Reports in from our community indicate that our guiding principles have been sparking up all over the place. Most prolific were our Radical Selfies –
Reliance found its way to the Cape peninsula and Limpopo. At Ocean View Cycle Worx a bicycle workshop was upgraded and a resource centre – serving 40-50 youth on a daily basis – was built and painted.
At the Mariba Bokamoso Crèche Food Garden in Segwashi, raised beds were prepared and planted, a nursery for seedlings was built and one staff member completed a 5-day course in permaculture – meaning that 35 children and 5 staff will be able to eat fresh produce directly from the own garden. Martha Kobela is pictured here with her certificate of achievement.
Expression hung out on the south peninsula – popping up at the Muizenberg Festival with Project Ripple’s seemingly spontaneous street performances of dance, drama and music involving 60 children from Vrygrond and Muizenberg and approximately 100 adults, their highlight was the painting of a mural in Vrygrond, based on the festival theme “Celebrating Water”.
Masi Creative Hub used art therapy techniques to help young people, at local creches and clubs in Masiphumelele, create safe spaces to share and explore community issues, solutions and leadership goals. 80 young people from 4-21 were involved in this process.
Keeping it Radical, Border Walks sparked Inclusion in the spaces between communities, when diverse bunches of folks immersed themselves in the “no man’s lands” of the south peninsula, exploring through the eyes of a local guide, with a specific connection to each site. Over 100 people experienced being, playing and learning together.
Participation helped four vulnerable teenage girls, homed in Goodwood, build soft skills through working with horses. A series of eight equine assisted therapy sessions enabled the girls to gain ground with the self-confidence to try new things.
Immediacy sprung up Tsomo, in rural Eastern Cape with a drama festival combining performances and workshops which reached 1150 school age learners. Eastern Cape School Arts Project also help to close the generation gap between parents and children by creating opportunities to do new things together, outside of their homes.
The Bergie Bag Project has been walking the talk in the default, Gifting to those who are fighting for survival on a daily basis. With call outs to our community and two massive shops for supplies, BBP amassed 50 bags worth of “gift-and-run” surprises, and is set to become an ongoing endeavor.
#CleanOurKasi in Mfuleni hosted an environmental pollution awareness session for 60 children and adults to spark a conversation about littering, recycling, planting trees and collective responsibility. With Each One Teach(ing) One to keep their neighbourhood clean and healthy.
Leaving No Trace, the Urban Resilience Initiative in Muizenberg who occupy the under-utilized public spaces and community allotment gardens in and around the village, used their Spark Grant towards a collection scheme of organic and recyclable waste and permaculture workshops with funds spend on tools and equipment.
We patiently await the report back of the Sunday Kos Market’s on Communal Effort, which is outstanding due to the project lead’s relocation.
Spark Grants, launched in 2017, are microgrants of up to R5000 for community based projects. A new round of funding is available in 2018, applications open on 1 June.
