Last year one of them had been a children’s home in Hout Bay,Cape Town. Every month a percentage of our bookings went to them to help with feeding and educating. We also funded a lovely Malawian man (Alfred) to get him home during the horrible Xenophobic attacks that occurred.

This year we have been looking for more projects to support and we have found just the project. It is a community project based in Stellenbosch,Cape Town called Legacy. It works on a variety of different projects (see below for details).

Thank you to all our clients/ friends for all you travels. Each Africa holiday booked through us has allowed for us to donate towards these worthy projects and charities.

Legacy Community Development Corporation

Legacy is represented by its directors: Mpelo Ntsanga, Brendan Venter, Dirk Ehlers and Louise Fourie. Legacy’s projects are managed by permanent staff members, but are also linked to the passion, skills and gifts of volunteers.

Kayamandi Background

During the last few years the population in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch doubled from 12 000 to more than 30 000. The majority of these people live under squatter conditions, with limited access to clean water and sanitation. The illiteracy levels and the unemployment rate (nearly 30%) are high.

Conditions of this nature are ideal for the proliferation of health related problems, including HIV/AIDS. While the HIV prevalence of the municipal area of Stellenbosch is just more than 12%, Kayamandi’s is almost 20%. HIV/Aids is still highly stigmatized, many people do not want to know their status and once they know, it is hard to disclose it. Most of the children in Kayamandi (especially those that live in the informal settlements) are subject to poverty, poor education opportunities, illiterate parents, an absent father figure, hunger/malnutrition and the results of HIV/Aids and tuberculoses.

This is where Legacy Community Development Corporation joins hands with other institutions to make a difference.

The Legacy Centre

The base from where we do ministry in Kayamandi is the Legacy Centre – this multi-functional community centre (consisting of a large and a smaller hall, three other rooms, a kitchen and toilets) was built in 2002 in partnership with theMunicipalityofStellenbosch. During the day the larger hall area is used as a day care centre and during the evenings and over week-ends it is used by the community for events like funerals, weddings, church meetings and concerts. A smaller hall was added at the end of 2006 – this opened up new possibilities and is currently utilised in the mornings as a “safe place” for the HIV support group (Vusithemba) and in the afternoons for the Khulani Kayamandi children’s project.

Projects

Legacy’s dream is to be involved in projects that focuses on the weak, vulnerable and voiceless on the one hand and on those that want to grow on the other. Currently Legacy addresses the following burning issues:

The Legacy Community Development Corporation is a non-profit organisation (incorporated under Section 21 of the Companies Act of 1973 with Section 18A exemption) and operates from the Legacy Centre in Long Street, Kayamandi.

• Lack of proper education and life skills

• A lack of skills

• Food security

• HIV/Aids

Projects at the Legacy Centre

Education and Life Skills development

Khulani Kayamandi children’s project

The Khulani Kayamandi children’s project focuses on and works towards transformation of primary school learners in Kayamandi. The dream of Khulani Kayamandi is to provide children with identity,  new value system, a peer group, contact with positive role models and a purpose to live for. It is lso an attempt to promote Aids awareness.

Approximately 60 primary school kids currently take part in the daily programme that focuses on iteracy,numeracy, arts, culture and a value based life skills programme. This project is run by a project leader and youth workers from Kayamandi and is supported by volunteers from the Stellenbosch area .Volunteers from Stellenbosch also opened a container shop at the Legacy Centre that sells second-hand clothes. This helps towards the transport cost of the Khulani kids.

Food security

Igadi ye themba – Garden of hope

Until February 2005 the land surrounding the centre had hardly been developed, but this picture has changed completely. The centre is now surrounded by a garden, with a vegetable garden as the main focus. The aim is to provide vegetables for HIV positive clients and to empower the people of Kayamandi with the skill of making a garden – to earn a living, but also to produce their own vegetables, beautify their surroundings and to acquire hope.

Skills Development

Siyazakha needlework project

The needlework project that is run by the volunteers from different congregations in Stellenbosch – was originally created to help unemployed women.

1 Khulani = to grow and prosper

For a few hours each week these women are taken from their everyday surroundings. It is done for a lot of different reasons: to help build their spirits, to teach them some life skills and to make them self-supporting. The programme is called Siyazakha, which means “we help ourselves”.

HIV/Aids

A little bit of history…

Legacy’s involvement in HIV/Aids projects started when an American missionary, Charlie Johnson, joined us in 2003. Through this relationship with Charlie, we have become involved at grassroots level with the HIV-positive people of Kayamandi. Through him we saw the impact of the illness on women, children and families. HIV/Aids suddenly had faces and names.

One of our directors, dr Brendan Venter, had a passion to work with HIV/Aids patients and during 2004 he started to work at the Kayamandi clinic on Thursday afternoons. He is involved in the important screening process before Anti-Retrovirals are being administered. He also plays a pivotal role in the educating of patients. There are other volunteer doctors who support him when help is needed.

Current situation

Support group

A successful HIV support group (+- 50 members) with the appropriate name, Vusithemba (“to raise the hope”) currently meets on a regular basis at the Legacy Centre. They provide each other with emotional support and volunteers from the congregation run workshops on a daily basis (skills training, literacy, life Skills and  entrepreneurship). A meal is part of the support group’s meeting and groceries are provided where it is needed. A special service to help patients get to the clinic or hospital is provided.

Ikhaya Lempilo

Ikhaya Lempilo (“House of Health”) – a eight bed halfway house/respite centre next to the Legacy Centre – provides a place for clients who have either just initiated ART with low CD4 counts to receive nutritional and care support in a healthy environment, or who have been discharged from the hospital after treatment for an opportunistic infection and need further care support. The outcome of this intervention will be to improve morbidity and mortality among clients most at risk for complications of AIDS. Providing healthy care support during the recovery phase with counselling greatly enhances the clients’ ability to be prepared for initiating ART with good adherence. This facility focuses on clients that stay in shacks (without toilet facilities, running water, isolation against the heat and the cold and privacy) and is managed by a trained nurse, occupational therapist and care workers under the supervision of a general practitioner.

If you would like to donate any resources to the Legacy Community Development, please contact info@escape4africa.com and we will be happy to facilitate.

Let us all help together

We just got this lovely email about Gelle’s service and we are just so proud to be working with Gel as she puts her clients before even herself. Well done Gelle.

Here is the feedback from  Dominique:

I appreciate your kindness and the way you try to please people…,carry on this way and you will be very successful!, I also will recommend your company to anyone who’s looking for a special trip,

We stay in touch, kind regards

Dominique

Hi Gelle,

We are indeed but wish we were still in Africa.

We had a fantastic time.  Everything was amazing. Westcliff was pure luxury, Mozambique and Flamingo Bay were beautiful and the time we spent at the Thornhill Lodge will remain with us forever because of all the animals we saw and the staff at Thornhill who were especially helpful and friendly.  All transfers went without a hitch.  All in all we didn’t want to leave and are already thinking of returning to Africa in the future.

Thank you for all your work organising and making our honeymoon a holiday we’ll remember forever.

Kindest regards,

David and Catherine Casson

Great news for any last minute travellers we have a 20% off special on the following Nairobi to Livingstone Overland.

•  http://www.africanoverlandtours.com/african-overland-destination/east-africa/camping-tours/15-21-days/21-Days-Nairobi-to-Vic-Falls-Southern-Trails.php
• 03-Sep-08 23-Sep-08
•  Price is normally  2008 Price: ZAR 11 300 Local payment: $ 780
• But with the SPECIAL IT IS 9040 ZAR (plus the local payment of 780 USD)

Please submit the enquiry with the subject Southern Trails September Special

Thank you SO much for working so hard on this trip.  I am really glad we found you.  You have made this so incredibly clear and easy.  And as a student with MANY loans, I appreciate every discount you can get!

Thank you again.
Jenny

Mr Mandela is 90 today and we are just so proud to have had him bring South Africa to were it is today!

Thank you Madiba for making this country such a beautiful place.

Best wishes for the year ahead!

From the team at Escape 4 Africa and www.africanoverlandtours.com

Just imagine starting or ending a trip at the height of all the activities of World Cup Soccer.  The tournament is being held between the 11 June – 11 July and located all around South Africa.

32 Day Journey to the Cape (Johannesburg to Cape Town) Overland Afria Tour

• 19-May-10 19-Jun-10
• 16-Jun-10 17-Jul-10

21 Day Cape to Vic Falls -Southern Sun Overland Africa Tour

• 20-Jun-10 10-Jul-10
• 4-Jul-10 24-Jul-10
• 18-Jul-10 7-Aug-10

21 Day Vic Falls to Cape Town-Southern Sun Africa Overland Tour

• 27-Jun-10 17-Jul-10 
• 11-Jul-10 31-Jul-10

11 Day Northern  Adventure (Johannesburg to Vic Falls) Africa Overland Tour

• 16-Jun-10 26-Jun-10

11 Day Southern Adventure (Vic Falls to Johannesburg) Africa Overland Tour

• 25-Jul-10 4-Aug-10

We are over the moon to be able to be offering these tours. There are more to follow!

Kindest regards

Andrew

www.africanoverlandtours.com

part of Escape 4 Africa Travel (SATSA Bonded)

Thank you for all the help again.  We arrived at Cape Town with no problems and the transport service was there waiting for us.  You made it so easy for us.

Looks like we’re all set to go,

Best,

Matt

Matt is travelling on the 19 Day Cape to Vic Falls. Enjoy!

Travel insurance is definitely seen as one of those expenses that you just don’t want to have to do, but should anything go wrong (as it does) it is absolutely vital.  Have a read below as to why you should have travel insurance.

1. Travel Insurance protects your investment in your holiday.

You may recover the cost of pre-paid, non-refundable, and unused payments of your trip if you have to cancel because of:

• Illness, injury or death to the insured, a family member or traveling companion
• Bankruptcy or Financial Default of your travel supplier*
• Terrorist incident
• Called to jury duty
• Quarantined
• Auto accident on the way to the airport
• Home damaged before departure
• Job termination

* Travel insurance must be purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit or payment in order to receive coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and financial default.

2. Provides peace of mind while traveling.

• Coverage for emergency medical expenses
• Coverage for emergency medical transportation
• 24 Hour hot-line for travel assistance

HOw much does it cost?

The cost of Travel Insurance is based on the trip cost per person, the age of the travelers and the length of the trip.

To request a personalized quote please email your travel information to info@escape4africa.com.

1. What is your country of residence?
2. What are the birthdates (month/day/year) of each traveler?
3. What is the trip cost per person?
4. What are the dates of your travel?
5. Can you receive HTML-style emails?

Travel insurance is critical in today’s un-certain world to protect your travel investment, your health, belongings and vacation memories.

Thanks for checking up on us! Dina and I had a wonderful time in Uganda and Tanzania. In Uganda, we were within three meters of a gorilla family, including the silverback. The experience was unforgettable! The accomodations were nice, especially a lake resort on Lake Bunyonyi. And our driver, Enoch, was wonderful.

In the Serengeti, we saw tons of animals, with the exception of leopards. On the other hand, we saw eleven cheetahs, which was wonderful. Ngorongoro felt like another world–Dina called it “Eden,”
which I think is pretty accurate. And our driver there, John, was really wonderful and knowledgeable.

We had a wonderful time. Everything went smoothly and was very enjoyable. Thank you so much for your help! Whenever I have the opportunity to recommend you and Escape 4 Africa, I will!

Wishing you the best,
Dustin

USA

Reply from client Dina to Gelle on the same trip.

Hi Gelle

Yes thanks again for everything. We had a truly spectacular trip and everyone is amazed we managed to do it so easily.

Thank you again,

Dina

USA

www.africanoverlandtours.com