2econd World

Jo Maxwell, Queen of the Cape Town Red Hat Renegades and the winner of the 2005 Woman of Worth Award

The Cape Town Red Hat Renegades are a group of women over the age of 50 who get together and have fun while raising fun-ds for charity. The Cape Town motto is Fun and Friendship with a Purpose. Their purpose is to fun-d raise to feed 600 children in 9 creches. Amongst many other projects the group is now running an annual fun-d raising event called Surviving the Adventure Race which brings in almost enough money to feed the children.

Jo’s latest project is the Good Night and God Bless waterproof sleeping bag which costs a mere R5. The bags are made up of newspaper which is covered by micron recycled plastic bags providing an effective insulated, waterproof sleeping bag for those less fortunate. The Rotary Club of Claremont has given Jo a Grant of R50 000 which is being used to make up the sleeping bags.

For further information:
Email: Jo Maxwell jmaxwell@iafrica.com

Niall Mellon Township Trust
There are currently 2.4 million families living in shacks or informal settlements across South Africa. The South African government has set itself the target of eradicating all shacks by 2014. Our charity aims to do whatever it can to help achieve this target.
In 2002, Irish property developer Niall Mellon visited the Imizamo Yethu Township in Cape Town, South Africa. He was so moved by the horrendous living conditions he saw there, that he set up “The Niall Mellon Township Trust”, in order to help alleviate the plight of its residents.
In a pioneering venture, Niall met with community leaders and undertook the extraordinary task of replacing 450 corrugated iron shacks with proper brick houses.
In 2003, he organised 150 volunteers from overseas each raising €3500, to travel 6000 miles to Imizamo Yethu, to build 25 houses in 9 days.
So successful was this Building Blitz, that, in 2004, he managed to persuade 350 more volunteers to raise €4000 each and build 50 houses in one week.
2005 saw an even more adventurous Niall bring 700 volunteers to South Africa to build 106 houses over a two-week period.
Through a combination of volunteers and local labour who worked year round on the project, we have now met our original target of completing 450 blockhouses in the township of Imizamo Yethu.
Last November, 350 Irish men and women went out to a new township, Mfuleni ,and built 70 houses in one week.
Building by local staff in South Africa continues all year round and is an important part of our work. We help to train unskilled workers and also provide valuable jobs in areas where unemployment is more than 40%. Our South African staff have now completed a further 220 houses in Mfuleni.
In the township of Netreg, situated on the Cape Flats, our South African staff and volunteers have built 191 new houses over the last year. Construction at Netreg began in January 2006 with builders from our first township, Imizamo Yethu, transferring their skills to builders from the local community. The project is a collaboration between the Niall Mellon Township Trust and the Netreg community, facilitated by Development Action Group (DAG).
We have set ourselves ambitious targets for 2007. We aim to build at least 2000 houses by the end of this year.
In order to achieve this, we need your help. We are looking for South Africans volunteers to support our building programme. Last year, over 350 South African volunteers demonstrated their support by volunteering with us on our housing projects. This year, we want at least one thousand volunteers from this country to fund-raise and build homes with us.
For further information please go to:
Website: www.townshiptrust.org.za
Email: Mandy Wallace mwallace@nmtt.co.za

Abundance Recycling is a social responsibility undertaking by Abundance Yoga Centre run by Gary and Cynthia Fort. Their aim is to educate people on the need to recycle and to offer an easy, inexpensive opportunity to do so. They rely on sponsorships from businesses as part of their social responsibility. They have managed to secure trailer sponsorship from Dayway Trailer Hire, banners from Budget Banners, computers from local business and members of the public, and maps and logistical support from the council. They have had a tremendous response from the public and very positive support from local business. They are confident that we will have Cape Town recycling with no extra drain on an already overburdened civic refuse collection system.

Abundance Yoga and Recycling Centre has started a recycling initiative in your area to encourage people to recycle. For only R20, R30 or R40 a month (depending on distance from the recycling depot) they will collect all your recycling once a week on a specified day (depending on the area). All that you need to do is place you recycling in a bag, that we will provide, and we will do the rest.

The recycling will go to Oasis Recycling depot where people with intellectual disabilities are given an opportunity to work and gain a sense of self worth: many of the 365 adults currently working there are primary breadwinners. The project currently recovers 140tons of waste per month, which is a substantial saving of landfill space. A percentage of the money will go to the Yoga Accessibility fund which has enabled Gary and Cynthia to send Busiswa Qobo (a Xhosa lady from an underprivileged background) to India to study yoga. The fund now enables Busiswa to teach yoga for free in underprivileged areas such a Khayelitsha, helping people to find the balance to gain strength, vitality and a respect for self and others.

For further information please go to Webiste: http://home.telkomsa.net/abundanceyogaEmail: Gary Fort abundance@telkomsa.net

Footprints is a non-profit, community-orientated centre in Wynberg Cape Town, focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of resources and the prevention of pollution and waste of these resources. Footprints is a “live-action” “hands-on” centre working towards providing accessible tangible knowledge and opportunities for individuals and communities to take responsible doable action to reduce their ecological footprints. Footprints provides the motivation, tools and opportunities for individuals to take action in a manner that is both beneficial to people and planet.
Footprints Drop Off Centre for Recyclables accepts a large range of materials for recycling e.g. paper, plastic, cans, glass, eWaste, dirty motor oil, cooking oil, etc. Please email for a list of materials that Footprints can accept. “One Persons Trash is another Persons Treasure” Footprints, sees (certain) “trash” as a “treasure”, a resource that we can use to generate an income, thereby create opportunities for employment and empowerment as well as sustain the centre.

Footprints is a hands on, outcomes based and live action working centre that highlights and showcases issues around sustainable living. Footprints offers a convenient drop off service to the public, in a friendly, helpful and welcoming environment. Our mission is to encourage public support, participation and action. Our believe is an informed citizen may with knowledge and understanding, be motivated to act in waste reduction and sustainable living practices.

For further information Email: Michelle Shalto-Douglas gsdouglas@worldonline.co.za

FTFA works in partnership with government, the private and public sectors and civil society to improve the quality of life and environments for all communities of South Africa. Since 1990 FTFA has distributed millions of trees and helped to set up thousands of natural food gardens for the poor and undeserved in South Africa. FTFA’s work and that of it’s founder, Jeunesse Park, has been recognized internationally and the organisation has been acknowledged through many awards including: United Nations Global 500 Laureate, President Nelson Mandela Forestry Award, The Department of Environment Conserva Award, The Mail & Guardian Green Trust and Investing in the Future Awards, The Impumelelo Award, Eskom Chairman’s Award, Mail & Guardian Chairman’s Award for Excellence, International Chevron Conservation Award. The many companies, aid agencies, organizations, media and individuals who contribute to FTFA are improving the quality of life of impoverished communities by contributing to greener environments, food security, addressing climate change and sustainable development. For further information please go to:Website: www.trees.co.zaEmail: Jeunesse Park info@trees.org.za