Touch Africa is a Section 21 Company (Company registration: 2007/024885/08) which aims to be sustainable and accountable to all stakeholders.
The Touch Africa initiative was started by Mike Glover, owner of Eastern Cape based Red Cherry Adventures.
On Wednesday 22nd October, Britain’s Princes, William and Harry, took time out of their rest day on Enduro Africa, an eight day endurance ride through the Wild Coast, to play a charity soccer match against a combined local team near Morgan Bay. The soccer balls were provided by SuperSport from the Let’s Play a Million campaign. Each goal was worth R5000, which was raised through pledges made by the 88 Enduro Africa riders.
The weather was less than perfect for the South African side, but pretty spot on for the Brits as it rained most of the day. In fact the local organizers postponed the match due to the inclement weather, but Prince William, rounded up his team and headed for the soccer field in the rain encouraging all to get on with the match.
Spirits were not dampened by the weather, but the Princes side lost 6-2 to the local team. A total of R40 000 was raised for local Eastern Cape based charity Touch Africa. The money will be used to upgrade the Icharga Creche, just outside Morgan Bay, which caters for 23 children from impoverished families.
A total of 300 soccer balls from Let’s Plat a Million were distributed by the Princes on route.
The concept of Touch Africa was borne out of another charitable cause, namely Enduro India an off road charity ride in which Mike Glover participated. 100 motorcycle riders from all over the world each raised 4000 pounds for a ride through Kerala in India. Part of their monies purchased a Royal Enfield Bike, which were donated to WWF, Palliative Care and St Mary’s Hospital, who in turn sold the bikes to raise money for their various humanitarian projects. The experience of Enduro India turned into Enduro Africa which is also a charitable motorcycle ride contributing to upliftment in the Eastern Cape. (Go to www.redcherryadventures.co.za for more on Enduro Africa)
The need in the country was so great, that Touch Africa was born specifically to assist in alleviating crises in the education and health care sectors across South Africa with particular emphasis on rehabilitating facilities. Projects started in 2007 in the Eastern Cape.
The focus of our energies is on children and the scope of our work includes but is not limited to the:
The requests from the rural villages, especially the children, are simple. Children usually ask for clean toilets, a jungle gym, sporting equipment, a soccer pitch, a fresh coat of paint and a happy place to learn. It is with your contribution, that we are able to make these dreams become reality as well as always being measurable and sustainable. If you believe you can help in a small or large way please email elise@nashuaisp.co.za or mike@redcherry.co.za to enter discussions.
Cacadu Municpality
This municipality was the first to get on board with the Touch Africa project. Mayor Gerald Mvoko so deeply believed in the concept that he ensured the municipality themselves contributed R100 000. The evidence of money well spent can be seen in all the success stories of 2007 and will continue in 2008.
McCain Food
Heather Partner and her team saw the vision over a year ago and have not only committed money to the project but will also be supplying food and their fully kitted chip truck which will certainly enhance the experience. The slogan of we believe "there is more than one answer, together we achieve more", is indicative of this companies approach to the well being of South Africa.
Have a look at the Storms River School, where the McCain mobile kitchen is situated.
Shatterprufe
Sean Harrison decided to support South Africa and with the Shatterprufe factory being based in Port Elizabeth this initiative is a perfect platform to put something back into the local community. This has happened with their dealers around the country and their support will not end with purely injection money but also be a major glass supplier for all schools and other infrastructure that will be rehabilitated….thanks Sean.
Continental Tyres
The Eastern Cape’s local tyre company have committed not only funds to this project , but have also agreed to supply soccer kits to all the village teams and supply tyres for the rehabilitation of school buses. (See the WIllomore Bus)
Dawn Group
Canon
Plascon
Project Friday Flik, a self sustaining community project, has been successfully launched at the Walmer High School, in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth. Touch Africa, provided a projector, sponsored by Canon, and sound system sponsored by Platinum Productions to provide a “movie house” to the previously disadvantaged area of Walmer Township, in order to institute a self sustaining project, whereby the community can raise funds for various projects in the community.
There were in excess of 700 people in attendance at the launch on the 29th August 2008, including performers, community organisation leaders, Touch Africa and sponsor representatives, school teachers and parents.
The gates opened at 16h30 and from 16h00 children were already lining up in preparation for the festivities which started at 17h30. The local community policing forum was enlisted to keep law and order as well as control the patrons entering the hall and collecting tickets. This was achieved without a single hitch. The patrons received refreshments on entering the hall. Refreshments were provided courtesy of Pick ‘n Pay and Coca Cola Fortune.
The official proceedings started at 17h40, with local community leader Prof Mtyaleka, who is also a lay preacher, opening the event. The crowd was then entertained by the school choir, the community dance group and the African Rennaisance Dancers, who performed to an extremely enthusiastic audience.
Lunga Dyani, principle of the school, encouraged the audience to support the initiative and more importantly to consciously become “world citizens” and become active in their communities to ensure success for the greater good of the area. Well known community activist Moki Cekisani was the last to address the audience, before they were treated to a well received lucky draw activity before the movie itself started.
The inaugural movie, Chicken Biznis, was well received by the audience, young and old. Feedback from adults in the community, was that they enjoyed the good wholesome message the movie conveyed and that this genre of movie was to be carried on in the weeks and months to follow. The story follows the exploits and aspirations of the retrenched Sipho, who reinvents himself as a livestock entrepreneur. Ambitiously but recklessly he invests his life savings in buying chickens and sets up in the local market. Soon he’s the talk of the community and his business takes off. But his watchful, supportive wife Thoko realises that Sipho’s new status – and van! – have gone to his head. When Thoko discovers his affair, she decides to gain revenge, with painful (and extremely humorous) consequences for Sipho.
Hailed in South Africa as a breakthrough in portraying everyday life, Chikin Biznis is a spirited contemporary African story rich in texture and sound.
This project would not have seen the light of day, without the initial support from Canon who have invested R100 000 through the provision of projectors, screens and set up costs. The product that we are working with is world class and the clarity of picture is perfect.
Tickets are priced at R5 each. It has been decided by the committee, that the monies raised in the next couple of months, will be used to revamp the school hall, provide equipment for the science laboratory and replace doors and windows in the classrooms. Various other community organisations will be able to utilize the movie facility to raise funds for their projects including church organisations, sports organisations etc.
Comments from the Community:
The response to the launch of Friday Flik was positive from every quarter. Parents and community leaders were delighted that the shebeens were “emptied” on Friday Flik night, which resulted in fewer social crime incidents, including rape, abuse of alcohol and general unrest in the area. One lady commented that she was able to sleep through the night at the shebeen next door to her was quiet and no music was played.
Church leaders are encouraged that the movies being shown will be of high calibre moral substance, which will assist in bringing positive messages to the children of the community and healthy role models to look up to.
Since the project launched, offers of support have already started to come in to provide curtaining and carpeting for the hall to improve it’s aesthetic appeal as well as offer acoustic assistance. Chairs are still required, as at present the children carry the chairs from their classrooms to the hall every Friday and return them on a Monday morning.
Coca Cola Fortune, who sponsored refreshments for the launch have invested R10 000 in the girls soccer team, providing them with playing kit. The girls are still in need of soccer boots, shin and ankle guards as well as first aid kits.
Feedback from the Principal of Walmer High School
FROM: Lunga Dyani (Principal Walmer High School)
TO: Elise Fish – Touch Africa
HI ELISE
I wish to let you know, that last Fridays launch of Friday Flik, had an amazing impact on the social lives of my learners and their parents. The project as a whole, has the potential to completely change the life styles of our young people in the township. The event last week, took our young people away from the streets, with them all getting together, having fun like brothers and sisters.
One community activist commended the school for having averted what would have been a tragedy for some learners, who would have become involved in activities that are not to their benefit. He went onto say, that had it not been for this initiative, one of the girls would have been raped, attacked or gone drinking in a shebeen.
Please extend a sincere word of thankfulness to all those who made the launch a success, including Canon, Pick ‘n Pay, Coca Cola, Mnet, Plascon and PG Glass. Without these companies we would not have been able to make a difference in the lives of these children.
Kindgest Regards
Lunga
FEEDBACK FROM THE GRADE 11 LEARNERS AT WALMER HIGH SCHOOL
The Friday Flick film has brought us as learners a good impact in our community and school. It has gathered all of us together as a family.
Here in Walmer Township, on Fridays, us as youth are used to going to parties, taverns and drinking alcohol all night. People get raped, killed, stabbed and even kidnapped. Usually most of the people know the things that happen at night in Walmer Township.
Then Friday Flik came to our school and will make a difference and good publicity for our school.
Friday Flik has changed the crime that our youth does because of boredom. Friday Flik will decrease the high rate of crime and the numbers of youngsters who are underage in taverns.
Friday Flik has created a lot of imagination and good image as well as publicity about our community and school.
These films teach us about life and important things.
GRADE 11 LEARNERS
WALMER HIGH SCHOOL
Anyone interested in providing funding to improve these facilities should contact Elise Fish on 076 170 6449.
World Relief Now (WRN) is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization based in America. They focus on helping solve some of the humanitarian and health care problems found in developing countries.
Mike Glover (left) of Touch Africa and Steve Huff (right) from World Relief Now
They have teamed up with Touch Africa to assist with the “life-straw project which will provide clean, safe drinking water in rural areas. (See 2008 projects)
WRN is committed to doing the most good with each and every dollar raised. 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to providing help to people in need across the globe.
Chatting to Steve Huff of WRN he had this to say about how he became involved.
“ I met Mike while sharing in the experience of Enduro Africa in 2006. Having many things in common such as a love of motorcycling as well as a passion to help those in need in South Africa made for a strong foundation for our friendship to grow. We kept in touch over the following year and exchanged ideas on how my organization "World Relief Now' and Mike's "Touch Africa" could pool our resources and have a greater effect in helping with some of the problems on the Wild Coast and across South Africa. Being like minded in so many areas has proved to make for a very strong partnership as well as friendship between Mike and I. While I focus on fund raising and project direction from here in the United States, Mike is on the front lines in South Africa making things happen. WRN is very lucky to have a quality partner like Mike and 'Touch Africa' in the field in South Africa. This kind of partnership allows WRN to be much more efficient and effective with our South African projects. I believe there are many successes in store for both WRN and Touch Africa in the future. The needs are so great in Africa, a strong partnership such as the one between our two organizations is critical if those demanding needs are to met effectively. “
To become a sponsor please contact Elise Fish on 076 170 6449 or email elisefishpr@nashuaisp.co.za or Mike Glover on 083 601 3287 or email mike@redcherry.co.za
