a href="http://matlaabana.co.za/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matla a Bana</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (which means <em>a voice against child abuse</em>) and also funded by the Old Mutual Foundation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This specialized training is attended by doctors, forensic nurses, members of the FCS Police Unit and social workers and has a twofold purpose. It’s designed to help 1) police personnel such as Katie gain a better understanding of the medical terminology used in the <strong>J88</strong> form <em>and</em> the implications of those observations, 2) medical personnel gain a better understanding of the Child Care Act and the legal requirements that police are required to fulfill for prosecution in such cases.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was the impact of this training, I ask Katie? She explains that by better understanding the medical report, she could better prepare for her interview with the child victims, thereby obtaining solid evidence leading to prosecution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, she explains, she’s just had a case where the perpetrator, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a police officer</i>, had admitted guilt without having to go to trial, of raping his own granddaughter (10 years old), because of the overwhelming evidence gathered from Katie’s interview with the victim. It’s hard to get my head around these details.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilDX5_QRHe3-VNTptRexPsOjIyzGm_iBL_KpWFvbOOoOWAx_uQCfuHxRpDiNp0ZEEOb4VP_DoRd8q_IzG-o2LNkN6hHNwExrVDj4liqjPfQ62goFeX_uG_dNAOORt5U7RVsQ5eDAACHP7/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilDX5_QRHe3-VNTptRexPsOjIyzGm_iBL_KpWFvbOOoOWAx_uQCfuHxRpDiNp0ZEEOb4VP_DoRd8q_IzG-o2LNkN6hHNwExrVDj4liqjPfQ62goFeX_uG_dNAOORt5U7RVsQ5eDAACHP7/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lieutenant Colonel Heila Joubert, Gauteng Provincial Coordinator of FCS Units, SAPS sits in the child friendly interview room at Daveyton Police Station. The Old Mutual Foundation funded Matla a Bana R100 000 which led towards the creation of this unit and another in Kraaifontein, Cape Town</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUdnA69tY2aFGgp290VLnVsoMcwcLoJNo7vdgs6W-tDc9mdtLVoE2HStMfHhqsx7hjNHSCt0kHgzDrJ0Gs6JAouKbn6vAQKdwC9Esa9imw04cU3lHc0tksc3bX-oBrdtcFjYSmqqYWNTK/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUdnA69tY2aFGgp290VLnVsoMcwcLoJNo7vdgs6W-tDc9mdtLVoE2HStMfHhqsx7hjNHSCt0kHgzDrJ0Gs6JAouKbn6vAQKdwC9Esa9imw04cU3lHc0tksc3bX-oBrdtcFjYSmqqYWNTK/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Matla a Bana representative, Liesel van Eden (right) talks with Lt-Colonel Heila Joubert, FCS Unit, SAPS outside the child friendly unit, Daveyton Police Station.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m struck by the complete dedication and passion of these FCS police in contrast with the morass of legal technicalities through which they have to wade. “The worst part of this job,” says Katie, “is seeing people who we know are guilty, get off just because the children in some of these cases are too young (2-3 yrs) to testify." </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"How do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> cope?" I ask Katie and some of her fellow colleagues standing around. There's a second of silence before someone sort of laughs, makes light of it with a joke, “Ag, we have a lapa with some drinks… "</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Later we’re in the car on the way to our last project for this leg of the road trip. We’re all feeling a bit subdued, Mark and Tim are both fathers with young kids and it's a while before I can shake off those clinical J88 drawings. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5pD8bIiDNsiaVw5RUqK35Ifesbq6wI5-a1kQmnlJf6PtajO89IX5QjafLtXZOyoK9GBLUERZAjWZmWYq-46s5gJ_SUXS1CUC47efBwavs6thy6XtvxX0OZRMSn82b5Jsgw8N3DyyU1Oj/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5pD8bIiDNsiaVw5RUqK35Ifesbq6wI5-a1kQmnlJf6PtajO89IX5QjafLtXZOyoK9GBLUERZAjWZmWYq-46s5gJ_SUXS1CUC47efBwavs6thy6XtvxX0OZRMSn82b5Jsgw8N3DyyU1Oj/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Daveyton-Gauteng-24062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re finally heading into Soweto (an acronym for South Western Township for those who may not know) - the largest township in South Africa, the scene of such pivotal struggle and painful turmoil during apartheid years, and also the site of </span><a href="http://www.8115orlandowest.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nelson Mandela's</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> first house, No. 8115 Vilikazi St, Orlando West where we are sitting having lunch. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now it’s pretty much a tourist attraction with the entire street being taken up with tourists, curio tables (and opportunistic young lads offering you rap poems or parking). It was frustrating having so little time, as there was so much that we unable to see, including the </span><a href="http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionsga/hector-pieterson-memorial-site.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hector Pieterson memorial</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzpvKlYaWiBRSwBNTfkt-SOHFdvuV657x5cAuDHy3Khk6bIdoK9EDL6-1dbevIcfXHo6MUFlXifXetznYSQdXP6-I1Z2yyliZQIJurFu0YNFh1hZ4vbodoMSFV6aAQ80vpHvEkFWVmw0F/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzpvKlYaWiBRSwBNTfkt-SOHFdvuV657x5cAuDHy3Khk6bIdoK9EDL6-1dbevIcfXHo6MUFlXifXetznYSQdXP6-I1Z2yyliZQIJurFu0YNFh1hZ4vbodoMSFV6aAQ80vpHvEkFWVmw0F/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGQ6JMzfrBAsi9XdAVLd0aeoPxqGfZG-VuI7gAbfKh0cyQGIU9owGphtxzgyfYKSmSyZ7S2iSPwh6aZfmy75unAcHmgVXgr8ceJi9raXHqZbmGxD_ANOmrgzxvwSjbOsDhG7oU4h7WJyH/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGQ6JMzfrBAsi9XdAVLd0aeoPxqGfZG-VuI7gAbfKh0cyQGIU9owGphtxzgyfYKSmSyZ7S2iSPwh6aZfmy75unAcHmgVXgr8ceJi9raXHqZbmGxD_ANOmrgzxvwSjbOsDhG7oU4h7WJyH/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nelson Mandela's house in which he lived from 1946 - 1962 has become a major tourist attraction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mandela returned to this house after his release from prison in 1990, despite suggestions from government officials that he find a safer home. At a 1990 rally welcoming him home to Soweto his opening words were, "I have come home at last." However, after 11 days back at the house he moved out again.<sup> </sup>He later wrote in his autobiography: That night I returned with Winnie to No. 8115 in Orlando West. It was only then that I knew in my heart I had left prison. For me No. 8115 was the centre point of my world, the place marked with an X in my mental geography.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjK2tKjzyXBfU69I4grgXTWVIulcGXKM-UUAGIljtgjvTD5hSi2tMsLGkPhy8Sj_2IiLXQ8RuIOkLkMZ3e7d3O0K_FEEn_UoBXFuqIclOhS2bq8Q5cAZMfB6_tGWLY__4PHqqeFZPXOA5N/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjK2tKjzyXBfU69I4grgXTWVIulcGXKM-UUAGIljtgjvTD5hSi2tMsLGkPhy8Sj_2IiLXQ8RuIOkLkMZ3e7d3O0K_FEEn_UoBXFuqIclOhS2bq8Q5cAZMfB6_tGWLY__4PHqqeFZPXOA5N/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFkM5qToMJtdeCBvlTsXm_ChWELHvXCsotbLR3dw3Mh9SnGYVZuC80FRI7SKmGIhNrGl8Xz38cmsMSiNEkkwNf5kr_nrtIrZISO41il-M6HclaIg7Ee4CcnIZGiIKo1Cu16DT2jpH8eAQ/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFkM5qToMJtdeCBvlTsXm_ChWELHvXCsotbLR3dw3Mh9SnGYVZuC80FRI7SKmGIhNrGl8Xz38cmsMSiNEkkwNf5kr_nrtIrZISO41il-M6HclaIg7Ee4CcnIZGiIKo1Cu16DT2jpH8eAQ/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Soweto-Gauteng-24062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After lunch, our last project is Melodi Music Trust, situated in St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. It's a township youth program offering classical musical training. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As soon as we arrive at the church, Tim and Mark instantly disappear. By now I recognize this about them, if a project has that ‘<em>x</em>’ ingredient, a certain zing in the air, they can’t help themselves and hustle off to start shooting and filming. Mind you, I’m not far behind them! There are about 30-40 school kids milling around, all dressed in black with their smart Melodi Music Trust tops on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is noise everywhere - students are chattering, laughing excitedly, it’s the last day of school-term, kids are fetching instruments, some of practicing already and the air is filled with a joyous cacophony of musical instruments tuning, flutes fluting, horns tooting, a double bass goes walking past, Mark opens a door onto young lad practicing his trumpet in the bathroom... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGkSskY1F1C1avVcOrSKFT23dxSdSXLpV1kfDVByJ4SS4TcPzEFDRSwp-cqMi5v3KBqVA8XXKQh-QEIo0idnDFRHBwdBqoMAr7Py4hXjhkvGq4pO-crJbHizX-BrriaKHt5VhvAXNEGxh/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGkSskY1F1C1avVcOrSKFT23dxSdSXLpV1kfDVByJ4SS4TcPzEFDRSwp-cqMi5v3KBqVA8XXKQh-QEIo0idnDFRHBwdBqoMAr7Py4hXjhkvGq4pO-crJbHizX-BrriaKHt5VhvAXNEGxh/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9FAv-PXBfnzFMxUSABSvp_7UQORnQbZ3xtgYFKmks20UVn8V6Y4o-q6F7QyeL2GWNs8ye4zmhmfglqiEHYaVa016V9TsAbK_-oiq4Y1bHrSEoHM09ycfBjs9Fm3m9extropwoB-c-rcg/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9FAv-PXBfnzFMxUSABSvp_7UQORnQbZ3xtgYFKmks20UVn8V6Y4o-q6F7QyeL2GWNs8ye4zmhmfglqiEHYaVa016V9TsAbK_-oiq4Y1bHrSEoHM09ycfBjs9Fm3m9extropwoB-c-rcg/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmFauH6WBmLDP2_z5UvDCOIjlUkZPXdh4_av5uObFLDbjK3lkeh2zJhIYjk7izaEwHpi9jUjsyBBl8cNi0m56GicVTZk_9aIGuQiD7HF8eTbbvA4OQB_rqPBdjbGPwTpko1AbcdATk53x/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmFauH6WBmLDP2_z5UvDCOIjlUkZPXdh4_av5uObFLDbjK3lkeh2zJhIYjk7izaEwHpi9jUjsyBBl8cNi0m56GicVTZk_9aIGuQiD7HF8eTbbvA4OQB_rqPBdjbGPwTpko1AbcdATk53x/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The children have outgrown the space in this old church house where they practice,” explains Nimrod Moloto, director of the Melodi Music Trust. Founded in 2002, Melodi’s purpose is to provide children in and around Soweto with an opportunity to read, write and play music. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Old Mutual Foundation invested R80 000 funding in purchasing musical instruments for the orchestral ensemble group. Melodi has grown from strength to strength with professional recitals in and around Johannesburg, they've twice performed at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baroque in the Bush</i> (a weekend in Kruger Park with the Jhb Festival Orchestra) and they’ve also toured Europe, playing at The Hague Conservatoire and also in Amsterdam, Manchester and London.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzBJpPAM8vWiYRs1lNGpldZDu2_0i9F2pcmoNh9IcTzLZTR7fZ-7pGe6dlpvLpJ5hemQvP6hlyfItLpzSueNoSi-XoTZivMZGDkK_LxcempplqG8oo1RR0c-npyqU2ips-3F7_EpiebqO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzBJpPAM8vWiYRs1lNGpldZDu2_0i9F2pcmoNh9IcTzLZTR7fZ-7pGe6dlpvLpJ5hemQvP6hlyfItLpzSueNoSi-XoTZivMZGDkK_LxcempplqG8oo1RR0c-npyqU2ips-3F7_EpiebqO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sitting on a pew in the church, listening to Nimrod guide the children through a piece that they’re playing for us. Every now and then he stops, make the cellos repeat a section, then the group moves on again. When Nimrod conducts the group, he reminds me of a gazelle or a ballet dancer, his arms and hands dance so gracefully, there is so much passion that is evident. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The children are clear-faced, focused and totally engaged in playing. I get the same feeling of ‘healthiness’ that I felt at the sailing academy in Grassy Park (<em><a href="http://oldmutualfoundationroadtrip.blogspot.com/2011/06/christmas-in-cape-town.html"><span style="color: blue;">Read Christmas in Cape Town</span></a></em>). This is how one changes children’s lives, I think. Even if they don’t go on to pursue music full-time, they will have this resource built into them for life, an additional strength and discipline that will help them onwards. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxBz-MZ8PsJeOMnPZOgQ-4aMhFyugRW2MZVyeznfxrAydMbuFkU8mRmQS5FjSj7dLs9Fa0s0Sv-tFrawm1alwwTiWhp70-ZCIjqN8G0Iy4OjF3mr_nZ-0wXxZlp6HVrMQFupfDj-pVsPi/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxBz-MZ8PsJeOMnPZOgQ-4aMhFyugRW2MZVyeznfxrAydMbuFkU8mRmQS5FjSj7dLs9Fa0s0Sv-tFrawm1alwwTiWhp70-ZCIjqN8G0Iy4OjF3mr_nZ-0wXxZlp6HVrMQFupfDj-pVsPi/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nimrod Moloto, Director of Melodi Music Trust, based in Pimville, Soweto, Johannesburg.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CjxNeLiHfzdQP8F4xi7rv7gE14go3YA5ltFS1XBSGRvX5tCh3e7GDjREZqGSL1Pur4VMEJpxlTvtoaPxmz6MZqUXEzk8UEo0VNfsylybf7IoJCmUpRFpreg2ootcii-SPMM7i8KnW9K3/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CjxNeLiHfzdQP8F4xi7rv7gE14go3YA5ltFS1XBSGRvX5tCh3e7GDjREZqGSL1Pur4VMEJpxlTvtoaPxmz6MZqUXEzk8UEo0VNfsylybf7IoJCmUpRFpreg2ootcii-SPMM7i8KnW9K3/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Zinhle Tshabalala (20) has been playing with Melodi since 2002. She chose to play the clarinet because, "it suits my personality." she says. In 2007, she flew to London, "my first time ever in a plane." The thing that overwhelmed her the most was how interested everyone was to hear them play. Zinhle is now studying Economics at University. She will never stop playing her music, she tells me.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk59J3iZwCmUFDVbT4OtE9CEc0bI7zzCWUAvatcQSmHj_8AbrVdrdp84Y55CMeryuXVj0JwaVf8W0pPLwCGAYK1UUxpxQ0K34UPygZd9JfOlr-0s9ng1k_un7xmkKWf6hwqcYQCrlN7Zr/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk59J3iZwCmUFDVbT4OtE9CEc0bI7zzCWUAvatcQSmHj_8AbrVdrdp84Y55CMeryuXVj0JwaVf8W0pPLwCGAYK1UUxpxQ0K34UPygZd9JfOlr-0s9ng1k_un7xmkKWf6hwqcYQCrlN7Zr/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW009.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Young Mpho Magabane (14) strikes a pose for Mark with his french horn. He's been playing since he was 10 years old, "... because it's been a friend to me," he says, "It's just nice to always have the opportunity to play."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shafts of late afternoon sunlight are glancing through the stained glass windows. It’s been a long trip and I close my eyes, for a moment I’m transported into and away to that place only music can take you. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I open them again, after a few seconds or perhaps an age, and there’s a vague sense of surprise when I realize that I’m in Soweto. Soweto, can that really be? Strangely my eyes are filled with tears and I’m reminded of the complexity of our human souls. I had expected to be emotional at the Child Care Unit this morning, but instead, in a little sanctuary in Soweto, I discover there are no defences against beauty. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnh8N2e8DxHNH7tez893g7msGU_li3nyhMg0zNzHd2GIaEKVQhEwh11dUyhPCbTh9eHVnB5oVECJPeaoAwhsPvkLHy4ZBblHrzcsuiWiiZZg_ACSF83PZzam0ZSlrWUXDxzSVrBvHKAx4/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcnh8N2e8DxHNH7tez893g7msGU_li3nyhMg0zNzHd2GIaEKVQhEwh11dUyhPCbTh9eHVnB5oVECJPeaoAwhsPvkLHy4ZBblHrzcsuiWiiZZg_ACSF83PZzam0ZSlrWUXDxzSVrBvHKAx4/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Melodi-Gauteng-24062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I shake myself back into myself, into this world. Its early evening and time for us to go. Children are leaving the church. It’s become dark outside and the temperature has plummeted, Mark and Tim bundle into scarves, jackets. The streets of Soweto are noisy with people streaming home from work, a line of car tail-lights glows red into the distance. Dogs are barking and the pungent smell of anthracite fills the night air...</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-37844836920717729812011-07-07T07:30:00.007+02:002011-07-12T06:51:56.101+02:00Of Springs and things<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">This morning we wake up in Springs, which given that it’s a bleak Johannesburg day, might not be the best place in the world to wake up (apologies to any Spring-ites out there!). The sunlight is weak and watery, it’s vrek-koud, the veld is dry-brown, the trees are bare and there’s a layer of morning frost on the grass. There’s also a smudgy brown layer of smog that makes me want to hold my breath and not think that I’m breathing ‘this’ in. I find myself already missing the open space of Limpopo with its African bushveld. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We’re on our way to Tsakane township and Mark’s GPS is giving us gyp. It’s telling us to turn left and there is no left. Instead there’s just an open veld, some stray dogs and a lone taxi. Given that this is Jo’burg and we’re in a bakkie loaded with camera equipment I’m already feeling a bit jittery, but it’s all cool and the taxi driver re-directs us to Ext 11. (I’m reminded again of my South African hyper-vigilance which seems at odds with the normalcy of township life around me, people sweeping in front of their homes, walking to work, taxi’s stopping to drop off commuters, shop-owners opening up spaza shops, hanging up bags of naartjies… )</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whilst Tsakane township isn’t as poor as rural Umbumbulu in KZN (where we visited Gogo Mkhize living in her mud house. <i><span style="color: blue;">Read Fresh and Good</span>.</i>), it’s also not a wealthy suburb lined with leafy green trees and neat sidewalks. Peri-urban communities like this often </span><span style="font-size: small;">struggle to cope with the sheer density of people per m</span><span style="font-size: small;">² and the resources that take strain are s</span><span style="font-size: small;">ewerage and refuse removal, access to clean running water and electricity. This in turn leads to other social problems, so supporting development in these communities definitely forms part of the scope of the Old Mutual Foundation.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAthl6IwN7xmdBqPChuPsYnOAUx54Wk3crDIzc86CJDlDZxjh_g8YI92HKerbtw8lIhpW9K7N_Q2382256fTybftJYZTKAZMC0HTtDRWX1rLBnSS5HaJHI7NBROjEyNLK6LbzollKNJEX/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAthl6IwN7xmdBqPChuPsYnOAUx54Wk3crDIzc86CJDlDZxjh_g8YI92HKerbtw8lIhpW9K7N_Q2382256fTybftJYZTKAZMC0HTtDRWX1rLBnSS5HaJHI7NBROjEyNLK6LbzollKNJEX/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nozipho Mbanjwa of Umlambo Foundation speaks with passion about transforming one school at a time.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buhle Bemfundo is the school we’re visiting this morning, which I think is a great name for a school because it means ‘Beauty of Knowledge’! </span><span style="font-size: small;"> The reason we’ve chosen this particular project today is that experience has shown that throwing resources at a school will not improve results; however developing strong leadership skills and management systems will. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So in 2009, in partnership with the <a href="http://www.umlambo.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Umlambo Foundation</span></a>, the Old Mutual Foundation funded 16 principals from selected schools to complete their Advanced Certificate Education (ACE) training. Whilst undergoing their training, these principals also were linked in with retired schoolmasters as mentors. The improvements for Buhle Bemfundo have been impressive:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>2007 – 31% matric pass rate (410 Grade 12 pupils)<br />
2008 – 46% matric pass rate (370 Grade 12 pupils)<br />
2009 – 48% matric pass rate (310 Grade 12 pupils)<br />
<span style="color: red;">2010 – <b>82,7%</b> matric pass rate (220 Grade 12 pupils)</span></i> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWhJi5QIfFZV9YvTR0j1bggg3Mhyphenhypheng-3Oc7PpBk9v6pfnXogjfhOxuWYa37TlMKWQIOKpNckldCnAh7fJmj24XbFqaOozLqLzZR_veyI2MRatL3ryE9B_1JAOqMd-_aWpiOgUc73vRNLqN/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWhJi5QIfFZV9YvTR0j1bggg3Mhyphenhypheng-3Oc7PpBk9v6pfnXogjfhOxuWYa37TlMKWQIOKpNckldCnAh7fJmj24XbFqaOozLqLzZR_veyI2MRatL3ryE9B_1JAOqMd-_aWpiOgUc73vRNLqN/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buhle Bemfundo school principal, Mr Mononyane has turned around the previously poor results of this township school. Now the school has a strong management systems in place and works closely with the parents and local community.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">School principal, Mr Monoyane was appointed in Jan 2008 to transform the school and completed his ACE in 2010. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> “My task was to bring change,” he says emphatically, “the school was in tatters, there was no stationery, no timetables, no classes were running.” He ticks off each finger, firing points like bullets… </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“We immediately set up time-tables. Classes had to commence.<br />
We brought in the police to assist with drug trafficking in the school.<br />
We called in the mother’s union in the area.<br />
We started building the SCG (School Governing Body consisting of parents and educators).<br />
Every morning at 6.45am I was at that gate. When the children saw me, they learnt they’d better run to class. They must think, ‘Here’s comes that soldier, this man means what he says!’”</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m riveted by his passion. The bullets continue, “Late coming I don’t like. Smoking I don’t like. Being in class I like. Reading books I like.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">“I’m a man who likes to talk,” he continues, I nod unable to disagree, “but what point is there to a conversation if we’re not talking education?” I ask him why education is his passion. Born in 1961, he was 15 years old at the time of the 1976 Soweto school riots. “So I’ve struggled for my education,” he explains, “but my modus operandi now is that I’m no longer that person who fought; now I’m a person who loves.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m glad to know that there’s someone so passionate leading this school, but we both acknowledge that the challenge is now to maintain and improve these result. Later that morning, I hear a soaring operatic tenor coming from across the courtyard. It’s Mr Mononyane singing Happy Birthday to a staff member. There’s a table set out with food, he has a chicken wing in one hand and is about to tuck into some birthday cake. He grins. I grin. It’s time for us to go. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmWfPm8HMRMs6mb5VBXw1-VGefd6ry4-roN6uuznejUCowNCoS7G91UNxOdCFNB9pK8Yt7a5m5-uVgQtVA0pqdkawELA3TDHLvxIY637YNBSg4Ri1_e-XXycGP0D3VvmB-K7JF4qvUL1d/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmWfPm8HMRMs6mb5VBXw1-VGefd6ry4-roN6uuznejUCowNCoS7G91UNxOdCFNB9pK8Yt7a5m5-uVgQtVA0pqdkawELA3TDHLvxIY637YNBSg4Ri1_e-XXycGP0D3VvmB-K7JF4qvUL1d/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XZ3HxipqCm-Wd_XO7L31-8KOtVrPoLa9rpwYQHL7tcPPWAPon2NsEWKBsfaK4X-F8eI4QDNjPAbw_buvkZZbNs1LhRhsKUOKBUs_z1UeVZk2_9fucIr2dRz22sdBs3NLlhtKJOw4Kj56/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XZ3HxipqCm-Wd_XO7L31-8KOtVrPoLa9rpwYQHL7tcPPWAPon2NsEWKBsfaK4X-F8eI4QDNjPAbw_buvkZZbNs1LhRhsKUOKBUs_z1UeVZk2_9fucIr2dRz22sdBs3NLlhtKJOw4Kj56/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteIcj-1EGlJKxA10qGlqK1Yy5zBBmrn3AVRRhT2b4Mh0uDkPWm_GDlOmb5_CNmhyphenhyphenDoxfKT3JcEi9LJrtFJocvgtKFoAn-XoxbWCbHexj7Owt6urZnK_WBYMs6TibSlE6vbRFTQ3BrVR5P/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteIcj-1EGlJKxA10qGlqK1Yy5zBBmrn3AVRRhT2b4Mh0uDkPWm_GDlOmb5_CNmhyphenhyphenDoxfKT3JcEi9LJrtFJocvgtKFoAn-XoxbWCbHexj7Owt6urZnK_WBYMs6TibSlE6vbRFTQ3BrVR5P/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-UmlamboFoundation-Gauteng-23062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Driving across Johannesburg at lunch hour is not fun. The midday June temperature has climbed, the traffic is heavy, there seem to be tolls every 5km, so we’re feeling a bit knackered and city-stressed (or I am at least) when we arrive at our next project. But <a href="http://www.waste2wow.co.za/"><span style="color: blue;">Waste2Wow</span></a> is like stepping into a colour explosion that is instantly refreshing. It’s like sitting under a psychedelic waterfall that makes you want to jump around and be naughty and I laugh, because I can see it's having the same impact on Mark and Tim, they’ve start hustling around, spontaneously energized, cameras rolling.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaszgkyWT8t9DRXdpcYJVz-La82AKphHCMdQa8G1FPsp5rP5xTzuvLg8cmIWYvc566v0WlldeR2m-L_U7Mp3oPgYgQFe_7dmCTT6b0dVsEmYXXrru_OXz_EodH24pK10BamMauVA9R4nLb/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaszgkyWT8t9DRXdpcYJVz-La82AKphHCMdQa8G1FPsp5rP5xTzuvLg8cmIWYvc566v0WlldeR2m-L_U7Mp3oPgYgQFe_7dmCTT6b0dVsEmYXXrru_OXz_EodH24pK10BamMauVA9R4nLb/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Waste2Wow team, headed up by Maryka Kellerman. Used advertising billboards are processed and transformed into a range of funky bags, furniture and functional fashionwear</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The reason that we’re here is that Waste2Wow is a successful beneficiary of the Old Mutual Legends programme which is funded by the Old Mutual Foundation. Legends is a programme run in partnership with <a href="http://www.fetola.co.za/clients-and-funders/old-mutual-foundation/"><span style="color: blue;">Fetola</span></a>, to develop small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs into sustainable enterprises.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEfZp9DOojQJlxlSV2k9XolQS9SnxufRpC7MMn-Dn_31Hk3x9FZy_z40uruDA2ZPyCJTJ6Leq3UCPOYd5JoFAPOh4_H7xvGImcbajY_RdZlz_QxlBYHjhpnT3pSHFvugrQtXaGycMar3Q/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEfZp9DOojQJlxlSV2k9XolQS9SnxufRpC7MMn-Dn_31Hk3x9FZy_z40uruDA2ZPyCJTJ6Leq3UCPOYd5JoFAPOh4_H7xvGImcbajY_RdZlz_QxlBYHjhpnT3pSHFvugrQtXaGycMar3Q/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is one couch that is guaranteed to rock your world!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Legends has assisted this innovative non-profit organization develop into a healthy small business manufacturing practical, trendy products from recycled advertising billboards and other material. I’m fascinated, I didn’t know billboards were made from heavy-duty, environmentally-<i>un</i>friendly PVC, and it’s certainly never occurred to me to even wonder what companies did with their used billboards? But here was a fantastic way to get double value out of an advertising budget, by creating funky company products out of used company billboards – and you’ve got the green factor going for you as well. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAA-XjEYOjzEN9XL5se3RzxGHyB5T_wdCDGfkKuauZCZ4j05eMEpquCSM7FTLiTO4G8Hi83OJKVCbM-uV8MPalU0qHMjIODa3BXSV9B4GH_OcxINZE5yaBkUQJw1NyX8eopwmNzQjw2lk/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAA-XjEYOjzEN9XL5se3RzxGHyB5T_wdCDGfkKuauZCZ4j05eMEpquCSM7FTLiTO4G8Hi83OJKVCbM-uV8MPalU0qHMjIODa3BXSV9B4GH_OcxINZE5yaBkUQJw1NyX8eopwmNzQjw2lk/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVUif7khaMBKG_eRSt_kvTJdeBWussm8dZPYItF_JQKI5ndaBHpLGD0dPwjaKXjKWuNrtT5V4yf_jNd4Yr7zIGP1JMiSqQYA5HUF2wWCFupVPljhl7Q9ngyrpH6a9Q6sDMzz1WFLuUh_B/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVUif7khaMBKG_eRSt_kvTJdeBWussm8dZPYItF_JQKI5ndaBHpLGD0dPwjaKXjKWuNrtT5V4yf_jNd4Yr7zIGP1JMiSqQYA5HUF2wWCFupVPljhl7Q9ngyrpH6a9Q6sDMzz1WFLuUh_B/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmRJgCpgul_P-iA0aIFfS8muaOOQJG_WzN6ONoJaPcj9oTvsDZgUyFguagk92TR37eIQSHoP3EBDA0sN5qX81vx9gEp0MHiTSthRrEJpTHBaB7j0ABe29XD4qGY3y6VJDKsCYSSW3fowR/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmRJgCpgul_P-iA0aIFfS8muaOOQJG_WzN6ONoJaPcj9oTvsDZgUyFguagk92TR37eIQSHoP3EBDA0sN5qX81vx9gEp0MHiTSthRrEJpTHBaB7j0ABe29XD4qGY3y6VJDKsCYSSW3fowR/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I immediately boost their sales for the day by purchasing a host of bags for myself, between Mark taking photographs and Tim videoing the crew at work. We decide that instead of featuring only one person, this time we want <i>everyone</i> in on the action, so we overload the image with people and colour and bags and <i>stuff</i>. It’s all lekker!</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspu16uMpOvgPX91Mfhlcz8kpcaYMZtMfT1gUyMU8gI4kxIIXvju_mPmrzejjcGGnWkp01z8mr9_Bx-wR628MEjieBYLqxPTTg198PcoEwskoe_nsn-wv9W2vqcL8goAJqd4y8w0Heibmo/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspu16uMpOvgPX91Mfhlcz8kpcaYMZtMfT1gUyMU8gI4kxIIXvju_mPmrzejjcGGnWkp01z8mr9_Bx-wR628MEjieBYLqxPTTg198PcoEwskoe_nsn-wv9W2vqcL8goAJqd4y8w0Heibmo/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Waste2Wow-Gauteng-23062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">By now, we’re moeg and klaar, and it’s time to head home to our guesthouse. It’s an odd evening, because it’s the last one of our road trip. The three of us have talked about this in the car during the day, it’s going to feel odd going back to normal life; we’ve been in each other’s company for days on end and been on the go 24/7. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Over dinner Tim clears his throat and says that he and Mark have been chatting, they feel that seeing as I’ve been writing for the duration of the road trip, they’d like to reserve the right to write The Last Road Trip Blog. I agree, they’ve both been incredibly tolerant with me writing about them. <br />
“You’ve become quintessential characters to the blog,” I exclaim.<br />
“Ja,” Mark says, “just like Beavis & Butthead.”<br />
They turn to each and ask simultaneously, “So who’s Butthead?”<br />
We pack up laughing. I’m going to miss this.</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-83155308576645734962011-07-04T23:02:00.006+02:002011-07-05T17:33:03.037+02:00Children are our future<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s a song by George Benson that starts with the words,</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
“I believe the children are our future<br />
Teach them well and let them lead the way<br />
Show them all the beauty they possess inside<br />
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier<br />
Let the children's laughter remind us of how it used to be…”</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGfkVgn_hEHNgQoEyxBUg6em4HMZ3BeMBIey5CjqI5X_LQEKxcbzPgrXkObU_2C9FP4uwuhiQuFWUt4br56R_qipn-Nlz-cYJbX4x4arK3ZHdrX5g9NyoJtNLOX6H1OUsskn3zaGVh7Cb/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGfkVgn_hEHNgQoEyxBUg6em4HMZ3BeMBIey5CjqI5X_LQEKxcbzPgrXkObU_2C9FP4uwuhiQuFWUt4br56R_qipn-Nlz-cYJbX4x4arK3ZHdrX5g9NyoJtNLOX6H1OUsskn3zaGVh7Cb/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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This </span><span style="font-size: small;">morning Mark, Tim and I walk into a sea of faces, each curious and shyly staring at us, each scrubbed and shining bright as pennies. It is morning assembly at Dendron Secondary School and the principal, Mr. Matsapola has kept the school behind to introduce us to the school. I am asked to say a few words on behalf of Old Mutual, to which the children all chorus and respond politely. Mark and Tim are moving about getting their shots. Mr. Matsapola asks the children to sing, which they do at youthful volume. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">A few students are called out and I am introduced to Setoaba Kgadi, a young Grade 12 learner, who will be travelling to Ontario, Canada in July to represent South Africa at the <a href="http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/Outreach/Students/The_International_Summer_School_for_Young_Physicists/"><span style="color: blue;">International Summer School for Young Physicists</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">This is the third consecutive year that a learner from Dendron is representing South Africa in this international event. The assembly closes with a hymn, a closing prayer by Mr. Matsapola and then the classes file away one at a time, in orderly fashion, quietly going into their classrooms to start the day. I’m totally impressed! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">To give you some background, Dendron Secondary School produces exceptional results, such as Tsakane Ngoepe, the top 2010 Limpopo learner <i><span style="color: blue;">(*read School Days and an Empty Vlei)</span></i>. The reason that this achievement is all the more remarkable is that Dendron is not a former Model C school i.e. it does<i> not</i> have an infrastructure provided during apartheid education era. It does not have a swimming pool, a gymnasium or sports fields. It fact, it does not even have a science laboratory, computers labs or a library. Yet since 2003, this township school with only basic facilities has continued to post results that place it as one of the top ten schools in South Africa, competing against elite private schools.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaREH-KmMR205KmldA0fkcjch2xKZoOtPhhVKW4YinO8UH04pAFEJgCcdo-YxC2kErINvEEwWbVtXllldNv25VLOP8ueeD6UWgjCVJ5O8gsyB5_463fom69MiFBCfcZjN-VErscIAurt3/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaREH-KmMR205KmldA0fkcjch2xKZoOtPhhVKW4YinO8UH04pAFEJgCcdo-YxC2kErINvEEwWbVtXllldNv25VLOP8ueeD6UWgjCVJ5O8gsyB5_463fom69MiFBCfcZjN-VErscIAurt3/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Matsapola leads his school with love and disciline. A photo of each of Grade 12 graduate hangs in his office, amidst the glittering array of awards and trophies. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">So what’s the secret to its success? How does this school seem to get it right, in light of the education crisis in our country? I pose this question to Mr. Matsapola, the principal of Dendron. The answer is crystal clear to him, hard work, discipline and commitment <i>from all the stakeholders</i>, he emphasizes, the learners, the educators and the parents. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRt_GtwFmN3CBdL6bEIcUkvM_1sjRMTPWceiMTYVDwH_O-APRLXgMAyfcpY56gQmqXwpw1v-s1Sv1aDXmpYL7McXmuFrzSp11BLrj7UtA1rTPV78rkIONkRTEvhe7uKIVeQAwI5Qv9uqG/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRt_GtwFmN3CBdL6bEIcUkvM_1sjRMTPWceiMTYVDwH_O-APRLXgMAyfcpY56gQmqXwpw1v-s1Sv1aDXmpYL7McXmuFrzSp11BLrj7UtA1rTPV78rkIONkRTEvhe7uKIVeQAwI5Qv9uqG/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finding qualified and competent Maths and Science teachers is a challenge and Dendron employs Zimbabwean teachers who can assist in this regard.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFio7QD8g-Vz468YT0o46SdFh0Yq3CN8NmIEEKTbhWvXNCcJEiVec3QQ4SXYrq7ViMxzvTtrQQZ3riLQ5tKMn1eIANYJmVxneDS25ynIRXpq9VsykWL_b_6w6-VhYoPWhSxx3oICdJbYA/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFio7QD8g-Vz468YT0o46SdFh0Yq3CN8NmIEEKTbhWvXNCcJEiVec3QQ4SXYrq7ViMxzvTtrQQZ3riLQ5tKMn1eIANYJmVxneDS25ynIRXpq9VsykWL_b_6w6-VhYoPWhSxx3oICdJbYA/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Above) Walking around Dendron during classtime, the school is almost silent with just a murmur here and there. The school seems to exudes a completely focused energy of students hard at work (below).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJXp4U9VcrtymsXdMxEWyiSLPeC4xl2I-z2XxSAvCnhPNkbtufVXvG-GYtTg8DTsYSL8dOa5BmDN3wzYJ2Hjmy2ZBqYA2m1vfW6ccgbvOntOZ8bCo08__Iphn6on0HWcHGypr1rhnFLc9/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJXp4U9VcrtymsXdMxEWyiSLPeC4xl2I-z2XxSAvCnhPNkbtufVXvG-GYtTg8DTsYSL8dOa5BmDN3wzYJ2Hjmy2ZBqYA2m1vfW6ccgbvOntOZ8bCo08__Iphn6on0HWcHGypr1rhnFLc9/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-DendronSecondarySchool-Limpopo-22062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Good results get attention, and I’m proud to say that the Old Mutual Foundation has played a part in this success story by investing R420000 into this school since 2008. Last year in 2010, an additional amount of R500000 was committed (in partnership with the Limpopo Dept of Education) to finally begin construction on their much-awaited science and computer labs. This year, we sponsored the top science learners and their educators to attend the National Science Festival in Grahamstown. And of course, it’s all worth it when you see learners of the calibre of Tsakane sitting on the steps of UCT, laughing and fully alive, soaking up each moment of available learning and loving life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sjoe, if I ever had the chance to choose a school that I could’ve gone to, I would’ve chosen a school like Dendron Secondary School. If these children are our future, then it is bright indeed.<br />
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It’s time to go, we have a 300km drive ahead of us and another project still to visit this afternoon, so it’s going to be another long day. Travelling south on the N1 from Polokwane towards Pretoria, I catch a glimpse of something, “Stop quick quick,” I lean forward urgently, but Tim has a car sitting on our tail and we can’t pull over. We all turn to see but it’s too late to stop. On a hill overlooking the highway is a simple memorial, sober and sombre. Even that brief glimpse impacted us, frustration because we knew we’d gone passed something powerful that we should’ve been recorded for this journey. On a lone koppie standing amongst the aloes and stones, is a huge hillside cross made up of many small white crosses, with the words “Plaasmoorde” standing starkly against the land. I’d heard about this memorial before but never actually seen it. Erected in 2004, the 1600 crosses each represent a farm murder, the white crosses representing a single murder, the red crosses representing an entire family. It stands in silent ongoing testimony, one of many memorials to the pain of our troubled country. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We eventually arrive in the late afternoon at <a href="http://www.heartbeat.org.za/">Heartbeat</a></span><span style="font-size: small;"> in Pretoria. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Info-break:</b> <span style="color: green;"><i>This is another Old Mutual Staff Charity Fund project, but the most well supported one! Approximately 800 Old Mutual staff around the country choose to make a monthly donation (matched by the Old Mutual Foundation) to a support an orphan child who has lost parents to HIV/Aids. In South Africa, child-headed households are a tragic reality; vulnerable young children who’ve lost both parents and have no one to turn to. Heartbeat provides specialist care to these orphans, making sure that they don’t slip through the cracks, that they’re knitted into a system of care and supervision, and have access to material and emotional support. By partnering with Heartbeat, Old Mutual staff can have a personal relationship with the child they support, receiving their photos (many of which are seen stuck up on work cubicles) and are able to support ‘their’ child with provision of items such as toiletries, blankets, school uniforms and food parcels. <span style="color: green; line-height: 115%;">For staff who wish to get involved, visit: </span></i><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://groupnet.intranet/om_foundation_payroll_giving.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://groupnet.intranet/om_foundation_payroll_giving.html</span></a></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaXu6g7Mp3yPOBaRAQN5loCIs-2QJd-7d_3TnHh0bYyzGyldrcaLG2uiRG1xTBKf-8L6YnPnV9Li6zwpm82rfENN8_2_GUPOhjHU1Gl5l3_ikMn5rrHcsyBK5aCfkgKRmIl0j-FyP5yWd/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaXu6g7Mp3yPOBaRAQN5loCIs-2QJd-7d_3TnHh0bYyzGyldrcaLG2uiRG1xTBKf-8L6YnPnV9Li6zwpm82rfENN8_2_GUPOhjHU1Gl5l3_ikMn5rrHcsyBK5aCfkgKRmIl0j-FyP5yWd/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lJxWFbBgClE7tcDZJzybhEaG80itHpnn7zDM7ci0jUv_CPiAvkqieHBjioz0UoWteR2UWch_A48zNI_jh9xEj6QBd7ItbSI2p2QHIS8JAXxyluCQcnuaqKSF594lgcegOu1wdVnqSyC2/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lJxWFbBgClE7tcDZJzybhEaG80itHpnn7zDM7ci0jUv_CPiAvkqieHBjioz0UoWteR2UWch_A48zNI_jh9xEj6QBd7ItbSI2p2QHIS8JAXxyluCQcnuaqKSF594lgcegOu1wdVnqSyC2/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We arrive at an after-care centre which assists the orphans with a daily meal, access to counse</span><span style="font-size: small;">lling and companionship. Later we go to visit two children in their personal home situations. I talk with Mark and Tim about how we’re going to approach this; it’s a sensitive situation and by law we’re required to not identify the children involved (Child Protection Act). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4KrrMe7rNfxSDZJtVv1vVXUlHB6dI2FHawnf5Z9EsUW82y3vSmdDNfyeXztAX6Gq9ONM6CFMCUna99PDI42OeUGJyRj-qGMF_aUgY9uUCVyygaet55d1MfJYQo76LLx8q5q2Zz2fqZqc/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD4KrrMe7rNfxSDZJtVv1vVXUlHB6dI2FHawnf5Z9EsUW82y3vSmdDNfyeXztAX6Gq9ONM6CFMCUna99PDI42OeUGJyRj-qGMF_aUgY9uUCVyygaet55d1MfJYQo76LLx8q5q2Zz2fqZqc/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW011.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
S - is 13 years old. She appears to be a quiet child until she speaks and I’m struck immediately by the intense, passionate clarity with which she expresses herself. She belongs to a youth-headed household (i.e. she has an older sibling over 18, who looks after her). What is most difficult for S-, I ask her? The other children at school treat her differently, say horrible things to her about being an orphan, it hurts. But S- exclaims fiercely that she is focused on her learning, on working hard at school, one day she wants to be a pilot. I love this young girl’s dream to control her own direction, to fly high.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXng1wHEbd8Dufvmu2gDxdDF2RGEBNNez-5TzfiWivi3fUZdtjQM1ln7sHMojXcV1SDdDQwjYRxWNorIxtPrNyOllqe9ILCThFtCHTb_QhaAg7hMd-NU25JSVEG7uhyA2aoIH_wf__t1Pq/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXng1wHEbd8Dufvmu2gDxdDF2RGEBNNez-5TzfiWivi3fUZdtjQM1ln7sHMojXcV1SDdDQwjYRxWNorIxtPrNyOllqe9ILCThFtCHTb_QhaAg7hMd-NU25JSVEG7uhyA2aoIH_wf__t1Pq/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW012.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lindiwe (23) looks after three younger siblings. The last five years have been so difficult for her but she's starting to laugh again.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I speak with Lindiwe (23); because she is over 18 she is OK for me to use her name and for Mark and Tim to take photographs. She was 17 years and in Grade 12 when her mother passed in 2005. In the same year, she lost her father in a car accident. The shock and trauma of losing both parents in one year impacted her and she had to repeat matric. “I cried every day,” remembers Lindiwe touching her heart whilst talking to me. At the time, her gogo looked after her and the three younger children, but her gogo passed in 2009. “Then it was very difficult,” says Lindiwe, “I was all alone again and we had to take tenants into our house to bring in an income.” After being supported by Heartbeat for many years, Lindiwe is now working for the organization. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSaG7nfw7kKmY6ct3u2IsWRta887l1bbr8nxXBrku6DeBpOnw_wUzsLerJFPn-o7_Y8qZplzayVStnsmT1CTwblveoq3zDvwJ6gTrRN0Fo9he9HkV9Fept-PqMHJexT28cyOA6OUmI-SV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSaG7nfw7kKmY6ct3u2IsWRta887l1bbr8nxXBrku6DeBpOnw_wUzsLerJFPn-o7_Y8qZplzayVStnsmT1CTwblveoq3zDvwJ6gTrRN0Fo9he9HkV9Fept-PqMHJexT28cyOA6OUmI-SV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Heartbeat-Gauteng-22062011-MW014.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gogo Munama (59) is supported by Heartbeat in the task of raising her 10 year old granddaughter by herself.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I talk with Gogo Munama (59) who lives alone and looks after her granddaughter G- who is ten years old and scampering around the one-bedroomed house. Gogo Munama tells me she lost her younger daughter in 2001 and had to leave her work as a domestic so that she could take care of her one year old granddaughter. It was very hard then, there was no money so her older daughter had to support them. Heartbeat assisted with securing a foster grant for Gogo Munama and now the situation has stabilised. “Take care,“ I say when we leave, “Yes,” she smiles at me, “I’m strong, now I’m very strong.”</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-69096665442086720232011-06-30T16:45:00.003+02:002011-07-04T10:22:36.736+02:00Bokkie gaan bosveld toe ...<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we finally leave Elim, it's pitch-dark and we've still got an hour’s drive to our guest house, the <i>Bosveld Gastehuis</i> in Dendron. We're on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere heading into nighttime blackness when Mark gets a call on his cell. "Ek dink ek sal jou a gelukkige man maak," says a strange voice. Mark pauses a moment, laughs out loud, "Are you calling me from inside a baobab tree?" We can't believe it! His wallet had been found and is waiting for him. Eugene was visiting the area and was only the second person that day to visit the giant baobab tree when he stumbled over Mark's wallet. Hooray, what a relief.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's after 8pm when we eventually pull up at our guesthouse. There's no-one there. “Hello, hello,” I call as we walk through empty rooms. We make our way towards the only sound and walk into Eddie's pub - the lights are low, the music's going, there's a springbokkie on the one wall and a warthog on the other, Stormers, Cheetahs, Blou Bul flags are draped all around, everyone is kuier'ing lekker! “Hello, hoe gaan'it,” says Eddie and his wife Concetta.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vqjmKUY8Dlnfy9jQnQtPUx0LjVfLASGc9DvzZXCr98S3tW7aH-AXaVOrMIB8_91FHb1Jx3u3bcl1pHXy4fn3CAE6karnqzbU8ci3vRryz8mSimEMPQOS-Pb7Mc6hm7ArtUSXGkMsbrs/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Bosv%252310677+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vqjmKUY8Dlnfy9jQnQtPUx0LjVfLASGc9DvzZXCr98S3tW7aH-AXaVOrMIB8_91FHb1Jx3u3bcl1pHXy4fn3CAE6karnqzbU8ci3vRryz8mSimEMPQOS-Pb7Mc6hm7ArtUSXGkMsbrs/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Bosv%252310677+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eddie Jordaan, at home in the master seat behind the Bosveld bar, Dendron, Limpopo.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're warmly greeted and shown to our rooms. Mark surprisingly has an open toilet standing in his bedroom? </span><span style="font-size: small;">"Ja, you got the k*k room," laughs Eddie who sprinkles his sentences liberally with colourful adjectives. </span><span style="font-size: small;">And instead of guest soap, on the neat white towel laid out on my bed lies a packet of condoms. Clearly plenty of action goes down in this little dorp!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We make our way back to the pub. I have tried for an hour to get internet reception and am frustrated that I cannot post my blog. I've even got my laptop on the bar, getting advice from everyone on the best ways of trying to log on. Eventually I surrender to the ice-cold lager Eddie puts in front of me. With generous hospitality, he has insisted on us ordering the 600g steak (which I know I cannot finish). The meal arrives on two plates because the steak takes up one whole plate all by itself. The atmosphere is obviously getting to Mark and Tim who are now breaking out into Afrikaans, “nou hier kom ‘n ding!” exclaims Mark when he sees his steak advancing towards him.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next to me is Stef, a fellow guest whom I discover is the plumber currently working on the building site at Dendron Secondary School, the project that we’re about to visit tomorrow. “If I’d known that Old Mutual was funding this project, I’d have loaded my quote!” Stef laughs, leans over and pats my leg. He tells me he’s a singer by night and promises me a number. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iYmazK4wvZTm6j-LZlQEewWrCfh9Hv-9WqPFiH840-01B5r4IXPyovnfUAeaYDVqg6iMq2SNqJ3X-tsdOekmyQrNmu0hBcWn08NF9SeFWp2Ppas5Qu8DSJ_jXCJ5c9uNBgLrshiESnGH/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Bosv%252310675+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iYmazK4wvZTm6j-LZlQEewWrCfh9Hv-9WqPFiH840-01B5r4IXPyovnfUAeaYDVqg6iMq2SNqJ3X-tsdOekmyQrNmu0hBcWn08NF9SeFWp2Ppas5Qu8DSJ_jXCJ5c9uNBgLrshiESnGH/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Bosv%252310675+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stef Gouws, plumber and live entertainer <i>extraordinaire</i>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">True to his word later that evening, Stef sets up his music equipment on Eddie’s sound-system, selects a favourite song, hitches himself up onto the bar, takes hold of my hand and commands Eddie, “Gooi hom, boet!” The sokkie speels lekker, the pedestrian lights blink red and green, the springbokkie gazes into eternity and Stef gazes into my eyes: </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“O <i>Liewe Lulu,</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sal jy vannaand by my kom doedoe</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Die liefde brand hier in my hart soos voodoo</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My drome le aan skerwe liewe Lulu... </i>” </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">By now, Mark has taken so many photos, he’s run out of flash batteries and Tim is holding up his laptop for light. We have a few more classics from Stef, then Eddie brings the house down with a rousing rendition of <i>Green, green grass of home. </i>Eventually I extricate myself from Stef’s grasp, leave the guys to it and excuse myself from the pub. I make sure to lock my door that night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>* With kind thanks to Eddie and Concetta for the most memorable evening of our road trip!</i></span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-87577744168744975692011-06-29T13:57:00.026+02:002011-06-29T18:08:39.299+02:00Earth Mother<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Today we stood inside the belly of a baobab. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Travelling on the R526 towards Tzaneen, Limpopo, a sign reads, “Baobab Tree. She is 2000 years old.” We agree that we can't drive past a sign like this, so we turn off onto a dirt road to go and see. When we eventually round the corner, the three of us gasp spontaneously, wow sjeez sjoe! I’ve seen some big baobabs, but this is <i>gargantuan</i>, filling the sky with breath-taking dimensions.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtt3WNzg37zTTiqorvMfXoUkL6AbXxsRYlF1Jhe8ns2rPGbbK5_5ic4kUj2Ai6K70N_yu4O27EqFEe37EoCdSaJGAUcSpALcHoR3HtOfqCnWUhYSG-lHlHriUJJqokS7wWhLbJb2cAVyF/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtt3WNzg37zTTiqorvMfXoUkL6AbXxsRYlF1Jhe8ns2rPGbbK5_5ic4kUj2Ai6K70N_yu4O27EqFEe37EoCdSaJGAUcSpALcHoR3HtOfqCnWUhYSG-lHlHriUJJqokS7wWhLbJb2cAVyF/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW002.JPG" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dwarfed by age, atop a giant baobab, estimated at 2000 years old and still growing 1cm each year.</span></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There’s something about gnarled old-timer trees that catch my imagination, it feels as if they’re sentinels, repositories of wisdom, having witnessed wars and storms and stars in their lifetime, and yet despite everything, they continue to survive and grow, putting forth new leaves every season and providing sanctuary and shade to life around them. (And yes, I love old Treebeard from Lord of the Rings!) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilR6OtxOMRfapqnL-SzKsSNZ0sXRUQvmFTcrjiBIG-y3utapaznuNl_1NKQjLhx5PqrPedj3tNrSNJlAFIVlQ-WJdfLKlFdHF91IDD0Gtar1r0yCrIVQ-Yf7OMaVOfDKlAqEcRT3PtXw3i/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilR6OtxOMRfapqnL-SzKsSNZ0sXRUQvmFTcrjiBIG-y3utapaznuNl_1NKQjLhx5PqrPedj3tNrSNJlAFIVlQ-WJdfLKlFdHF91IDD0Gtar1r0yCrIVQ-Yf7OMaVOfDKlAqEcRT3PtXw3i/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW003.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We circle the tree in awe and scramble 6m up into her branches (feeling tiny in comparison!). There is a narrow opening in her side, through which we wriggle sidewards into the trunk. At first it takes a while for my eyes to adjust, but when I’m standing inside the dim light looking up into the tree-cathedral above me, I think they’re right, she is a she. I feel wrapped up and safe, not at all afraid. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgVvnSaXeHVOn9RMQb4dfKYPkPa0Ve2-o-hQziwe-WiyKMQu7pi1MJhVEAISaG7nvBMGnqd3rr5Fcl-H55DEksfwKQXN7VlkF15IF2SZV6yRuW49Jg3K23bZRlNG6163rGwUexKssboD9/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgVvnSaXeHVOn9RMQb4dfKYPkPa0Ve2-o-hQziwe-WiyKMQu7pi1MJhVEAISaG7nvBMGnqd3rr5Fcl-H55DEksfwKQXN7VlkF15IF2SZV6yRuW49Jg3K23bZRlNG6163rGwUexKssboD9/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mark sets up his camera on the floor, balancing it a rock and his wallet, sets the timer, runs and we pose (and pose again, OK we <i>are</i> travelling with a photographer and have to get the shadows just right!). Then it’s time to go, our world is calling us. We emerge into sunlight, blinking owlish eyes, we’ve still got another two hours drive to get to our next project. But if you’re travelling through Limpopo on the R526, stop and take some time to sit with a being who belongs to another world, another life, another wisdom. Farewell, old she tree.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHgbgH5rIyMCbthPmS6tmqoi7xtWQSvf1XWDuT_Voe_f0kR6FgBdHqsMKK2Y8o29MjKbj9sKVsRiVdowtKp-lp4oBWYfrS6m1Z4__71nuikyeyMPDYp7knZHYIInEyeCkSBu-uEZxnDNK/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHgbgH5rIyMCbthPmS6tmqoi7xtWQSvf1XWDuT_Voe_f0kR6FgBdHqsMKK2Y8o29MjKbj9sKVsRiVdowtKp-lp4oBWYfrS6m1Z4__71nuikyeyMPDYp7knZHYIInEyeCkSBu-uEZxnDNK/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Baobab-Limpopo-21062011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Agnes Ndlovu (41) who walks from Gravelotte every day, to manage the visitors to giant baobab.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Elim is a just small dot on a map just outside Makhado (Louis Trichardt). It’s there that we find <a href="http://www.openafrica.org/participant/elim-hlanganani-society-for-the-care-of-the-aged" style="color: #274e13;">Elim Hlanganani Care for the Aged</a>, Waterval Township.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="color: green;">Info-break: </span></i></b><i><span style="color: green;">This is another Old Mutual Staff Charity Fund project, similar to the one that we visited earlier in Barrrydale, KAPS, the Karoo Animal Protection Society,<span style="color: blue;"> (read 'Of Dogs and Blogs').</span> Old Mutual staff can choose to make a monthly contribution from their salaries, into the Staff Charity Fund, which is then matched rand-for-rand by the Old Mutual Foundation. This money is then used to support specific areas of vulnerable communities such as animal welfare, care for the elderly, HIV/Aids support, and abused & neglected children. For staff who wish to get involved, visit:</span></i> </span><a href="http://groupnet.intranet/om_foundation_payroll_giving.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://groupnet.intranet/om_foundation_payroll_giving.html</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we arrive, Mark starts patting himself all over. I look at him, he looks at me and Tim looks back at Mark. Oh no, the realization hits… his wallet is lying in a baobab tree 200km away! Right now, there is nothing we can do, so Mark turns and starts getting his gear ready for the project. Shame, I feel agitated and distracted for him!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD1tO57E0qxAqt2uaWmwhsI3BwzBQn7YJpJ_3eifImjgOa3YU6OqrCYWym9ZZAoP90SYz_err5fuM-kjrclYY8JrZ1FO8x7z2UkCjHK4fuMzlxLSSh3U7X_DRjGutZuva_b5cyDYuIkhP/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD1tO57E0qxAqt2uaWmwhsI3BwzBQn7YJpJ_3eifImjgOa3YU6OqrCYWym9ZZAoP90SYz_err5fuM-kjrclYY8JrZ1FO8x7z2UkCjHK4fuMzlxLSSh3U7X_DRjGutZuva_b5cyDYuIkhP/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Florence Khosa, Deputy Director of the Elim Hlanganani Care for the Aged, Waterval Township, Elim, Limpopo.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To be quite honest, when we arrived I was expecting a small, rather cute Old Age Home, so it was a pleasant surprise to find a much larger organization than I’d imagined. Florence Khosa comes out to greet us and I’m immediately struck by her warm, slow graciousness. Once someone had described life in Limpopo to me as “being slower, more conservative, but also more respectful.” And this is the feeling I get immediately when talking with Florence as she tells me the story of their organisation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Started 18 years ago when the nearby Elim Hospital had to close down its frail care wards in 1993, the Elim Hlanganani Care for the Aged (working in conjunction with the hospital doctors) stepped in to provide trained homecare for the elderly folk who were no longer able to access help from the hospital.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Florence describes the growth of the organization over the years. “Initially we started just with home care for the elderly, but we came to see that there were many others in the community who needed homecare, so we extended our services to include those with HIV/Aids.</span><br />
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Over time, we observed that many of our elderly folk were worrying over how to care for their grandchildren now that the parents had passed or were too ill to care for the children. So we set up a drop-in centre for the grandchildren of our elderly folk. At least the children could be now looked after and receive a hot, nutritious meal every day. We’ve since set up a training centre to assist those children who’ve finished school, to help them gain computer skills and find employment. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgBqn_t0hz1Ok9dyeViAKn7jftneD-f7A0n01KZ6_t1n8s82IpY-ThpXC6aXRKRxo4ccfq45ZCYKKTvkjqkKeRBg44sZ8XMFWDhDHYO5RM7BY0mh54v2Vu8qGzzgJvVqtLfpMcIVJZKVr/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgBqn_t0hz1Ok9dyeViAKn7jftneD-f7A0n01KZ6_t1n8s82IpY-ThpXC6aXRKRxo4ccfq45ZCYKKTvkjqkKeRBg44sZ8XMFWDhDHYO5RM7BY0mh54v2Vu8qGzzgJvVqtLfpMcIVJZKVr/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Elim Hlanangani has two drop-in centres for vulnerable children, feeding approximately 100 children at each site every day. Local farmers and retailers assist with donations to ensure that there's enough food to feed the children.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWLM6OPQi0R8o17Fy3nkPKZwy2UOLzc_gcnvlfWHq0mOV0E8Bju71G9plvM_n7BSoG35KJffMjMOFQPwOZuVM4_OJ9qEMca8VlT7_HiPEFRuEDKe5ntIs-CXUIZpjp6T4Nh5y-YMADn3N/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWLM6OPQi0R8o17Fy3nkPKZwy2UOLzc_gcnvlfWHq0mOV0E8Bju71G9plvM_n7BSoG35KJffMjMOFQPwOZuVM4_OJ9qEMca8VlT7_HiPEFRuEDKe5ntIs-CXUIZpjp6T4Nh5y-YMADn3N/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHVneoSXGy62NGrHV5qLZ5NjJ-D1pfERd_48REys6N_63m6EzIwHMZ1twkbuSOXYOUlvUqodk13TbvLpJ1b3jxSGFdnXkKVWNxnEPpJubKg7P0BTCphcq_oKpeAae2lbj_yd7sYsTwih1/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHVneoSXGy62NGrHV5qLZ5NjJ-D1pfERd_48REys6N_63m6EzIwHMZ1twkbuSOXYOUlvUqodk13TbvLpJ1b3jxSGFdnXkKVWNxnEPpJubKg7P0BTCphcq_oKpeAae2lbj_yd7sYsTwih1/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We are so blessed and supported by this community," says Florence, "we never go without. From the white farmers in the area who provide food and meat, to the businessmen and retailers who donate material goods, to the professional children of the elderly folk we care for, who in turn assist us with donations or goods.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTifyGrxsEyrV7wNNnap1UVJ1_7N3VsXz3K9Tga_wQXYCT7WRuhF5H1ZkxtYFRS_bAd_gdZKSWKtTPneRFnunGBBAEwW6-8Uj8hpsHrqiWHnrBm4cJ6t0F0nPAsYtbsUwrAWSHlEAQt9iB/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTifyGrxsEyrV7wNNnap1UVJ1_7N3VsXz3K9Tga_wQXYCT7WRuhF5H1ZkxtYFRS_bAd_gdZKSWKtTPneRFnunGBBAEwW6-8Uj8hpsHrqiWHnrBm4cJ6t0F0nPAsYtbsUwrAWSHlEAQt9iB/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt5kHrQ-ZZaNToLKVrS9gpHMnvdNoQkWY2PIUNKVF_yjFOWoN9HPVXdRUc3qWOgwbP4reqmtasNGj41qjCDmT03bHnOCYEgQb5wiRcbctcun5bkwFN0tdPRdZkYhYwylVUeMCC_P-2fZD/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikt5kHrQ-ZZaNToLKVrS9gpHMnvdNoQkWY2PIUNKVF_yjFOWoN9HPVXdRUc3qWOgwbP4reqmtasNGj41qjCDmT03bHnOCYEgQb5wiRcbctcun5bkwFN0tdPRdZkYhYwylVUeMCC_P-2fZD/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimHlanganani-Limpopo-21062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So instead of a dear little Old Age Home, what I’ve found is a thriving, holistic-care organization with 32 full-time employees, integrated with the Dept. of Health, completely supported by the community, and regularly attracting foreign volunteers from Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland to live and work within the community.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Wl0EYtVkrdgyxZBddlZTlWy8hIqmfisDJjVWJ6Hv7i6SufcnasLSdrDScsXCRaFSVzfkYMTGpwnxI2mD6raiV9WoVxFONQuojlnW7NkTd6tOz9s9ZOnvfv_8aRhByc3MZGJi0-mrHGr1/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Wl0EYtVkrdgyxZBddlZTlWy8hIqmfisDJjVWJ6Hv7i6SufcnasLSdrDScsXCRaFSVzfkYMTGpwnxI2mD6raiV9WoVxFONQuojlnW7NkTd6tOz9s9ZOnvfv_8aRhByc3MZGJi0-mrHGr1/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW004.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Anna Maboko, (71), is a pensioner who receives home-care assistance through the Elim Hlanganani Care for the Aged.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's getting towards evening now, but Florence still takes us to meet Anna Maboko, (71) a pensioner who is cared for by Sarah Makamu (37). Anna is diabetic and lives alone, she cannot walk without assistance. Sarah helps Anna with bathing, feeding and housework. The Old Mutual funding of R30 000 ensured that 14 caregivers such as Sarah could be trained and deployed into the community to assist pensioners such as Anna.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Florence turns to me and says, “In our community, no-one is left alone without help.” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And this is the way it should be, I think to myself. Thank goodness for baobabs and women like Florence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCKAcTPhLNaHqmC7ltmyFFkaICL99khWYJaf5HHMph79w7RFIeDcojZHwlpXqkg3HDkarHkAZF_9nYkPsZexJ-08a4LCO4gFE5O5xk46yXwTufGj0-AKWNNu_FPg4rAt5xUZ6vAJdiTSd/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCKAcTPhLNaHqmC7ltmyFFkaICL99khWYJaf5HHMph79w7RFIeDcojZHwlpXqkg3HDkarHkAZF_9nYkPsZexJ-08a4LCO4gFE5O5xk46yXwTufGj0-AKWNNu_FPg4rAt5xUZ6vAJdiTSd/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trained caregiver Sarah Makamu (37) provides daily home-care to Anna Maboko (71), helping her with her medication (above) and assistance with standing and walking (below)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3g_1haBpOyfgPgYqist0L4p8C7xRYzpM6Ls6Ld5dgLso0xIRbQoKcA65wyupnsPSbCQ-nu1QdxmGF3tKTblJh27-C_Wr_rkuPW8FOwRfmdNVRsZ51BKh3Mm0PZXkWpFqf3Qu4Rw4ZdSBq/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3g_1haBpOyfgPgYqist0L4p8C7xRYzpM6Ls6Ld5dgLso0xIRbQoKcA65wyupnsPSbCQ-nu1QdxmGF3tKTblJh27-C_Wr_rkuPW8FOwRfmdNVRsZ51BKh3Mm0PZXkWpFqf3Qu4Rw4ZdSBq/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-ElimGogo-Limpopo-21062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-79568729195438176842011-06-28T10:15:00.031+02:002011-06-29T21:32:04.882+02:00Joy is round. Amen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Africa, football is not a religion. But it is everything a religion should be. (Acknowledgements to </span><a href="http://www.jessicahilltout.com/amen/"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Hilltout</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">).</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUHinEgP92-56e-3sXu26-EsJzjbPG6GmahLgEquhPI8TADPdh6RTUkhlAPxn3vnKR5ZSsCrRnzneRVO7hZOB6yhFx7ashyphenhyphenQ3TdNDJreKn4fZVqCal-bbtuwHPxozUE-FWOg0t6wVuDCO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUHinEgP92-56e-3sXu26-EsJzjbPG6GmahLgEquhPI8TADPdh6RTUkhlAPxn3vnKR5ZSsCrRnzneRVO7hZOB6yhFx7ashyphenhyphenQ3TdNDJreKn4fZVqCal-bbtuwHPxozUE-FWOg0t6wVuDCO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today we experience this firsthand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are standing in Hluvukani, a rural village deep in Mpumalanga, on the sidelines of a dusty soccer pitch. School is finished and all around us are hordes of school children in uniform, boys and girls from different schools, watching a soccer tournament being played. Four local schools have been invited to compete and the afternoon is loud with heat and dust and the high-pitched excitement of young voices. I have dust in my hair, on my face, up my nose. Parents and teachers patrol the sidelines, and every now and then the women-folk will burst onto the field, dancing and ululating if a goal is scored. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGgRqB40U8E4nCiHKwnGj31-0sOPlOz7JOIjqCabsSm1FUW1sQe79qfAu3Ua8foJhGaYAJvwyeEcHE0o7q4mfM3spTagW1x2vdkd0bXGn4Ww2daeR5ji_v-y4gnSEbwrsfK61OSmOMfJS/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGgRqB40U8E4nCiHKwnGj31-0sOPlOz7JOIjqCabsSm1FUW1sQe79qfAu3Ua8foJhGaYAJvwyeEcHE0o7q4mfM3spTagW1x2vdkd0bXGn4Ww2daeR5ji_v-y4gnSEbwrsfK61OSmOMfJS/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW012.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Parents and teachers celebrate their school's progress in the tournament.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpx-cJ9eRTnHyWirKh1QBzp_fihYQ_eAV0IPFzj01G08HNUj_0A2IDDRFpsLwfgjzb-1dZ7DUJca1OizC6wMkssPQ-V-oQ7SubDyG4kl6IGHC2GUHn2UQSGTFYPKHa-0ZkZkuTEnmYh5k/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpx-cJ9eRTnHyWirKh1QBzp_fihYQ_eAV0IPFzj01G08HNUj_0A2IDDRFpsLwfgjzb-1dZ7DUJca1OizC6wMkssPQ-V-oQ7SubDyG4kl6IGHC2GUHn2UQSGTFYPKHa-0ZkZkuTEnmYh5k/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Laduuuma! Spectators crowd around the nets to watch the outcome of a penalty shoot-out.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The heroes of the afternoon are the young soccer players in their matching kit, warriors each, who come off the field panting and blowing, socks around their ankles, shirts askew. They have played their hearts out but are already on the sidelines, eyes following the next game, hungry to go back out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1DTQNNThWnVEzTBj5qcTKS6HtoUs-QfuH17oPjetXipuJk2RvW5ata3kyTwSF3jMPzOntApdowI9iTZqIXeO_qAahBzCVpxI98H0KjWcoojpF-2DUCYjSpriV4PX7foOZb2npUWNIz8T/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1DTQNNThWnVEzTBj5qcTKS6HtoUs-QfuH17oPjetXipuJk2RvW5ata3kyTwSF3jMPzOntApdowI9iTZqIXeO_qAahBzCVpxI98H0KjWcoojpF-2DUCYjSpriV4PX7foOZb2npUWNIz8T/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW010.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1rcU18XedgSaDhV-hW-P_-qtwMT72tuEfwRlvQWO0R_YGrRHp56XO8WvOJNpTZyZcl4xwa4AHwUetMEGwtcDCf32TMYB_V0Wl460vtYzM8d-o37j6l7YsnAN1jkgV1jWPy2V_4dwhCXc/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1rcU18XedgSaDhV-hW-P_-qtwMT72tuEfwRlvQWO0R_YGrRHp56XO8WvOJNpTZyZcl4xwa4AHwUetMEGwtcDCf32TMYB_V0Wl460vtYzM8d-o37j6l7YsnAN1jkgV1jWPy2V_4dwhCXc/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUdXOEAs7wKIMcCHrbRenj7rZMa1G0xMlcJFu66Kvi_35kg7QpUs1c4QlEbVvb3D9nx3ZHEUU2Tb35sMz64gXwQq7z_ouT_GiiEB41kyYFOFLNUh2NufTNOubfeAQ0sOscgRm6hV2kXn_/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUdXOEAs7wKIMcCHrbRenj7rZMa1G0xMlcJFu66Kvi_35kg7QpUs1c4QlEbVvb3D9nx3ZHEUU2Tb35sMz64gXwQq7z_ouT_GiiEB41kyYFOFLNUh2NufTNOubfeAQ0sOscgRm6hV2kXn_/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW009.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHksGDFS1ZorUlzio8vSGkcsyk_1149KLY0cEnojAj6vwkoA49SCv6gHvo3I6J5pYkFNMYTD58-WDG4M-H4UKcnl9Zlp7-6AgZPXRFMopA9AJg-jkrCmMsN0prASLS7qWHf8gsw2SyQG_x/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHksGDFS1ZorUlzio8vSGkcsyk_1149KLY0cEnojAj6vwkoA49SCv6gHvo3I6J5pYkFNMYTD58-WDG4M-H4UKcnl9Zlp7-6AgZPXRFMopA9AJg-jkrCmMsN0prASLS7qWHf8gsw2SyQG_x/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“If we let them, they will play to midnight,” says Ralph Mdluli, Secretary of the Manyeleti School Sports Council. As preparation for our visit, Ralph has coordinated schools from the surrounding areas to compete in a mini-tournament so that Mark and Tim will be able to get action footage to cover </span><a href="http://www.dreamfieldsproject.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the Dreamfields project</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">.</span> Kids, parents, teachers have travelled from afar to be here. I’m very conscious that a lot of organization has gone into making this afternoon’s event happen for us.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37lbK0Ij_uT1q21MDsMsYeq5tw1B-YuOINf3D3T5TLanS7-pcJHIEinJ1fXcrWyH84F37sIEaKNLxjEW_J52QE76D1DIsk4BBp2YglIPIRbyOKM2rGO8wU_jlCL6Va_oi5CRQeGC6uWMq/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37lbK0Ij_uT1q21MDsMsYeq5tw1B-YuOINf3D3T5TLanS7-pcJHIEinJ1fXcrWyH84F37sIEaKNLxjEW_J52QE76D1DIsk4BBp2YglIPIRbyOKM2rGO8wU_jlCL6Va_oi5CRQeGC6uWMq/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Football gives me wings." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Excitement runs high amongst the children who are totally camera-crazy, definitely not camera-shy.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKzaZXcVu2rjR_uH7LhQYJtdYvntjGIjtR8iMsueq3r6rf-17RptJbiRwibjVZHH2k5foawgGzql34jO8SA0CrJy0ew2MZnN2oHEGDTEkLTUzhLU4HY_MvVUu2NEFq0YV7leuX5bvg1GW/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKzaZXcVu2rjR_uH7LhQYJtdYvntjGIjtR8iMsueq3r6rf-17RptJbiRwibjVZHH2k5foawgGzql34jO8SA0CrJy0ew2MZnN2oHEGDTEkLTUzhLU4HY_MvVUu2NEFq0YV7leuX5bvg1GW/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Briefly, the Dreamfields project was started in 2007 by founder John Perlman, (in the build-up towards the 2010 World Cup) with primary funding from Old Mutual and BHP Billiton. The vision was to work together, in partnership with the Department of Education, to put resources for playing soccer into townships and rural schools across South Africa - quickly, efficiently – to reach the most remote corners of our country. Very simply the Dreamfields project provides three key soccer components:<br />
- DreamBags, a full set of soccer gear and boots <br />
- DreamFields, builds or restores soccer fields<br />
- DreamEvents, celebrates the spirit of soccer with an event, on the pitches created, in the kit provided.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This afternoon we’re standing on one of three playing surfaces which the R1 million start-up funding from the Old Mutual Foundation contributed towards. It might not look like anything special if you’re used to smooth, grass-green football fields, but to this community it’s a joy - a completely level area that’s been graded bump-free, rock-free, puddle-free and even has junior-sized goalposts. Not only are there two fields to play on, but 20 schools in the surrounding area have each received team gear, boots and fully branded kit - ah, the bursting pride of every young soccer player. And yes, before you even ask me the question, girls teams as well as boys teams are included. Go little sisters! </span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXzkRcc6Q7HMANeBXogfUuDm2GZVyMv-ArwKjS36bxS7N17oSL-HT7LNB5s1HTa7IFMpOngrlzdpQ2L7zKx-DCIZ5a8qROnSncDHdFlla5vDT5tBWeYAKv-spYz4ff1orbL6d3xhf0HL6/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXzkRcc6Q7HMANeBXogfUuDm2GZVyMv-ArwKjS36bxS7N17oSL-HT7LNB5s1HTa7IFMpOngrlzdpQ2L7zKx-DCIZ5a8qROnSncDHdFlla5vDT5tBWeYAKv-spYz4ff1orbL6d3xhf0HL6/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Many school children go to school every day without shoes, so a pair of soccer boots is a treasure.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although the World Cup has come and gone, the Dreamfields legacy has grown from strength to strength into a vast, national-level, multi-corporate supported project which has touched close on 20 000 individuals, impacted 1 776 schools, built 13 soccer fields and hosted over 150 Dream Events in SA and Mozambique. It's got legs, as they say. </span><br />
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Interestingly, when I talk with John Perlman who has travelled from Jo’burg to join us, I ask him what his personal learning has been throughout the four years of this project and his reply is, “Just start! So often we plan things in excessive detail and think that we first require this or that or need a multi-purpose sports centres etc to make a difference, when actually you must just start, keep it simple, but just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> something. ”</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAc5TgZaUTcvSvkUKwieMd3b43y4isdeNOh-qElRja7BNlu7M8Kl_7YYUG-cdrPASTAQXQYfoLczlY0qrAHgQQnm70C43uKpNmFnOqfiFHTTDicbCkJPGduXrGRG-sBDRCRhgSJexxsHkX/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAc5TgZaUTcvSvkUKwieMd3b43y4isdeNOh-qElRja7BNlu7M8Kl_7YYUG-cdrPASTAQXQYfoLczlY0qrAHgQQnm70C43uKpNmFnOqfiFHTTDicbCkJPGduXrGRG-sBDRCRhgSJexxsHkX/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">John Perlman, founder of the Dreamfields Project, Malwana Primary School, Hluvukani village, Mpumalanga.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visit </span><a href="http://www.dreamfieldsproject.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dreamfields</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- A soccer ball costs R88<br />
- A pair of soccer boots R165<br />
- A DreamBag with kit for 11 players, R3065</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did you know? </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I couldn’t quite figure out why the lines outlining the soccer pitch didn’t look white. It was only after Ralph and John explained to me that rural schools can’t afford to buy lime powder to mark out the soccer field, so instead make a huge bonfire before an event and use the residual powdery-grey fire ash to mark the pitch lines.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22Bcax5dLDm9yJQnwCndrjCE2B3WVMVHxU-85Nsuyylvz6gA8VW8zdD-E65-FJRThr3geI11YKGyhdixD5FWV8pg1erHpK5ouWIjuJJ9BipCWgXqi8HcdUfzzR2b0L01F_3FA-EjWI8Cg/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22Bcax5dLDm9yJQnwCndrjCE2B3WVMVHxU-85Nsuyylvz6gA8VW8zdD-E65-FJRThr3geI11YKGyhdixD5FWV8pg1erHpK5ouWIjuJJ9BipCWgXqi8HcdUfzzR2b0L01F_3FA-EjWI8Cg/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The spirit of soccer, the beautiful game. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3H8kKjw2a3Q57IATyOkAzvk1T-PNnWiOZXYbU8JUjx2Jjp_oyvmpbi9OEmngL1oEvIMjv2eM6thzcln-y0-B7UEgv7uNJexz2ORgsy0rboo4U53J0oRPhpq421KwOKIGGMJQczOubl9i/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3H8kKjw2a3Q57IATyOkAzvk1T-PNnWiOZXYbU8JUjx2Jjp_oyvmpbi9OEmngL1oEvIMjv2eM6thzcln-y0-B7UEgv7uNJexz2ORgsy0rboo4U53J0oRPhpq421KwOKIGGMJQczOubl9i/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW019.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefvcBcxT_9FC4WD2_y7dXpE60cuuI7wiGNkuQXvzDgF4GeHV_LMuvqlc-vdPdevRTxPRkTgAkh7o79CQjm_5iLeA6-7Mm1yOyfdNvuovM0_nC3kGCql8bs6Mmv0kakotDaMbFfe4kfvTw/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefvcBcxT_9FC4WD2_y7dXpE60cuuI7wiGNkuQXvzDgF4GeHV_LMuvqlc-vdPdevRTxPRkTgAkh7o79CQjm_5iLeA6-7Mm1yOyfdNvuovM0_nC3kGCql8bs6Mmv0kakotDaMbFfe4kfvTw/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW015.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An enterprising gogo sets up shop; selling biscuits, chips and cooldrinks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs40WG5DQjZ50oDXDaT4bBDzHWVYin4NqozKyQRg8icOlVWcjElWPbBdtolSNO7wy4IbaPbVBmaXox4qCHmjKGAxD8XMBiwc-Hu-nQQ1_e7vjQNgcdclqr_Xe7R1MMnI2G6VhQ8gl1d-Zt/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs40WG5DQjZ50oDXDaT4bBDzHWVYin4NqozKyQRg8icOlVWcjElWPbBdtolSNO7wy4IbaPbVBmaXox4qCHmjKGAxD8XMBiwc-Hu-nQQ1_e7vjQNgcdclqr_Xe7R1MMnI2G6VhQ8gl1d-Zt/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Dreamfields-Mpumalanga-20062011-MW024.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The excitement of a camera sent the kids wild and I got mobbed! <br />
The girls kept stroking my hair and practiced their English on me, "I love you. You are my mother."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-33001559744711209852011-06-26T22:04:00.005+02:002011-06-27T08:37:34.674+02:00Tickled pink in Kruger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi004b5zh5eocPQJTGfzLeOXRQzOP3eFr2hGQdU8FYYkzNrOSuPUEzaf0DwN5ZLolE6slJoSm8_vrCmYogoZ-NQAEp3btlOGvYrRklb2sb-uekwkDVO_3hS7mUerziwzYxim8RCNiTvQUvn/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi004b5zh5eocPQJTGfzLeOXRQzOP3eFr2hGQdU8FYYkzNrOSuPUEzaf0DwN5ZLolE6slJoSm8_vrCmYogoZ-NQAEp3btlOGvYrRklb2sb-uekwkDVO_3hS7mUerziwzYxim8RCNiTvQUvn/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW018.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kruger Park, pink African dusk</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In terms of project visits scheduled, we’d had another shift in plans earlier in the week. The project that we were scheduled to visit on Sunday, Hlanganani Arts & Crafts came back to us to say they weren’t able to accommodate us, and the project booked for on Monday wasn’t able to move. So sadly Hlanganani Arts & Craft fell off our itinerary which was a real disappointment (as there are crafters and then there are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> crafters), and this was definitely one of the Old Mutual Foundation-supported projects that I wanted to see. They don’t have their own website, but are listed on the Phalaborwa tourism pages: </span><a href="http://www.phalaborwa.org.za/hlanganani.htm"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.phalaborwa.org.za/hlanganani.htm</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a result, this meant that we had a free day and being 50km away from </span><a href="http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kruger National Park</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, what better way to take a break after two weeks of being on the go, than spend it in the bush savouring one of our country’s most precious national assets.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So we were psyched and our plan of action was to get up and be at Kruger Gate as early as possible. Unfortunately this was scuppered immediately by the fact that I overslept – me, Miss Time-keeper, Toe-tapper, Watch-watcher had let the team down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What made me feel worse was that the guys were so gracious to me…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then we discover that the dawn breakfast we’d planned to have at the hotel before leaving wasn’t possible. No, our waiter had misinformed us the previous evening, so instead we have to wait whilst breakfast packs are made for us. Standing around, stamping chilly feet in the pink pre-dawn air for another half-hour, watching the best game viewing time slowly slip away…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, the bakkie’s packed, we bundle in bulky with jackets, scarves, beanies and off we go, later than planned but hey, we’ve got Kruger in front of us. We arrive and grin with delight at each other as the bush starts to work it's magic on us, within minutes we’re blown away by a roadside sighting of a hyena mother sunning herself in front of her den whilst nursing two pups. The guys are all over the bakkie reaching for cameras, gear, lenses when Tim stops dead, looks at both of us, we look at him, something is clearly wrong. Then those horrible cold words, “Where’s my video camera?” We phone the hotel immediately, relief, yes it’s there sitting on the counter. But bang goes our early morning viewing as we have to turn around to travel 100km to get this sorted as soon as possible. Tim feels awful…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ah well, we decide we might as well start eating our breakfast sarmies in the car if we aren’t going to have them at a picnic spot in Kruger. Heading back through the park gates, I hear "$%&*," erupt from the back seat. In all the time I've been with Mark, I've never heard him swear, so I swing around shocked. “Sjeez, %*&^, I’ve just sat on my yoghurt,” says Mark. We stop the car, get out and there is thick pink strawberry yoghurt smeared everywhere, the seat, his shoes, his hands, his backside, down the side of the door, he is the moer-in with himself. The three of us look at each other and then just double over with laughter. The entire morning has just been a comedy of errors, going from bad to worse, so this just popped the cork off the champagne bottle. After another 30min mopping up the car and Mark’s strawberry-scented derriere, we get going again. By now, we’ve given up our schedule and decide to just flow with African time, easy and slow. Seems that maybe that bush magic worked after all ...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our beautiful country:</span></strong></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_7KfSzgl_g1I1VNJc11ehK2hzuTBqCAxV9bJLOYcOKoQ0ZUBv4mN6RdSZRlgkw50rycG4Xx-m0bM5my6iz8yE9ofk3aB_QgrChMZlmsR3nwRWIiK_to9SNK7GzrQ13sB1K57eh_W-7Zo/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_7KfSzgl_g1I1VNJc11ehK2hzuTBqCAxV9bJLOYcOKoQ0ZUBv4mN6RdSZRlgkw50rycG4Xx-m0bM5my6iz8yE9ofk3aB_QgrChMZlmsR3nwRWIiK_to9SNK7GzrQ13sB1K57eh_W-7Zo/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Above) Memorial to Paul Kruger, namesake of the Kruger National Park (below).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglHpEP5l8zVn1rqVCEQNtCDJq9cDEpUqtrzDWJrAYmhcntym0ejFW6VzGIBzn3oXocit9I2XFk38h5WhIrMt4AXlEbvky49x-t-NZSuPel23gEyGhb8UtnIrdW6a8f_s75rSlDl_x_IaD/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglHpEP5l8zVn1rqVCEQNtCDJq9cDEpUqtrzDWJrAYmhcntym0ejFW6VzGIBzn3oXocit9I2XFk38h5WhIrMt4AXlEbvky49x-t-NZSuPel23gEyGhb8UtnIrdW6a8f_s75rSlDl_x_IaD/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0slMYM4KKA2UFOs9f77Rk3o3EuzTsUKpvci-h0Y6CjtmRQWQU3XRaD-jjMVnQPidnfNvlBlEWW5t6C9_JrHZ0ETiPxVgJhf1k3MgsYwskNRlQfta9gmXjbz0i6vtx2ptF6toCOLKR1-MZ/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0slMYM4KKA2UFOs9f77Rk3o3EuzTsUKpvci-h0Y6CjtmRQWQU3XRaD-jjMVnQPidnfNvlBlEWW5t6C9_JrHZ0ETiPxVgJhf1k3MgsYwskNRlQfta9gmXjbz0i6vtx2ptF6toCOLKR1-MZ/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Unusual sighting of a hyena mother nursing her young, so relaxed in the morning sunlight.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZhXgnJNf2PvaQLEox0RVQyE9oWXIk4OXbT02sjL-VsLTDqBy8ear2yJR_XpEkxqovjZQSZmn8cdNgp6EfIi3r0EbTt9Vw5X7Sc8_5zKkFXAOByEnvvjAqNhKy3YkOGR5jYtUGVUntFbR/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZhXgnJNf2PvaQLEox0RVQyE9oWXIk4OXbT02sjL-VsLTDqBy8ear2yJR_XpEkxqovjZQSZmn8cdNgp6EfIi3r0EbTt9Vw5X7Sc8_5zKkFXAOByEnvvjAqNhKy3YkOGR5jYtUGVUntFbR/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After returning back to the park, we saw two young leopard cross the road right behind our car, we were so shocked that they were almost gone by the time Mark squeezed off a few photos. He says he knows this isn't a great image, but we <em>did</em> see leopard! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cHEPa46KFBDzkr6gL6ken1FKhKNXlpytc2oTzZMIRqAd5z4tPHrqeQOGuZDjCwt0Z09D3RXBlp60RsgtVaygI-8nLMXDI4oOZbp3N6i6m8yw6c8pTh2B9I7G_y59Qx9VK-2dvd1JaiBO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cHEPa46KFBDzkr6gL6ken1FKhKNXlpytc2oTzZMIRqAd5z4tPHrqeQOGuZDjCwt0Z09D3RXBlp60RsgtVaygI-8nLMXDI4oOZbp3N6i6m8yw6c8pTh2B9I7G_y59Qx9VK-2dvd1JaiBO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Brown-hooded kingfisher, a dash of brilliant turquoise against the grey drabness of the winter African bushveld.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen-fD-b3qA1bOAfoMr3v9nhqRqXed60OQe4HSnGza8d6CKvp7w_67gvjd2UWR7P-8i02p4qeH7I0JOe5xOrleuVqivxkVDwM8yPqLbzSMMOO5-CXHfnYWTo6SXfGR6Kg3ZY1gS54IePT0/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgen-fD-b3qA1bOAfoMr3v9nhqRqXed60OQe4HSnGza8d6CKvp7w_67gvjd2UWR7P-8i02p4qeH7I0JOe5xOrleuVqivxkVDwM8yPqLbzSMMOO5-CXHfnYWTo6SXfGR6Kg3ZY1gS54IePT0/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW006.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yellow-billed hornbill, common and comical, curious and clumsy, in amongst the roadside bushes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tM7eGu1JrMY1lCJkd-BUVN9fv1wiqBeQYGIKNVqnQiVJfee11TDd2fFD81WhiNMFBhRdVzVyVM98E2QTFHCJZjw9pUJK0G8wAeYOd9zhnJl_xELc05GuEnavYb37nl0wRtjxRGioylgu/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tM7eGu1JrMY1lCJkd-BUVN9fv1wiqBeQYGIKNVqnQiVJfee11TDd2fFD81WhiNMFBhRdVzVyVM98E2QTFHCJZjw9pUJK0G8wAeYOd9zhnJl_xELc05GuEnavYb37nl0wRtjxRGioylgu/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lone giraffe bull - can you spot the red-billed oxpecker?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCVtj4rUAlIzR96ZsYSFnjTmj1tMc6nRQ0S1xeFulaHpzUDjSoNGjh4erUkSXFVP14QUxxU6wT0ubPfR2WZ3RzUyqnMwsJIouzf7mOskdg7IoqD6PQ4me64OwFcZR9XooNnX1ZC_EAQ-j/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCVtj4rUAlIzR96ZsYSFnjTmj1tMc6nRQ0S1xeFulaHpzUDjSoNGjh4erUkSXFVP14QUxxU6wT0ubPfR2WZ3RzUyqnMwsJIouzf7mOskdg7IoqD6PQ4me64OwFcZR9XooNnX1ZC_EAQ-j/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Earth and sky, tree shapes touch cloud space.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnqNvAsCmbmqsJqk_bNpoRytBp16O9Oa61gZi4OH8ywYgXikLKr1F3s_rJ40yn0AvMbSXOlhhoh_S00wT_TV_4cGB7kuLuYyH3B7mNpUQshPJrF1k_uGQTcri4XguF1_zn9rxHF0KmmcV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnqNvAsCmbmqsJqk_bNpoRytBp16O9Oa61gZi4OH8ywYgXikLKr1F3s_rJ40yn0AvMbSXOlhhoh_S00wT_TV_4cGB7kuLuYyH3B7mNpUQshPJrF1k_uGQTcri4XguF1_zn9rxHF0KmmcV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Help, we didn't know what flower this is? Any informed blog-readers out there who can help us? It's a delicate splash of colour against the bush.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJzv2gL1fHNAh_7na_HWk77Zi_ggpMYdD9zMlVTLacb9S874QfR9-D7FzUYpM_SkxCAGdsVBkIpD_bpKIW5lQfGqjLwmqkdwF7unOChO3aL7ibHvjUH9fp9c6_7np4nN5YvihwO6gL-fG/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJzv2gL1fHNAh_7na_HWk77Zi_ggpMYdD9zMlVTLacb9S874QfR9-D7FzUYpM_SkxCAGdsVBkIpD_bpKIW5lQfGqjLwmqkdwF7unOChO3aL7ibHvjUH9fp9c6_7np4nN5YvihwO6gL-fG/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW012.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oh my, Mr Ground hornbill! Aren't we so handsome with those long eyelashes! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ZN_40qEEjm9D1BHpwTRrpue2Tpylx64bbTaqef0-T6PDZvuOdGsguMd4jnhcZ8Won_K3K7S-MZqbjAQTmooC2LYajNHDSdcknIFv-efbaszV2DST5sl3rKdXPtovWr8uQ00zGmt5lhU/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ZN_40qEEjm9D1BHpwTRrpue2Tpylx64bbTaqef0-T6PDZvuOdGsguMd4jnhcZ8Won_K3K7S-MZqbjAQTmooC2LYajNHDSdcknIFv-efbaszV2DST5sl3rKdXPtovWr8uQ00zGmt5lhU/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW020.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Zebra grazing, as curious about us as we were about them.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ3YRZUF9W5VFDFBKYIZWYE9miRf6pdLD68FMdvBNTE9DXTmBtMuV5n5QD60055tr2TU58bAmUxpweTdcyxpoDNjc04DPTdM3J89YatxmLm8H2Fr0iebhH1EzJXxexjbkfnU1tFo6cIoR/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ3YRZUF9W5VFDFBKYIZWYE9miRf6pdLD68FMdvBNTE9DXTmBtMuV5n5QD60055tr2TU58bAmUxpweTdcyxpoDNjc04DPTdM3J89YatxmLm8H2Fr0iebhH1EzJXxexjbkfnU1tFo6cIoR/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW021.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Elephant playfully nudging and tustling at the waterhole.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguKCWqe0FJ_FRYBA58V4gPHXwF0-Bvh0I7HtmQjhA3pbcODIUu2TpVQuLygYG7GbD5grULajz9Rtf0ni6DWLQR0ZD-Izu4FMBv0YTLECFYGnOf-ANtSYxoNvTTssdvaAqqm6nZ1Z6fMvl/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiguKCWqe0FJ_FRYBA58V4gPHXwF0-Bvh0I7HtmQjhA3pbcODIUu2TpVQuLygYG7GbD5grULajz9Rtf0ni6DWLQR0ZD-Izu4FMBv0YTLECFYGnOf-ANtSYxoNvTTssdvaAqqm6nZ1Z6fMvl/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The rivers were unusually full, great for game, but not so great for game-viewing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjgqWr4IvkqU2MXoFmhyy8lFirEjFkG5hqIa2ifnziF1ErpLAhT7mBe5TjGSqPkAoeD0Kkj4RAKKqO60ETgqlFKCKqpvA1gEFajBcY67qv4yskjS3oSvcxAQnaHRfyFn5cYrQ7hyEnTRV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjgqWr4IvkqU2MXoFmhyy8lFirEjFkG5hqIa2ifnziF1ErpLAhT7mBe5TjGSqPkAoeD0Kkj4RAKKqO60ETgqlFKCKqpvA1gEFajBcY67qv4yskjS3oSvcxAQnaHRfyFn5cYrQ7hyEnTRV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW016.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Looking out over a sea of grey-green thorn trees as far as the eye can see. Kruger is one of the biggest game parks in Africa, over two million hectares stretching 360km from north to south, and 65 km from east to west.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86ev0Qriw9-qte_fkNzLyXrwVtgWBTWkJqw1U9-lCZMj8aLcQNvP70XbW7JnxEPxGcKaz2v7gggvFZM60R7imUl4tjm8Wxujt9cTQC2oF_d3emgTXHr2b1z_8DUh6olioIB-ksLqSGZcQ/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86ev0Qriw9-qte_fkNzLyXrwVtgWBTWkJqw1U9-lCZMj8aLcQNvP70XbW7JnxEPxGcKaz2v7gggvFZM60R7imUl4tjm8Wxujt9cTQC2oF_d3emgTXHr2b1z_8DUh6olioIB-ksLqSGZcQ/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-KrugerPark-Mpumalanga-1920062011-MW015.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Master lensman Mark... can only work if he's wearing a hat. Taken by Tim</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-27866773845229241742011-06-24T00:16:00.003+02:002011-06-24T08:10:50.835+02:00Growing trees, growing children<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmcOOM5zefCmVIdZT2n8aU_JeMgd_a_ltwFgCURrx9Wwm0GNJziHf0RwwQ3n1OeRXkVVENUgB11OHhNaZEtQk2JwqqVk47ygKdb72DI_uC7nzrH4U3sOSF7qKGmj55m2CRmIebExx163p/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmcOOM5zefCmVIdZT2n8aU_JeMgd_a_ltwFgCURrx9Wwm0GNJziHf0RwwQ3n1OeRXkVVENUgB11OHhNaZEtQk2JwqqVk47ygKdb72DI_uC7nzrH4U3sOSF7qKGmj55m2CRmIebExx163p/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Watering coral tree seedlings, Lungelo Mazibuko (15) is a Treepeneur within her community of Luphisi, Mpumalanga .</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We arrive at a guest house that looks like something out of the deep American south, a gracious old manor house with broekie lace and upstairs balconies. However in Witrivier, Mpumalanga this is so out of context as to imagine Blanche of the Golden Girls swanning in chewing on a stukkie biltong.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are courteously shown to our rooms, each a quiet explosion of floral fantasy with their own names, I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Country Rose</i>, Tim is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summer Breeze</i> and Mark is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Royal Secret</i>. This green theme must be synchronicity because our visit the following morning is to the </span><a href="http://www.wildlands.co.za/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wildlands Conservation Trust</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> project called Treepeneurs. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wildlands Conservation Trust's vision is to green our future, and their work has been supported by the Old Mutual Foundation since 2008. The way the Treepeneurs project works is that young children, and particularly vulnerable members of the community (orphans), are provided with seed packs for indigenous trees such as sausage tree, marula, coral tree, natal mahogany, acacia and fig tree etc. These budding young ‘treepeneurs’ or TP’s as the community refers to them, are provided with basic training on how to propagate these seeds and nurture the seedlings until 30cm high (which takes approx 3-6 months depending on season and tree type). Once they have a batch of trees at the required height, they then ‘trade’ these trees back to Wildlands who plant them into selected areas as part of their reforestation programme.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By creating a currency of trees, a treepeneur can trade trees back to Wildlands in exchange for meaningful items such as foodstuff, building materials, bicycles, even laptops. It’s a creative way of raising environmental awareness amongst the youth, securing their active participation in greening their communities, whilst assisting the vulnerable members of our society. Here’s some examples of the currency table:<br />
- 1 x 10kg flour = 22 trees<br />
- 1 x 5kg sugar = 7 trees<br />
- 1 x pocket cement = 45 trees<br />
- bicycle = 100 trees<br />
- computer laptop = 2300 trees</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our visit this morning is to Luphisi, a small community outside of Witrivier. (The Foundation has invested R600 000 over a three year period into this Mpumanlanga Treepeneurs project). Although it’s the middle of June, it’s already promising to become a hot day. The landscape is dry and dusty, with brown winter grass interrupted by grey-green scrub and thorn trees. Every now and then, rocky outcrops bulge up from the earth – perfect leopard koppies, I think to myself. Not such an unrealistic thought in fact, as I chat with Hlengiwe Mthembu (28), Wildlands Conservation for Mpumalanga region, she mentioned that earlier on her drive through to meet us, a leopard had crossed the road in front of her car. She couldn’t believe her eyes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzobAt4WbEdQOAA-Trmzco5fkd5iKSoUPBKe8Gnw8mrBJu-MnOb3Jy0IUegMVNsRQfnNlLJmxy0mZGl9p9M65ufuf4L5_MVoTjF05DYk0D0iqB1AUh-Nr_48V_lq0eI4FkKbNgKRNN-Ma/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzobAt4WbEdQOAA-Trmzco5fkd5iKSoUPBKe8Gnw8mrBJu-MnOb3Jy0IUegMVNsRQfnNlLJmxy0mZGl9p9M65ufuf4L5_MVoTjF05DYk0D0iqB1AUh-Nr_48V_lq0eI4FkKbNgKRNN-Ma/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Luphisi. Winter in Mpumalanga is hot by day and bitterly cold at night. The winter vegetation is dry, dusty and brown. Poverty and unemployment are real problems is such small communities as this. Above an indigenous marula tree quietly anchors the passing life. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Luphisi, we meet Lungelo Mazibuko (15) who is a young treepeneur. Lungelo is a leggy young lass, who has been a TP since she was 12 years old. Initially a bit shy on meeting us, she soon warmed up and started talking about her project. “When I first started at a TP, I was interested to know how I could benefit from the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now having looked after the trees, I’ve learnt about nature and the environment, about how to look after the atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never been one to go out on the streets like the other children. I take my project as my playtime. When I come home from school, I like to irrigate my trees, weed them and talk to them. My friends often used to think I’m wasting my time, doing this work for no money, but when they saw my new bicycle they were jealous of me and wanted to ride it. I said no, because I had worked for it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lungelo takes us to her nursery of about 400 seedling trees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She points out a leafy young coral tree, such a quintessential part of the African bush landscape with its flame-red flowers. Between Mark and Tim, Lungelo is soon patiently watering and weeding plants for the cameras. I watch her at work and think she has hopefully found a way out - just a chink at this stage - of the cycle of poverty within her community. She is aware of the environment around her and is focused on completing her tertiary studies with the assistance of Treepeneurs. She has already decided that she wants to become a geologist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRjLzMg3AnX5ehT1vubnwgax3Jb_IXMiRJPdYJn0Yjs6dOXKB_OJNKJcbzd-nUU3J8oiGub8qsLYHMFSQK_bfZt912DjKDYywslnDouqyMtarm7k_Q7IoJck2FV6oJ4symg7op7bFO2Fi/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRjLzMg3AnX5ehT1vubnwgax3Jb_IXMiRJPdYJn0Yjs6dOXKB_OJNKJcbzd-nUU3J8oiGub8qsLYHMFSQK_bfZt912DjKDYywslnDouqyMtarm7k_Q7IoJck2FV6oJ4symg7op7bFO2Fi/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Treepeneur, Lungelo Mazibuko nurtures her seedlings</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqUP0YoEpCzJ4t2YJWqeuvU3bsA56XD4o_Wc87W3ZZq4OoJ-C9pl19EARW_jiyZyROxC23THcVIR8Qq91dcGt4qmaOElZHyIRVeYpgCH1KTeCxo717S-dZtxBaRTg5OZL2cOu0xkFGMLI/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqUP0YoEpCzJ4t2YJWqeuvU3bsA56XD4o_Wc87W3ZZq4OoJ-C9pl19EARW_jiyZyROxC23THcVIR8Qq91dcGt4qmaOElZHyIRVeYpgCH1KTeCxo717S-dZtxBaRTg5OZL2cOu0xkFGMLI/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Above) Children and trees, tender green shoots (below).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDzBaLTUFF6Bgld-LG-qBYlZ7Qvlpnm-Bq3o8tLoYsOLa62HhICc_nMFAep4tvTut49fM3ZD1q-jy_6Sgsqb8bG0-hkEFGL-aXXdqZEKob71zuBXSKLxjqDOVM9VHBAb9sAZMtosGp0qD/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDzBaLTUFF6Bgld-LG-qBYlZ7Qvlpnm-Bq3o8tLoYsOLa62HhICc_nMFAep4tvTut49fM3ZD1q-jy_6Sgsqb8bG0-hkEFGL-aXXdqZEKob71zuBXSKLxjqDOVM9VHBAb9sAZMtosGp0qD/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNMCW0V5yrpMuYQd56B-uxlanfk11jrv8MevU9FzUUBs7Pj1vscvpLP8o9S8Eo-a8FKXrCUmsO0K40EFV_35rzHJq6jbZi1VZ-G4nqs2GjAIdiv3NklJbVS8ZoGip4ulGzGyzqeR3zY5O/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNMCW0V5yrpMuYQd56B-uxlanfk11jrv8MevU9FzUUBs7Pj1vscvpLP8o9S8Eo-a8FKXrCUmsO0K40EFV_35rzHJq6jbZi1VZ-G4nqs2GjAIdiv3NklJbVS8ZoGip4ulGzGyzqeR3zY5O/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lungelo lives alone with her mother, Sibongiseni Mazibuko. 'Sibongiseni' means to 'come and give thanks' and she was so named as she was the lastborn and only daughter after six boys. Her parents were understandably thrilled. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We drive out to visit the holding nursery where all the seedling trees are kept once they’ve been traded in by the TP’s. To my eye, the plants look brown and I enquire worriedly about this, however I am assured that this is winter season and totally normal. Hlengiwe informs me that earlier this year, the Wildlands Greening team came out to Luphisi and assisted the community to plant 16 000 trees over a two-month period. “We want to grow a forest,” she says. Environmental concerns often come last when there are more pressing issues like poverty and hunger, but she has worked hard at building relationships with the local tribal authorities and she has the support of the community. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIxwK3Tsgk78n3A5qAuSi0-0KOdfmEoHUTiG3Pzycau41bsFlzdEvA47QGbEBfg8_xWLmS-0ANFO10vc6bpaJUJ0skdtayaMSt9a4h9ijG1K0yqTo56Qlu_33UDU1tTHbfgOGr3Z_-hx/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIxwK3Tsgk78n3A5qAuSi0-0KOdfmEoHUTiG3Pzycau41bsFlzdEvA47QGbEBfg8_xWLmS-0ANFO10vc6bpaJUJ0skdtayaMSt9a4h9ijG1K0yqTo56Qlu_33UDU1tTHbfgOGr3Z_-hx/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW009.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The holding nursery at Luphisi has over 10 000 trees. From left to right, Treepeneur Lungelo Mazibuko, Hlengiwe Mthembu of Wildlands Conservation Trust, Mpumalanga; Thusile Mohale, Treepeneurs Facilitator; Treepeneur and friend of Lungelo is Morris Nkosi.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhsgbnt1K2-KkM-_s_SmfK9UFITaJoaJunCmWeKrRf74_3_tL6RKMLg9U2lIgeOzsYVouWYd5uPNJtVrh9pOb02dTsQ3Z3vkGpL59Qk-_YbBudCmmFHWhzIEYUSKHe2Gwz1ezDOv1MR9v/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhsgbnt1K2-KkM-_s_SmfK9UFITaJoaJunCmWeKrRf74_3_tL6RKMLg9U2lIgeOzsYVouWYd5uPNJtVrh9pOb02dTsQ3Z3vkGpL59Qk-_YbBudCmmFHWhzIEYUSKHe2Gwz1ezDOv1MR9v/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW010.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hlengiwe Mthembu (28), Wildlands Conservation Trust for Gauteng & Mpumalanga, stands amongst the natural bush of Luphisi where over 16 000 tree seedlings have been planted. The bush is at it's driest now in the height of winter, and Hlengiwe has laughingly secured a promise from me to visit again in six months time to see for myself the transformation that takes place.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By now its 27C, a normal winter’s day for an area that can easily reach 40-45C in summer; it’s been a long day of filming and we are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bushed</i>, literally and figuratively. Driving back from Luphisi onto Hazyview, we decide there’s only one way to wash the dust from our throats. The guys set off to secure some liquid gold refreshment, but after 6pm everything seems closed. A quick enquiry at the service station assures us there is an answer; just around the corner is Papa Joe’s Tavern. Hooray ...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark's Gallery:</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lJ_460K01MibVkiBltMkXAPY5rDGSJh56cf3-6RNk9bEtPynUh7qpEOXoQs0uD9UfvlvB-EFJmUkBg4AJKrZ2zNDsIEYEMfW553R1bxIlj6HepVbUd46P5y4tu_Yjc_lglFtdDBusE3l/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lJ_460K01MibVkiBltMkXAPY5rDGSJh56cf3-6RNk9bEtPynUh7qpEOXoQs0uD9UfvlvB-EFJmUkBg4AJKrZ2zNDsIEYEMfW553R1bxIlj6HepVbUd46P5y4tu_Yjc_lglFtdDBusE3l/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The fragile interconnectedness of life</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhmy5DlSytW0i4PVLilaLwtX7PyzaRwV_Mo7hIVZ4SRp0x45fPVEze_LRkFKHX9gge6A1YDqc3BmDm6CJcZ6qkfTioFUGe9ttlYOUBNSintjcA-iQMYFaLw31fxsIucK0bYZXXS3v0npY/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhmy5DlSytW0i4PVLilaLwtX7PyzaRwV_Mo7hIVZ4SRp0x45fPVEze_LRkFKHX9gge6A1YDqc3BmDm6CJcZ6qkfTioFUGe9ttlYOUBNSintjcA-iQMYFaLw31fxsIucK0bYZXXS3v0npY/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Treepeneurs-Mpumalanga-18062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thulisile, Lungelo and Morris collect bright red buffalo-thorn seeds. A great GoPro shot!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-70872216334625392412011-06-23T22:41:00.003+02:002011-06-24T08:10:17.890+02:00The place where the sun rises<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things were going too smoothly. For the first time since we’ve started this road trip we have a project fall off the bus. For one reason and another, our chosen project for Durban, </span><a href="http://www.umcebodesign.co.za/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Umcebo Trust</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">,</span> is unable to participate in our documentary. I am really disappointed, not only because they do excellent work which the Old Mutual Foundation has supported for the last two years, but because it would have been a visual feast for our camera team. Check out Umcebo Trust’s website. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This does however mean that we have a free morning, which is incredibly welcome. Although participating on this trip has been a real privilege, it’s physically demanding being on the go every day and working late into the evenings. Battling with internet reception, accessing emails and making phone calls to confirm each project is prepared for our visit also means that there isn't as much focused time for writing, so every free moment is grabbed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another reason I’m enjoying my morning is that I’m finally going to Mpumalanga (never been before). Today we’re flying to Nelspruit to tackle the last and most demanding leg of our three week road trip – starting in Mpumalanga, travelling in an anti-clockwise direction up through Limpopo and then down into Gauteng. I’m looking forward to getting back into real African bush, the land of Jock of the Bushveld, the place where the sun rises …</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*The name Mpumalanga means literally “the place where the sun rises.”</span></em></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicrOxOfr5FNlvANVen7qfyON7UAfOCheTHmZAkgCR_W7fU2R8wbhrBGHfrkOf4_FCmSsvKiNDB7vrxhpycf1MivstZJaS3rgvXFhwBXrgRiVDM2IoM1rbvX8j8GMuxMBeL2Q-1Crv9S7L/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicrOxOfr5FNlvANVen7qfyON7UAfOCheTHmZAkgCR_W7fU2R8wbhrBGHfrkOf4_FCmSsvKiNDB7vrxhpycf1MivstZJaS3rgvXFhwBXrgRiVDM2IoM1rbvX8j8GMuxMBeL2Q-1Crv9S7L/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The flight to Nelspruit from Durban was 50min, I hardly had time to take out my laptop, power up, write two paragraphs and then the captain was saying fasten setbelts for landing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjPn8YifZAWKjtdYh9M4Iqx4rTUI0NDNe7yw56i3CA7F2yeoSFEve1qBDjDQSc3fSlGjpcWfjP7wJypXZx6YAMMasifpCiniQB2Sde70UlOZg12Oh2aA_IvkE_wC4nEx5ho6pd60hwoFp/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjPn8YifZAWKjtdYh9M4Iqx4rTUI0NDNe7yw56i3CA7F2yeoSFEve1qBDjDQSc3fSlGjpcWfjP7wJypXZx6YAMMasifpCiniQB2Sde70UlOZg12Oh2aA_IvkE_wC4nEx5ho6pd60hwoFp/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW006.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tim captures Mark in a thoughtful moment.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dKgJHkX1ZAIZLmxfnRLKPJpvU_kEL9vPmG8H98_ouDFZJoH57BgUD0PZAAyeicayIVxxw6kw2kGIE7FZ4n7QFWp-h2DScc-5hloa-6rIQWfFYHrk7Z5eVvSriNTVmbG_5HBqEzu9G02w/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dKgJHkX1ZAIZLmxfnRLKPJpvU_kEL9vPmG8H98_ouDFZJoH57BgUD0PZAAyeicayIVxxw6kw2kGIE7FZ4n7QFWp-h2DScc-5hloa-6rIQWfFYHrk7Z5eVvSriNTVmbG_5HBqEzu9G02w/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bustling metropolis of Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. Hot, dry and dusty; even though it's mid-winter, temperatures are above 25C each day.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Tim's Photo Gallery.</strong> Yes, you're reading correctly, these photos have been taken by Tim on his GoPro camera which is tiny but highly specialised 'special effects' camera that can fit into the palm of your hand and has an extra wide-angle lens. Because we didn't have a whole lot of project images to show for this day, we thought these would be interesting. You'll see the difference immediately, enjoy ...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrT7VbhY2DpTo4Jvl7biS0uj59w43Wua03ZTw28dfqVe3ZXjRKPEVs9tstJeU-0bhQtilKW9iYkYX1MF7CPv3lu7qKonoZxoipgAvRIadix8_la0IAVOw1fpsDB1qv-JY9zMJ9CHkUQEjw/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrT7VbhY2DpTo4Jvl7biS0uj59w43Wua03ZTw28dfqVe3ZXjRKPEVs9tstJeU-0bhQtilKW9iYkYX1MF7CPv3lu7qKonoZxoipgAvRIadix8_la0IAVOw1fpsDB1qv-JY9zMJ9CHkUQEjw/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was taken during our drive back from Barrydale (with Tim nursing a nipped ankle courtesy of Noodles).</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sWOaHPjDRL2UdnfN3KfgEZuWv9YJeCNhvXj4_TxmlusGww1EGZe_1FbV8F7JFa1vHrlCiGNlq-uS0fqM9ioEeV8yZ05x5cSIhF1jYq_6Ysdpe_ClecAmJ4QIDjbreQN6qpX5sU6OW12p/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sWOaHPjDRL2UdnfN3KfgEZuWv9YJeCNhvXj4_TxmlusGww1EGZe_1FbV8F7JFa1vHrlCiGNlq-uS0fqM9ioEeV8yZ05x5cSIhF1jYq_6Ysdpe_ClecAmJ4QIDjbreQN6qpX5sU6OW12p/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beautiful Bulungula, sigh.....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguf2wChTtkj3Mmk1cVvzAt9jah_vWlcxP5nFnTxOLMpWclQfnByPYiwA2ldh5dhbQh75HtZS0-Gu3mzLCwMVf1PfEmZKrmJ0DceBOmf4pUxi9eRIURFgq6MhglKQwAjrz2ffccrtA0UD3o/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguf2wChTtkj3Mmk1cVvzAt9jah_vWlcxP5nFnTxOLMpWclQfnByPYiwA2ldh5dhbQh75HtZS0-Gu3mzLCwMVf1PfEmZKrmJ0DceBOmf4pUxi9eRIURFgq6MhglKQwAjrz2ffccrtA0UD3o/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bulungula. Tim captures Mark and Phumzile Msaro (Project Manager, Essential Oils Project) going through some of the previous days photographs.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfXiXvGYbKtBjxNEvsdpY5GX8XowvIaIrUZr_KxYQd2Z2UUMMkhgaAMVSvGMhGEAlk6_K27BtpSEdy_afsdAUlEQz2skKE8Wwq11wjSGduZmhpHjOhFyQwNVxeqAogkAWXvLHpzpVHVc1/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfXiXvGYbKtBjxNEvsdpY5GX8XowvIaIrUZr_KxYQd2Z2UUMMkhgaAMVSvGMhGEAlk6_K27BtpSEdy_afsdAUlEQz2skKE8Wwq11wjSGduZmhpHjOhFyQwNVxeqAogkAWXvLHpzpVHVc1/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I within an eye." Mark busy capturing the weird and wonderful bathrooms of Bulungula. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVOioD8CpXlzO6Yr-f2ewCEFreDWf4RzhF4rcDjRiFccx-hWYBFd-nWrckRppBjz09yA48GjtzZ0u3Gkly4UqetxRBadQMnKByA8KKFetEPnZTgFsXC6_zDEPMceiQUzTOqhZ28igVppV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVOioD8CpXlzO6Yr-f2ewCEFreDWf4RzhF4rcDjRiFccx-hWYBFd-nWrckRppBjz09yA48GjtzZ0u3Gkly4UqetxRBadQMnKByA8KKFetEPnZTgFsXC6_zDEPMceiQUzTOqhZ28igVppV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-VariousDates-Everywhere-062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark calls this photo "The Claw!". Actually it leads perfectly into tomorrow's project, watch this space ...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-59581878167839943142011-06-23T04:52:00.047+02:002011-06-28T16:08:58.129+02:00Fresh and Good<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">“I’m going to tell my wife I’ve been shooting chicks all day.” Mark grins slyly, it’s another one of his dodgy comments. What he actually means is that we’ve been photographing broiler chickens at the Nqabayemsimbi Poultry Co-operative in Gamalakhe, Port Shepstone. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chickens are big business in Africa and there are many successful poultry enterprises meeting this demand. As a micro enterprise it’s ideally suited to support income generation and job creation, which is why is the Old Mutual Foundation has invested R200 000 into this business, as a joint venture with Ezemvelo KZN. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fakazile Mkhize is a clear-minded, determined business woman with a sunny disposition and cheeky dimples when she smiles. She has a 15 year old daughter Nosipho, and when I enquire about a husband, she shakes her head. No husband, I check? She confirms this is so, “And no stress,” she adds.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuDGoKN6DeNj5qON_nzaab4-zYbIo1lqEdB3iOoS_9LzvARZ667cTmyMi7QKlTTc_YkaoGenD9oUgcHqlbHWi-5_Qie44iVOYgt1BQr6029o4HE89IrD-19IDrP7YTFibUwSCHriiazJf/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuDGoKN6DeNj5qON_nzaab4-zYbIo1lqEdB3iOoS_9LzvARZ667cTmyMi7QKlTTc_YkaoGenD9oUgcHqlbHWi-5_Qie44iVOYgt1BQr6029o4HE89IrD-19IDrP7YTFibUwSCHriiazJf/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fakazile Mkhize, entrepreneur and businesswoman.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Their co-operative started in 2002 with 30 chickens in a small mud room (18m²) with start-up capital provided by founding co-op members each paying in R50. Ten years later, the co-op has a joining fee of R500 per member and consists of 10 members who are all present for our visit. They’re neatly kitted out in orange t-shirts with the name and slogan of their business, “<i>Fresh and Good</i>”. Currently their business is based in a single broiler house with three separate rooms. Every two weeks, the co-op purchases 200 day-old chicks (costing R1000) and raises them over a six week period. Thereafter the chicken are taken to market and sold live at approx R45 each.</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz97jfxxfoqW4p8L2tQ8Rl_Xhj-_VRnPmPoRBngpIVMMaLDrre1rBYn_iad2QWcbjtM0kOeHHcEj6gUnTG8msrf0lTybPFnWS_g1wzG0VTyzyGC_TJuRsQvrykQc1XlgtUx9kOwmxRfVa3/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz97jfxxfoqW4p8L2tQ8Rl_Xhj-_VRnPmPoRBngpIVMMaLDrre1rBYn_iad2QWcbjtM0kOeHHcEj6gUnTG8msrf0lTybPFnWS_g1wzG0VTyzyGC_TJuRsQvrykQc1XlgtUx9kOwmxRfVa3/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Nqabayemsimbi Co-operative, standing outside their new broiler house.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">It’s a simple business principle based on supply and demand. The demand is high in this region and their business supplies the product. The co-op costs revolve around feed for the chicks, electricity for infra-red lights and vaccines and vitamins to prevent diseases. Currently they deal with 600 chicks, and now with funding from the Old Mutual Foundation they have built a second broiler house capable of housing 800 birds. The new broiler house has been completed and is awaiting certification and approval from the Dept. Agriculture. They have an appointment with the inspector next week. Fakazile grins, “As soon as we have that certificate, we’re putting chicks in. We’re ready and waiting.”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZTLOhO8NbrHWtaNHdoLDuiV2tAh64L7OvJNcctbtsuz0ED8cwFi0oDEj-qCUSevMpRe4aV4eoQ44Gxk2uGM85B3mr42Co9alNiLTJ5ev2KBZpn2tOwOt-2LsWc90362jtDACnzRLEncE/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZTLOhO8NbrHWtaNHdoLDuiV2tAh64L7OvJNcctbtsuz0ED8cwFi0oDEj-qCUSevMpRe4aV4eoQ44Gxk2uGM85B3mr42Co9alNiLTJ5ev2KBZpn2tOwOt-2LsWc90362jtDACnzRLEncE/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The new broiler house funded by Old Mutual Foundation can house 800 chicks.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">I look around me and everything is neat, organized and clean. There is a clear roster of duties 'iTime Table' handwritten on the notice board. Fakazile already has plans for expansion; a third broiler house, an abattoir to sell prepared chicken (better income) rather than live chickens, and she wishes to investigate installation of solar-panels to reduce her electricity costs. After visiting so many projects, one quickly gets a sense of those which are thriving, and it’s satisfying to know that this one definitely is.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacsiUKEfZ_n9enbdC_CwvMujHBgaJqYq6DQe7_ThItNu0r1ZOgw4xg0DRjZkNI0QE470yWuBKXoQF5LkA0U8-ewK028J-Enil_1d9R3EHGDvjbelq3D-XhZtDUMDzCRwIpZYlo_-EXZw5/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacsiUKEfZ_n9enbdC_CwvMujHBgaJqYq6DQe7_ThItNu0r1ZOgw4xg0DRjZkNI0QE470yWuBKXoQF5LkA0U8-ewK028J-Enil_1d9R3EHGDvjbelq3D-XhZtDUMDzCRwIpZYlo_-EXZw5/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Above) Proud chicken producer, Fakazile Mkhize and the Nqayabemsimbi Co-operative (below). </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPxFtYN1PAjI0yKV7oYb3TSJ3vV0OfkvYOuG2ks2t7vBd9gXKRJZ8po3dZEP8NsbBirRNdGDUWZZ8zpYbOwaX_Ydn7LCqA5H8yaOr5jfYfeyv27-I4PRIzJlvDA3w1TYH0z3AR82kKyB1/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPxFtYN1PAjI0yKV7oYb3TSJ3vV0OfkvYOuG2ks2t7vBd9gXKRJZ8po3dZEP8NsbBirRNdGDUWZZ8zpYbOwaX_Ydn7LCqA5H8yaOr5jfYfeyv27-I4PRIzJlvDA3w1TYH0z3AR82kKyB1/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW005.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr2Nf3cL_Qelh_XTx5k5BTqlHGfUnWnUnpFjwvAnoOHLK2vzRXSB0rZh_GtPUzGKpY3neUrx-pI0nExyglfka2EYB1J0EF1liJSCa5VxNg9LfDVc5fcGFlV1M7HOGHYMUbPmIvbaDWWH3/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr2Nf3cL_Qelh_XTx5k5BTqlHGfUnWnUnpFjwvAnoOHLK2vzRXSB0rZh_GtPUzGKpY3neUrx-pI0nExyglfka2EYB1J0EF1liJSCa5VxNg9LfDVc5fcGFlV1M7HOGHYMUbPmIvbaDWWH3/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who me?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK7n4Dw6BP6jAm67ABNLpq2IAOg6N6HOLrzVoW-r0FOT1aZG5JgKOaAM7z72cVTBWe9P_CHPm2yoxfhW5nlPrdpGgeqtxo9DDHA1HSUjuvcAjoamyF24fcHVibqQk6nNu1CLZ7YBmJQ_d/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK7n4Dw6BP6jAm67ABNLpq2IAOg6N6HOLrzVoW-r0FOT1aZG5JgKOaAM7z72cVTBWe9P_CHPm2yoxfhW5nlPrdpGgeqtxo9DDHA1HSUjuvcAjoamyF24fcHVibqQk6nNu1CLZ7YBmJQ_d/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Fresh%2526Good-16062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chicks of a different sort, bathing Zulu maidens!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We pack up our gear and head out, deciding to drive up the coastal road towards Durban rather than the N2. This is KZN, and despite being winter it’s green and warm. There are ladies selling huge avos every 500m on the side of the road, bordering fields of waving sugar-cane tops. We stop for lunch at The Curry Den, selling rotis, samoosas and bunnychow. As we drive past Hibberdene, Pennington and head towards Amanzimtoti, Tim starts recounting memories as a young teenager growing up in this area. He points out the shop where he bought his first Bob Marley necklace. I lean forward and tease, “So were you a bit of a teenage 'joller’?” He grins bashfully and we pack up laughing, I guess at some stage we were all young and carefree! This of course sets them off trying to remember the teenage lingo used in those days:-<br />
- to ‘charf’ the chicks (to smooth talk the girls)<br />
- pull in, ek sê (to arrive somewhere)<br />
- to 'graunch' someone (to kiss someone), the boys hoot with laughter at this one!!<br />
- And of course, ‘getting ‘fresh’ with someone (to 'make out'!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">By now we’re heading into rural Umbumbulu to visit a <a href="http://www.habitat.org.za/"><span style="color: blue;">Habitat for Humanity</span></a> beneficiary who received a house this year from Old Mutual. Since 2003, the Old Mutual Foundation has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and funded the construction of 86 low-cost houses throughout Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN. Over the years, approximately 5230 Old Mutual staff have been given one day’s social responsibility leave to become involved with building these houses. It’s a much-anticipated activity on the Staff Volunteerism calendar, whose aim is to support vulnerable members of the community.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X2J48pqrf1m0jPYc73U4C3HPUMYF2gAXoyGkVF-mVtU7_vH145-UPoStIM4y9Civ88YubL4FJsud0fuhujPyChHsutyUiO5Ji3mjoj2ZlSx3WdkZIT2rd1Zc-ZgMEM-qQgAhtAgjdR6r/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X2J48pqrf1m0jPYc73U4C3HPUMYF2gAXoyGkVF-mVtU7_vH145-UPoStIM4y9Civ88YubL4FJsud0fuhujPyChHsutyUiO5Ji3mjoj2ZlSx3WdkZIT2rd1Zc-ZgMEM-qQgAhtAgjdR6r/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW006.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gogo </span><span style="font-size: small;">Thembakile Mkhize (74), Umbumbulu, KZN, proud homeowner of her first mortar home. Partnering with Habitat for Humanity SA, her house was funded by the Old Mutual Foundation and built by Old Mutual staff volunteers.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today we meet Gogo Thembakile Mkhize. Through our interpreter Amon Shezi (Habitat KZN coordinator) I ask her how old she is, she gives me the year of her birth, 1937. She is shorter than me, a little wizened and is wearing a neat yellow pinafore dress and apron. Around her wrist is a bracelet of wooden beads depicting Jesus and scenes from the Gospels. I can see she’s a bit nervous having us there, her hands folding and unfolding her apron ties while she talks. Gogo Mkhize has nine children (four have passed away), 10 grand-children and 12 great grand-children. Her husband passed away in 1992 from TB. Living with her now are five children, five grand-children and seven great grand-children. Their homestead consists of two mud huts, one of which has two rooms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark’s photos will convey the living conditions of the Mkhize family. I can only describe it as sobering, a hovel with mud walls. Their reality is one of malnutrition, ill-health and lack of protection from the weather. “If it rains,” Gogo Mkhize explains, “We must get up to put plastic against the leaks and containers to catch the water.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiped-XeO1pLzq8vK6OgRrKC83OIRYoKK4hJdZqOl9gY328hBzWYbaxXRPvLU4L4Am8Vd35KuD4YGTeSb_XBzhLpyXs1e9UE-0w_zIkP5T-IjLS6CMnNR_XdTtEY-cfMRjvyHSUGVcIWxgK/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiped-XeO1pLzq8vK6OgRrKC83OIRYoKK4hJdZqOl9gY328hBzWYbaxXRPvLU4L4Am8Vd35KuD4YGTeSb_XBzhLpyXs1e9UE-0w_zIkP5T-IjLS6CMnNR_XdTtEY-cfMRjvyHSUGVcIWxgK/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW002.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Above) Inside the Mkhize's two-roomed mud house, Umbumbulu, KZN (below).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rtY2v5HqPtPzC0xCzqz-EN4najzYDgFx0Kcmcz-2Womd4ndrFSSo2PFb3At1rCA-A-DAU0MiMKcr9NK6tELPUV8kZ_eRuYqYTGq4Rl2aWiiANaH8OpnuQB1dzm1gmYj8ZRtXJXXly0K-/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></div></div></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDGYLrBECqRj9Zwt0G6LmsJ07yyhTLOtYC6fgOmfbCyJ6EGYd0pkl8oJbzFI9_FExWtiHWWW3pe8lcM3pQaF7hh3ac3x8Nbjyj4TDXLy4f9bi17x3p-7YlW6Utn7u0MMeEwwmcKQpPGIe/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDGYLrBECqRj9Zwt0G6LmsJ07yyhTLOtYC6fgOmfbCyJ6EGYd0pkl8oJbzFI9_FExWtiHWWW3pe8lcM3pQaF7hh3ac3x8Nbjyj4TDXLy4f9bi17x3p-7YlW6Utn7u0MMeEwwmcKQpPGIe/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW005.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The impact of brutal poverty on young lives facing circumstances larger than themselves.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvOw9zOd95QyhKbf6LVGPJQtTaw7QLlEhmCD2ecOo6ifJpxhM1KgkTsOboKxz1dmYsKoSfBYqalYgxb-o9l39xQ_unUr3PQzZ9W5UPjDZKKooXhgGvOdrTBJElfRMvmO-Z-BCu7rT47fr/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvOw9zOd95QyhKbf6LVGPJQtTaw7QLlEhmCD2ecOo6ifJpxhM1KgkTsOboKxz1dmYsKoSfBYqalYgxb-o9l39xQ_unUr3PQzZ9W5UPjDZKKooXhgGvOdrTBJElfRMvmO-Z-BCu7rT47fr/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's comment: 'What gets me here is the lost look... '</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjhSnG42yMva4A3diZMrv7n7TexMIThlKV7yReAmOBLZhWJ77Fx0uL2qdFh-FKKqhVW1tys1NcMQTpumFL1xfGOwWTqj9lYckj_tTx_YRgSgnYOtVPbO6RroSwQwrC32jNJ0S6V9oj-cc/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjhSnG42yMva4A3diZMrv7n7TexMIThlKV7yReAmOBLZhWJ77Fx0uL2qdFh-FKKqhVW1tys1NcMQTpumFL1xfGOwWTqj9lYckj_tTx_YRgSgnYOtVPbO6RroSwQwrC32jNJ0S6V9oj-cc/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW003.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking out onto an uncertain future.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Mark's comment: 'The boy cross of door threshold.'</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jJqFKn9Gg-ZLIzLOd06ox1W8GYqbpsfh0qOXBI65_WL3zEUVC0EWPKAuDZ7Mq2gtygNAC8wLW7uHclw3W3N3at5-9j2ZMUwSdzofgBGMusyMQO_F-wvxeUeokHBeXmTpeLeSutCRSYY5/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jJqFKn9Gg-ZLIzLOd06ox1W8GYqbpsfh0qOXBI65_WL3zEUVC0EWPKAuDZ7Mq2gtygNAC8wLW7uHclw3W3N3at5-9j2ZMUwSdzofgBGMusyMQO_F-wvxeUeokHBeXmTpeLeSutCRSYY5/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-HabitatForHumanity-16062011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gogo Mkhize with her daughters and grandchildren.Their new home will provide a greater sense of dignity, improved protection and be healthier for the family.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I ask her about her new house. (She will move into it in two weeks time with a Habitat dedication ceremony). She laughs, showing her few teeth, covers her face “Yo, it is good!” she exclaims and then sets off rapidly in isiZulu, her hands adding to what’s she describing. Receiving this house has been an answer to prayer; it is like a dream, she is so happy that she feels reborn, fresh like a young girl. She has already chosen her bedroom which she points out me to. “Although I eat little,” she gestures, “I’m gaining weight because of the satisfaction in my heart.” Will she have a party when she moves in, I ask? She giggles and shuffles a few dance moves. Even Amon laughs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wondered if Gogo knew that Old Mutual had funded her house. Of course, she nods and opens her pinafore to show me that she's especially wearing her Old Mutual Care & Share t-shirt underneath. (The KZN staff volunteers had built her house earlier in May this year, so a number of extra volunteer t-shirts were distributed to the families that we were working with.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">It is time for us to go; we still have to travel to Durban. Later that evening, I find myself looking around the room of my well-appointed guesthouse with its pristine white linen and Top Billing touches. I can’t shake off this strange juxtaposition of realities, standing here now, having been in an indescribable hovel an hour ago. I chat with the guys and we're all feeling a bit disjointed, so we decide to head out for a reality check, I take them to my favourite spot in Durban, Kebabish, a little Pakistani eatery on the wrong side of town. We eat with our hands and the food is simple and good.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ3aGUFNFWRjr99Av0h4xwT3OiotwoOIasXwV0UrNs-_OejMexPH2A0X9BcCZp445Z69a5qEsSA9FC-ZVmkWe0gjEZD-JdLRBuHbvRbMJAmQXBe6y0MHwC0MbQrhO3mz_BMXrUH49Z4lC/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Kebabish-16062011-MW001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJ3aGUFNFWRjr99Av0h4xwT3OiotwoOIasXwV0UrNs-_OejMexPH2A0X9BcCZp445Z69a5qEsSA9FC-ZVmkWe0gjEZD-JdLRBuHbvRbMJAmQXBe6y0MHwC0MbQrhO3mz_BMXrUH49Z4lC/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day11-Kebabish-16062011-MW001.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grateful for simple north-Indian tandoori food on a Durban evening.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-87563706934735916182011-06-20T20:19:00.002+02:002011-06-20T21:10:10.828+02:00Travel Daze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOslHvx17D0N58zyAis4nhnpvWIsw1809Q7K8SeFpA5oiAQF8FUZP2zDI-UQawSK0DmoTB9zluzCFUs2m0KI057jK7agrb4HMCRhTBysfFXrJuDxgMFuYUJ2fgircydReOUcAM36I0RAn/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOslHvx17D0N58zyAis4nhnpvWIsw1809Q7K8SeFpA5oiAQF8FUZP2zDI-UQawSK0DmoTB9zluzCFUs2m0KI057jK7agrb4HMCRhTBysfFXrJuDxgMFuYUJ2fgircydReOUcAM36I0RAn/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW001.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dawn as we leave Bulungula, reluctantly. I know I will be back.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Today we have to leave beautiful Bulungula, we’re all feeling a bit sad about that. We try and get as early start as possible, but Bulungula moves at its own pace. I sit back, figuring that having breakfast listening to Bob Marley on a beautiful morning next to the beach isn’t too bad.</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have no project visits scheduled for today. Instead we have a long drive ahead of us, approximately 2 hours bumping back to Mthatha and then it’s another 4 hours onto Port Shepstone. When we finally get onto the tar, the warm afternoon makes me drowsy, I curl up and sleep on the back seat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are some pics of the day…</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zetivZfjEgI1IDBW11q7cy3x_b8MuekZj7_OIhqdXBQIhIG0ojnKcFV8rJs8jdBXUo1QEjUSNDDfQg31Mg_dOtL46YtPmLsJ9ahg8INaUXNyXIEs9A4ZKAvXJjlgDheEXm_z6eOKbQGB/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zetivZfjEgI1IDBW11q7cy3x_b8MuekZj7_OIhqdXBQIhIG0ojnKcFV8rJs8jdBXUo1QEjUSNDDfQg31Mg_dOtL46YtPmLsJ9ahg8INaUXNyXIEs9A4ZKAvXJjlgDheEXm_z6eOKbQGB/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW004.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Birds scatter as dawns breaks over Bulungula, Wild Coast Transkei</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDPc3rgf3Fm10mP-PrGw7cDn0cZgNzodAURB-wTA8JRkFm4Dl7_KCmvPY6ak2B_GEkzQDITUlzUpefYsk6nBVQ-7vrn8YvJShiOkHWGXz6y9og8I6prpsjF1-1Ci17oRfBio0Em3_nPJq/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDPc3rgf3Fm10mP-PrGw7cDn0cZgNzodAURB-wTA8JRkFm4Dl7_KCmvPY6ak2B_GEkzQDITUlzUpefYsk6nBVQ-7vrn8YvJShiOkHWGXz6y9og8I6prpsjF1-1Ci17oRfBio0Em3_nPJq/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW002.JPG" width="426" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyday beauty in everyday chores</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEemWA2K7oMHUiujOgccS28KJqZm64QsoLstDot2zM72XUI5cTBz0nhQA-DFPcVcUvj8XDozZuJr4ononpH1mboa9wAc2TdSvITHtd9E2Takznz-b6Tt-cFDl8iHApdlfVoqV-GvmIlayg/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEemWA2K7oMHUiujOgccS28KJqZm64QsoLstDot2zM72XUI5cTBz0nhQA-DFPcVcUvj8XDozZuJr4ononpH1mboa9wAc2TdSvITHtd9E2Takznz-b6Tt-cFDl8iHApdlfVoqV-GvmIlayg/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW003.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eastern Cape simplicity</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gMeurvL7uIb-L3TQ4V3m19qCm8nhyuecdtf8ACOaf-y5REeSmR9TrRwPCSwgQAqOqmaa4pPAQLvudQEEzOuECwdrcnvYmVa2sf5ogR8u2gN7EBUkkylciSgAIAp499zdwaQA0LfN9jZW/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gMeurvL7uIb-L3TQ4V3m19qCm8nhyuecdtf8ACOaf-y5REeSmR9TrRwPCSwgQAqOqmaa4pPAQLvudQEEzOuECwdrcnvYmVa2sf5ogR8u2gN7EBUkkylciSgAIAp499zdwaQA0LfN9jZW/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW005.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We've crossed the regional border into KwaZulu-Natal, lying amongst pine-needle cushions of Sappi plantations.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlkFOGRoZIDyN6gTJQM98zfIQ4coTTpoEL7b5yWI8EA7M3Wm-Po0UzvonsDfwVT9ThZT4d-SlsgKDv04Dg2NY9Rd5BHUtk7NXAj7Az9OQOPusbc2IEkq-MnNbvxHoFL8kGA2wz-RKItFr/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlkFOGRoZIDyN6gTJQM98zfIQ4coTTpoEL7b5yWI8EA7M3Wm-Po0UzvonsDfwVT9ThZT4d-SlsgKDv04Dg2NY9Rd5BHUtk7NXAj7Az9OQOPusbc2IEkq-MnNbvxHoFL8kGA2wz-RKItFr/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW006.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I asked my dad, who lives in KwaZulu-Natal, if he'd like to join us for the Port Shepstone leg of our road trip. He's delighted and his fluent Zulu will come in handy.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2y9g4Tbh4vvSKr7CpKJ-PpwOWPFKvTsWj_vDocyHmt-vPtYDHoY1_GPSJDb2Ki5C44ahyMb55vn-lInulqQclTqXKFD0-9JJXuGAj4Hbg9TfIfZ4J9G6HJgHv_Z3S2X-RNnRP5XRLcVz/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2y9g4Tbh4vvSKr7CpKJ-PpwOWPFKvTsWj_vDocyHmt-vPtYDHoY1_GPSJDb2Ki5C44ahyMb55vn-lInulqQclTqXKFD0-9JJXuGAj4Hbg9TfIfZ4J9G6HJgHv_Z3S2X-RNnRP5XRLcVz/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day10-TravelDaze-15062011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Red moon rising, Wed evening, 10pm 15 June, 2011</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-33771091174693099162011-06-19T22:29:00.001+02:002011-06-20T08:11:33.393+02:00Lemon grass ladies of Bulungula<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bBzAXy90BbDQJP9IM_YCf2J-qJjd8nDlz8uJfwcYgLF9vIvnMLqTc0zxyyLHSsguD5quxdk02oUSIsLfpf1ni9no_-BrAubkJbVUqWas02tUP7hMSbp2MvmQhAnFaJv515Kb8ZfHdNhH/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bBzAXy90BbDQJP9IM_YCf2J-qJjd8nDlz8uJfwcYgLF9vIvnMLqTc0zxyyLHSsguD5quxdk02oUSIsLfpf1ni9no_-BrAubkJbVUqWas02tUP7hMSbp2MvmQhAnFaJv515Kb8ZfHdNhH/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW010.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The lemon grass ladies of Bulungula, with Mam Nolesile Dodwana holding a basket of harvested lemon grass.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I know that there are some staff who are aware of this particular story as we carried it a few months ago in <em>Amicus, </em>Old Mutual’s internal magazine and <em>That's a Wrap</em>, the electronic newsletter. So if you have read it before, please bear with us for the sake of those people who haven’t. Besides now you’ll get to read it again, but this time with the benefit of Mark’s photography.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In most traditional communities throughout South Africa, subsistence farming is carried out by the women of the household, who hoe the fields, draw water and tend to crops such as maize, spinach and pumpkin. So the introduction of lemon grass as a commercial crop into this rural community was quite a novel concept, not to mention a step of faith for these ladies who would be required to put in extra physical labour, over and above their already demanding daily tasks, into the development of this Bulungula Incubator (BI) farming co-operative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Initiated in late 2009 with 14 farmers, the Old Mutual Foundation invested R1 million rand into this BI initiative, whose first crops were harvested in April 2010. It was an exciting moment which we all celebrated. But a project of this nature seldom runs smoothly and the co-op, although experienced farmers, had to overcome challenges in learning to work with a new crop such as dealing with rust on their plants, effective methods of drying the lemon grass to prevent the development of mould, sourcing a viable market and the transport costs associated with getting their goods to a buyer from their rural location. It hasn’t been easy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">But the co-op is strongly unified under the leadership of Mam Nolesile Dodwana (49), a handsome woman with a strong, calm presence. She is married with nine children and seven grandchildren whom she dotes on. Standing her fields, dressed in an orange doek and a faded blue pinafore dress, Nolesile tells this story of their co-operative’s journey. (With thanks to my colleague Ayanda Sema who has provided this translation.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">“When we started this project in November 2009, we were very excited to have an opportunity to generate an income but the work was very hard! There had been little rain at that time, the ground was very dry and it was hard to get the lemon grass going. We managed to carry water from the river and from water tanks in the village until the summer rains arrived in December. This was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hard work. Once the rains came, the lemon grass started growing very quickly and we were surprised and pleased to see this fast growing crop start to shoot up in our fields.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIKcy6liMLrI2icOzEKIqBT4XGV7OCJU2kSEq5IEuOhCJETWzPxkJ5J7LALqlrFd8GZVR7WBj6GPrVSf-AUwBEAwDQKkupbw5oBcN5yndaIr-N7LxZZfnuk4G0-pmku-2HuTWydkrTr4K/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIKcy6liMLrI2icOzEKIqBT4XGV7OCJU2kSEq5IEuOhCJETWzPxkJ5J7LALqlrFd8GZVR7WBj6GPrVSf-AUwBEAwDQKkupbw5oBcN5yndaIr-N7LxZZfnuk4G0-pmku-2HuTWydkrTr4K/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mark hard at work photographing the lemon grass ladies. The one lady was a little perplexed that he was taking so many photographs. "Didn't he get it the first time?" she asked.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">“The weather dried out again and it took another three months before we had enough to harvest. Our first harvest was in April 2010. We had training on how to harvest and also started experimenting with different drying methods. We first tried to lay the lemon grass out on grassmats but this drying method was not very successful, as much of the harvest developed mould. However, what we were able to salvage was taken to Cape Town and sold to rooibos tea exporters who flavour their tea with the lemon grass leaves. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">“The loss due to mould was a setback that demoralised the farmers and we realised that we needed to do some further research. We then made contact with another successful lemon grass farming operation in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This visit was useful and helped to revive the farmer’s spirits and build us as a team. During this visit we learned many useful methods for planting and harvesting. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCwCGRN56986qYNP8om-cJ-_1Fa20cf6y_5ntWeP9pmo1KEa9EgiUNwoQIS2Xemrf5suN5wDJOdPCkzCy3vrFIFPJb3MWOFa5rV0CQNjqlp8AbB1PVCqzPdyn8klcbhYIqHItGkkOGpwe/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCwCGRN56986qYNP8om-cJ-_1Fa20cf6y_5ntWeP9pmo1KEa9EgiUNwoQIS2Xemrf5suN5wDJOdPCkzCy3vrFIFPJb3MWOFa5rV0CQNjqlp8AbB1PVCqzPdyn8klcbhYIqHItGkkOGpwe/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mam Nolesile Dodwana, Chairperson of the Bulungula Essential Oils Farming co-operative, stands in fields of lemon grass with her fellow farmers.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">"We also met people who were employed as workers on this farm and it was then we realised that with the support of Old Mutual, we are owners of our lemon grass farms, not just employees so we have to work hard because as the profits grow, we will benefit more. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">“We starting implementing the farming lessons learned and managed to harvest successfully in August and October. These crops were sold in Cape Town, once again to the rooibos tea growers who praised the quality of our dried stock, but rejected a third of the crop due to mould. Although we didn’t lose as much as the first harvest, we needed to find a failsafe drying method so we are now experimenting with solar-drying boxes and hope that we’ll be able to dry the latest crop properly. This current harvest is expected to be our biggest ever!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">At the time of our visit to Bulungula, the ladies latest harvest was just under one tonne. With each crop they produce more and lose less. Now the co-operative has expanded to 20 farmers who are working with approximately 1200 – 1300 plants each. One farmer has already reached the 2000 plant goal. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">The co-operative’s lemon grass has been organically certified which means that there is huge potential market as there is simply no organically grown lemon grass to be found in South Africa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Nolesile says, “Our lemon grass has been tested by our buyers and they have found it to be of excellent quality. The rooibos tea exporters will buy anything we can grow, so we have a ready market for up to 20 tonnes a year. We just have to work hard on improving our crops and reducing our losses.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo3PVlEl8smgkeYKr5eV8qU-Lcq_RKEC9MTGeIpC5J6bejsBixM_lw3G4Bh6_EjQ-yLrWlv33c0uenb2cQ-uzscrq2fvUdnIeOTDAYMVvBM5tt5mR2_CCPUwemq7yI1LXd0P3A4OT-JXO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLo3PVlEl8smgkeYKr5eV8qU-Lcq_RKEC9MTGeIpC5J6bejsBixM_lw3G4Bh6_EjQ-yLrWlv33c0uenb2cQ-uzscrq2fvUdnIeOTDAYMVvBM5tt5mR2_CCPUwemq7yI1LXd0P3A4OT-JXO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A board room with a difference: the Board of Trustees of the Bulungula Essential Oils co-operative. "Not boring at all," says Mark. From left to right, Mam Novotile Nodange (48), Mam Nobongile Makausi (47), Mam Nolesile Dodwana (49), Chairperson, Mam Nokhongilasi Olo (born 1948)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Good news:</span></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">We’ve put the Bulungula Incubator farming co-operative (Bulungula, Eastern Cape) in touch with the Heiveld farming co-operative (Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape). When we were visiting with Hermanus Fortuin and Barry Koopman we discovered that their co-op is currently importing organic lemon grass from Sri Lanka as a mix for one of their range of rooibos teas. So they were delighted to hear of an organically certified source of South African lemon grass. We’ll be sure to bring you the follow-up on this potential synergy.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpjuQ0jtIYwVwC_r0A4kfsccXs3-23eFi2iy3hlT2zo5uQN4ItRwPSws5SllVCWYulnBrJIaD29tz5shUAxI1Xop5-zvWAWB1qYy6trBw1zrKhG5vs9hfNcbvQau4N8UhVr4wmsFyHjll/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpjuQ0jtIYwVwC_r0A4kfsccXs3-23eFi2iy3hlT2zo5uQN4ItRwPSws5SllVCWYulnBrJIaD29tz5shUAxI1Xop5-zvWAWB1qYy6trBw1zrKhG5vs9hfNcbvQau4N8UhVr4wmsFyHjll/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Members of the Bulungula Essential Oils co-operative</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">It’s been a long day with the ladies and they’ve been patient with Tim and Mark filming and photographing them. Earlier during the day, we had asked them to work with the racks of drying lemon grass, which required some ladies to stand on chairs and work with the bunches hanging from lines strung across the room. Whilst the ladies were working and chattering away in isiXhosa, Tim was working the camera angles close and low to get interesting footage. Someone made a throw-away comment and suddenly the whole group was hooting with laughter, cackling with earthy humour. Tim blushed, realising that he’d made some cultural faux pas but was not quite sure what it was. It turns out that whilst coming in for a low angle, one lady had worriedly commented something to the effect of, “Yo, is he going to film up our skirts?” This of course had set them off cackling like hadedas in flight.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hanging bunches of dried lemon grass.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PGbCsbDIK_ix6HbQKcEbSF-1g8nIv0NO1G4Ncv0tpoXBLf0DeshjNJ7pLq8zhn-pK-sCVganKsD3VLCwszDvnKZT8-1JJ_jeaW3GmV7MruDU_ePQBoYBaJPD-gh4j3KQilKL_djB94G7/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PGbCsbDIK_ix6HbQKcEbSF-1g8nIv0NO1G4Ncv0tpoXBLf0DeshjNJ7pLq8zhn-pK-sCVganKsD3VLCwszDvnKZT8-1JJ_jeaW3GmV7MruDU_ePQBoYBaJPD-gh4j3KQilKL_djB94G7/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mam Nogqithile Tshayisa helps Mark get his shots by hanging bunches of dried lemon grass.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMODC-n0Eg8-Ch45S-XTGfjp-F_-iGYy2aJ8Dj59yCN2nJwVELbFEI8NaMn6x5bah8VWuvxLW3whWS2LjncFsgO6ssDzeMLFAUVM03ykXy9YDtQASZVd5Bg2tAv8KNQsdOMpfxqQOl-Sp/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMODC-n0Eg8-Ch45S-XTGfjp-F_-iGYy2aJ8Dj59yCN2nJwVELbFEI8NaMn6x5bah8VWuvxLW3whWS2LjncFsgO6ssDzeMLFAUVM03ykXy9YDtQASZVd5Bg2tAv8KNQsdOMpfxqQOl-Sp/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Happy and singing, the lemon grass ladies arrive for the day's interview after collecting their monthly grants and having completed their grocery shopping</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Eventually we pack up our gear. Some ladies balance a baby on their backs, others tuck a red-combed chicken under their arm, set their groceries on their heads and move off, swaying in the easy way of African women, all the while talking good-naturedly to a friend across the valley.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remains of the Day images:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Phumzile Msaro (29), Bulungula Essential Oils Project Manager - Visionary</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Stars trace patterns in the sky; lemon grass grows by moonlight</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbaaccEkU8OqbR8Mvzr1kjmBIi2wi8r044BfIS1wZoeUejS_UMxqJhjhebblEHoj34lFqfYsN0PyusIdTi97h0xRFr2Gt2mG9tsH3JS3E4F4LwUNmXqqY-JdICbfecNAkdUw3SVqG3QYv/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbaaccEkU8OqbR8Mvzr1kjmBIi2wi8r044BfIS1wZoeUejS_UMxqJhjhebblEHoj34lFqfYsN0PyusIdTi97h0xRFr2Gt2mG9tsH3JS3E4F4LwUNmXqqY-JdICbfecNAkdUw3SVqG3QYv/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-LemongrassLadies-14062011-MW002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tim and I interviewing Nkuli Ndlovu, Sustainable Livelihoods Manager of the Bulungula Incubator, with impromptu' photographer's assistant' Phumzile Msaro, Project Manager for the Bulungula Essential Oils co-operative.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-83642508494822532712011-06-17T21:06:00.005+02:002011-06-28T05:20:14.266+02:00The road to Bulungula<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, here’s the deal. I spoke with Tim and Mark and we agreed that Bulungula was such a sensory overload that we’ll post two blogs. The first is about the experience of Bulungula itself and the second will be specifically about the Essential Oils project that the Old Mutual Foundation supports. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ever since we’ve started planning this road trip, Tim and I (who’ve both had the privilege of visiting Bulungula before) have been regaling Mark with tales of its beauty and especially of its bathrooms! He’s been so excited that he’s practically wriggled in his chair in anticipation... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, after visiting the traditional mama’s in Willowvale, we are on our way to much awaited Bulungula, situated on the mouth of the Xhora River on the Transkei coast. By now its late afternoon and the sunlight is low and fat and golden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing we want is to arrive in the dark as the roads are really bad. (In fact, this project is the reason why we had to hire a 4x4). We turn off towards Coffee Bay, pass through Mqanduli (check out the isiXhosa click guide at the end of this post) and turn off the tar road. The last 20km takes approximately 1½ hours and we crawl along at a kidney-jarring pace. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what makes it worth it, is that each kilometer deeper into the wild coast grows more rural and more beautiful. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvckDdmL952ZM44w-4WG9gHh93OaFdglEyP37f1jOcyqlfh4K4tLywOCNor8QNsyLjH4I_lg2Tfv6kiB1HWZDAREpcOp3B7T_p3DN261tt7Hj6SV_h_4dwNz-jRKmzRIX2PjjxfK3kuV16/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvckDdmL952ZM44w-4WG9gHh93OaFdglEyP37f1jOcyqlfh4K4tLywOCNor8QNsyLjH4I_lg2Tfv6kiB1HWZDAREpcOp3B7T_p3DN261tt7Hj6SV_h_4dwNz-jRKmzRIX2PjjxfK3kuV16/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW001.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A young herd-boy with his oxen</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGn8MWUy0CB-3N_AP0W6vPpT9hZx5v47-t_71J8wm6bt0N4nTXQ34u3rQEyxGzTpgAYU80NjrVRlbuLSERbew43UTHa-eCfwC2H0BWT0F3aQEvgyeS7HzNr3LlZoaMj__xWtUtJoB20QX/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGn8MWUy0CB-3N_AP0W6vPpT9hZx5v47-t_71J8wm6bt0N4nTXQ34u3rQEyxGzTpgAYU80NjrVRlbuLSERbew43UTHa-eCfwC2H0BWT0F3aQEvgyeS7HzNr3LlZoaMj__xWtUtJoB20QX/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW002.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life is easier holding hands</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dF_CV2ih_b0Wmln6jIGdKiSjETEqChLagpt8-fD4gTqxjlk0BbiWwRtKURwdCmpNz4VPvHaHTwU8AcycbpGjQGuokCc6WJRZWfumJ5yw0DyrPR_WgqQJtWXprd09-j9unAGPxBDTWjjS/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dF_CV2ih_b0Wmln6jIGdKiSjETEqChLagpt8-fD4gTqxjlk0BbiWwRtKURwdCmpNz4VPvHaHTwU8AcycbpGjQGuokCc6WJRZWfumJ5yw0DyrPR_WgqQJtWXprd09-j9unAGPxBDTWjjS/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW006.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The road to Bulungula, with evening mist forming over the Indian Ocean. (For those observant blog-readers, the last 5km of the road had been recently upgraded much to our delight). </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEcijZPmnW3WL4GEh9OwhSVca1L8hYIjIOP3M-ZmpUQV-WT52QoBRvHNnlHW9ZNjXV2DgDweMr9-2299WV3ymrNiuCgetyHMx1AqI9W65JCvH2Tv_XH1fQX1icEHwj49XfqGcB33oauUp/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEcijZPmnW3WL4GEh9OwhSVca1L8hYIjIOP3M-ZmpUQV-WT52QoBRvHNnlHW9ZNjXV2DgDweMr9-2299WV3ymrNiuCgetyHMx1AqI9W65JCvH2Tv_XH1fQX1icEHwj49XfqGcB33oauUp/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW005.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bulungula situated on the Wild Coast at the mouth of the Xhora River, Transkei</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjbbIJAsDSYXvFDW_Htub5gB1I8EF-Wrm4lDwSjuaPXw0pJhiK_K0yvIGHbEMXQfE_qAXcLG9uItCTRUXg9MPP9cJ5JsJvyaEksxCLuZDB37POSI3ujeiR5aT884eamp0I6wwsEfok2Y6/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjbbIJAsDSYXvFDW_Htub5gB1I8EF-Wrm4lDwSjuaPXw0pJhiK_K0yvIGHbEMXQfE_qAXcLG9uItCTRUXg9MPP9cJ5JsJvyaEksxCLuZDB37POSI3ujeiR5aT884eamp0I6wwsEfok2Y6/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The end of the road, we're here - space to breathe, space to relax, space to think</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The land of the Eastern Cape is soft and rounded, with high green-grassed ridges rolling down into wooded valleys. It’s easy to imagine a giant person lying under a heavy blanket outlining the indentations of a body. Scattered all over this land-body are traditional homesteads, round huts painted in vivid pink, blue, green or lime yellow, each connected with myriad paths worn smooth by bare feet. Sheep and cattle roam free (hopefully under the watchful eye of young herd-boy) but very often wander onto the road, hence Cynthia’s comment earlier about the ‘Transkei robots’. Children wave from the side of the roads, and women walk in file balancing bundles of firewood on their heads. Time slows down and becomes more rural so that ‘I’ll meet you at 9.15am’ becomes instead ‘I’ll meet you after I’ve collected water for the household and walked to your village.’ </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes when I write, a word/s will simply drop into my mind. One such phrase appeared and was jotted down in my scribble book, but I didn’t write it into our blog originally thinking it might sound a bit too 'wafty'. But the next day Mark used the exact phrase to describe an image as we were selecting photos for the blog. Strange how we both felt the same thing, except I saw these words, he saw the picture below...</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzb8KMCcDVNimTj7IxsNr74c3o2wU2vlwdCVU_lPoZ56Krpuu9SHbs9TTu9i1g-oz03YJeDetGFf1w21ayQiOC3q-AGIwV3Gd8nsvlXwxXw-HT8HGibApyd0VC8HVBjAG6EIC_USOQFRP/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzb8KMCcDVNimTj7IxsNr74c3o2wU2vlwdCVU_lPoZ56Krpuu9SHbs9TTu9i1g-oz03YJeDetGFf1w21ayQiOC3q-AGIwV3Gd8nsvlXwxXw-HT8HGibApyd0VC8HVBjAG6EIC_USOQFRP/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW004.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The land grows bigger as we grow smaller."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here communities are born and knitted into each other, there’s a strong sense of identity and belonging in this traditional lifestyle where each person knows their neighbour’s children and grandchildren, customs are more conservative and respectful, and roles for men and women are clearly delineated. But despite this pastoral beauty, poverty is not pretty and the Eastern Cape battles with some of the most severe problems in the country, particularly health and education support in rural areas such as Bulungula.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5jMjiIWqnETkdcBIYygJnHvNtkx-0Sc8V9ozHEgVDZ42OMBa5_kNexmy45cm1HTk34JsWCu98pNstKsuUfcffwwRT6BQ0dNW12rmIxYkRijXhGdDIMG5FIM3GP7RGOoBB7d3hv7m97yK/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5jMjiIWqnETkdcBIYygJnHvNtkx-0Sc8V9ozHEgVDZ42OMBa5_kNexmy45cm1HTk34JsWCu98pNstKsuUfcffwwRT6BQ0dNW12rmIxYkRijXhGdDIMG5FIM3GP7RGOoBB7d3hv7m97yK/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given the natural beauty of this region, tourism has certainly bolstered the local economy and helped in some areas, but in my view, it too can have its downside - instead of tourism working for the benefit of local people, all too often it can become the local people who end up working for the benefit of tourism (either as serving or cleaning staff). The <a href="http://www.bulungula.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Bulungula Lodge</span></a> is different in that it is run and 40%-owned by the community (it's Fair Trade certified). Because of buy-in and support by local authority, the lodge is well-integrated into community life, with foreign and local visitors being able to experience home stays in local houses, a day in the forest with the local sangoma collecting herbs or even experiencing a day as a Xhosa women collecting water, working in the fields etc.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIDZhxVVRWd3uBY9AphyZdO10moFAGAL5Z-OJnNTB_AqPjq_pftYQiB1_eIA5MIANRvbsgAEO939xUvFATWopei1rc0TtxfQqsNlAkpcCTW4bcqWcFSVTUMjZvd4YPryE-u4EzzsycwmI/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIDZhxVVRWd3uBY9AphyZdO10moFAGAL5Z-OJnNTB_AqPjq_pftYQiB1_eIA5MIANRvbsgAEO939xUvFATWopei1rc0TtxfQqsNlAkpcCTW4bcqWcFSVTUMjZvd4YPryE-u4EzzsycwmI/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW009.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Transkei magic reveals itself in moonlight and starry night!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5ZMIgkPlLFE6anD7N_lA1gIm4EBx55qqPQNbCtOTIEpmObEJzXM79EcfxIqKzttmKicB8bBH6o1CFo1vf2_9B3yvBT8Hh9xTa1A_kAOtdzLUBpzcL8VJkvRwL_UujyZGDlJ_XmzNRSgf/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5ZMIgkPlLFE6anD7N_lA1gIm4EBx55qqPQNbCtOTIEpmObEJzXM79EcfxIqKzttmKicB8bBH6o1CFo1vf2_9B3yvBT8Hh9xTa1A_kAOtdzLUBpzcL8VJkvRwL_UujyZGDlJ_XmzNRSgf/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A family moment in moonlight, Bulungula, Transkei.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s a laid-back, chilled vibe that we found energizing – check our Mark’s gallery and you’ll see. (But for some people the slow pace, dusty corners, faded cushions and simple rooms aren’t going to work and heaven forbid if you have to drink out of an enamel cup!) The entire establishment runs on an honesty basis and you’re able to leave your bag, your laptop and your cell-phone lying around for hours and it will not be touched. You can sleep with your windows wide open, and in the morning open your door onto one of the beautiful views in the world. Best of all it’s completely eco-friendly with waterless, non-flush compost latrines, solar-powered electricity and the most fun-filled, fantasy-induced, fire-powered rocket showers! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnInwvfhAhOGdFQ84hu6g4WrKJ30gBJSP4amStKM7O5OEstIJsQmm9rJayeJbOQxvMZr3miv-OTcams75iEvTEn4SmZnB0GrAWbP4_RsPColHWz0r1k-kP6ZaWifyXK8kKxWWejNLX1XR/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnInwvfhAhOGdFQ84hu6g4WrKJ30gBJSP4amStKM7O5OEstIJsQmm9rJayeJbOQxvMZr3miv-OTcams75iEvTEn4SmZnB0GrAWbP4_RsPColHWz0r1k-kP6ZaWifyXK8kKxWWejNLX1XR/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW009.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tim enticed by the late afternoon sunlight</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nj8fBIT6QC5dwqR0UXzAyyTKpHZQChgEEj2zskjmU0sC4YBP9yA4Q999rEJgbRznzGMAAx0bzGEzOL1dVc_T9jDRQztk80wDoTCBmWZ-iaa0MdYfsSELhM7njSQy5ELPimZ9NDdb1S90/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A toilet to liven up any day!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9GrTy-Ss_uLYn-AQq5Jxfh6S_ug4I6TZIPaF3I8Qdnr5MVnmssauww4Hc533YmTGWoq4l3x0Xj494QPEARfJ5sIDOc3vdfIvhGITfuzxda7xDFwspqST3cVGqyqp9-P3Uus5aJ05rKuG/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9GrTy-Ss_uLYn-AQq5Jxfh6S_ug4I6TZIPaF3I8Qdnr5MVnmssauww4Hc533YmTGWoq4l3x0Xj494QPEARfJ5sIDOc3vdfIvhGITfuzxda7xDFwspqST3cVGqyqp9-P3Uus5aJ05rKuG/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW014.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Showering amongst jelly-fish and star-fish like a Transkei mermaid</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And not to forget, the whole reason why we’re staying here is that the Old Mutual Foundation is a primary funder of the Bulungula Incubator. No, this hasn’t anything to do with premature babies, well not of the human kind at least. It’s a term used for the development of LME (Local Micro Enterprises) within a supportive and protected environment. The Bulugula Incubator, or BI, as it’s referred to by the locals, spans a number of initiatives which create sustainable livelihoods, of which the Essential Oils Project is one of its most successful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch this space for our next blog, The Lemon Grass Ladies of Bulungula…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Have fun in the office, make your Xhosa-speaking friends laugh (!), get them to help you practice your click sounds!<br />
C</b> = the C-sound, tongue against palate, as you’re impatient or exasperated such ‘tsk’, represented by 'c' 'incala' = trouble.<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">X</b> = the X-sound is made with the sides of the tongue, ('baxabene oxamu'), such as when you’re urging a horse to ride faster (to ‘gee’ up!).<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Q</b> = the Q-sound is made by pulling your tongue away/clicking your tongue against the roof your mouth, like the sound of a champagne cork popping. (iqaqa)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark and Tim loved Bulungula, on the first night they were both like Duracell bunnies hustling around using moonlight and prolonged exposures to get some totally creative shots! Check out the uber-extra-sized gallery for today ...</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l-UxwN2P6e60GDRSIZT_kj0zwVSAU_F1E14otD3nF6JvSjwdrfc2HwJmuSH8Frcyr1oPpWC8cS0YPlt90H4DydS8vTi_I7_53P162di_Rjc8d66RSlI7h4Tt3D2oN3MBkp3gWDiWXocG/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1l-UxwN2P6e60GDRSIZT_kj0zwVSAU_F1E14otD3nF6JvSjwdrfc2HwJmuSH8Frcyr1oPpWC8cS0YPlt90H4DydS8vTi_I7_53P162di_Rjc8d66RSlI7h4Tt3D2oN3MBkp3gWDiWXocG/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW014.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Throughout this trip we've staunchly resisted any kind of branding in our photographs, wanting them to be utterly authentic - if it was there, it was there, if it wasn't, it wasn't. So Tim and Mark created a Totally Branded photograph especially for Old Mutual, using a delayed exposure with Tim running around writing the letters backwards with his headlamp. Isn't it utterly awesome!! I laughed out loud with delight at their efforts :) </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2hrIM7LSe26FYXDblTaLl4-M9hhVn5euOBIf0S5h4tBAzm6j4rpADmsCbCz6o4_wvRSoIoJlobsO4kAwhW-vmmOUebZNmntxuFFuSMB6RboGl3PdkgIDJcUJpZbXzXVxUhm_PFAzDfBl/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2hrIM7LSe26FYXDblTaLl4-M9hhVn5euOBIf0S5h4tBAzm6j4rpADmsCbCz6o4_wvRSoIoJlobsO4kAwhW-vmmOUebZNmntxuFFuSMB6RboGl3PdkgIDJcUJpZbXzXVxUhm_PFAzDfBl/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW013.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They both came in from the night, pleased as punch to show me their trophy photograph above, puffing and blowing from the exertion of running around. I'm wrestling with posting another late night blog...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z3bT4vRX5vLjeDrHjpnyAfmkB6AnLo20eqvx6fE3-YQGC9jce-LlwXg7QsFAmbmIdErWMj2bFEhd_NJk_05BhtCUGhI_3WqPmFnFKGrRi4wwXT_rz1nDKvoKe0S2Vh_D4hb8nIrk0-7Q/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z3bT4vRX5vLjeDrHjpnyAfmkB6AnLo20eqvx6fE3-YQGC9jce-LlwXg7QsFAmbmIdErWMj2bFEhd_NJk_05BhtCUGhI_3WqPmFnFKGrRi4wwXT_rz1nDKvoKe0S2Vh_D4hb8nIrk0-7Q/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-RoadToBulungula-13062011-MW008.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Children in silhouette carry water as evening falls on the Wild Coast.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvnwZjCPb8LJM2nWSVpm9qMA0hv4CHmFlkafS7qGHbyiXiMNrr4eZTHpgxCNBFwbG0ArU6kAYnmZ2YexwvkhvPmRnIwyTrAbmPObtTB6z10NC2cDeXZvoL2V392rEzhlPr-gxltk5SB9d/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvnwZjCPb8LJM2nWSVpm9qMA0hv4CHmFlkafS7qGHbyiXiMNrr4eZTHpgxCNBFwbG0ArU6kAYnmZ2YexwvkhvPmRnIwyTrAbmPObtTB6z10NC2cDeXZvoL2V392rEzhlPr-gxltk5SB9d/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW008.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"That's the most creative picture of a urinal that I have ever shot!" says Mark.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFpbjWt9S7E4_LVtoldW7l2Mq-S-1ceMiLwzwrRAt6IFOEyNGif3OruWYn4-NxiuS5ScL5ibqRj6nwPYyGLJRhgpSEa97HxYEPoKg23bebKdSkEfkY4aHq2zOGNXV6OSEaTBpPf1XwVl_/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFpbjWt9S7E4_LVtoldW7l2Mq-S-1ceMiLwzwrRAt6IFOEyNGif3OruWYn4-NxiuS5ScL5ibqRj6nwPYyGLJRhgpSEa97HxYEPoKg23bebKdSkEfkY4aHq2zOGNXV6OSEaTBpPf1XwVl_/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lonely cow grazes as early morning lights the sky.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrTePDhGdVFzV2OPjeTV5qU3fGxHWG3XnRiEGHqEwCbb4jR46vfydlpQp6eAeaqYh_KyuHU62dvKB9tQR0n-4kkKw5npbJYyNS3V4ztmETW-iZlgy_AisVeYHGjc-90SzPNb_QSju80FC/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrTePDhGdVFzV2OPjeTV5qU3fGxHWG3XnRiEGHqEwCbb4jR46vfydlpQp6eAeaqYh_KyuHU62dvKB9tQR0n-4kkKw5npbJYyNS3V4ztmETW-iZlgy_AisVeYHGjc-90SzPNb_QSju80FC/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day9-BulungulaTranskei-14062011-MW013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fireside under a clear night sky, full moon rising...</span></td></tr>
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</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-61052976351677678562011-06-16T07:03:00.008+02:002011-06-16T23:18:11.332+02:00We are one woman<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Let’s go meet the mama’s,” says Nonceba Cynthia Klaas, Old Mutual Sales Advisor (RMM) at the Idutywa Branch, Eastern Cape. It is a typical sunny morning in a typical Transkei town. A stream of cars nudge their way in one direction through a congestion of cars moving in the other; taxi’s are being washed soapily at taxi ranks, their sliding doors open and music blaring, competing with the loud gospel coming from ‘God’s Blessing Hair Salon’ across the road; mongrel dogs with looped tails scavenge amongst roadside litter; sidewalks are crammed with vendors displaying stacks of balanced fruit and towers of Hart aluminum pots in ascending size, umbrellas made in China hang from fences, with suitcases and Tupperware and everything you could possibly need; all of which gets packed into red-white-blue striped plastic carryall’s, loaded onto bus roofs in between goats and chickens, or balanced on heads. It is messy and lively and chaotic and colourful. It is Africa.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXQP614vai8ELYKEmkTi1_lAbALaMOgCnS5HsRH95eBwFr2w3diCXTuTcapx8wyaqPZdZQv8lP76n0d1K9yJ5rk5t5hKyKaddXGodAuQlzHJhOBxEAmLmQ3RWz8o0U5Lym5xqzybbeTCw/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXQP614vai8ELYKEmkTi1_lAbALaMOgCnS5HsRH95eBwFr2w3diCXTuTcapx8wyaqPZdZQv8lP76n0d1K9yJ5rk5t5hKyKaddXGodAuQlzHJhOBxEAmLmQ3RWz8o0U5Lym5xqzybbeTCw/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW002.JPG" width="425" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nonceba Cynthia Klaas</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Cynthia Klaas is an Old Mutual Staff Community Builder and today we will visit her community project Sibanye Bomama (<i>We are one woman</i>). As an Old Mutual staff member involved with community work, she is eligible to apply for R20 000 funding from the Old Mutual Foundation to support her project. With a corporate workforce of approximately 16 000 employees, staff volunteerism is a core element of the Foundation’s focus and is actively encouraged and supported. In the last three years, the Foundation has supported over 900 such projects, investing almost R14 million into the fabric of our society. Sibanye Bomama is a collective group of approximately 20 women who gather thrice weekly to make traditional Xhosa garments and beadwork. The funding provided to the group through Old Mutual's Staff Community Builder programme assisted them in purchasing work tables, sewing machines, fabric and beads. Their products generate an income for the group which is distributed accordingly. “I am so proud of them,” says Cynthia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we bump our way over a dirt road to the project, Cynthia tells me a bit of her life. She was born and grew up in Idutywa as the fifth-born of nine children. Her beloved father of 75 years has recently passed away on April 19<sup>th</sup> and she points out his grave to me as we drive by, “it’s still hard to believe.” At 44 years, Cynthia is about to become a grandmother because her oldest daughter Zikhona is expecting her first child. I am shown Zikhona’s wedding photos from last year. Cynthia’s youngest daughter, Ntombi is studying Marketing at DUT (Durban University of Technology). Out of the blue, we are startled from our conversation as the sound of running water fills the car. Cynthia reaches into her apron pocket, retrieves one of three phones and proceeds to confirm our arrival loudly with one of the mama's. We think her ringtone is totally cool! As we drive, she gestures to a cow blocking the road causing Tim to slow down and swerve the vehicle, “Watch out for the Transkei robots,” she remarks. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXDi2jPe_4vDiM9qTbopCUFNsjhVmSMnqyFMrSbOELyGHMi8gn4EerrL4dVKmmI0CEIQrDncAU5xd4EB4gWTNFwgWAUozlRH2ftN203f_zrLIyVGg1W5hZO7ifoHqKE6LUUExw4EjhEGV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXDi2jPe_4vDiM9qTbopCUFNsjhVmSMnqyFMrSbOELyGHMi8gn4EerrL4dVKmmI0CEIQrDncAU5xd4EB4gWTNFwgWAUozlRH2ftN203f_zrLIyVGg1W5hZO7ifoHqKE6LUUExw4EjhEGV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW014.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Transkei robots!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYk1s48WWbXmDvX8hLEV3NHRM-YyFjAmsX8N2P4N6WaLfunDitgvLbyxyGeDGOKZS4MW1gEuCWkrfz_6oDitXKaP90-0Au58pDaqSmUg2NevFKw6qtV7c8lFLiLIDM_T3mWmSL1_KGF6g/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYk1s48WWbXmDvX8hLEV3NHRM-YyFjAmsX8N2P4N6WaLfunDitgvLbyxyGeDGOKZS4MW1gEuCWkrfz_6oDitXKaP90-0Au58pDaqSmUg2NevFKw6qtV7c8lFLiLIDM_T3mWmSL1_KGF6g/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW006.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cynthia Klaas with the Sibanye Bomama group</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoTIEHEGY9HsbqGyo7FnD9HVvAi19mHlycEeHFUyLViuXR-lqAKONOEWhAIRkcym7CuttA9Zd3ZDM08AMTfLUp5wkLBYjTUIDA_E0PhJMA84Xj9k7zvleJRVQYXYLYGutkRELPuHYCFlM/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjoTIEHEGY9HsbqGyo7FnD9HVvAi19mHlycEeHFUyLViuXR-lqAKONOEWhAIRkcym7CuttA9Zd3ZDM08AMTfLUp5wkLBYjTUIDA_E0PhJMA84Xj9k7zvleJRVQYXYLYGutkRELPuHYCFlM/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW001.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Intricate beadwork</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLl5pfDRDsv-45EyIcyGJMvTD-2bskVaW5mrVCGzFDLdfnTgt2b-DjPVDDjDMsTL05yUogNKdr83HbwwUG7_JlfNaw06pa1e0CCdlNu9dRvYjdBx23DERNWKvzJITkQk1Mq9lJDn9mrWN/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLl5pfDRDsv-45EyIcyGJMvTD-2bskVaW5mrVCGzFDLdfnTgt2b-DjPVDDjDMsTL05yUogNKdr83HbwwUG7_JlfNaw06pa1e0CCdlNu9dRvYjdBx23DERNWKvzJITkQk1Mq9lJDn9mrWN/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW007.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cynthia wears her traditional outfit and beadwork for our interview.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We meet Mam Nobantu Dumalisile, the wife of the Chief of Willowvale, Jingqi Administrative District, who initiated this project. She introduces me to the group of ladies sewing and beading around a display of traditional products especially laid out on the floor for us. A tray of coffee and slices of cake sits courteously on a nearby table, under a gauze fly net. Mark and Tim are professionals and it’s such a pleasure working with them as they interact with the ladies, they know exactly what they’re looking for. The mama’s start to relax a bit (I think Mark climbing into a tree to photograph them really made them laugh) and towards the end of our visit, a song spontaneously starts. Timelessly and easily they begin to sway, clap their work-worn hands, shuffle bare feet, rhythmically harmonizing with each other, peacefully lulling me into the bosom of Africa herself. Even though my ears can’t understand the words, my heart understands that they are saying thank you. Before we leave, we are given a plastic packet filled with guavas. Again, I am reminded that even amongst the poorest of the poor, from Hermanus in Nieuwoudtville to the mama’s in Willowvale, in traditional cultures guests do not leave empty-handed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielN5zoiQb2j9cL4cn1X2WCQtfAIejhA469sqtcR_Odiib-mwDe1p6T9cxHzdEDrV6FHRqpJotnebPcvaeASWi_0bmiI_1DymUUVOlvVN78yQLvBX4T0Jpar0gxb_zKa_EmdgZenfSUj55/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielN5zoiQb2j9cL4cn1X2WCQtfAIejhA469sqtcR_Odiib-mwDe1p6T9cxHzdEDrV6FHRqpJotnebPcvaeASWi_0bmiI_1DymUUVOlvVN78yQLvBX4T0Jpar0gxb_zKa_EmdgZenfSUj55/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW011.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Womandla is woman power. Mam Nobantu Dumalisile (far left), Old Mutual Staff Community Builder Cynthia Klaas (centre), Old Mutual Foundation, Louise Jones (far right)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T0YRg-ObhiMVmpVaZsMnWIKQHFeRDEpZhbmy_sg2PKm5XGA9zBA-FrNnx9rOJYaMz1sza0dvPgmEcz69yDUYRcDohSNs1LVwFRPXI8J1qisjIv2qLl_IZWKe6z9NWjP5p7rvoo87kGdr/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T0YRg-ObhiMVmpVaZsMnWIKQHFeRDEpZhbmy_sg2PKm5XGA9zBA-FrNnx9rOJYaMz1sza0dvPgmEcz69yDUYRcDohSNs1LVwFRPXI8J1qisjIv2qLl_IZWKe6z9NWjP5p7rvoo87kGdr/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW010.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mama's gathered outside for Mark perched, to their amazement in a tree.. Cynthia (holding a traditional smoking pipe) is centre, stands next to the chief's wife (dressed in brown) Mam Nobantu Dumalisile.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We bundle into the bakkie to drive back to Idutywa. Tucked into the back of the car with Cynthia and I is the chief’s wife and I see firsthand the many benefits of the Staff Community Builder programme at work. Not only is there real impact in the community, but from a business point of view, this is truly what it means to build ‘brand’ in the community. Rounding a corner, we encounter a herd of cattle standing obstinately in the middle of the road. “This isn’t a robot,” declares Tim, “this is a roadblock!”</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The Gallery:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Oi-DdVxk0bG4b_XhzZMlW0sdQh4To_Z7Dng1zzywle435uNUjy9mnKhguXr-Q8IAKUN9D0Zfyoi5ZNK8x67EPNZuoRyk8g-gXSt-D_226XD7D9rTpLfQF-3PA9GblIaib6DuuwUTVRY/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1Oi-DdVxk0bG4b_XhzZMlW0sdQh4To_Z7Dng1zzywle435uNUjy9mnKhguXr-Q8IAKUN9D0Zfyoi5ZNK8x67EPNZuoRyk8g-gXSt-D_226XD7D9rTpLfQF-3PA9GblIaib6DuuwUTVRY/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW003.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mama's work together, talking and singing.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbTTDE0f9c2acSLwyLiwTmUa1RoqHJHfUGw3ubZxTgvVCih5_DMNJ8rfBgYZFpb_uGl6GfPx1Fp5rGedlm6nERIMilVK_3jPkGdFIivvL5pmcIQFqv96S_NhY5k-9lDqfhE5_sa6nRKcL/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbTTDE0f9c2acSLwyLiwTmUa1RoqHJHfUGw3ubZxTgvVCih5_DMNJ8rfBgYZFpb_uGl6GfPx1Fp5rGedlm6nERIMilVK_3jPkGdFIivvL5pmcIQFqv96S_NhY5k-9lDqfhE5_sa6nRKcL/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW004.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is to show you a little more of what's involved with documenting these stories. Here Tim is interviewing Cynthia, who is answering my questions.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u_yUnoVIqPaMVA5PIhDsRobSc9ZOnH8YAEtqz7vMI3GBtWa2yEOnsKeiQC1ezUdgFZPAxEkB5fynaI-qDmBZnCEHPYVw5Nk5LPekqYiiwYsLYc8oP2H3VCIOGsJ99CPgVVf7tRexXKyD/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u_yUnoVIqPaMVA5PIhDsRobSc9ZOnH8YAEtqz7vMI3GBtWa2yEOnsKeiQC1ezUdgFZPAxEkB5fynaI-qDmBZnCEHPYVw5Nk5LPekqYiiwYsLYc8oP2H3VCIOGsJ99CPgVVf7tRexXKyD/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW008.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mam Nobantu Dumalisile and Cynthia stand outside the building on the chiefs homestead which the Sibanye Bomama group currently use for their work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9HS0-btEKd7kbFPo3g60wpEF9ody3YsPFHM3fPzHvWhL3esy4Mfueepc2m_4wrdo9Y2KL4qzK3iO3NbocWB-kW6pdDARuCHNTtDStcI-JzZ1bY9t29GtogW4YHJLXmoN-DQxmdE4hwml/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9HS0-btEKd7kbFPo3g60wpEF9ody3YsPFHM3fPzHvWhL3esy4Mfueepc2m_4wrdo9Y2KL4qzK3iO3NbocWB-kW6pdDARuCHNTtDStcI-JzZ1bY9t29GtogW4YHJLXmoN-DQxmdE4hwml/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW005.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika (God bless Africa)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8H-zzGE__QKkn621mLoQNCrgEzM7ZFoepXlvEiuqXJctQkK2QEApSEj8o1JL6xvTgTuroLFozECw6AyIiT9tQD8b9WEmuFZUJWxh8LVZDkx5mMmg8CRgV0fh2HAAqaKV9e11tzfBnyrO8/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8H-zzGE__QKkn621mLoQNCrgEzM7ZFoepXlvEiuqXJctQkK2QEApSEj8o1JL6xvTgTuroLFozECw6AyIiT9tQD8b9WEmuFZUJWxh8LVZDkx5mMmg8CRgV0fh2HAAqaKV9e11tzfBnyrO8/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW009.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rural schoolchildren walking from school</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ag5-IZA3cg6WcE3JPvTYC_EC4EX4qOw_44VhaL9tMtmSKtPqUUm6X-H-P-T3k413iut1bVNzpV9_IEThzA23SZvWDhTsP59UB0MmYWgHbLSi9ocZCj1QhXpCVgR4MykiImXddyG7SRUh/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ag5-IZA3cg6WcE3JPvTYC_EC4EX4qOw_44VhaL9tMtmSKtPqUUm6X-H-P-T3k413iut1bVNzpV9_IEThzA23SZvWDhTsP59UB0MmYWgHbLSi9ocZCj1QhXpCVgR4MykiImXddyG7SRUh/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day8-SibanyeBomama-13062011-MW012.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A loo with a view?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-73593465421843082522011-06-15T21:34:00.002+02:002011-06-15T21:45:07.981+02:00Happy birthday Mark!<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoV1mNVfjHP19vOCAyx11furRMOGmCXDcnVPxtWP73dLbSvpPV5XIIKntK84PsYKj9yF4FNlzZRZLXmwC9ftiTlkZjwY89zBoj2xp3MASMpblMCjBxN9Yn54-NWv7rHPYj88wH_yILF7Yf/s1600/Happy_Birthday.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Louise dashed off an sms to me earlier today asking me to please wish Mark a very happy birthday for today. Her laptop battery had died on her and she was waiting for the solar power at Bulungula to recharge it. So Mark, from Louise and Tim, and all of us, we hope your birthday was a memorable one and that the year ahead is filled with sunshine, laughter and the love of family and friends! Blog admin<br />
<br />
PS<br />
Your photos are absolutely amazing!</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-41481819452621014172011-06-14T18:13:00.055+02:002011-06-14T20:11:26.727+02:00Three dinner meat ...<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don’t know about you, but there’s something about clean laundry that I love. Today the sun is shining, there isn’t a rush, the witoogies are singing outside. I am freshly showered and feel good, so I decide it’s a crispy white t-shirt day.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> We’re flying through to East London, moving onto the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal leg of our journey, our flight’s only at 13h00 so for once I have a quiet morning to gather myself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I meet up with Tim and Mark at the airport and discover that checking in 70kg of overweight camera and photographic equipment is time-consuming. What makes things worse is that for some reason, our pre-booking reference for the overweight luggage cannot be located by the airline. My earlier feelings of calm are starting to dissipate, we should have checked in by now and there is a terse discussion taking place between me, the check-in counter lady and the overweight counter lady. In the midst of these cross-conversations, Mark hands me a bottle of mineral water which he had sweetly retrieved from our car last night and carried in all this way to give to me in the morning. Whilst I am having an animated discussion with the two counter ladies, I screw open the bottle-top and immediately its entire contents fizz and explode all over me. My crispy white t-shirt is sodden and I am looking like a contestant in some sort of bad taste competition.People at the next counter turn to stare, the counter ladies stare. I close my eyes realising I have lost my calm space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">On top of this, a boarding announcement person is now calling for us repeatedly.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Finally sorting out the overweight altercation, we leg it through security to the boarding gate escorted by an airport employee parting the crowds in a neon bib. I am trying to run modestly, which is difficult in a wet, white t-shirt, clutching handbags, laptops and boarding tickets. We are the last ones to board the plane, everyone stares at us pointedly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUY80irmCvnnpYsJeKken4CEAj1VkmC6mYZ-Lps6SolKxkkke4b5iluvpYaJS_0pQyNAIMjpHsGpJ87fIr6xZlXMiSKUdWIagXhyphenhyphenKg-nXOeJkiBJ933SkKlaJ4QFdsoGgWeLN-ZABGhTzp/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUY80irmCvnnpYsJeKken4CEAj1VkmC6mYZ-Lps6SolKxkkke4b5iluvpYaJS_0pQyNAIMjpHsGpJ87fIr6xZlXMiSKUdWIagXhyphenhyphenKg-nXOeJkiBJ933SkKlaJ4QFdsoGgWeLN-ZABGhTzp/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW007.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luggage troubles</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Landing in East London is always a treat for me. I love this little airport and this small town, all too often overlooked. </span><span style="font-size: small;">In small towns there’s no rush, no crush, no traffic-jam and no stress because it takes five minutes to get anywhere. It’s as if life slows down to the pace that it should be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: medium; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1dWndxpzuhQxY5esTLBL_FmgLOJ9XYPkxjQvCi34LIq9TpaGu6_jqyTnYCq_VMUGNZwoaK1ESAaCAj6s9Cp38USYr8m5udbYIT5nljsxq60Fixfd9ysn0thHhodSZfcS1-bbhMJvqa8k/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1dWndxpzuhQxY5esTLBL_FmgLOJ9XYPkxjQvCi34LIq9TpaGu6_jqyTnYCq_VMUGNZwoaK1ESAaCAj6s9Cp38USYr8m5udbYIT5nljsxq60Fixfd9ysn0thHhodSZfcS1-bbhMJvqa8k/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW001.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Loading up our gear</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Our bakkie is collected from the airport and we head out to Cinsa to get a head-start on tomorrow’s long drive. Immediately I notice a change in vegetation, it’s more humid, open grasslands and thorn-trees, somehow the land feels more African, as opposed to the Cape’s Mediterranean climate and unique fynbos. A few years ago I had the opportunity to spend a year living in Grahamstown and it was then that I fell in love with the Eastern Cape, with its soft energy and rolling green hills, with pineapples ladies on the side of the road, banks of ‘red hot poker’ aloes and a coast line that stretches on as far as the eye can see, line after line after line of white breakers rolling in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71051X9jXRtme79HFPQrJwsqi0LbS84S6zaaRNyGHrzvKa7KIv6gcglVsw1qaU9oK7QTtCAyxA6LLM0V-FAE-cqfC2L4roWkvXMBSXwEgY7VOZbyq7W6CY_NjR_VA9N25tSzppiqPGJFB/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71051X9jXRtme79HFPQrJwsqi0LbS84S6zaaRNyGHrzvKa7KIv6gcglVsw1qaU9oK7QTtCAyxA6LLM0V-FAE-cqfC2L4roWkvXMBSXwEgY7VOZbyq7W6CY_NjR_VA9N25tSzppiqPGJFB/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW004.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcOz4L_0FnJ7LV06V_4FhTHRCyRXwIbSTNcQsoDofN2ULj8pXqV-08BOJsF6En6fdlsH9KjfU20MkK4fAtpl7DpYn215FzFmZYPWbwz9-fAV7-x0LadPfL2_vnjvyNCtT9iYIj_a4QQHY/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcOz4L_0FnJ7LV06V_4FhTHRCyRXwIbSTNcQsoDofN2ULj8pXqV-08BOJsF6En6fdlsH9KjfU20MkK4fAtpl7DpYn215FzFmZYPWbwz9-fAV7-x0LadPfL2_vnjvyNCtT9iYIj_a4QQHY/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW005.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark getting weird with the evening light</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">On the way there, I phone ahead to tomorrow’s project to ensure that our accommodation is confirmed. “Yes,” says the person at the end of the line in Bulungula where we’re heading next, “do you want dinner when you arrive?” <br />
“Yes please,” I answer.<br />
“Dinner meat? Dinner veg?”<br />
I turn to the guys and ask oddly, “Dinner meat? Dinner veg?” <br />
They shrug shoulders, the universal sign for<i> whatever </i>…<br />
“Three dinner meat,” is my equally odd reply.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Today is a down day as we have no planned project visit, but despite this we still only get into our accommodation late in the afternoon. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> We arrive and unfold ourselves from the bakkie. I had forgotten that in this part of the world the sun sets early, getting dark from 17:30 and is completely dark by 18:00. The first thing I notice is the smell of the sea and the muted roar of the Indian Ocean, there’s thick green brush edging the sand dunes, with an unending stretch of beach that’s covered by soft evening mist hanging above the waves. Mark hustles off as soon we stop the car, he has spotted a photo. I look up and see Scorpio hanging low in the evening sky. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0BM_BeFVnuPvpeJ_cNFsyd0EUKpQCPs9LQ05qcWDdjyVkcpCrDE1Y0A4tXmc7jOXQuUhlMQ-u7n331VobQsYH75uDx3g17hGIsJMY8bPwczFMM-iiBfRdQ86lHZRg3OzU9z67NNlenlB/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0BM_BeFVnuPvpeJ_cNFsyd0EUKpQCPs9LQ05qcWDdjyVkcpCrDE1Y0A4tXmc7jOXQuUhlMQ-u7n331VobQsYH75uDx3g17hGIsJMY8bPwczFMM-iiBfRdQ86lHZRg3OzU9z67NNlenlB/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day7-RoadToCintsa-12062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sean Veldman, 23, porter at Crawford Cabins, Cinsa.</span></td></tr>
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</span></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-43658723300053074332011-06-13T20:57:00.035+02:002011-06-15T17:59:43.516+02:00Of dogs and blogs ....<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today we wake up in Barrydale, its cold and misty outside. I have committed the cardinal sin of not posting my blog the evening before... which explains why I didn’t sleep well very well, woke up at 3am, decided to do some writing, only to fall asleep at 5am and then promptly overslept! Now I have tired prickly-pear eyes, am not feeling at my best and am sitting eating breakfast with Tim and Mark. I am a bit confused at being served a lettuce and tomato salad with my bacon and eggs. Is this normal?</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">After many stops and starts the morning finally gathers itself into a clear direction. I have managed to speak with Colette Teale of <a href="http://www.kaps.org.za/" style="color: #274e13;">KAPS</a> (Karoo Animal Protection Society). Yes, the farm is now accessible after the floods and we can come around at 10am. No, the workers aren’t available for interviews; we will have to work with what we’ve got. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heading out of Barrydale, we decide to swing past the local Agri-Mark to buy gumboots. There’s mud everywhere, bridges have been swept away and the little town is drawing breath trying to recover after the flood damage. Directions in rural areas aren’t always that easy: “You’ll pass a road called Soutkloofpad, then go on for a bit, after that you’ll see two big gum trees on your left near some blue workers cottages, turn right opposite into a gate with a small yellow sign on it. Drive along for about three km, follow the road around a dam and then take your first left.” Of course, this is compounded by the fact that there is no cell reception as soon as we turn off the tar road. We eventually got there ….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The reason we’re visiting KAPS today is that it’s one of many organizations supported by Old Mutual staff. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Quick commercial break to explain:</i></b><i> <span style="color: #38761d;">Old Mutual staff can choose to make a monthly donation from their salary into the Staff Charity Fund. For every rand that staff donate, the Old Mutual Foundation commits to match rand-for-rand. So a staff donation of R50/month will be matched by a Foundation contribution of R50. Since the Staff Charity Fund began in 2002, Old Mutual staff have donated<b> R6, 5 million</b> which has been matched by the Old Mutual Foundation, so a total of <b>R13 million</b> has been paid out to charities across South Africa. A staff-nominated Board of Trustees approves the selection of charities that work in the selected focus areas of Animal Welfare, the Elderly, Abused and Neglected Children and HIV/Aids Care. These focus areas were chosen by staff when the fund started. </span></i></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihI5dmAsdEkAZeGZMyIv6oVtABN-CeXAp4p8E0hM_jflLi9Py3e5gIO9SSpLUWGqOEmp6aiHYJndBQq-pGIzs98qwUY6PqSsXGEWTZoM7b_wzt4Q-tq0ZbkYSy40bEt5qg8qxDKOMUBxis/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW014.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihI5dmAsdEkAZeGZMyIv6oVtABN-CeXAp4p8E0hM_jflLi9Py3e5gIO9SSpLUWGqOEmp6aiHYJndBQq-pGIzs98qwUY6PqSsXGEWTZoM7b_wzt4Q-tq0ZbkYSy40bEt5qg8qxDKOMUBxis/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW014.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">KAPS isn’t a big, well-established organization </span><span style="font-size: small;">like the SPCA (which we also support by the way); it’s a small one-woman operation (with some dedicated volunteers) and tries hard to make a difference with limited resources. This year staff donated R30 000 to KAPS to assist with mobile sterilization clinics in the townships and rural areas. Because of the poverty in these areas, Colette is insistent that these services are provided for free. “Sterilisation helps to reduce the number of unwanted pets which leads to domestic neglect and cruelty,” she explains. In 2010, R29 640 was provided to KAPS to assist with the purchase of new donkeys bridles for an outreach project KAPS delivered in Baviaanskloof, Eastern Cape. Many cart-horses are forced to use broken, ill-fitting bridles held together with bits of wire that cause dreadful injuries to their heads and mouths. Colette managed to wangle a deal with the supplier of the bridles and secured 30 new bridles at half price. “I’m afraid I’m a fighter,” she says, “I just can’t sit back and accept something.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMyXdcQNiwmr48ApVLkTonPyDmR3pQn-E2EYMqmYlRc2bNjVd8Zuipf6mOQOvmVDNUIXbUlJ3NMmtMgH4N-HnPG-_iCMfOJ-davLAqmrZ-uT-h9se_xF9OIs2hfAu2O3CTKOH61IdDHwe/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMyXdcQNiwmr48ApVLkTonPyDmR3pQn-E2EYMqmYlRc2bNjVd8Zuipf6mOQOvmVDNUIXbUlJ3NMmtMgH4N-HnPG-_iCMfOJ-davLAqmrZ-uT-h9se_xF9OIs2hfAu2O3CTKOH61IdDHwe/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW002.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Colette and Percy Teale amidst their most recent rescue dogs.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">In specific cases of animal cruelty or neglect, Colette has been granted magisterial authority to conduct inspections, removals and initiate prosecutions. This means that she’s not always popular or welcome. Currently she has over 20 rescue dogs at her house, which is a bit overwhelming at first. They’re all on the mend, some still nervous or anxious, others eager and excitable. She’s looking to re-locate the rescue dogs into caring homes. Whenever we walk in or out the house, or basically move a muscle, a cacophony of barking erupts, so it’s a fairly hectic morning needless to say. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedIA8owho9nH-GzEYU8-GPMFV3UxSRmLC8xmIrRHz13QtyNLYCBv-7xGSINVGotU8DhoGEnTQjmltYUQxPDZpHfHBr77nIke80oOUAse5xBTohJod9FGNcANpdaM5VZ3TihsO6D0GnXLk/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedIA8owho9nH-GzEYU8-GPMFV3UxSRmLC8xmIrRHz13QtyNLYCBv-7xGSINVGotU8DhoGEnTQjmltYUQxPDZpHfHBr77nIke80oOUAse5xBTohJod9FGNcANpdaM5VZ3TihsO6D0GnXLk/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW003.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hoppy has kind brown eyes and despite his experiences, has wriggly happy energy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">I fall in love with Hoppy, a three-legged character who wriggled his way onto my lap. Hoppy was caught in a gin-trap and found days later starving and emaciated. His back leg had to be amputated, but he’s still as sprightly as anything and keeps up with the others whenever they race off to chase down a new scent.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACaHlxs4aaxzqKKetjYDfdJlN-RlfDDfWHxOI0nB6bIbRMdo8Rd7iVWSuUZ8I3W3QNgNVXks3r6C9rsra85b51FWrR-GOhxrlZ736P22_cqnbhmu7jc7-iOOxzc-CKTNj8RtrQJg7a-4t/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACaHlxs4aaxzqKKetjYDfdJlN-RlfDDfWHxOI0nB6bIbRMdo8Rd7iVWSuUZ8I3W3QNgNVXks3r6C9rsra85b51FWrR-GOhxrlZ736P22_cqnbhmu7jc7-iOOxzc-CKTNj8RtrQJg7a-4t/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW008.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hoppy, happy and healthy </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Eventually we set off, it’s been a long day and trying to photograph animals takes time. But just as we were bumping off down the road, Colette’s group of 24 rescue donkeys come wandering up for their evening feed of lucerne. And who in the world can resist a donkey muzzle, soft and white, with those quizzical ears? </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIJfQq_JF1CJD44JbL72Lzj_b4e0s_F-skhqTZPHuowQ67fE4CRKA24pQYmwQokAeMUiIsQeTnY6rVCaRATO5pFAPPv4NIIpsFRoY8ktw8BW9H0NeT_Ywdfb-3LJVzj-xoVXEYxWspNNE/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIJfQq_JF1CJD44JbL72Lzj_b4e0s_F-skhqTZPHuowQ67fE4CRKA24pQYmwQokAeMUiIsQeTnY6rVCaRATO5pFAPPv4NIIpsFRoY8ktw8BW9H0NeT_Ywdfb-3LJVzj-xoVXEYxWspNNE/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW011.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim getting in close for that extra-special angle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaSnbcC4DLenXJQRfbPjL7SBiEMOsni4HQsOGU2zbdf7_t9Ry5uUMaKs_syXc3J9l8D0RisPkXKe7UObdOAvPALFss6ZLwRGDu1rT21zAtTtp1yTRxQ_iqmV6zpIZ7Uiq8episOPeGi4a/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaSnbcC4DLenXJQRfbPjL7SBiEMOsni4HQsOGU2zbdf7_t9Ry5uUMaKs_syXc3J9l8D0RisPkXKe7UObdOAvPALFss6ZLwRGDu1rT21zAtTtp1yTRxQ_iqmV6zpIZ7Uiq8episOPeGi4a/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW010.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Come donkeys, come to me," Colette calls...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13B48yrXBwNhUultzYYq7YR4eOSNwBQ6gE6jYyDjfR4_pjZDrfHw9JKuMWjW6r_JyTcPt87e-dxc3Lm4W5yA2ETX2msl9ZTntkTsWYd8KHYj1fs5Qt30v5OUEw7-h1pnMbvOPoBGdOc38/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13B48yrXBwNhUultzYYq7YR4eOSNwBQ6gE6jYyDjfR4_pjZDrfHw9JKuMWjW6r_JyTcPt87e-dxc3Lm4W5yA2ETX2msl9ZTntkTsWYd8KHYj1fs5Qt30v5OUEw7-h1pnMbvOPoBGdOc38/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW013.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark starts giggling every time he sees this photo. He says that the caption must read: "<b>Lucerne. Lekker!"</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Back on the road to Cape Town, we end up laughing in the car on our way back because Tim got nipped by Noodles. "Nipped?" says Tim, "I could feel his teeth through my gumboots!" ...which had left him feeling a tad ill-disposed towards the little Maltese poodle. He muttered darkly about getting himself a new ‘fluffy’ for the sound mike of his camera. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodbye to Barrydale. Goodbye to the Langeberg Mountains bathed in golden afternoon sunlight. It’s a long three-hour drive back to Cape Town. The guys have set up a GoPro camera (a tiny high-definition special effects camera) onto the front of the car. We talk about the highlights of the day, toss ideas around for the title of our next blog, or the title that is so definitely <i>not</i>. There are odd moments that I want to capture and add in…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">· W</span><span style="font-size: small;">atching Tim get a sms from his daughter, he doesn’t know it but his face changes, softens. He’s going to miss a Dad's and Daughter's event with his youngest daughter. “I get to miss a lot of special moments," he reflects, "it’s just the nature of my work.” He turns and starts getting the camera ready for our next interview. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">· M</span><span style="font-size: small;">ark reads the blog every morning. Hey, he says to me, did I know that there’s another Mark Wessels blogging? Mark’s wife had phoned him saying that the comment posted didn’t sound like his writing? “Don’t worry,” I assure Mark Wessels (1), "I happen to know Mark Wessels (2)”. “Do you mean that I’m not unique?” protests Mark Wessels (1) indignantly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">· </span><span style="font-size: small;">I’m discovering that Mark likes to throw out comments, like those shiny lures used in trout-fishing. He turns to me poker-faced and says, “Louise, can we bring two blondes along on this trip?” I can smell something’s afoot. It turns that out that ‘blondes’ and ‘redheads’ are terms used for lighting equipment and that we already have two blondes and a redhead loaded in all our gear. Now <i>that</i> would make a fine blog title I muse, but ‘Two Blondes and a Redhead’ doesn’t quite fit in with our story, Tim pipes up from behind the wheel, “why not make it ‘Two Baldies and a Redhead’ instead?” The boys crack up at their own wittiness. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">The next leg of our trip is going to be a long stretch, taking us up through the Eastern Cape (two projects) and into KZN (two projects). There’s a strong possibility that we’re not going to get internet reception at some remote sites in the Transkei, so wherever possible we’ll post but as I’m learning, not everything goes according to plan. <i>Hakuna matata</i> I guess …</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Night, night, sleep tight.</span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Wessel's Photo Gallery:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI1nmLwfYVncuC6wr_AvE-Mzzw0yCaNYdl_pHBESHCTOpat5FXvfMI3y_kErnU3qb8n1eqeOMbYM62TWWepp9vzv8Wex83CELSga1dfj3wyRwM3kFlRbD_9j-9Ba_gGPtOYW_opIl3ies/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWI1nmLwfYVncuC6wr_AvE-Mzzw0yCaNYdl_pHBESHCTOpat5FXvfMI3y_kErnU3qb8n1eqeOMbYM62TWWepp9vzv8Wex83CELSga1dfj3wyRwM3kFlRbD_9j-9Ba_gGPtOYW_opIl3ies/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW001.jpg" t8="true" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogs love being loved.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_SNbtlokDzTjT1V1sEewwtV4jdpnK28FiTUffX5OmPMcInE1jP1D34iQq5upHVV39G7WrKVQmh7QZWmCltsuIoXgND6QK6043UOzleFn17t0qgUjwPeWew0OkEUcuKfiZJmNSn2VgAst/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_SNbtlokDzTjT1V1sEewwtV4jdpnK28FiTUffX5OmPMcInE1jP1D34iQq5upHVV39G7WrKVQmh7QZWmCltsuIoXgND6QK6043UOzleFn17t0qgUjwPeWew0OkEUcuKfiZJmNSn2VgAst/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW005.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adopt me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2GPybimDPAKM3KrAGCWbXwEC11eQi-xx7wl52HD0qTkslWVP2S9SZDDN9k74KgX-Wp89-QGpGgX6DQLVsNoGfBOVkDfpoTGBDo63GoDnGE-3zs0nl4YF9DIz_4c11jvW1fwn0kmk9mlf/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2GPybimDPAKM3KrAGCWbXwEC11eQi-xx7wl52HD0qTkslWVP2S9SZDDN9k74KgX-Wp89-QGpGgX6DQLVsNoGfBOVkDfpoTGBDo63GoDnGE-3zs0nl4YF9DIz_4c11jvW1fwn0kmk9mlf/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day6-KAPS-11062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KAPS has had an in impact in the Barrydale community, with an increased awareness of good pet practice. Now, there're no dogs on chains, animals have water bowls and the growth rate has decreased. Finding good homes for the rescue dogs is an ongoing challenge.<br />
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</tbody></table></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-36757810394314927422011-06-12T00:02:00.103+02:002011-06-13T07:30:35.615+02:00Benji & the BBA babe ...<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Oooeer, I’ve got dog slobber all over me,” says Mark as he climbs into the car. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have been standing at the top of Sir Lowry’s Pass intending to take photographs of the panoramic view looking back at Cape Town. Instead we met Benji, the Senior Male Boerbul Champion of South Africa. When we pulled into the parking area at the top of the pass, we were confronted with two massive dogs hanging out of a bakkie in front of us.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It’s Benji and his mate Zinzi. Benji weighs in at 83 kg. He is HUGE! He’s raw power, just like a dog-lion. Tim says Benji would probably use Jack Russell's for floss! </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO92N14cbbcSfQNZN8WnQWCMmZCWFOelaCTY-rO1Za5g8daB1V_1MKhT13DOTpRvzUTyyBRewDICV79ywsBKfrCyqu0Smr9s9I-MKDuH0V0HiSgxD2twgoPTA6zcQ179Ayo3DGiv8T2Cap/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO92N14cbbcSfQNZN8WnQWCMmZCWFOelaCTY-rO1Za5g8daB1V_1MKhT13DOTpRvzUTyyBRewDICV79ywsBKfrCyqu0Smr9s9I-MKDuH0V0HiSgxD2twgoPTA6zcQ179Ayo3DGiv8T2Cap/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW001.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A moerse groot dog, his official champion breeding name, 'Kleinsandfontein Benji'</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">We get talking with their owners, Bev and Dana Steendkamp who breed champion boerbuls. Whilst we’re taking photos of the dogs, a pack of marauding baboons have snuck down from their rocks to steal fruit from the front seat of a passerby witless enough to leave his car door open. Both dogs go ballistic and chaos breaks out, screeching baboons scarper every which way, people are shouting, fruit is flying through the air and the Nigerian roadside vendors have scattered at the sight of two monstrous dogs lunging through their wares. We decide it’s time to leave.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Earlier this Friday morning we’d visited our last Cape Town project. It’s a tertiary education institution called <a href="http://www.tsiba.org.za/" style="color: #274e13;">TSiBA</a> (Tertiary School in Business Administration) and is located at Mupine right next to Mutualpark. I’d obviously heard of the college but hadn’t <i>really</i> known for myself what they were all about, so it was good to meet with Leigh Meinert, co-founder and MD of TSiBA to see for myself. She explains briefly that TSiBA is a privately owned, not-for-profit college which offers young adults who’re unable to access universities, an opportunity to study a Business Administration degree. The Old Mutual Foundation has had a supportive relationship with the college since its inception in 2006 and has invested over R7, 5 million in their education work. This has allowed TSiBA to subsidise the tertiary study of deserving students such as Pumla Sodela.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRNT1PSxr1civpB_sPKi8TtNuy2UCUGPYjRdvhupWWv7ksFE2vCIAvi5pq2YCTiaSJNjV-hCJHrdWwBBnN31bqAbBq8qo9cW2UEhQPSjZCLQqXF9mKCHrRcC-kWZzSekpchNeqbwxuWwg/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRNT1PSxr1civpB_sPKi8TtNuy2UCUGPYjRdvhupWWv7ksFE2vCIAvi5pq2YCTiaSJNjV-hCJHrdWwBBnN31bqAbBq8qo9cW2UEhQPSjZCLQqXF9mKCHrRcC-kWZzSekpchNeqbwxuWwg/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW005.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pumla Sodela, TSiBA graduate and Old Mutual GAP intern</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Pumla grew up in the Eastern Cape. When she finished her matric she came to Cape Town wanting to make something of her life. She’s a bubbly person with an effervescent energy and an open smile, you can’t help liking her the moment you meet her. Before Pumla started studying at TSiBA, she was employed selling movie tickets. She’d always known she had more in her, but it was difficult to break <i>out</i> of where she was at, and break i<i>nto</i> where she wanted to be. So when she heard about TSiBA, she applied immediately. It wasn’t an easy road for a number of reasons; it meant four years of full-time study, she was also anxious about her ability to study at this level and about being older than her colleagues and she had to have the help of her family to support her while she studied. After Pumla graduated with her BBA degree (Bachelor in Business Administration) in Dec 2009, she was accepted by Old Mutual into their 18-month GAP (Graduate Accelerated Programme) internship. Pums (as her colleagues call her) has been thriving in her new corporate life and will complete her internship in July 2011. Sitting at her desk, surrounded by the busyness of corporate life, she looks the picture of a Cosmo corporate woman - confident with bright positive energy, keen to learn and get ahead. She got the break she needed and is running with it. “My message is to persevere,” she tells, “to hang in there and give it all you’ve got.”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQK5kAt5bFZl5uOYRGSL3lQY743Hf4ofR_7rmYCZPMetAUzaZiBH2DZLH1oYP7uM7GEHLsQb0ben03pErwzrFvH9gSoauDPdKiUtZVyYZH9fPnQbphDF5EUuCq32g2uUe3Lr0nP3X2oza/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQK5kAt5bFZl5uOYRGSL3lQY743Hf4ofR_7rmYCZPMetAUzaZiBH2DZLH1oYP7uM7GEHLsQb0ben03pErwzrFvH9gSoauDPdKiUtZVyYZH9fPnQbphDF5EUuCq32g2uUe3Lr0nP3X2oza/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW004.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I like your attitude, sister.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Tim decides that we need to film Pumla in her work environment, so we hustle back to Mutualpark. It feels so strange coming ‘into work’ again after being out for a week - felt a bit as if we were on The Amazing Race, being trailed by cameramen. Up at her desk, we got Pums to work a few angles for her video shots and PS: thanks to colleagues, Charmaine, Donna and Liz for making her laugh whilst she was meant to keep a straight face!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1reRKBaDbAMaoKJ9vrnQls6YC2Kn4MIq1c3O6Kq8jk-cU0G9bgv-f_6qpyluSzoTlQX6DUtQOgTAvX_ebmvVkWjP8MvYI4bNccu_zvNnsNBWR2krM584GIF_GbzSt_GLzggM36f3Hk0Xv/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1reRKBaDbAMaoKJ9vrnQls6YC2Kn4MIq1c3O6Kq8jk-cU0G9bgv-f_6qpyluSzoTlQX6DUtQOgTAvX_ebmvVkWjP8MvYI4bNccu_zvNnsNBWR2krM584GIF_GbzSt_GLzggM36f3Hk0Xv/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pumla Sodela, serious and corporate!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Although we hadn’t achieved 100% of everything that we needed this morning (unavoidable with exams), we’re bang on schedule. Our plan is to drive out to Barrydale to visit an animal welfare organization that’s supported by Old Mutual staff, but I’m a bit concerned about availability of material for two reasons: it’s Friday payday at the drankwinkel and also earlier in this week the Overberg region (amongst others) received over 200mm rain within 24hrs. There have been serious floods with bridges being washed away, one reported death and stranded farms and homesteads. We phone the Barrydale police station to confirm which roads are open and after some consultation head over Sir Lowry’s Pass - via Benji the Boerbul - towards Swellendam and the beautiful Tradouws Pass.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUxVPxqoA8NbmeBgwR1_IR1I33mfkUViYHyTPwrFMsOOfiBkODh3RuvGeP3SL0bJRXCAnW7FDHs0kE9S0PTfd_2Bh4B3da1FyowSR14PyQlbiDs8nUsH0fpXxnOLUCMOmnW6aRlpE11vA/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUxVPxqoA8NbmeBgwR1_IR1I33mfkUViYHyTPwrFMsOOfiBkODh3RuvGeP3SL0bJRXCAnW7FDHs0kE9S0PTfd_2Bh4B3da1FyowSR14PyQlbiDs8nUsH0fpXxnOLUCMOmnW6aRlpE11vA/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW007.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tradouws Pass, driving from Swellendam to Barrydale.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Hooray, we’re on the road again, crisp country air, goodbye city stress; hello fields of blue cranes, spur-wing geese and sacred ibis. Sheep are woolly contrasts against the vivid green farmlands and their newborn lambs remind me of an OMO advertisement, they’re so super-bright and white, wobbling on their long legs. The air is clean, crows nests are bundled atop telephone-poles and the rain has encouraged a rash of early blossoms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I breathe in, I breathe out....</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's photo gallery: </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIiorRVU4tKlcTvvBRdb-Ah0WjYGpBARdDYTxeHcYB4x6HpZm267mr0hfTsESahmFuCKhEPZgCqyW86LSncTyef0312RYVlFJWEVk3EeE4rWIKeE11K9bPgx99MWol0Ftk9WrxD3-NaAz/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIiorRVU4tKlcTvvBRdb-Ah0WjYGpBARdDYTxeHcYB4x6HpZm267mr0hfTsESahmFuCKhEPZgCqyW86LSncTyef0312RYVlFJWEVk3EeE4rWIKeE11K9bPgx99MWol0Ftk9WrxD3-NaAz/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW001.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 1</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk02DAM7NP4neD7lo5OBUke3ZOZgiccqflDOv8HUg-6MwEQLkRQYM9mQ-JuJjF5IGnDLUh-tCzwubDBuUiXd87zLfrwYbLjgN3_cWGAhw2FlZ_nBRK10NhdF6mblCsyY_qWai6kbCrvqr0/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk02DAM7NP4neD7lo5OBUke3ZOZgiccqflDOv8HUg-6MwEQLkRQYM9mQ-JuJjF5IGnDLUh-tCzwubDBuUiXd87zLfrwYbLjgN3_cWGAhw2FlZ_nBRK10NhdF6mblCsyY_qWai6kbCrvqr0/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW002.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 2</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihc6jZ6oy4SNGuTJC2uIFFrio9erhoMqal7jmisQujoTIALIcjtux7VBqhaeWswF1xc3DMkGlbaSuVNoDUUUlcExcv7wBrMpWjjSYKmD75KJspACQB0cUhy3oSYbaUESxO5Iosk-Q0_mvC/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihc6jZ6oy4SNGuTJC2uIFFrio9erhoMqal7jmisQujoTIALIcjtux7VBqhaeWswF1xc3DMkGlbaSuVNoDUUUlcExcv7wBrMpWjjSYKmD75KJspACQB0cUhy3oSYbaUESxO5Iosk-Q0_mvC/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW003.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 3</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP30gbnbu0NZoWFk0QhyfLpaxsQmIQF6pXPAwEZv4a4damkukklsuKZZWGS6ofDvEsP233B_qstclmTy8bLErPrghrETrgYAxkGF4viy5s1WvVql9wdp6vHG88lO_ogdTl4Yysu5e_gfs/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpP30gbnbu0NZoWFk0QhyfLpaxsQmIQF6pXPAwEZv4a4damkukklsuKZZWGS6ofDvEsP233B_qstclmTy8bLErPrghrETrgYAxkGF4viy5s1WvVql9wdp6vHG88lO_ogdTl4Yysu5e_gfs/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-TSiBA-10062011-MW007.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark's Photographic Essay. Life Sign 4</span></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXXfm8D5kHhOy8Vvj1Gv9UkwqiLsUUdzGpMw6lBOCcDpUHpeDxfox5EwaczBvq6mhlmNUOsTzrrLDTuMNQ5qgxLAm5bHD5l0cX4n0VLjg3IFqMOcmI_lMqkAlv2yPs7tv2zacOY8SKgmm/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXXfm8D5kHhOy8Vvj1Gv9UkwqiLsUUdzGpMw6lBOCcDpUHpeDxfox5EwaczBvq6mhlmNUOsTzrrLDTuMNQ5qgxLAm5bHD5l0cX4n0VLjg3IFqMOcmI_lMqkAlv2yPs7tv2zacOY8SKgmm/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW002.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Men at Play in a Field of Purple Dreams</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaEK3Htd2qjrRzK03odUvbDmGZO6TWl0JyaoUypTfjylfZ5OyNVPaJKsrlae_M_ub5NgRlSAsW_meo2qspNmmZJE9VsVYHO5aQuRfxDhmkTkcMxdndGAKOHB9gk_DblukDxfzQ-tY_Vbw/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaEK3Htd2qjrRzK03odUvbDmGZO6TWl0JyaoUypTfjylfZ5OyNVPaJKsrlae_M_ub5NgRlSAsW_meo2qspNmmZJE9VsVYHO5aQuRfxDhmkTkcMxdndGAKOHB9gk_DblukDxfzQ-tY_Vbw/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW003.jpg" t8="true" width="426" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tim photographs Mark & I making many-legged, many-armed Ganesh-type shadows.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYE-QJM96gku_H-erj4yWwWAoBxoqzDFMiiM8IqEyT5npe1xk1J2TO1-1xLeuxxVvSFDYocvFYQvIx6oSlKUlA6AAoTxsXpDuSQh9CrWzM5jVY5dWGBzMe389iwsLh6rLyW4J-sTrvepa/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYE-QJM96gku_H-erj4yWwWAoBxoqzDFMiiM8IqEyT5npe1xk1J2TO1-1xLeuxxVvSFDYocvFYQvIx6oSlKUlA6AAoTxsXpDuSQh9CrWzM5jVY5dWGBzMe389iwsLh6rLyW4J-sTrvepa/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW004.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Muuuum, where are you?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLid4IQ55FaGoIFn02DovYwhxtSuI3oivJylaGL8wWA8Nn_jjv6VHLeBRZlWMm7_zYsEbLIXrFsGCbYN9ss_9fHGlpf5kAeA0l1F0oKlnLPXQw4rf806BtvgJB12SjMrBmDTOOJyqfRy0/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLid4IQ55FaGoIFn02DovYwhxtSuI3oivJylaGL8wWA8Nn_jjv6VHLeBRZlWMm7_zYsEbLIXrFsGCbYN9ss_9fHGlpf5kAeA0l1F0oKlnLPXQw4rf806BtvgJB12SjMrBmDTOOJyqfRy0/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Die Ou Meul Bakkery, Riviersonderend for the best pies in town! Jotting down notes listening to Kurt Darren treffers, "My liefling, jy's die mooiste in die land." I love it!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfbl2j7yLf_QWbwdy-6LIumFU6hz7VDlcfvcq6EZyQ8YxA59QIQFhWVyLlhelVc27KDb35oIHHu4VhKc_rH5HiBsvMVBP1VrUGcc9wODlGYntINcfbzPPS8PefluZJ77NXjgNigU1cHg6/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfbl2j7yLf_QWbwdy-6LIumFU6hz7VDlcfvcq6EZyQ8YxA59QIQFhWVyLlhelVc27KDb35oIHHu4VhKc_rH5HiBsvMVBP1VrUGcc9wODlGYntINcfbzPPS8PefluZJ77NXjgNigU1cHg6/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW008.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hidden beauty. Waterfalls in the Tradouws Pass on our way to Barrydale.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl-KZVs1y_KhWJZsLb41NlRn5kuEc5Sk0BfShVXohd161tdgivC_BeTd31xfldqvHqvlLv4J4Qq-uWObW9KTc4t95Nuvccd5eyLuTJdvDbjNE9lcIOrPJkPCcQyFs50SoeTdI2g_mHgDV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl-KZVs1y_KhWJZsLb41NlRn5kuEc5Sk0BfShVXohd161tdgivC_BeTd31xfldqvHqvlLv4J4Qq-uWObW9KTc4t95Nuvccd5eyLuTJdvDbjNE9lcIOrPJkPCcQyFs50SoeTdI2g_mHgDV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW009.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tim almost in the waterfall, getting <i>that </i>angle just right!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPcWfPdYESuvXVgzddhAkTvoYhoopf0wK_II72WP3F9p-1uIcSdKIVhNOgA5w-iXyEnKT5wUwYTSzBFKT1ZqKIt0K6iOZEsKqqyHf-WVoc0w6iFGZoNHsyloRAhW-QI0OP1ewUIT2OS0y/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzPcWfPdYESuvXVgzddhAkTvoYhoopf0wK_II72WP3F9p-1uIcSdKIVhNOgA5w-iXyEnKT5wUwYTSzBFKT1ZqKIt0K6iOZEsKqqyHf-WVoc0w6iFGZoNHsyloRAhW-QI0OP1ewUIT2OS0y/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day5-N7%2526TradouwsPass-10062011-MW010.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paving near the waterfall picnic site, a municipal worker with a sense of humour. The Abominable Yeti footprint!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4997858142051328627.post-51344318233974145392011-06-10T00:20:00.022+02:002011-06-10T07:30:57.621+02:00Christmas in Cape Town<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Don’t try driving this car down any chimneys soon, ” says a maniacal helium-soaked voice. Instantly I have a vivid mental image of a small man in green tights wearing a red pointed hood. No, I have not been smoking anything and no, I’m not wired on three cups of espresso, but like most men Mark loves to play with gadgets (he has bagfuls of gadgets) and one of them is a GPS.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> Nothing out of the ordinary there, except that today our chosen navigator is Alfred the Christmas Elf. It is 8.30am in the morning and we are driving down the N2 listening to a Christmas Elf give us directions to Khayelitsha. For one reason or another we miss the required exit. “Are we going to the <i>North Pole</i>?” squawks Alfred. We arrive instead at<span style="color: #274e13;"> </span><a href="http://www.learntoearn.org.za/" style="color: #274e13;">Learn to Earn</a> which is just as well because I need a reality check after that surreal incident</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn to Earn is a skills development organisation which helps unemployed people become financially active by offering training courses in sewing, baking, graphic design, woodwork, basic computer skills and office administration. What makes this particular organisation so good at what they do is that they take a holistic overview to developing people socially, economically, emotionally and spiritually. They train about 350 people annually and have an excellent placement record of 80%.</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR6eURdCUXCXkpH6vjSThSWI91K8XtPcplFycgCzH2VFIJx-2qNpVYlNjB3ZvEqz8A7jPxngsCbfdE_r7Q_cr0MwQfOJ9-tlxl3-aBLYlyL6UlBzjkKHEyz6XYlv6JZK5QLZyeUxnBkmt/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR6eURdCUXCXkpH6vjSThSWI91K8XtPcplFycgCzH2VFIJx-2qNpVYlNjB3ZvEqz8A7jPxngsCbfdE_r7Q_cr0MwQfOJ9-tlxl3-aBLYlyL6UlBzjkKHEyz6XYlv6JZK5QLZyeUxnBkmt/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW002.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tozama Ndevu (30) of Khayelitsha, Cape Town</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Today we speak with Tozama Ndevu, a graduate of the sewing training course. Her English isn’t good and she’s a bit shy about that, so Tim gently encourages her to express herself in isiXhosa during our video interview. When I spoke with Tozama before her interview, I had asked her a few questions and was sobered by her answers.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> She is 30 years old and is married to Thandisile, who is currently unemployed. They have two children, Inga (10) and Lisa (2 years, 3 months). Before completing her training at Learn to Earn, Tozama was unemployed. She is entitled to receive from the state a R250/month child support grant, so their family of four was existing on R500/month. “It was hard,” she says, “there were times when my sister had to help us.” Tozama is now working as a machinist at the Zakhele Incubator, an intermediate project run by Learn to Earn, whereby trainee graduates undertake paid contract work, in a protected and supported environment whilst they gain experience with their new skills. Tozama now earns R700 monthly, which supplements her R500 child support grants, so now her total income is R1200 month. I asked her to list her monthly expenses:<br />
<br />
No rental, as she lives in a shack<br />
R120 train fare (R30/weekly. She lives in Site B, near Nonqubela Station.)<br />
R300 food<br />
R100 electricity<br />
R100 school lunch box for Inga (R5/day x 20 days school per month)<br />
R100 milk formula for Lisa<br />
R150 Huggies (disposable nappies) for Lisa<br />
<br />
I sit and look at these figures, for a long moment I don’t quite know what to say. At the end of her interview with Tim, I ask Tozama what she wishes for the future. She smiles and says, “I want to become self-employed; I want to be a fashion designer and have my own business.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Old Mutual Foundation funding contributed towards the 11-week Sewing Skills Training and Job Creation project for 25 students per year, for two years. I know that the need out there is great, but even helping 50 lives makes a life-changing difference to those 50 people.</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPPwqLqifgHmpUKArrNLG9IwY_hrHlBI1CPfibda-ywkFVrjRe94YjVhVtDeOgcSiNS9GFhwxjKm0fI-67D4YHP_fxuXPwxtqVXDYEAEl_YUhatp6T8hZZkerxVBpFx-hpSmDbFLQY-vd/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPPwqLqifgHmpUKArrNLG9IwY_hrHlBI1CPfibda-ywkFVrjRe94YjVhVtDeOgcSiNS9GFhwxjKm0fI-67D4YHP_fxuXPwxtqVXDYEAEl_YUhatp6T8hZZkerxVBpFx-hpSmDbFLQY-vd/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW003.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Life Journey.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Mark, Tim and I bundle into the car. We’ve got a tight schedule and I’m playing timekeeper, hounding the guys to get going to our next appointment. We drive out of Khayelitsha, an incredibly colourful, vibrant, noisy place. “Suburbs must seem so boring compared to township energy,” I think out aloud.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Mark agrees from the front of the car, he used to think that, he says but lost his innocence the day he was hijacked. Tim nods, he’s filmed in most locations throughout South Africa and relates the experience of a fellow cameraman who survived a hijacking and attempted murder. Tim’s comment that haunted me most was that the young gangster who had aimed the gun at Tim's friend, had closed his own eyes tightly before pulling the trigger. Violence wounds not only the victims, but also the perpetrators. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">By now we’re going past Lavender Hill and Bishop Lavis, some of the most hectic areas in Cape Town. The drug of choice here is <i>tik</i> (crystal meth) and the Cape Flats gangs are notorious. We head into Grassy Park, around Busy Corner into Zeekoevlei. Given that I was told yesterday that there’s no water for yachting in the vlei I’m not quite sure what to expect, so when we come around the corner upon the most beautiful open pan of water, rippling with a fresh breeze and bathed in golden afternoon sunlight, I whoop with delight. There’s water, I cry out aloud, yahooo!! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We meet David Rae who heads up the Zeekoevlei Sailing Academy, supported by the Old Mutual Foundation. Around him cluster a group of young guys, whom David has rustled up for us to meet and interview. They’re all students from schools in these surrounding areas and have been with the sailing programme for the last few years. Shannon, a young lad of 15 years, who I can see is developing some scrub on his chin, talks shyly with me. He’s just won the U16 Western Province Championships for the category RS Tera (a type of yacht, don't worry I didn’t know that as well!), and is going on to compete in the National Championships in July. I talk with Mornay, 19 with a scar on his forehead, he talks quietly, tells me how sailing got him out of gangsterism. His friends are still gangsters, sometimes they try to get him back with them, but mostly they encourage him to pursue this sport. I talk with Roscoe, 24, a student who now works full-time at the centre teaching the kids about sailing. What’s the biggest difference he notices when school kids come onto the programme, I ask him? He thinks before answering me, “The guys become calmer, less aggressive.”</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IAhZpPodnoYb2pBiaRy6tVr-LfTzb4mJsvBAWkUug1AvUr59bszHevzRrObpiebnS_sK8I3rzRSItmlMWbMewJFMpD5x-rMNPgcp1tasFfjnlA-32vageUszTt1wjgl82fgYwl4mlUXV/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IAhZpPodnoYb2pBiaRy6tVr-LfTzb4mJsvBAWkUug1AvUr59bszHevzRrObpiebnS_sK8I3rzRSItmlMWbMewJFMpD5x-rMNPgcp1tasFfjnlA-32vageUszTt1wjgl82fgYwl4mlUXV/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW004.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I watch the young guys interacting with David. They’re all fooling around and pushing at each other, like typical guys, reminding me of young bull elephants testing their strength. The word that comes to my mind is ‘healthy’, what I’m seeing is healthy – there’s fresh air, open water, a physically demanding sport, learning self-discipline, a natural environment, healthy male role models. It’s a way out of the cycle of violence and drugs which are so present for these kids, so easy to get into, so impossible to get out of once they’re in it. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">I listen with delight at the details of Shannon’s upcoming National Championship Regatta in Sedgefield. If he wins through at this level, the top 6 competitors are chosen to go through and compete in the World Championships in Denmark later this year. I’m blown away at the possibility that Shannon, a 15 year old kid from Grassy Park who used to sit on his couch watching too much TV, has an incredible opportunity to fly from Cape Town to Copenhagen, a chance to compete in something like this.</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now what a gift that could be, I thought, what a life-changing present that would be. Perhaps something that even a cheeky Christmas Elf might approve of!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_2nmqCbDRCF7auO9L3zJ5gShcpt9aWrhR4auP8SMJyBj_jrpvLemjFlcRFoAMori_tUpYQMPJ3hGRf9PyyO5bS0WJtEvwPYJcOZVbObMSisHlv4zUYdwFq6Tq_LUkvfCBjTKwbMgnMXf/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_2nmqCbDRCF7auO9L3zJ5gShcpt9aWrhR4auP8SMJyBj_jrpvLemjFlcRFoAMori_tUpYQMPJ3hGRf9PyyO5bS0WJtEvwPYJcOZVbObMSisHlv4zUYdwFq6Tq_LUkvfCBjTKwbMgnMXf/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">David Rae (far right) sits with youth from the Zeekoevlei Sailing Academy, Grassy Park, Cape Town. (Ok, so the vlei was quite low!) </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">PS: David and I laugh about the difference in interpretations of water levels between a sailor and a photographer. According to him, the water’s too low to sail, according to Mark and Tim we can still see the water, so that’s great!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">PPS: Today, I insisted on a photo of Mark, so here's his choice!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xU27LbaMO8VIlQ6A6j-42SvmxgA6geE8Ih3ijbCDkvGEafURguA0RsfQap7yqnxD0Zizt-prVLYOBvK1WprdhzXfgJR3LLdQy8YU89m76osOmkqJ00g7mQjd3B-v9wCXRa7tZyKSKdrO/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xU27LbaMO8VIlQ6A6j-42SvmxgA6geE8Ih3ijbCDkvGEafURguA0RsfQap7yqnxD0Zizt-prVLYOBvK1WprdhzXfgJR3LLdQy8YU89m76osOmkqJ00g7mQjd3B-v9wCXRa7tZyKSKdrO/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW005.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mark, our multi-mirrored intrepid photographer who loves all manner of gadgets.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">PPPS: Follow Shannon Cupido (15) and David Jacobs (16) in the National Regatta on 16-19th June 2011, in Sedgefield, George, Western Cape. <a href="http://sailing.org.za/events/4-national" style="color: #38761d;">http://sailing.org.za/events/4-national</a></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some photographs to savour:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9qs-_lj3bN273wurPw4mrTmHD5eHJ9ymQpE9BEgyai0Wfx-i1CFjMLShpqjnJ1J7E4DBB7Hu0m4n3ll6WimBo-Ewq38evpfz964Brd0PuhsQSkQvedMyVjAqbvwODkLUGiwmzfaRa2BA/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9qs-_lj3bN273wurPw4mrTmHD5eHJ9ymQpE9BEgyai0Wfx-i1CFjMLShpqjnJ1J7E4DBB7Hu0m4n3ll6WimBo-Ewq38evpfz964Brd0PuhsQSkQvedMyVjAqbvwODkLUGiwmzfaRa2BA/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sowing-09062011-MW006.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn To Earn sewing graduates, working at Zakhele Incubator, Khayelitsha, Cape Town.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCUZhHLwScl40S2IfwCp4GAxGnZ_0M9tL0_3FdUaNmNghoGHX2UE7gf3rcAnX3Kawm7kFkWFelsq-IRn4spSZrtw5C3osBHCyWF2Eckn5GJdiOCrLa_uHei5jBVIifedyJkLf3nq_wj_m/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCUZhHLwScl40S2IfwCp4GAxGnZ_0M9tL0_3FdUaNmNghoGHX2UE7gf3rcAnX3Kawm7kFkWFelsq-IRn4spSZrtw5C3osBHCyWF2Eckn5GJdiOCrLa_uHei5jBVIifedyJkLf3nq_wj_m/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW007.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mornay Harding (19), Zeekoevlei Sailing Academy, Grassy Park, Cape Town.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xov_dfOjQ_1cQWOrvBwRvPfVVGacNHODE3H0ycqqjorwPJFJ7Pd3cvUdD9Z7CGbDuHATLE68YjTPucyn-ss0T9wc7S3uzJvArpTH2urWz7JR2uXpB4g9sqHea1WXc8KBBEbdnrSrKM15/s1600/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xov_dfOjQ_1cQWOrvBwRvPfVVGacNHODE3H0ycqqjorwPJFJ7Pd3cvUdD9Z7CGbDuHATLE68YjTPucyn-ss0T9wc7S3uzJvArpTH2urWz7JR2uXpB4g9sqHea1WXc8KBBEbdnrSrKM15/s640/OMF-RoadTrip2011-Day4-Sailing-09062011-MW005.jpg" t8="true" width="426" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">OK, I just loved this sign!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div>Road Trip 2011http://www.blogger.com/profile/05028576215451078009noreply@blogger.com10