1. Jan/Feb Newsletter 2013
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
harder, reach deeper and look at the world with gratefulness!
December was a bit of time off for
me personally as I enjoyed the
sunshine & coast with loved ones Firstly we finished our first Nourish Annual Report &
Financial Statements. A HUGE job including hours and
and family and had special
hours of stress and work, but wow- how rewarding to
moments in nature. So when see how far we have come in a year. So many projects
January arrived, I was all too eager started—so many small and big successes, learning
to get back to my passion, curves and lives touched in irreversible ways. It was a
NOURISH, & to really kick-start this blessing to see that we have been effective in
year into high gear and get the ball implementing positive change in people and
rolling on all our projects again. 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

2. 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.
Once again- we are asking you to
SWING for CHARITY
...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 And there shall be TREES! We
prizes, and weekends away to be won. kick-started our Travel Trees
R 400 per player project this year as we partnered
with Backroads Africa
R 1 600 per 4-ball team.
(www.backroadsafrica.com) who
will now be sponsoring a tree for
Come support us on the day, have fun and every person travelling with them
all the profit goes to a good cause. on their adventures. ..
For more information email
nourish.org.za@gmail.com

3. 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
of us on www.facebook.com/alexandraphotographyproject
...We also sponsored 8
beautiful leafy indigenous Also we are looking for digital cameras, old or new, that you
trees to South African just aren’t using any more... if you have one you can bear to part
Medical Expeditions to with please contact us as we are desperate to get them HANDS
plant on the site for their ON and practicing on their own cameras!
community centre which
will offer medical
assistance to HIV orphans The recycled crafting is still continuing –
as well as a feeding faithfully driven by Miriam and Priscilla,
scheme. We look forward local women from Welverdiend village.
to seeing those trees We just took in a gorgeous hand woven
flourish and sitting under carpet of the bright South African flag –
their shade one day! We done by Miriam. Although this took
are also looking forward to many a month, I commissioned it
being involved with privately for my house, and am over the
Ashtons Transfers, Odie moon with my funky eco-friendly African
Air, Jemax Aviation, and piece. Let’s hope placing these crafts in
Captured in Africa this lodges and local craft stands will get
year! these women the recognition and
financial support they deserve.

4. 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 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…

5. 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!
On an AACOSIDA note— last year
we received government building
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.

7. 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
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.

8. 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 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