SOAP Kidz

Mienke and I joined up with an organisation called 'SOAP kidz' this weekend. They are an NGO that aim to create environmental awareness and promote nature conservation amongst underprivileged and abused children. This past weekend they took 15 orphan boys on a hike in the Magaliesberg.

Mienks & Nix , serrrriously hardcore!

The Boys

Stanley, Kevin and the twins


Bags are packed, water bottles are full, ready for the long walk...

Sanele 'King of the Rock"

I love the initiative! Taking kids out into nature, teaching them about the surroundings and exposing them to a different environment. We had the most amazing group of boys, between the ages of 8-13. They were in such good spirit and participated and helped where they could. I take my hat off to the organiser's and am proud again, of initiatives like this that are really making a difference in children's lives!

If you would like to get involved and take part in the hikes, walks, night overs they organise please do. They're open and in need of volunteers on the hikes and welcome anyone who would like to be apart of it!
The Magaliesberg area is beautiful! The Magaliesberg Mountain Sanctuary has a great number of walks, hikes, rock climbing spots and kloofing to offer. The camping rates are really reasonable - well worth a visit!

So much positivity and people who are taking initiative and making a difference. I'm continually impressed and encouraged - South Africa :)

Flight

What cages do we make our home?
We choose to look at life from behind bars.
see
An open door
Fly!

a poem and collage by Nicole Matthee

Transformation & Paint

Introducing the School Of Creative Arts (SOCA) in Pretoria city centre. It's a volunteer run and self funded school situated in the heart of the city in the old Pretoria Fire Station. It falls under the Tshwane Leadership Foundation.

Meet Zee (Zizile).

She co-ordinates SOCA's urban poetry, painting, drawing, music and film classes. All classes are run by volunteers, so it's quite a challenge to keep the classes going, but Zee does an amazing job and has a great vision and outlook for the school! She inspires me to follow dreams, regardless of the very real and huge challenges you face along the way.

One of the music rooms
Over the next three weeks (21st June - 11 July), SOCA is running a film class for 25 of the inner city high school kids. We had the opportunity as Link (media team from Every Nation church) to help out and repaint, decorate and prepare the classroom for the Digital Storytelling workshop.

Our hero painter! Petrus, without him I don't think we would have finished!

The yellow wall that we were given to transform.
Annalien working her magic, planning the black curtain drapes
Madi & Annalien hard at work

Our camera stencil for the wall.

Ta da! Madi & and her dad (another hero of the day!)

10 donated 2nd hand Apple computers which Alexander got sponsored for the school:

Hard at work cleaning the keyboards (this took suprisingly long)

Miemie making her own movie - 'watch me paint a circle'

when the day gets long dance...
finished! Getting together as a Link team and helping the school out was a great experience.
We look forward to seeing what Alexander and the kids are going to produce!

25 Visual Stories

From the 21st of June until the 11th of July, Alexander Melck (my cousin:) will be running a digital story telling school with 25 Pretoria city centre kids. They'll have the opportunity to tell their stories using a camera and basic editting skills.

The workshop falls under a bigger city centre project happening in Burgers Park in Pretoria city. The project is known as the 'Better World Village' and is aimed at bringing change into the city through projects such as creative arts, sports, faith and citizenship discussions, innnovation and leadership programs. There is also a big screen in the park screening all the soccer games during the World Cup, thus making the Park a central meeting place for the next month.

The kids will screen their 25 movies on the 11th of July on the big screen, just before the closing game. Keep an eye on the blog I'll keep you posted!

www.betterworldvillage.org.za

It is here. I was here.

After the weekend, the topic of every conversation is...

Where were you for the opening game?
My response in image and word:

Some friends and I packed up early from work and made our way to Pretoria CBD, vuvuzela's and yellow gear in full force!


We headed to Burgers Park in the heart of the city centre, where the Tshwane Leadership Foundation is hosting a fan park and urban change initiative known as the 'better world village'. They're screening all the games there and providing activities, outreach, art workshops and social conversations during the World Cup. (will blog about it soon!)


Miemie and I were in 'photo-docu heaven'! The colour and imagery and beauty in every moment made us extreme snappers!


When we weren't snapping we were seriously swept up in the singing and dancing. I loved every minute of learning words and stomping my feet!


Highlight of the day was the moment South Africa scored the goal, and singing the national anthem in full force united with thousands of Mzansi!


I love the energy, the unity , the colour and the opportunity to share and celebrate this country.



And above all, to hold onto and share these experiences and remember them, because when it's all over we need to build on this!!!