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Our Zulu Projects
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Top level
Zulu Culture
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Zulu upliftment projects, Aids Foster Homes, the disabled, childrens creches, skills centre, schools internet access, feeding projects. Zululand Eco-Adventures promotes support for and raises funds for projects listed below.
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Zululand Eco-Adventures
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Statement of Zululand Eco-Adventures proactive involvement with Zulu people in the Eshowe district of Zululand.
Zululand Eco-Adventures staff is highly motivated in making people aware of contemporary life in rural Zululand. As well as training local guides to have their own businesses we are able to get funds from clients who see the needs around us and know that their money will be used judiciously.The Eshowe Rotary Club is our conduit for any moneys over R1000 donated.
Achievements 2004.We were able to mobilise R150,000 towards these projects as well as many small meaningful gifts and donations.We now have a permanent volunteer program based at Zululand Backpackers.
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Teacher and some Pupils
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Yebo Initiativen Private German initiative for school, house and to feed handicapped children.
"Yebo Zululand initiativen e.V." was founded in Dringenberg, Germany, November 15th 2002 in order to fund local initiatives in KwaZulu/Natal.
We want to support initiatives aiming at an improvemet of living conditions in that rural area.
At the moment we are concentrating on the following issues:
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further developement of Thembimfundo Special School, a small school for multiple handicapped children
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young people in search of education and jobs
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pupils that cannot afford school fees
Tembimfundo Special School. Aids orhpans are also catered for. About 30 children are catered for under very difficult conditions.Staff are very dedicated and very committed. Edeltraud Parenson and her supporters from Germany are keeping the day to day running expenses paid and are raising money for two new classrooms.In August 2004 we had committments from various people including The Eshowe Rotary Club to build these classrooms to the value of R120,000.
We have been very fortunate in getting a donation from a German film producer, Bertha Spieker.Also a big thankyou to Rotary International for their matching Grant.This classroom fund raising was initiated and coordinated by Zululand.
The most recent addition is a kitchen during 2005. Eco-adventures.
The Thembimfundo Special School
at Mbongolwane – South Africa
The Thembimfundo School is a Special School for children affected by various kinds of disability. Thembimfundo means: “Hope in education”.
In this school the poorest of the poor are to be given a chance to be educated.
Mrs. Thembisile Mdlalose-Mhlongo, a teacher at Mbongolwane Primary School, is the vice-chairperson of this committee.
To ensure ongoing support of the project the “Yebo Zululand Initiatives e.V.” was established in November 2002.
Development of the project
Mrs. Mhlongo, a full-time Primary School teacher, started in 1999 to collect disabled children from her surrounding with the objective of providing an education for them. Edeltraud Parensen, the chairperson of Yebo Zululand Initiativen, met Mrs. Mhlongo in 1999/2000 while spending a sabbatical year at Mbongolwane Mission Station and was thus able to witness the beginning of the project in a disused fertilizer shed as a makeshift school.
Mrs. Mhlongo gave up her living quarters at the State School and moved to the disabled children. She engaged co-workers who care for and teach the children during her absence.Out of her own pocket she paid for rent, wages and provisions. However, this got her into financial difficulties herself.
In February 2002 two small houses and a makeshift kitchen were built financed by the above mentioned donations.
The makeshift kitchen was replaced by a solid edifice in July/August 2004. At the same time the facilities were connected to electrical supply. Full of gratitude Rotary Club Eshowe and the ECAG can be acknowledged for erecting and mainly funding a school building featuring two classrooms in 2004. Two big rainwater tanks were erected and funded by donations. A garden has now been laid out. It is supported by public funding.
At present more than 30 children are being taught and cared for by co-workers. The majority of children are mentally and physically disabled. Some are hard of hearing or deaf. They are being cared for in various groups. Most of them are weekly boarders while others are permanent boarders who only return home during holidays. Altogether more than 50 children have been enrolled. Some attend school on an irregular basis, because parents are illiterate and therefore education seems unimportant to them. Other applications cannot be considered, because of limited space and too severe disability.
Conditions of Life in the Region
The children who attend Thembimfundo School are from the Mbongolwane area, a hilly country some 200 km north of Durban. Long roads have a mark of everyday life, because the people do not live in villages, but scattered all over the hilltops of Zululand which is often called the “Land of the 1000 hills”.
Because of this way of living, as a rule, households are often not connected to running water or electricity supply. Even the main roads are not tarred and become practically impassable during heavy rains. The main connection to the kraals or homesteads are trodden pathways. To get to the town you use a combi taxi.
A very high unemployment rate marks this rural area. Three out of every four people in KwaZulu Natal live below the breadline. Because of poor soil or just small patches of arable land it often becomes impossible to produce enough or even the basic food-stuffs. Young people wander off to overcrowded city centres. The meal provided for school is frequently the only one for a child during the day.
A large number of people are directly or indirectly affected by the Aids pandemic which produces traumatic situations among the population.
The rate of HIV positive people, especially in the Eshowe/Empangeni/Mandini areas is as high as 33-40%. This poses an indescribable problem.
A heavy, often unbearable burden rests on the shoulders of the older generation, esp. on grandmothers.
Situation of disabled children
This background provides the situation of disabled children. They are not being motivated at all in the home environment where the bare necessities of life are either missing or can only be obtained with great difficulty. Because of their helplessness, these children often become the target of mockery , aggressive games and violent attacks. They often become isolated in their own families. Some of them are poorly cared for and have to work hard. Others again are being left to themselves while the adults go out to work. Some parents are ashamed of the disabled children, even consider them a curse and pass them on to relatives.
The Thembimfundo School provides protection and respectful care for these children. Besides the positive effects for the children the project also helped to generate jobs in construction, maintenance, education and child care. All this happens in the spirit of a caring community beneficial not only to the pupils, but to all engaged to the project.
The financial situation
Running costs, most modestly calculated adding up to 1500 € per month, are tried to be covered by donations. These costs include food, wages, transport and learning materials. Furthermore there is still need for substantial means such as beds, cupboards, school furniture, office material, playground equipment, training of staff and further development of the facilities. Dormitories are far too small and totally inadequate. It is absolutely essential that a new block with dormitories be build and that these are furnished with beds. The children are still sleeping on mats on the floor. There are no bathrooms
To the YEBO Initiative,
Fate brought myself and my companion Janice to a very special place last August. We were visiting Eshowe to learn about the Zulu culture before we went on a safari. We had asked to meet healers (Janice is a massage therapist), potters (I am a potter) and see schools. Janice is a Physical Education/Health teacher and I am a Guidance Counselor). We had expected that our experience would be fantastic, but we never imagined that when we visited the Thembimfundo Special School how our lives would be so impacted. Janice an I both knew that this school was very special – the teachers, the students, Edeltraud, and the rest of the staff.
We cried when the children sang and danced for us. When Thembisile played the drum and each child got up and danced the Zulu dance – what an amazing experience. I did not want to leave. When we did, Janice and I looked at each other and knew that we were here at that school for a reason. We had to help. I am the president of a public charity, much like the Yebo Initiative. We fund organizations that service young children in need – either physical disabilities, developmental delays, abuse and neglect, etc. Usually, these organizations are close by. We brought pictures of the Thembimfundo School to a meeting. Our board members were so impressed, that they voted to send money to help the school.
We are so happy to be involved in the building of the dormitories. We not only have a connection to South Africa, but also to Germany. You are doing wonderful work – now you have a partner in America. It is inspiring to us to know that your organization is working for the same reason we are. We feel blessed to be a part of such a worthwile project.
Best regards
Lois Hirshberg/Massachusetts
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School feeding Scheme
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KwaMondi & Ntenjane Primary School.
Entenjane Primary School
Subsidize AIDS orphaned children & feeding scheme.Food is provided by the government but no facilities, pots, cookers or utensils.We have recently through the interest of one of our visitors John & Josie Keys recieved a donation of R6000 from a UK School, Paddock Wood Primary School ( John was the Headmaster there) and Rotary Club of Southborough & Pembury to upgrade the cooking facilities.This was done in May 2005.I would welcome the new headmaster Mike Olley to keep in contact with us.This is a great project.
This fund raising was initiated and coordinated by the Zululand Eco-Adventures tour company.
Aids has left many children destitute and help is needed to keep them at school.
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Craft Group
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Mbongolwane Wetlands Craft Project.
Winners of National Community Projects award. Ongoing project. Preservation of Wetlands development of crafts to create employment.
Zululand Eco-Adventures has been supporting this project for over 6 years in many different ways. Dr Donovan Kotze who initiated this project has been in close contact with us over the years.We have helped in designing product and making people aware of the needs of the people as well as giving material assistance.
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Eshowe Action Group Classroom
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ECAG has built over 3000 classrooms and still building.Last year they built 51 classrooms and supplied water and good sanitation to 10 schools in the Eshowe area.Over 125000 children using these facilities daily.Ongoing project done on a self help basis.Community involvement with children and parents.At present building 6 classrooms per month. Businesses and organisations worldwide involved, including Rotary International.
Zululand Eco-adventures through a subsidury compant donated a classroom at Bekheshowe School (Present value R55000 ). We have been instrumental in getting clients to donate other funds from time to time as well as promoting this project on a daily basis.
Eshowe Community Action Group
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Umfolozi Skills Centre
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Umfolozi Skills Centre.
Training people skills to start their own businesses. Bricklaying, computers, carpentry, sewing, cooking and other disciplines.For R275 per three months anyone can go on these courses on a first come first served basis.You do not necessarily need any qualifications to get in.There are more than three months of study available on each course.Students are trained to start their own businesses and some good results have been made.
Zululand Eco-Adventures is the only tourist company keeping visitors aware of what is being done here. We also promote fund raising continually on behalf of Rotary.
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Papermaking. Boiling sugarcane leaves.
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Eshowe Paper making project.
Business upliftment project using sugar cane leaves and recycled paper.Train people business skills and also creating an opportunity for people to own their own business.A project of Witwatersrand Technicion which has proved a real success.They have now moved to the Museum complex where they can display their wares better.
Zululand Eco-Adventures sends a stream of visitors to the centre who in turn buy local made products.
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Wizzy Digital Courier
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Wizzy Courier Getting budget internet access to Zulu schools.Andy Rabagliati's project with Eshowe Rotary Club to fulfill a dream of bringing web access and Email to the masses.This technology is being used by the Shuttleworth Foundation Zululand Eco-Adventures has been supporting this project for 4 years in various ways. We have assisted Andy Rabagliati to promote this project over the years as we see a vision of getting bulk information to school kids in rural areas at vey little cost. Libraries are expensive to build and provide with books.
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Ma Donda & Family
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John Montgomery Aids Foundation (a section 21 non-profit company founded by a retired Irish missionary).
Volunteers Required
The focus of the foundation is to assist the affected and infected orphans of the Aids pandemic. At present the Foundation raises funds to educate and feed children and find accommodation for those who are completely destitute. This is becoming ever increasingly difficult due to the increasing orphan population, costs of school fees and food. The John Montgomery Aids Foundation has promoted a self-sustaining Hydroponics project to enable social upliftment, as well as care for orphans and palliative care for the terminally ill.
Zululand Backpackers help fund volunteers to educate and attend to these children.
So far we have had four volunteers over 6 consecutive months. Give a month of your life for this great project.
IMS
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Rudi & Geroen with some orphans
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The Logic Of The Plan
Over the next few years, 3 million healthy children are expected to be orphaned by AIDS. We must be frugal with our resources.
10 square meters of space for each child would cost R90 billion, so we must not build accommodation, but find ways for children to be cared for in their homes and only build for the homeless.
Food parcels at R15 per day would cost R16.4 billion per year, therefore we must teach the children to grow food to feed the families.
If we employ social workers to care for the children, we need 40 000. (South Africa has only 9 072). We must train volunteers to be able to communicate with and council the children.
Everything we do needs to be self-sustaining and empower the community to care for its own.
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Beneficiaries of the orphanage
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Poverty
Associated with the Aids pandemic, is a poverty stricken people due to a high unemployment figure. (In our rural community we stare down the barrel of a figure now rising above 75%.)
Short Term Plan (Adopt an Orphan)(Click on Heading to help)
Adopt an orphan and sponsor food and education for a year. The Foundation will send a photograph and profile of the child to their sponsor and keep them informed of the child’s special needs and educational progress.
Long Term Plan
1. A suitable 10 hectare farm has been identified for Hydroponics. Twenty hydroponic tunnels will be erected to produce vegetables. A percentage of the profits from the sale of surplus vegetables will be invested in Care Centres.
2. Three trainees from the orphan population will assist the farm labour. On completion of their training, they will return to their areas to run small hydroponics operations set up by the John Montgomery Aids Foundation. All produce grown in these operations will be sold to the Foundation at market related prices. A percentage of these profits, will be paid to the Foundation for the tunnels.
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Suzy in Action
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Modus Operandi
We intend caring for the community in the following manner:
a) In their homes by trained care-givers who distributes food hampers and medical packages, ensuring that families are caring for those members dying of Aids.
b) In their homes where families cannot cope, but want their family member to die with dignity in their own homes.
c) Moving people who do not receive adequate care at home to a “Care Centre” where care can be provided by trained volunteers under the supervision of local medical doctors.
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Activities
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d) Providing ongoing counselling of those affected and infected by Aids.
e) Through training in hydroponics and marketing, provide an income. As these hydroponics operations expand, so will the community income.
Zululand Eco-Adventures.
Eshowe. Zululand.
KwaZulu Natal. South Africa.
info@eshowe.com
035 4744919..
Your Contacts: Graham Chennells. Walter Cele. Victor Mdluli.
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