The Ubuntu Education Fund- A dream in the making
Fly to Port Elizabeth to visit 10th-11th December
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ubuntu through a dear friend and former client, Farah Alaghband. Like a true angel, Farah is known for her generosity and kind spirit and who better than to spread the word. Ubuntu has only recently opened its London fund-raising branch but this hasn’t stopped the good will spreading at a rate of knots. The moment Farah spoke of Ubuntu I immediately got excited tingles and knew that this was a gift; something I had been waiting to do, something connected to my home, South Africa, the land where my heart lies. I endeavoured at that moment to put my heart into making a difference and helping lay a few building blocks on the Ubuntu dream. There is something magical that happens when people come together in the spirit of giving.
The more I learn about Ubuntu the more it becomes clear that this is something special: In 1999 two men, Jacob Lief (meaning LOVE in Afrikaans!) and Malizole “Banks” Gwaxula, founded Ubuntu Education Fund on the philosophy of ubuntu; a universal bond of sharing that connects all of humanity—I am because you are. With the goal of transforming the lives of the children of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Ubuntu Education Fund is a non- profit organisation providing over 40,000 orphaned and vulnerable children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa with life-saving health services and vital educational resources.
Ubuntu has over 80 full time staff in South Africa with fund-raising offices in London and New York. The Ubuntu Model has become a blueprint for organisations around the world that strive for culturally appropriate, community-based development. Ubuntu’s child-centred approach high-lights the difference between merely touching a child’s life versus fundamentally changing it.
Going home to Cape Town for Christmas enabled me to plan the next step of the Ubuntu journey. Jacob and his team kindly invited me to visit their centre in Port Elizabeth for two days. I, in turn, invited my mother to join me! This was not just for her excellent company; she also has twenty years experience running job creation projects for the disadvantaged in the arts and craft sectors.
The director of Montebello Design Centre in Newlands Cape Town, My mother currently oversees a project called Mealie, employing over 180 HIV positive township women. She has a keen eye for business and has a knack for making something of nothing. This is a good thing in Africa when more than often you start off with nothing. What was once a plastic bag or an old T-shirt could be transformed into a well-designed piece of craft that could generate much needed income. I felt lucky having her by my side as her knowledge and experience added much value.
http://www.montebello.co.za/about.html
Qondeakele greeted us at the airport with a big smile. We were going to experience a full “day in the life” of Ubuntu. Qondeakele first drove us to meet the mobile HIV testing van. This ground-breaking concept makes HIV testing more accessible to the public; Testing up to 20 people a day, the van, normally located at the local shopping centres makes getting tested more convenient and discreet, especially for shy individuals who fear the stigma attached to been seen walking into a clinic.
What I was really impressed by was that they had an on site counsellor to provide support and education to individuals who tested positive. They also go a step further and do follow up visits at the patients homes, making sure they have a supportive environment and that they are taking anti-retroviral drugs. The wide spreading impact of their work is mind blowing. It is also apparent that it takes a large dedicated taskforce to deal with the sheer volume of cases. Official figures say there is an 80% unemployment rate in PE and a staggering 60% are HIV positive. This put my life quickly into perspective.
The jovial Gcobani, then showed us around the site where they are constructing a very impressive community centre. The Building rises proudly out of the township as a statement that anything is possible and we must all dream big. A pillar of hope, the centre will house a state-of-the-art clinic, pharmacy, library, counseling centre, computer facilities and even a roof garden. It really is a symbol of forward thinking and a mighty achievement for Ubuntu. It will be finished in 2010 in time for the annual gala in London in May. This will be a pivotal moment in the development of the charity and I hope as many people as possible will contribute to making the dream a reality.
The centre will allow us to expand and strengthen our existing service. The Ubuntu Centre will enable us to provide: 15,000 children with essential lifeskills classes40,000 youth with HIV prevention outreach services600 families with comprehensive case management services600 orphans and vulnerable children with after school programmes and school holiday day camps2200 children and 160 families with a daily, nutritious meal from our community gardens1200 clients with HIV counselling, testing and treatment support each monthClinic management and capacity building in 5 clinics serving 400,000 people4,000 youth with career guidance 15,000 children with weekly computer education 7,000 children with regular access to libraries2,000,000 condoms to local communities
On the plane trip home my mother and I came up with many ideas for how the community could generate income, becoming self sufficient through learning simple business skills and making craft that sells. My mother was seriously impressed with the excellent running of the centre. All of the people involved from the ground up are so passionate, knowledgeable and committed. Each of them has even pledged a percentage of their own salary to go towards the building of the new community centre. There is a real spirit of sharing and giving. Needless to say, after showing us such generosity and dedicating their whole day to us, Qondeakele, Banks and Gcobani definitely invited to come have lunch at Montebello with my mother and I the next time they are in Cape Town.
