(The poem can also be accessed on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRiFAy8RURU&feature=youtu.be)

Written by Karabo Seduma, Kgaugelo Kubayi & Njabulo Nkonyane

Compiled by Trevor P. Molife

Bringing Services to the People

It is beyond disturbing to realise that, by the time you have finished reading this blog, at least two women will have been raped in South Africa. On average, a woman is raped every four minutes in South Africa. Afrika Tikkun as an organisation working on community development could not ignore the fact that a greater number of these occurrences happen in the areas we operate in. Together with 1st for Women the Gender Based Violence programme was started in Diepsloot in 2012. Afrika Tikkun’s aim to empower communities to develop new generations of productive citizens is achieved through the implementation of a holistic development model. Nurturing the family is one of the 5 core services of the development model.

Friday 8 March was International Women’s day. Afrika Tikkun South Africa and the world over joined hands in commemorating this day. Afrika Tikkun in partnership with SANCA, POWA, 1st for Women, Webber Wentzel and twenty one other organisations, hosted a one of a kind event, called Bringing Services to the People. The event reached out to survivors of abuse, women and children in the Diepsloot community to raise awareness about abuse and to send the message that help is available through organisations such as Afrika Tikkun and its partners. The recent events that occurred in the world, ranging from the 2012 Delhi gang rape, followed by the rape and murder of Anene Booysen in the Western Cape and the valentine’s murder of Reeva Steenkamp, brought with them a different outlook on the day that was almost irrelevant in South Africa. Steenkamp campaigned actively against domestic violence and a day before her death she tweeted in support of Black Friday which was on the 15th of February. People dressed in black to show that they were against rape and women abuse. Sadly a day after Steenkamp tweeted, she was killed.

The Gender Based Violence programme came just at the right time and the International Women’s Day event at Diepsloot also made a difference to the lives of many women in Diepsloot. One of the attendees shared that, with the knowledge of the services around her, she now knows where to go to if she fell victim to abuse or has one of her community members being victimised. Some of the attendees of the event, shared words that are still echoing in my ears,
 

“I have learnt an important lesson today, to always go and knock at my neighbours door when I hear noise of a woman screaming, who knows how many women are killed or raped, every time we give a deaf ear.”

“Listening to women like mama Sibongile Mkhabela has empowered a large number of us who thought we are just second class citizens in a men’s world”

“It is not every day that women are celebrated in our society and today Afrika Tikkun has shown us that we are also important beings and there are many organisations such as Afrika Tikkun, which are there to safeguard our rights and empower us to empower ourselves. Siyabonga.”

I can gladly conclude that the day brought with it a great change in many of the women who attended the event at the Afrika Tikkun center in Diepsloot. They were educated on the options available to them and their peers, at no cost. It is also hoped that it will bring with it a new generation of men in South Africa who can eradicate the world’s view of South Africa being the world’s Rape Capital, to a nation of loving and caring men. 

For a video preview of the events of the day click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjYxXJdPvII&feature=youtu.be 

By: Trevor P. Molife

Marketing Assistant

By Trevor P. Molife 

Marketing Assistant

Skills Development Programme Launch at Arekopaneng 

The Skills Development programme started as a THOUGHT and today Afrika Tikkun is reaping the benefits, made possible through our partnership with Webber Wentzel, HSBC and our various donors. The objective of the Skills Development Programme is to equip the youth with job readiness skills as well as assisting them to find employment.


On the 14th of February 2013, Valentine’s day, the skills development programme was launched at Arekopaneng. Attending the event were, Mr. Marc Lubner(CEO), Afrika Tikkun staff from Hyde Park and Uthando, New Beginnings, National Youth Development Agency, DIY Depot and two of our CYDP job creation success stories, who are now employed by DIY. The partnership between DIY Depot and Afrika Tikkun has seen 30 of our CYDP youth finding employment in the company within the past two months. DIY Depot also gave a donation of R20,000 to Afrika Tikkun at the event.

Some amazing local talent was also showcased from a singing group known as The Sentinentals, which Zweli Dlomo our Skills Development Coordinator is part of, and they showered the crowd with their astounding melodies.

The whole event was wrapped up with a finger lickin lunch prepared by the CYDP beneficiaries and the kitchen staff.

The 94.7 Cycle Challenge is nearly upon us! We hope everyone registered is feeling race fit.

The Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge encourages all cyclists to Ride for a Purpose and make a difference. The Ride for a Purpose campaign reflects the principles of Lead SA, which calls on South Africans to stand up, do the right thing and make a difference. It’s up to you which particular cause you wish to support…

If you, or someone you know, are riding but haven’t nominated a charity to ride for it’s not too late – we’d love to have you as part of the Afrika Tikkun team. This year the Afrika Tikkun are working together to raise enough money to send 1,300 to an Early Development Centre.

So come and be part of the fun and help change the life of a child in need.

info@afrikatikkun.org or contact Amanda on 011 325 5914 

Have a look at our cool team jersey, sponsored by Mpact

“ As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”
― Nelson Mandela Chief Patron, Afrika Tikkun   

Cockatoo Island Event

Thank you so much to all our supporters who recently attended the “Unsung Heroes” fundraising event on Cockatoo Island in Sydney. It was lovely to see you there! For those who couldn’t make it, I’d like to just share what was a fabulous and unique night out.

Originally intended as a visual experience to accompany a photographic book, Unsung Heroes, The Documentary is not a story about poverty, but rather showcases a nation of children eager for opportunity. As the journey unfolded, the inspiring film brought tears to the eyes of an engaged and supportive audience of 200.

This behind-the-scenes documentary was produced to follow international children’s photographer Luca Zordan and the book/film’s producer Alethea Gold, as they traveled across South Africa to shoot their (second in a charity series) photographic book: Children of South Africa. As you might know, the book was launched in conjunction with the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and then several events were hosted around the world to raise funds from the book for Afrika Tikkun’s Sports Program. Over 3,000 books have now been sold or distributed.

After the screening, the humbled crowd, joined by singer Leo Sayer and South African High Commissioner Her Excellency Ms Koleka Mqulwana, enjoyed an after-party at Biloela Heritage House on the island, overlooking the magnificent Sydney Harbour. The event was a huge success thanks to Alethea Gold and her amazing team. As one of the two beneficiaries of donations and other funds received at Cockatoo Island, we are extremely grateful once again for the support Alethea Gold has offered Afrika Tikkun.  Thank you so much Alethea!

South African’s are generous in spirit. It’s always humbling to witness the amazing work of individuals dedicated to making a positive difference to our beautiful country. But every now and again you hear of one particular story which touches you, like that of Thabisa Dube.

Thabisa is only 8 years old, but she is one gutsy, special little girl, wise beyond her years. Thabisa is riding the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge to raise funds to send vulnerable children to an Afrika Tikkun Early Childhood Development Centre. She wants to give other children the opportunities in life that a good education brings. She recognises how lucky she is to go to a good school and cares about kids who desperately need this opportunity.

Thabisa started off with the goal of sending 10 children to an Early Childhood Development Centre, and through her tenacity quickly achieved this (R21,600). Now she wants to raise R50,000 and has already passed the R30,000 mark. We’re amazed at what this little dynamo has achieved and so thrilled to have her as part of the Afrika Tikkun family.

Thank you Thabisa!

My involvement was essentially based on the writing of an article for the press on the refurbishment of the old Transvaal Memorial Hospital for Children – a wing of which has been revamped to house the Uthando Centre, which previously operated from Hillbrow but had outgrown its premises. With my interest being very much centred on the built environment, it was great to research the history of the old hospital – which is a heritage building – and to find out how it had been refurbished and converted. 

I visited the centre once before its official launch, and attended the launch itself – but it was only through my contact with the people involved that I came to realise that the Uthando Centre is really a symbol in many ways for what Afrika Tikkun stands for as an organisation. The people involved have put their hearts and souls into this project – not just the core team at Afrika Tikkun, but the entire professional team involved in renovating the old hospital and a whole collection of others, too.

When CEO Marc Lubner spoke at the opening ceremony, he said that when his father, Bertie Lubner, and the late Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris started Afrika Tikkun, it was because they felt they could not stand idly by and see people in the new democratic South Africa – for which many had made sacrifices – suffer because of past injustices. Communities were without leaders, without resources and without the means to address the problem.