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1) Volunteering - Bhaphumelele
? Baphumelele: The latest
The progress from Baphumelele has been slow but consistent. To refresh your memory, we have been laying the foundations for a vegetable garden that will contribute to their soup kitchen, which is currently reliant on donations from supermarkets.
What we have learnt through this process has been how long it can take to clear a plot of all the debris that does not positively contribute to a healthy soil base. We have spent many days with big work crews (thanks to those who came!) sifting through debris and rubbish ridden soil. Finally progress has been made and we have advanced to preparing soil beds with horse manure and hay (kindly donated by Lane stables in Constantia).
The picture above is prior to this work and were the initial beds dug by the locals, based on this we can compare the soil preparation method we have used.
This will rest now till mid January when first planting in these beds will be possible! During this time a shade cloth cover will also be constructed which will retain more moisture and prepare the beds for permaculture.
...Volunteering - Masiphumelele
The Sosabenza youth centre in Masiphumelele continues to be a shining example of how well a community centre like this can be run.
Highlights of 2007 included the Kids' CHRISTMAS PARTY on the 24th November, which was a Huge Success!
 The morning began with our usual visit to The Sosebenza Youth Centre and was welcomed with big hugs and smiling faces. All our kids were there ready for another day of adventure and quality time with us.
As always the centre was full of activity: a youth group from Khayeltisha was visiting and along with our kids, they performed a few drama and dance pieces in audition for the year-end carnival. Once again we had stumbled upon magic:) and felt proud of all our talented kids.
While performances were on, a few of us harvested beetroot, cabbage, spinach, parsley, spring onion, kale and other fresh organic veggies from our garden, and began washing and preparing a HUGE salad for the Christmas lunch!
Soon all sixty kids, including the Khayeltsha group were packed into our bakkies and cars on route to Sarah's Home for The Party!
Around 30 volunteers helped prepare and
serve a delicious and nutritious lunch, donated gifts and kept the kids entertained with songs, acrobatics, dancing and playing.
Each child was given a brand new set clothes, so generously donated by Pick n Pay. Not one face was left without a smile!
Thanks to everyone involved especially Sarah and Paul for opening their home! and all those whole gave such generous donations! But most of all thanks to all Our AWESOME KIDS:) and Volunteers!
?We will continue building the centre?s new composting toilet block and clearing the garden for new seedlings:) Meeting on Saturday at UCT btw Smuts and Fuller residences at 10am or at Sosebenza at 1045:) So give us a ring (Bruce Horak - 0833903117) and see you there!
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There is no doubt a trip of this nature will bring us close to some of the world?s most spectacular natural wonders. Our route from Gaborone in Botswana, north, to Livingstone in Zambia takes us past a truly remarkable landscape, namely the Makgadikgadi Pans. These salt pans cover 16,000 km? and form the bed of an ancient lake that started evaporating 10,000 years ago. In the dry season (May ? November in bottom picture) the pans are a huge expanse of white crusty silt making it possible to drive straight through the middle (GPS advisable). The Landscape is truly out of this world. 360 degree views of flat white earth, heat mirages and imaginary lakes destroy all sense of direction. 
Looking at a plain, unmodified Toyota Hilux and thinking 'what a thing of beauty' may be limited to those doing a 6 month overland trip in one. 