New years are always symbolic of the soft pink of an African

dawn... they are a symbol of hope, of a re-awakening and

then of a growing power and light…an energy of Africa that

makes you smile and realise that we are part of a great, great

world. This year- 2013 - is going to be many things for all of

us, and I think we need to start it by being AWARE of the

beauty that lives inside us, of the potential that lives inside

the smallest seed and soul and person. We need to strive

Jan/Feb Newsletter 2013

December was a bit of time off for

me personally as I enjoyed the

sunshine & coast with loved ones

and family and had special

moments in nature. So when

January arrived, I was all too eager

to get back to my passion,

NOURISH, & to really kick-start this

year into high gear and get the ball

rolling on all our projects again.

the smallest seed and soul and person. We need to strive

harder, reach deeper and look at the world with gratefulness!

Firstly we finished our first Nourish Annual Report &

Financial Statements. A HUGE job including hours and

hours of stress and work, but wow- how rewarding to

see how far we have come in a year. So many projects

started—so many small and big successes, learning

curves and lives touched in irreversible ways. It was a

blessing to see that we have been effective in

implementing positive change in people and

communities and nature, which has always been our

goal. So a 49 page missive, (but those of you that know

me—will know that I write as much as I talk... which is

ALOT!) containing photos and stats and stories of all the

projects we have started and completed.

Should you want a copy- email nourish.org.za@gmail.com and I will email you

one or click on http://www.slideshare.netnourish_npo/nourish-annual-report-

2011-2012white

Jan/Feb Newsletter 2013

And before you ask; yes, it’s that time of year. I am sitting typing this at

Thuthuzela Aid Community Centre in Alexandra Township. Last year

Nourish provided support by giving the house mother (Lizzy) almost a

month off for the first time in years. This year we are again able to offer

not money--- but time—and love. And so it is, that for 3 weeks I will be

spending my time learning to be octo-mom bathing 8 children at a time,

waking up early to administer ARV’s, dredge up science memories to do

homework...and all in all offer all the love and support we can to such a

worthy orphanage.worthy orphanage.

...as we have Nourish’s Annual Golf Day

coming up.

This will be held at Kyalami Country Club

(on their beautiful greens!) on the 24th April

2013. Lots of fun to be had by all, great

prizes, and weekends away to be won.

R 400 per player

R 1 600 per 4-ball team.

Come support us on the day, have fun and

all the profit goes to a good cause.

For more information email

nourish.org.za@gmail.com

Once again- we are asking you to

SWING for CHARITY

And there shall be TREES! We

kick-started our Travel Trees

project this year as we partnered

with Backroads Africa

(www.backroadsafrica.com) who

will now be sponsoring a tree for

every person travelling with them

on their adventures. ..

The Alexandra Township Photography project has got wheels

turning, as we started our active presence last week with

monthly photography lessons at Ma AfrikaTikkun, a community

centre and after school programme for children and youth in the

urban slum of Alex. We are also offering these courses to

unemployed youth in the hopes of inspiring and creating a skill

that may one day lead to entrepreneurship and income. It is an

exciting start for us and we are looking forward to seeing the

photos these young children take with open eyes of their own

township, as well as seeing how their skills develop. Keep track

...We also sponsored 8

beautiful leafy indigenous

trees to South African

Medical Expeditions to

plant on the site for their

community centre which

will offer medical

assistance to HIV orphans

as well as a feeding

scheme. We look forward

to seeing those trees

flourish and sitting under

their shade one day! We

are also looking forward to

being involved with

Ashtons Transfers, Odie

Air, Jemax Aviation, and

Captured in Africa this

year!

township, as well as seeing how their skills develop. Keep track

of us on www.facebook.com/alexandraphotographyproject

Also we are looking for digital cameras, old or new, that you

just aren’t using any more... if you have one you can bear to part

with please contact us as we are desperate to get them HANDS

ON and practicing on their own cameras!

The recycled crafting is still continuing –

faithfully driven by Miriam and Priscilla,

local women from Welverdiend village.

We just took in a gorgeous hand woven

carpet of the bright South African flag –

done by Miriam. Although this took

many a month, I commissioned it

privately for my house, and am over the

moon with my funky eco-friendly African

piece. Let’s hope placing these crafts in

lodges and local craft stands will get

these women the recognition and

financial support they deserve.

A visit to the Nourish site on Orpen road showed us exactly how much rain the region has had recently as

the bush and grass have flourished and are thick and green (even some of our hard work clearing has been

undone with all the rain!),but it’s still looking great! A Spring of Hope (aSoH) (www.aspringofhope.org ) has

become involved and will hopefully be able within this year to drop a borehole on the site, which is an

exciting development for us. We are keeping fingers and toes crossed for the funds to be raised and this to

become an actuality. Kobus, one of the aSoH members, visited us in February on one very hot sunny day,

and we spent the morning with him learning the very fine art of divining water... or as he explained—

divining the landscape of earth under the surface that are indications of divides where water might be. It

was an interesting process to watch and be a part of, as well as thoroughly enjoying his knowledge of local

trees. Thank you Kobus, Joanne and Brittany from aSoH for giving us the HOPE that a borehole will soontrees. Thank you Kobus, Joanne and Brittany from aSoH for giving us the HOPE that a borehole will soon

grace the Nourish land and offer its water – and life to our project and the community.

We also had an amazing day as we went with SAME to

a community crèche in the rural village of Keyelane

and handed out colourful hand knitted teddies from

the Mother Bear project. The children ADORED their

teddies and each child came personally to hug and

thank me. How I wish I could pass on that feeling of

gratefulness! Such a small thing making such a

profound statement of love…

On an AACOSIDA note— last year

we received government building

specifications that we needed to

The Dress 4 Success project spent early Jan busy buying school uniforms for orphans from Keyalane and

Acornhoek village. Seeing a little 5 year old in his first uniform, so tiny and proud, brought tears to my eyes.

Working with SAME to identify the pre-schoolers, and with the community chief we distributed over 33

school uniforms in early January. Lots of shopping, hot African queuing- but very rewarding knowing that 33

more children will be able to attend school this year, because Nourish was able to provide support! Thank

you to Arc for Africa, as well as private donors for making this possible!

specifications that we needed to

adhere to in order to register the

crèche. Well with a R 10 000 goal

set in order to finish our dream,

the fundraising began. We set

FEBRUARY aside as the month of

love. We decided to sell

Valentines Hearts, which we will

paint on the wall of the crèche-

with a loved one’s name in- .to be

remembered for years to come.

Each heart cost R 50 with a goal

of selling 200. We are happy to

announce we sold 162 hearts! We

are thankful to every single

person that made this possible,

you are too numerous to name

here. Know that your love will

create ripples~~

~Learn from yesterday, live for

today, hope for tomorrow.

Our adrenalin this year came from just that: environmental education, as we

had the treat of being able to go on a bush walk with a CHEETAH at Tshukudu

Game Lodge near Hoedspruit. The walk for 2 was sponsored by Martin Meyer

(www.martinmeyerphotography.com). We selected 2 children from the Grade

7 class of Sihlekisi primary school. The class ran a fun arts competition with

the theme “What we love about the Bush”. Inventive, fun and amazing

pictures with real sand glued on and incredible perspectives...and it was

difficult for us to choose only 2. In the end Zelda and Nyiko as well as their difficult for us to choose only 2. In the end Zelda and Nyiko as well as their

teacher spent an incredible morning immersing themselves in the beautiful

bush, learning about dung, porcupine quills, cheetah (obviously) and animal

behaviour. I have a sneaky feeling we may just have invested in these children

more deeply than we can even imagine. To Tshukudu for an amazing

experience, Martin Meyer, and Sihlekisi Primary School – THANK YOU.

This year for Nourish the focus really is on driving environmental education to the youth of rural

villages that are marginalised by big reserves. The children of our Acornhoek, Welverdiend and

Sigagule villages should know the value of their bush heritage, the uses of traditional trees, have

instilled a respect and love for nature and see the value of an elephant other than as a source of.

meat or money (through poaching) With poaching in South Africa reaching unprecedented heights,

we push harder than ever to open eyes, hearts and minds and create understanding of sustainability,

conservation, anti-poaching, and tourism as a viable livelihood. We believe by changing mindsets we

can change the future generation. We aim this year to start giving monthly/weekly environmental

classes at local schools and giving children exposure to animals through a visit to a game reserve or aclasses at local schools and giving children exposure to animals through a visit to a game reserve or a

weekend bush school. Should you be able to assist or fund this in ANY way please get in touch

nourish.org.za@gmail.com

And so we end off another fun-filled and busy 2 months

in a year which just seems to be flying by. May I just

thank everyone who has been so supportive, from

Australia, Germany, the UK, America and n locally too-

you are all amazing and we could not keep up our work

without you! ☺☺☺☺

~ Happiness is not a state to arrive at, rather, a

manner of travelling. Samuel Johnson