It’s that time of year again when we close off the books and reflect back on how much we have achieved--- how many seeds planted, both into the earth and into hearts and minds… how many children's lives impacted and how many lives touched. It’s that time of year when we stop to recharge and take stock on what is really important.. Will one child live better because we existed? Will one life change, because we were a part of it? I like to think of the butterfly effect– that one word, one gesture of kindness, one moment of education can have a deeply profound impact on one life in one moment and that the ripples of that one act can be HUGE. It’s not that I am unable to reflect on how far Nourish has come– started only 3 years ago– in a time when I know people are jaded with giving, we have not only continued to work despite the financial hardships and setbacks but we have survived and flourished. - and we are able each month and each year to make a bigger impact. From being just ME working on my bed into all hours of the night – fighting to “be the change I wished to see in the wold “ - Nourish now has key partners hips with amazing organisations, a team of 13 staff, and is something that now not only exists to me – but is tangible and more real than ever. Our impact is something that can be measured! I for one must say how proud I am of what we have achieved collectively and how blessed I am to have been a part of

leading this process. To all of you who have been a part of the incredible work– whether through moral support, or financial donations, or volunteering time or expertise or contacts - we have all been a part of the butterfly effect and I can only send you gratefulness, knowing that what you give out you will pull towards you. So my wish for everyone who has been a part of Nourish to date is that you receive so many blessings for 2015!

July – December 2014

Thank you from me—and the lives YOU touch!

The Nourish library is one of our BIGGEST achievements to date. Built of amazing reinforced sand and over 5000 tins, our Rammteck rammed earth library is funky and functional– cool in summer and so inspiring!!! Layers of coloured oxides and tin designs make it awesome to look at. Thank you to A Spring of Hope for finding a sponsor and Rammteck for their effort in building as well as their R 20 000 contribution to finishing it! We look forward to this being filled with recycled furniture and books and having kids here every afternoon from the local primary school doing homework and best of all READING!! Our next big goal is R 16 000 to install Eskom electricity on site to be able to have lights to offer adult literacy at night, install internet for the kids to do homework /research and also to watch educational DVDS… so watch this space!

Ria, our favourite vollie visited again this year for 3 months from the UK, and brought with her a French volunteer, Boris, who spent almost 5 weeks working in the Nourish garden, designing tyre pots and lending a hand where needed. Also fun times in Kaapsehoop, Kruger National Park and Mozambique– after all--- what is Nourish but falling in love with Africa, its heritage, animals and people!

An evening at Khutsong Old Age Home celebrating an early Christmas was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life. I actually had to leave the room in tears…but happy tears. There was one prevailing emotion. JOY. To these 11 essentially bedridden and forgotten old people, it was Heaven… cookies ( which one toothless lady sucked on happily for a half hour ) and a little group of traditional singers and dancers, which had the old ladies remembering songs. One old crippled lady tried to dance and a blind man even crawled to the lounge just to listen to the atmosphere… beautiful heart wrenching happiness! These old people and carers are the most special and we are SO glad to have been able to offer them a square meal, dessert, cookies, a few gifts and some music for the soul!!

We would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the K2C Biosphere for their support of Nourish through the Environmental Monitor programme. Yandi and Nokthula have been teaching at 7 primary schools ( over 1200 children weekly ) thanks to this programme! Coming up this year will be Vusi ensuring our schools become registered with the WESSA eco school programme!

Thanks to the Kruger 2 Canyon Biosphere ( K2C), Nourish has now partnered with Wildlands Conservation Trust and is working on 2 exciting projects– recycling and trees! We kicked off with the Tree-Preneur project, whereby people in rural communities can earn a livelihood growing trees. These trees will be bought back by Wildlands, not for cash, but as a barter for livelihood support. The trees will be planted into a restoration project - meaning not only social change and community upliftment but also biodiversity protection and employment, as Nourish now has 5 amazing staff managing this project! We have to date planted over 13 000 seedlings at homesteads, empowering grannies , children and schools throughout the villages in which we work! In our next Newsletter we’ll tell you more about the exciting Waste-Preneur project…

Remember you can check out our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nourish.org.za

Santa visited Sigagule Care Center for vulnerable children this year dressed in a the full Santa outfit in what had to be a 40 degree day!!! Over 20 children identified by SAME were gathered. These orphans and vulnerable children enjoyed Christmas songs and sitting in Santa's lap to receive a very special Xmas box all for themselves. The gift of Christmas is about sharing love and about that ONE look– as a child opens their eyes to a toy car, or a new dress - a little happiness in what is sometimes a harsh and cruel work. Thanks to all who made this beautiful event possible!

We had an awesome Xmas party at Rolle Orphan Drop-In Centre this year. Despite fewer guests and a bit of drizzle the day had one thing… LAUGHTER… a jumping castle, games designed by the Environmental Monitors (think 3 legged races and balls), sweets and tickles… followed by a warm HUGE meal with meat sponsored by Africa on Foot and Pick n Pay, as well as Hannes and an anonymous angel. The kids left with faces laughing and bellies full.. What more can we hope to give in an African world than that?!

This year Nourish hosted not one…not two…but FOUR Kick if for Conservation Tournaments! The last ones to happen were the Oaks Tournament and the Final which was where the champions from Manyaleti competed versus the champs from the Oaks. Remember this is not only about kids, soccer, positive engagement and social integration but also about carrying across a message of conservation, anti poaching and this year RHINO! We are glad to have worked alongside partners such as Protrack APU, Rhino Revolution, Bongi's Quest, Khamai Reptile Park, Hlokomela and Dance 2 Be Wild… to ensure that these kids leave the tournament not just with grass burns and a trophy but with maybe just a tiny memory of what their heritage is. These youth come from villages marginalised around major big 5 tourism areas and we can only hope to have a small ripple effect with these youth--- changing hearts and minds from a young age!

6 carers volunteer at Khutsong Old Age Home with no formal skills whatsoever. Thank you to Emcare Hoedspruit for sponsoring a Basic First Aid Course for all carers, ensuring they now know have knowledge, such as how to perform CPR and the Heimlich Manoeuvre, as well as general skills to enable them to care for these old people more effectively! It is this support for people, to learn skills and better themselves ,that makes such a big difference!

Thanks to Rhino Revolution and Leadwood Big Game Estates for allowing Green Kidz the opportunity to attend rhino de-hornings, in order to learn about the rhino issue and poaching first hand. Thanks to Protrack APU for the fuel and transport to make these 4 days of field trips possible. To see a child on a game drive, in awe of a giraffe, to touch a breathing living rhino and ask the question WHY all on their own - that is what we can hope for.. .that we plant a seed of doubt…to doubt human greed.. .to believe in humans ‘role as custodians of our earth! If this experience can change but one child, we will have succeeded.

Remember any and all of the above programmes cost $$ If you would like to contribute you can send donations via Paypal to nourish.org.za@gmail.com Tax deduction certificates available!!

In December we had the privilege of attending the Tsakelani Burlington crèche graduation. In the African culture this is no small feat, you have finished preparing and are ready for school –for education—for a chance at a better life. It’s a celebration with food, dancing and singing which lasts all day and at which mothers dance and cry! It was for this reason that we felt incredibly privileged to be a part of their ceremony. Also thanks to kind sponsors from the USA we were able to equip over 20 of the children at the school with their school uniforms for the next year - without which they would not have been able to graduate. These kids come from vulnerable families who could not afford the added cost of uniforms...so for us to provide these families with support was an honour. One day we hope we can look back and have but one child say that they lived better because we gave.

So for now farewell 2014!