Well So the year has gotten of to a busy start with some very poitive developments taking place, particularly at the Trust's Spekboom Carbon Offset project. We have gotten our first two sign-ups to the GreenSeats division and we are in the final stage of preparing the GreenBeds system to be provided to accomodation establishments. I have given an introduction to the project in the past, but for new readers to whom this may not be familiar some project info has been included at the end of the newsletter.

This month marks our second anniversary and we thought it would be a great opportunity to report on some of the Trust's successes over the last two years. As such we have prepared the Beneficiary Report for your reading pleasure and we hope all those that have been a part of the process over this time will feel suitably chuffed with the steps that have been taking towards realising our vision:

"Our vision is that of a land where people live in harmony with the earth and the creatures that live upon it."


Beneficiary report

Since our inception at the start of 2008 the Nomad African Trust has gone from a big idea with small beginnings to a smooth operation affecting change in communities and wild-lands across South Africa. To do this however, we have needed two very important components. The first is our people on the ground, working every day in mostly very tough conditions with limited resources to try and do the best they can to help shape our collective vision. The second component is the support we receive from our contributors which is the fuel that keeps our engine turning.
So after nearly two years of operation we are pleased to be able to report on the following achievements at our projects, and with these some of our goals for the year ahead.

Breadline Africa:
As one of our NGO partners Breadline Africa allows us to channel our resources into specific interventions where supervision and assistance is already in place. We believe that initiatives like these help to up-skill and empower communities while providing things that most people take for granted, like a solid meal. Two of these initiatives are listed below.
With our support Breadline Africa and its partner projects have made impressive progress with the Bulungula lodge (which has now become self-sufficient) and community project in the Nqileni village near Coffee bay. They have had particular success in:

    Repairing the village school.

    Developing a community garden.

    Improving access to clean water.

    Promoting micro-enterprise.

Meanwhile the Makhundu project in Mpumalanga initially started by Inky and Rollo Granville has been able to expand its operation to provide food parcels for almost 2000 kids while keeping tabs on their general levels of well-being. As a result of the high number of orphans in the area they have also started two centres for child-headed homes that provide them with meals and supervised study time to help them through school.
This project is hoping to achieve the following in 2010:

    Expand their library.

    Construct new toilets.

    Increase access to school materials.

    Employ a trauma councillor.


Judah Square Community:
The Judah Square community in the Khayalethu township above Knysna is a true example of grassroots sustainable development. This spirited community has refused to take material lack lying down and have been an inspiration to us through their "never-say-die" attitude. Apart from the continued development of the Khayalethu River Trail conservation area, we have helped the community to:

    Send two of their members on a tour guide training course.

    Increase the capacity of the crèche from 20 to 45 kids.

    Install toilets and a kitchen in the crèche.

    Set up an office.

    Develop community gardens.
In the year ahead we would like to help the community to:

    Finish the crèche's kitchen facilities.

    Develop an overnight facility for volunteers.

    Improve access to sanitation.

    Expand the conservation area.

The Gwexintaba Community:
The remote Gwexintaba community in between Lusikisiki and the coast above Port St Johns has made enormous progress in the two years since its inception. Seeing as its' isolation is a major obstacle to government service delivery the community has been quick to recognise the need to do things for themselves. Providing the skills to achieve this has been the work of Louis Fourie, our man on the ground. Most of the initiatives being undertaken in the community relate directly to sustainable agriculture and nutrition, with a number of projects starting to achieve wider acceptance in the community. This is shown through:

    The establishment of vegetable gardens at the school and at some homesteads in the community.

    Weekly agricultural extra lessons at the school.

    Alien vegetation clearing for the erection of fencing.
Work has also been started on improving community sanitation, but the major focus of the year ahead is to:

    Find a solution to the lack of irrigation and running water.

    Increase awareness of the importance of the correct use and distribution of the river water.

    Livestock care education.

    Expand the Moringa project which aims to provide a simple and effective nutritional supplement, especially to HIV positive individuals.
   

The Jane Goodall Institute - Chimp Eden:
Twenty-eight chimpanzees were confiscated by law enforcement officials in Africa in 2009, a fraction of the number experts believe is being smuggled across Africa each year. Yet sanctuaries are rapidly running out of space and funds in order to accommodate new arrivals. If we are to avoid the extinction of one of man's closest relatives, serious effort must be expended in trying to stamp out this evil trade and sanctuary needs to be given to those poor animals caught in the cross-fire. In 2009 Chimp Eden built on an additional two night quarters for their chimpanzees.  This allows them to accommodate 30 chimps and makes them the largest chimp sanctuary in Africa. In addition to this the JGI team also:

    Built 3 large treed enclosures.

    Established the Ecoplan after-school centre.

    Setup community gardens around Bushbuck ridge.

    Began the Kildare community food and orchard project.
In 2010 JGI South Africa needs support to feed and care for the 30 existing chimps as well as all the new ones that are lucky enough to be rescued from an often grisly fate. In addition to this they also plan to:

    Commence a 5 year plan to develop the Kildare community food and orchard project (which presently has almost no equipment).

    Establish a viable irrigation system for the project.

    Extend their conservation work into the Maoimbe Forest in Cabinda (Angola).
 

Ngwavuma Mpontshini School:
The Ngwavuma Mpontshini School near Jozini in Kwa-Zulu Natal has been one of our most isolated and needy projects throughout 2008 and 2009. The high HIV/AIDS rate in the region has left many child-headed homes in an area of crumbling social infrastructure. With this as the backdrop the Ngwavuma Mpontshini School has stepped in to address the needs of over 300 needy kids. The project is more than just a school and in the last two years they have:

    Established a food garden to help supply the dietary needs of some of the 300 kids the school feeds on a daily basis.

    Extended their orphanage facilities to cater for 20 kids.

    Set-up an enviro-laundry.

    Built a play-ground for the kids
The main aim for the year ahead is to try and build on these past successes and improve the quality of the schools offerings by:

    Getting computer hardware.

    Accessing renewable energy to start computer lessons for the kids.

    Installing an irrigation system to increase the agricultural output.

    Sourcing books for the school's library.

    Improving access to stationary.

    Renovating the classrooms

    Supplying bicycles to kids who have to walk hours to and from school.


The Sodwana Bay recycling project:
The Umkhanyakude recycling centre was established to help reduce the environmental impact of waste generation in the Sodwana bay and Isimangaliso national park areas. Years of unregulated waste disposal has left an estimated 300 tons of glass spread throughout this otherwise pristine area. We are no longer funding this project due to it attaining self-sufficiency, but some of the highlights of last year were:

    The removal of 8 tons of tin ahead of the Christmas rush.

    The use of Ezimvelo KZN wildlife vehicles for removal purposes.

    Environmental awareness progress, particularly in the Mbazwane and Sodwana communities.

    The integration of other sustainable practises such as perma-culture in the affected communities.
 
                                
The Spekboom project:
This project is the culmination of a partnership between the Nomad African Trust, Rhodes University and the Department of Water Affairs and has a wide range of impacts. Through the planting of Spekboom (an evergreen succulent) the recently launched project aims to reduce atmospheric carbon, increase bio-diversity, preserve topsoil and provide jobs. We aim to do this by:

    Securing funding from parties interested in carbon offsets.

    Planting of Spekboom plants in pre-selected areas to capture atmospheric carbon.

    Providing employment to Spekboom planters.
       
Conclusion:
While we are happy to be able to report on the successes produced at our projects, we are acutely aware of the challenges that lie ahead. A lot of work is required to spread these successes into farther flung regions, and to build on what we have already accomplished. In a country such as ours, with the world's highest inequality ratio, we feel it is vital for all members of society to lend a hand in ensuring that our nation can look forward to a future that truly holds a better life for all. Sadly, nothing can be done without finance so tell friends, family, suppliers, clients, etc. to join or donate now to make a difference. We hope you will choose to be a part of this vision.

We hope you've enjoyed this update of our projects, if so, please forward this newsletter onto people that you think might be interested in helping African development, or refer them to the Nomad African Trust website  for more news. Don't be shy to send us a mail at info@nomadafricantrust.co.za if you have any comments or queries. Looking forward to hearing from you, until next time, sala gahle, tot siens!