Nevertheless, there are people who dedicate their lives to others, for example Nomthandaza of the Uvelwano Cummunity Development Centre. She founded a soup kitchen in 2007 and today mainly runs a crèche with the soup kitchen organised on weekends.
She does an amazing job and we really really appreciate what she is doing.

Also, Batandwa Orphanage, which is looking after about 30 kids from just a few months old to 21 years old. Many community members come here to help and to look after the kids. Although most of the kids have a difficult past, the orphanage looks like such a happy place.

Some of Pia`s friends who had already left South Africa, left some clothes, towels, books and stationery behind. They had done a township tour and visited those places before, so they had first-hand knowledge about the needs. Together with her housemate Julia, Pia purchased some additional toys and brought those togehter with the other items to the crèche and orphanage.
For them, it was not much, but for the kids and staff it was a lot and much appreciated!

Some background information; In September 2000, building upon a decade of major United Nations conferences and summits, world leaders came together at United Nations Headquarters in New York to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets – with a deadline of 2015 – that have become known as the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Even though some may say that improvements in the lives of the poor have been very slow and that some hard-won gains are being eroded by the climate, food and economic crises, Shake the World takes a positive view on the MDG challenge:

• progress has been made in cutting the rate of extreme poverty, getting children into primary schools, addressing AIDS, malaria and child care, and there is a good chance to reach the target for access to clean drinking water
• we still have 3 years left to reach the eight goals
• we have enough resources, finance and technology to end poverty forever

This is why the Shake the World campaign was set up: to raise awareness on the MDGs, and most of all, to show a worldwide audience what they can do themselves to contribute to the MDGs. Shake the World is about creating energy and a positive vibe around the goals. It represents the human face of the MDGs. Shake the World is not about being on track, or about winning or losing. Instead, Shake The World is about collaboration, spreading positive stories and ending poverty together.

How do you Shake the World?

Shake the World will mobilize a global community to Shake the World. How? By spreading easy, practical and fun tips & tricks on how people all over the world can integrate the MGDs in their daily lives. We will make it really easy, and fun, for them to support the MDGs. Also, we invite everyone to share their tips & tricks to Shake the World with us as well. And to show us what they did to contribute to the MDGs. Shake the World will be a co-created global movement for the Millennium Goals. Visit the Shake the World website now for more information or check out the Facebook page.

In December 2011 the Share Africa team was joined by a group of volunteers and community members to give the Gugulethu Community Church a new fresh look. The church has been operating from a small garage for many years and lacked the funding to give it its new look. The church has grown significantly over the past years and most of the church budget had to be spend on transporting its members. The community is very proud of its church and we felt that by painting the church and giving it a fresh new look it we could contribute towards this pride. The church has been welcoming many of our travelers and this is a little way of saying; thank you! After painting the church we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Liziwe’s Guesthouse. Our travelers have the option to stay at Liziwe’s Guesthouse in combination with a visit to the church. If you don’t have the time to visit the church but do want to support the church then please do not hesitate to contact us. Share Africa Travel would be happy to liaise on your behalf. Making dreams reality, one step at the time…