Development Talk

Rebuilding our image

 

July 21, 2011

As South Africans we should be proud of our progress in decreasing crime and poverty in our country. It’s been a long road, and definitely not over, but we have made progress and I think it’s fair to be recognized for our efforts.

Unfortunately, with the influence of media (and particularly social media), often a different picture is depicted of South Africa, or at the very least, a misrepresented one. Journalism and social media is at times unregulated and thrives on stories that induce drama and evoke reaction.

We can agree that South Africa was notorious for having a high crime rate. As proud South Africans, we fought to stop that in various ways even though it will never be fully stopped.

As we continue to implement projects and services aimed to eradicate poverty and decrease crime rate, it’s important that we simultaneously look to accurately represent our image and efforts in the media, so that people worldwide have an accurate depiction of our country. It’s unfortunate when events such as the murder of Anni Dewani caused the media to sensationalize South Africa as a crime-ridden country and revert the area back to a place it was decades ago.

The situation involving Shrien Dewani, a 31-year-old British man who framed his driver Zola Tongo for murdering his wife while conducting a Township tour, generated negative, international coverage.

As the story unfolded, more details and allegations including dealers and hit men were involved, thus making it an even more complicated story. The point is however is that South Africa was heavily impacted by the negative news coverage and almost seemed to overtake any other positive and promising efforts highlighted at earlier times in the media.

We cannot stop what the public says about this country or perceptions placed, but we have to constantly strive to improve South Africa to be the best it can be for its citizens and in-coming visitors.

We encourage all of you to be South Africa’s best ambassador. It’s only when we vocalize our pride for our country that other people will begin to understand why we value and love South Africa as much as we do.

Filed under: Access to Information,Africa,media,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:17 pm

Dance for All: An invitation to help make dreams come true!

 

June 29, 2011

Dancers showcase their skills. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu

Many South Africans have dreams, desires and interests that they are unable to pursue, due to the limited availability of information in their community. Faced with this challenge, they often lose hope and begin to believe drugs and alcohol abuse as well as violence and crime are the only things that help them to feel fulfilled. With increased focus on personal development and access to information it would be possible for community organizations to help community members fulfill their dreams and avoid the pitfalls of substance abuse and violence in their own lives.

Dance for all, an Athlone based Outreach Programme, looked at the challenges facing community members and came up with a solution. They aimed to offer children in historically deprived communities with an opportunity for enjoyment, upliftment and promotion of self – esteem through the medium of dance, as well as training for young people who hope to become professional dancers. This has lead to the development of a unique, indigenous dance company that embodies creativity and culture. They also offer these classes at other service points in the surrounding townships of Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha and Langa.

Eight dance teachers from the United States (US) are expected to come and share their dancing skills with participants.  The list of visiting teachers includes founder of the LEAP programme at St Mary’s College Claire Sheridan, a regular visitor to Dance for All, Kristine Elliot, Geren Scribner, Lucy Van Cleef, Olivia Ramsay, David Tamaki, Annie Colbeck and Alejandro Piris Nino. They will work with students over the next two weeks designing and producing an on-site dance that includes movement classes, repertory and choreographic workshops.

Anyone who is interested in this amazing dance experience is exclusively invited to two performances offered by this initiative from Friday 08 July at 16:30 or Saturday, 9 July at 11:30 in their Dance for All studios in Athlone.

The entrance fee of R25.00 for an adult and one of R15.00 for kids will help you to get inspired and assist you in finding your new hobby.

We can all rise above our current situations and become what we want to be in lives!!!

Filed under: Access to Information,Awareness,children,civil society,community,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,development,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,History,Hope,initiative,inspiration,media,spatial poverty,Training,youth — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:19 pm

Mandela Monday Mania!

 

June 27, 2011

“Take Action. Inspire Change. Make Every Day a Mandela Day,” is the slogan for this year’s Mandela Day.

Click for Photo Source

Mandela Day, was first introduced on 18 July 2009, the former Nelson Mandela’s birthday, its aim is to persuade people to contribute 67 minutes of their time to make the world a better place.

International Nelson Mandela Day 2011 was launched on 23 May at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg.  The ceremony involved tertiary students who marked the occasion by expressing their views on what the celebration means to them. According to mediaclubsouthafrica.com, the launch garnered such widespread media attention due in part to popular South African rapper JR’s new song dedicated to Mandela Day, ‘See you in July’.

It is said that, when Sello Hatang, the Mandela Foundation’s spokesperson, asked students to speak about Mandela.Day and how it should be celebrated,Mandela’s grandson, Luvuyo Mandela, mentioned that as a family they have always celebrated his gradfather’s birthday in their home town of Umtata, Qunu in the Eastern Cape, by making food parcels so they can allocate to them less fortunate.  Another youth, Raymond Ntlozi, explained that he honours Mandela Day by volunteering and funraising at children’s home in Zuurbekom, southwest Johannesburg.

Mediaclubsouthafrica.com states that, Breadline Africa, a South African-based NGO, has partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the NYK Helping Hand Scheme to offer a mobile library to a primary school in all nine provinces of South Africa as part of this year’s Mandela Day celebrations.

This year, NYK contributed R500 000 to the project for Mandela Day. Each library container costs nearly R90 000 to convert and renovate.

Tim Smith, director of Breadline Africa is quoted saying, “we buy sturdy, water-tight containers at a low cost and transform them into mobile structures, which we can use to feed, educate or use as a clinic. Our projects try to establish a level of self-sustainability within the community.”

From 6 June, people haven been encouraged to participate every Monday by giving back to the next person, the community or the environment for Mandela Mondays. People can take as little as five minutes out of their lives for this activity!

So how are YOU honouring the spirit of community service this Mandela Monday?  Let us know by leaving a comment here or on our Facebook page.

Filed under: Africa,Awareness,basic human right,better life for all,Breaking New Ground,campaign,children,civil society,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,Environment,ethical leadership,Hope,inspiration,inspire,Love and Courage,media,peace,social transformation,sustainable,ubuntu — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:26 am

Hot off the presses: Edition 16 of Development e-News!

 

June 24, 2011

 Edition 16 shines a spotlight on CSI and CSI works:

  • We explore industry benchmarks in corporate social investment (CSI) spend and how this impacts on national social economic development (SED).
  • We guide you on how best you can increase the sustainability of your CSI programme.
  • We consider the importance of establishing partnerships – a hot topic at the CSI Matters conference.
  • Finally, we share some valuable development lessons from Africa via Dr Pandelani Mathoma, GM of Old Mutual Corporate Affairs guest speaker at the conference.

We hope you enjoy our newsletter and are able to leave with new insights and inspiration. You’re welcome to make contact via email should you have any questions, if you would like to further discuss topics highlighted in our newsletter or require more information on our services!

Read the newsletter by clicking here!

Warm Greetings from our Team!
Creative Consulting & Development Works

Filed under: Access to Information,Africa,aid,arts,Awareness,basic human right,better life for all,blogging,campaign,civil society,Communications,community,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,cultural issues,development,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,dialogue,donors,education,ethical leadership,inspiration,inspire,internet,marketing,media,philanthropists,Social media,social transformation,South Africa,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 4:53 pm

Organisation Holds Zuma Accountable for Education Non-deliverables

 

February 16, 2011

 

Pupils raised their concerns during school library march.Photo:EE

Education was a focus in Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address. In an interview featured on politicsweb.co.za he proposed focusing on the “Triple T,” which stands for teachers, text books and time. 

He emphasised that by law, teachers must spend enough hours teaching at schools and children must have access to books, therefore having time to deliver these necessities is crucial. 

Equal Education (EE), a community and membership-based organisation that is committed at achieving quality education in South Africa, is here to ensure that all the promises that are being made around educations are fullfilled. 

Doron Isaacs, Equal Education Director, said, for too long, South African education policy has been at war with the basics, including textbooks. He said, under Minister Angie Motshekga, this has thankfully changed and now the President is underlining that. But EE will not wait to see whether the President’s words magically deliver textbooks and teachers on time to every child. 

Isaacs said they will continue their daily campaigning work to make sure that this happens. 

“We will keep training learners, parents and community members to hold their schools accountable in these crucial areas. We will keep pressuring government to revisit the tendering process for textbooks to bring down the cost, and will pressure the publishers to stop profiteering at the expense of our education,” he said.  

Teachers and pupils at Masiyile High School were thrilled during library launch. Photo:EE
He also mentioned that school districts and provinces that fail to deliver on the President’s words will find themselves: on “our placards, in our petitions,” listed in the newspapers and “…in court”.
 
Equal Education has already spread their wings and are advocating on an large-scale level. Last year, more than 12,000 people took part in Human Rights Day in March, more than 5,000 fasted during Fast For School Library, and over 60,000 signed petition for 1 School 1Library 1 Librarian, to name a few.

In its 4th year of existence, EE will be marching on the 21st of March to demand basic infrastructure in all South African Schools. They are doing so to ask basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga , to fulfill her promise of finalising Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure by the end of March 2011. 

They will host events geared toward people who care about education. The first is People’s Summit for Equal Education that will take place on 25-28 June at Khayelitsha and UCT. Later this year, EE will hold its First National Congress that will be open for EE members and will allow them to debate and decide upon the future priorities.  

Creative Consulting & Development Works truly see value in EE’s efforts and initiatives. In just three years, the organisation has mobilised the South African community and made great improvements on the education sector. We support EE, IkamvaYouth, and other organisations as they continue to improve the quality of education in South Africa. 

 
 

  

 

 

 

Filed under: campaign,children,civil society,community,CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS,DEVELOPMENT WORKS,education,Government,initiative,media,NGOs,South Africa,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 4:20 pm
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