The Keiskamma Trust

Music Academy Christmas Tour

2012-01-18T07:13:00.003+02:00

This past December, generous funding from the Rupert Foundation gave 16 senior students from the Keiskamma Music Academy the opportunity to share their talent with audiences along the Sunshine Coast, to experience the thrill and the hardships of being 'on the road', and to work together as a team in a variety of situations.

The tour began on December 19th with a lunchtime concert in Grahamstown Cathedral, followed later in the day by a recital in Port Alfred, the finale of the 'Classics at the Castle' series for 2011. On December 20th the Keiskamma Ensemble performed at Shamwari Game Reserve, where guests were surprised and delighted by the group's appearance out in the bush during the evening game drive. Our convoy of musicians continued to Knysna for two lunchtime performances at the Waterfront on December 21st and 22nd. The group was also invited to Fancourt Resort to be the principal contributor to their Carols by Candlelight celebration. On December 23rd, the group's final appearance before heading home was at the Turbine Hotel, Knysna.

Grahamstown cathedral: Siphelo, Lihle, Zimkitha

While at Knysna, the group stayed together. These young people do not have opportunities to participate in school excursions or camps, so this was a wonderful learning experience: sharing a dormitory, supporting each other, being responsible for themselves and their equipment all added up to a valuable lesson in self-development.

Due to the intensity of the performance schedule over the 5 day tour, students gained valuable experience playing their concert repertoire. They achieved new musical insight into the pieces they played regularly; they grew as musicians and as ensemble players. The students also learnt quickly how to cope with playing in the wind or the blazing sun!

Our audiences were often taken aback at the talent of our Keiskamma musicians. A frequent comment was that our music is so different from what audiences often hear young South Africans performing. It was sensitive, diverse, highly professional and played with an infectious enthusiasm. One lady was so moved by the ensemble's performance of the Hallelujah Chorus that she left her meal in the restaurant to run outside and talk to the group in person. In Port Alfred, our reputation led to a sold out house already a week before the concert, and applause demanded two encores!

The tour will certainly be a memorable experience for these young people, helping them to further mature into confident young musicians and advocates of the value of music.

Keiskamma Ensemble performance during December 2012 at Shamwari Game Lodge

Brenda Fishwick and Jen Hoyer

Season's Greetings

2011-12-23T00:12:00.007+02:00

Warm wishes from all of us at the Keiskamma Trust during this Christmas season, and many thanks to you, our friends and supporters for your ongoing generosity and partnership during the past year.

We are pleased to announce that it is now easier to donate directly to the Trust than ever before!

Please visit our webpage at http://www.keiskamma.org/ click on “donate/help out” at the top of the page, or follow this link.

Donations are made via GivenGain, a non-profit organization that we are registered with, that connects causes and donors worldwide.Through them it is possible to set up monthly giving and to direct your donation to any of our programmes -Health, Art, Music or Education- and all funds are donated directly into our account each month.

Thank you for helping us continue to promote healthy and hope-filled communities in the Eastern Cape.

With best wishes for 2012 from the Keiskamma Trust Management Team.

Photographs: wire and bead Christmas stars and candle holders by Thobisa Nkani (Keiskamma Art Project - Ref WIRE011 - R29 and WIRE012 R49) - available in our shop in Hamburg and by special order at enquiries@keiskamma.org

Discover our new catalogue on the right side bar of this blog.

Carol Hofmeyr Wins Prestigious Award from University of Johannesburg

2011-12-22T16:04:00.006+02:00

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) recognises, on an annual basis, alumni who excel in their respective fields. This year was no exception.
The University honoured two successful alumni, with the UJ Alumni Dignitas Awards on Friday, 25 November 2011.

At the same event, the Council of the University honoured four recipients with the Ellen Kuzwayo Award, for their outstanding contribution to the higher education sector.

The Ellen Kuzwayo Council Award recognises outstanding contributions beyond the confines of teaching and research by individuals over an extended period of time, to promote the well-being of the higher education sector, as well as the well-being of society in respect of matters in which the University has a particular interest.

Ellen Kuzwayo Council Awards

From left to right : Prof Roy Marcus: Chairperson of Council, University of Johannesburg, Ms Sibongile (Bongi) Mkhabela (recipient) , Dr Duduzile Rosemary Mkhize (recipient), Mr Thomas Louw De Beer(recipient), Prof Ihron Rensburg: Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Johannesburg and Dr Carol Hofmeyr (recipient).

Dr Hofmeyr combines the skills of two very different genres in order to empower and enrich hundreds of people's lives in South Africa's Eastern Cape.

In 2000, she, as a medical doctor and a profoundly talented artist, initiated the Keiskamma Art Project with the aim of alleviating poverty and promoting self-esteem through art and creativity in this rural community.

While engaged in this project, she became intensely aware of the huge problem of HIV/AIDS in the area and of the many people dying without a diagnosis or any form of medical care.

Although she had been out of clinical practice for many years, she went back to work as a primary care medical officer in the Peddie South District clinics. Because people were either too ill or too poor to access the health system, she established a residential HIV programme in Hamburg on the Keiskamma estuary, by converting an old house into an AIDS treatment facility, which she named the Umtha Welanga (Rays of the Sun) Centre.

Dr Hofmeyr went on to train a team of over 30 village health workers to cover the entire area with support and advice on HIV/AIDS. She introduced antiretroviral therapy, initially using her own limited funds, and has established a model programme for the prevention, treatment, palliation and care of people with HIV/AIDS.

The Keiskamma Trust has been highly successful. The Trust believes that the battle against HIV/AIDS in rural South Africa cannot be won by medical intervention alone. The Keiskamma Trust exists to foster hope and health as well as pride and self-respect among the people living by the Keiskamma River, a desperately poor area of the Eastern Cape. By combining AIDS treatment, art projects such as the Keiskamma Altarpiece and the Keiskamma Tapestry and education initiatives, the Trust has been able to take the fight against Poverty and HIV/AIDS to the very heart of the community.

Keiskamma Christmas Concerts!

2011-12-06T07:31:00.001+02:00

Along the Garden Route and Sunshine Coast

17-23 December

The concert programme will include Corelli's Christmas Concerto;
Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (arr by Daniel Hutchinson);
Traditional Xhosa Wedding Song (Ubuhle Bendoda);
Abdullah Ibrahim's Bra Joe;
Christmas Medley, and Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.

Concert programme

Sat 17 Dec: Hamburg Old Hall at 17h30
More info: Brenda Fishwick
073 087 7307
brenda@keiskamma.org

Mon 19 Dec: Grahamstown Cathedral Lunch Hour Concert at 13h00
More info: Brenda Fishwick
073 087 7307
brenda@keiskamma.org

Mon 19 Dec: Port Alfred "Richmond House" at 18h30
More info: Sue Gordon
082 456 7437
gordofam@iafrica.com

Tues 20 Dec: Private performance at an exclusive Game Lodge

Wed 21 Dec and Thurs 22 Dec
Knysna Waterfront: The Boardwalk 11h00-13h00

Thurs 22 Dec: Private performance at Fancourt

Friday 23 Dec: Turbine Hotel oyster bar (opening December 2011!)
and Island Café, Thesin Island, 12:30pm - 2pm
www.turbinehotel.co.za
044 302 5746
reservations@turbinehotel.co.za

The Christmas tour is funded by the Rupert Foundation
with support funding from BASA,
Alusani Skills and Training Network
and the HCI Foundation.

All of these organisations have given the group tremendousencouragement and support.

"I feel like I am flying,"
said student Simnikiwe Nkani after her first experience at conducting.

Big day for the Art Project!

2011-12-01T18:09:00.005+02:00

The 1st of December 2011 was a big day for the Art Project with...

... the unveiling of the Rhodes University Tapestry at the Council Chamber in Grahamstown - with a special performance of the Music Academy.

Click here to download the brochure.

Professor Brenda Schmahmann at the unveiling of Rhodes University Tapestry

... the opening of the A.R.T. show at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg.

Click here to read more about A.R.T. show.

Keiskamma Guernica

2011-11-24T15:18:00.003+02:00

Read more about the Keiskamma Guernica: click here.

First impressions, by Brenda Fishwick - Visiting music educator from UK

2011-11-01T07:19:00.003+02:00

As Helen bumped and scraped the little car up towards the High School (current home of the Music Academy) on October 1st, the broad sweep of the Keiskamma River and the rolling ocean came into view. We tumbled out of the car to be greeted with the big smiles of the Music Academy students. Lihle stepped forward and, very sweetly and formally, welcomed me to Hamburg. Standing there, on top of the hill, was a very special moment. I had been looking forward to coming here from the UK to work with the Music Academy for months, with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, and suddenly, under a huge blue sky and buffeted by Eastern Cape winds, I was here!

Another special moment came on the following morning as we arrived in the middle of the Sunday workshop session, as the students were practising movements from the Corelli Christmas Concerto. I had not heard them play live until then, and the beautiful sounds they were creating together, with such attention, care and professionalism, touched my heart.

Since that first weekend I've been swept into the business of life here, quickly trying to get up-to-speed with everything that lies ahead. Christmas Concert tour to be planned, instrumental lessons to be arranged, funding bids to be written and submitted and lots of people to meet and names to learn. Trying to squeeze and manoeuvre my tongue in order to create the subtle clicks that punctuate the Xhosa language raises many a giggle from the students!

Jen Hoyer and Lisa, our German volunteer, have been my saviours. As 'old hands', having been here for 2 months and 1 month respectively, they have been such a help to this English Offcomer. And of course, Helen, who invited me to come and be a part of her fantastic vision for these young people! (More on that Big Picture in future blogs!) Big thanks to you all, and to the other wonderful folk who have welcomed me so generously into this extraordinary place.

And just a footnote - last week we took one of the younger students to have an eye test at Specsavers in East London. We have just discovered that they provide a free service to under-12s, with free prescription glasses, so that's something we shall follow up with other students too and our only outlay is our travel to town. When we finally got back to the village in the evening we had to drop two students off at their homes which lie well off the beaten track. Fortunately, Unathi was also in the car to voice her enouragement as I precariously nudged our vehicle ( an unsuitable, low-slung, white little job) over giant potholes and across fields...('what track?!') Dogs barked at us as we stuttered and stalled in the darkness. And just for a moment, I wondered, was this what my daughter had had in mind when she urged me as I left; 'Now you be careful there Mum......'

My School - My Village - My Planet

2011-10-25T18:01:00.003+02:00

Good news!

The Keiskamma Trust has just been provisionally accepted as a Woolworths/MyVillage partner.

For those of you in South Africa, this means each time you shop at Woolworths (and other shops) , you will have a chance to swipe your MyVillage card to support the programmes of the Keiskamma Trust.

More info on how this works below.

(If you do not live in South Africa, please send this on to contacts you have in SA who would be willing to support us in this way).

Before we can issue MyVillage cards to our supporters we need to manually sign up 1000 supporters.

This is where we need YOUR help.

Please download the application form here:

MySchool_MyVillage_MyPlanet_Application_Form_May2011.pdf

or find the link on our website: http://www.keiskamma.org/

Make the beneficiary Keiskamma Trust, address :
PO BOX 483, Peddie, Eastern Cape, 5640

At this preliminary stage we are not registered on the MyVillage site so our supporters cannot apply on-line.

Until we have 1000 supporters we have to use snail mail!

Please do not fax your form to the number listed on the form.We have to gather all 1000 hard copies and deliver them to the MyVillage at one time, with the signed contract.

Please mail your form marked : KEISKAMMA / My Village c/o PO BOX 91095 Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006

If you have friends and family who would like to support us in this way please forward this mail to them! We will let you know as soon as we have reached our target of 1000 !

Thank you for your support from all of us at the Keiskamma Trust

(questions? let me know at annette@keiskamma.org)

More info from MySchool website:

What is MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet?

The MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet fundraising programme is South Africa’s number one community support programme that raises essential funds for schools, charities and environmental organisations. Funds are used to improve education and social development in South Africa. You can make a difference to a worthy cause without costing you a cent!The MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet programme raises more than R2.2 million per month for the schools, charities and environmental organisations it supports. Help us to help the community.

How does MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet work?

More than 600 000 community minded South Africans carry MySchool cards. Supporters apply for a MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card for free and nominate their favourite school or charity as the beneficiary. When they purchase items from participating retailers they swipe the card with the purchase. A small percentage of their transaction is then allocated to their beneficiary school or charity. All these transactions are recorded and a statement is sent to individual supporters on a monthly basis. The partner stores pay the donation on your behalf!The supporter card is not a credit or debit card but simply tracks your transactions and your funds raised.MyVillage beneficiaries: charities that provide upliftment to communities and individuals in various ways other than the education school environment, such as SOS Children’s Villages, CHOC, Noah and National Hospice. These villages actively seek to improve the lives of our fellow men, women and children.

Where can I swipe my MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card?

The success of the programme depends on the number of times you swipe your card! Supporters can use their cards at a range of national, regional and local retail partners on the MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet system. Some of the national partners include Woolworths, Engen QuickShops, Waltons, SupaQuick, kalahari.com, Jack’s Paint, Toys R Us, Reggie’s, Altech Netstar, Club Travel, MySchool Travel, Toner Town and many more.

Benefits of being a cardholder

You can raise funds for your favourite school or charity without costing you a centIt is so convenient using one card at many different stores. There are over 11 national partners and over 2000 partner stores where you can use your card across the country.Cardholders get exclusive discounts and special offers. For example, you are automatically part of WRewards from Woolworths (which includes 10% or more off on over 200 items in their stores and other tiered benefits), you get R40 off every GetAhead or MathPro educational software item that you buy, and you get exclusive discounts on vehicle recovery from Altech Netstar.You will receive a monthly email statement showing exactly how much your beneficiary has raised.

Support options

Once you have received your supporter card, you can manage and change your support as follows:

- Support your chosen beneficiary school or charity

- Change your support to another beneficiary or

- Split your support between two or three beneficiaries.

Music Academy Exams

2011-10-14T15:51:00.003+02:00

Jen Hoyer, a Canadian recorder performer and teacher plus librarian, is visiting Hamburg and teaching our Keiskamma students beautifully.

“The Music Academy was busy for most of the month of August with preparations for UNISA exams. Having arrived in Hamburg to work with the students only two weeks before the exams, it was a bit of a test for myself as well!

23 of our students played 28 exams, with five students doing two exams on different instruments. We were very pleased with the general feedback from our examiner. He was impressed to see an outreach music program putting forward such well-prepared students and explained that this was contrary to his previous experience with similar programs. He went over the exam results from other exam centres he supervised in the region during the same session and confirmed that our students' average was 3.8% higher than the average in any other centre.

The final results for our students showed 19 distinctions (over 80%), 8 merits (over 70%), and 1 pass. In the distinction category, three of our students actually achieved over 90%. These were such exciting results, and they are good validation for the students that their hard work is worth it.

Coming from Canada, I have many memories of playing music exams as a student. These experiences generally involved poorly heated church halls and scratchy wool skirts, missing a half-day of school and stopping for a Slurpee on the car ride home.

Exams work a little differently in Hamburg. There are no parents around to drop off or pick up their children. The students walk from many kilometres away and we give them some bread and peanut butter if they haven't had a good meal before coming.

I accompanied many of the exams on piano. Shortly after lunch on the first day, I waited with the next student for her turn. We stood on a back stoop outside the living room (our exam room) door, gazing at the breakers on the beach and smelling the geraniums in the garden. I was still catching my breath from marching several students back to their practice room with curt orders: "We do not run in the yard and we do not steal guavas from other peoples' trees while waiting for our exams."

I often admit that I am learning just as much as my students, and experiences like this highlight the learning curve!"

The Music Academy receives a BASA grant

2011-10-13T08:14:00.003+02:00

Click on the link to read more: http://www.artlink.co.za/news_article.htm?contentID=28304

The Trust wins BASA Chairman's Premier Award

2011-08-31T23:16:00.009+02:00

We are pleased to announce that the Keiskamma Trust, together with its funders and supporters, is the proud recipient of the Prestigious BASA Chairman’s Premier Award.

All of us at the Keiskamma Trust would like to acknowledge with gratitude our sponsors both large and small. To our friends, teachers and mentors everywhere we thank you for your friendship and encouragement over a period of eleven years!

The winners of South Africa’s most prestigious business/arts awards were announced at an event held at the Turbine Hall in Johannesburg on Monday 29 August during the 14th Annual Business Day BASA Awards.

An independent panel of judges made awards in 12 categories while three special honours – the Art Champion Award, the Chairman’s Premier Award and Diplomacy in the Arts – were also given out on the night.

The Chairman’s Premier Award recognises sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa.

About BASA:
Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) is an internationally recognised South African development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporates' commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts.

Accompanying Cebo Mvubu and Lithle Mtshonisi who accepted the award on behalf of the Keiskamma Trust (centre) are (from left to right): BASA Chairman, Sikkie Kajee, Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile, Pranill Ramchander of Anglo American, and Peter Bruce Editor of Business Day

The Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American, listed us as follows:

Chairman’s Premier Award: The Keiskamma Trust is a community organisation in the Eastern Cape area of Hamburg which addresses the challenges of widespread poverty through holistic and creative programmes and partnerships. The Trust’s art project provides skills, materials and training to create beautiful artworks. The most famous artworks to date are the Keiskamma Altarpiece and the Keiskamma Tapestry. Both large artworks carry the message of hope in the fight against HIV/Aids to audiences around the world.

The judges for the 2011 BASA Awards are CEO of The Loerie Awards Andrew Human (chairman); media consultant and editor of Destiny Man Kojo Baffoe; Sunday Independent arts critic Mary Corrigall; independent arts consultant Nicky du Plessis; strategist and CEO of Grey Advertising Siza Marutlulle; CEO of the Mastrantonio Group Gianni Mariano; co-founder and co-owner of multi-disciplinary design firm INK Lisebo Mokhesi and Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town and Artistic Director of Siwela Sonke Jay Pather.

Click here for more info.

Bike for a Bakkie, Pedal for a Pick up 2011

2011-08-17T09:49:00.009+02:00

R 166 000 RAISED SO FAR

From the 21st of April to the 2nd of May, four bicycle riders from Kidzpositive covered a distance of 1000km from Hamburg in the Eastern Cape to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

21/04/11 at 7:55am... 5 mns away from departure!

21/04/11 - Hamburg school kids wish the riders good luck!

21/04/11 at 8am sharp: GO!

Debbie Nash, Dr. Paul Roux, Prof. Hoffie Conradie and Prof. Steve Reid rode through Cambria, Studits, Willowmore, Rondawel, Prince Albert, Gamkaskloof, Vleiland, Anysberg, Tulbagh and the old Witzenberg Pass. They even had to carry their bikes up 600 metres of cliffside to get out of the Western end of Gamkaskloof!

They raised funds via sponsorships from individuals and corporations, for a vehicle for the community health work programme of the Keiskamma Trust.

26/04/11 - The team taking a break at Sleutelfontein

One of the many difficulties on the way: the Swartberg pass!

WE THANK THEM WHOLEHEARTEDLY

The generous contribution of their time and energy will help us continue to reach out to over forty remote and rural villages in the Eastern Cape where we are engaged in a constant stuggle to fight poverty and disease.

As a thank you token, the Keiskamma Trust gave 370 dolls to Kidzpositive as gifts to the children they work with in Cape Town. These dolls are made by the Keiskamma Art Project with sponsorship from Good Gifts, a UK charity: http://www.goodgifts.org/

21/04/11 - The Kidzpositive Team and Keiskamma Trust Transport Manager, Major Mangwane, with Good Gifts dolls

We would also like to thank the more than 50 individuals in South Africa and overseas who supported the ‘bike for a bakkie’ and the following organisations for their generous donations:

The Ackerman Family Foundation

AIRVENT

Friends of Keiskamma Norway

The Rotary Club of Clairmont

Sportsman's Warehouse

Keiskamma Music Academy Newsletter - July 2011

2011-07-27T11:25:00.012+02:00

Dear friends of the Keiskamma Music Academy

Thank you so very much to our friends who raised a total of R60 000 and made the tour to Cape Town and Stellenbosch possible.

Our tour was a lovely success. The children were specially congratulated on their “open and focused demeanour and on their professionalism on stage”. We performed a total of six times.

Setting up for every concert is an undertaking. Siphelo is responsible for this marimba and Sibongiseni is helping him here while Yolisa watches on.

Apart from our concerts, we did two school concerts and workshops introducing our work “Aquarium” to St Cyprian's in Cape Town and Weber Gedenk Laerskool outside Stellenbosch.

Lihle Mtshonisi, our 15 year old senior leader, wrote:

“As a leader of a rural Music Group, it was such a thing to be able to lead a workshop at a school with children that are more used to the city life. The part I enjoyed the most was when the kids and us stood in a circle and shared what music meant to each one of us. And how music has changed our lives. I enjoyed seeing them so excited about performing and learning the 'Aquarium'. It was very nice that they learnt the piece so quickly.”

Our last concert of the tour gave our twelve most advanced students the opportunity to play a movement from a concerto with Camerata Tinta Barocca. We thank them for their generosity of spirit, their encouragement, patience and the ample rehearsal time we had with them. We presented four complete baroque concerti - a few of the students had to learn new movements with only two months’ notice, Lihle being one of them. Goodness, we worked hard on the concerti upon arrival in Cape Town!

Keiskamma Music Academy here together with Camerata Tinta Barocca following our final concert where the 12 most senior students played as soloists with them.

Lihle again: “First orchestral rehearsal, I felt like running away, I was scared, I thought everything would be a mess, but because I had faith in myself, everything went perfectly. Tinta Barocca was very kind to us.

The night of the big concert with Tinta Barocca, I felt very proud of myself and everyone from Music Academy that played a concerto, how confident we were in front of the audience, our faces and bodies showing the excitement and joy inside our hearts. So the audience enjoyed the music we were playing even more.”

Thanks to HWB Communications we appeared live on the Expresso breakfast show on SABC3. We had to be at the studios at 4h30 in the morning to set up and do a balance. The children were awake, responsive, professional…. Adrenalin pumping…

Both our calabashes were broken when a stand accidently fell over during a rehearsal in Cape Town. But our lemon soon became lemonade when we met Dizu Plaatjes, renowned traditional instrumentalist, who repaired our bows for us, and from whom we were able to purchase another calabash.

Lihle: “Our appearance on Expresso, sharing our music with the entire South Africa,was amazing. And everyone from the Music Academy was very grateful to everyone who made that possible. It was one of the most exciting things of the tour as well.”

We performed at the unveiling of the online auction of the Keiskamma Altar Piece at Oude Libertas. Lihle introduced the programme in such a confident manner. The Ensemble played Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, arranged by Daniel Hutchinson and the Music Academy.

Lihle: “One of the most enjoyable things we did during the tour was going to Robben Island and to the Aquarium.”

Visit to Robben Island

Visit to the Aquarium

On our return to Hamburg, we had a week-long exam preparation workshop with Olivera Nikolic, Elizabeth Winkelman and Kgotatso Kekana. This year we have 47 UNISA exam entries which will be taken during August and October. Several students have jumped grades this year thanks to input from Olivera and our team of instrumental teachers in Grahamstown. They are: Stephen Holder (flute and recorder), Priscilla Glover (recorder), Caitlin Schulze (recorder), Jared Lang (recorder), Jenny Brand (clarinet), Hilary Paterson (oboe), and Daniel Hutchinson (piano accompaniment).

We have an exciting time ahead:
Jen Hoyer, a Canadian recorder expert, is arriving in Hamburg on the 7th of August to visit and teach the students.
Brenda Fishwick, from the UK, is coming to visit us in October.
We will be having our annual Christmas concerts in Hamburg and surrounds around the 18th of December. More details later in the year.

Viva la musica

Helen Vosloo
Founder

Grahamstown National Arts Festival 2011

2011-07-19T09:57:00.005+02:00

FELT: Fabrics and Feelings

An exhibition by Magda Greyling and the Keiskamma Felt Making Group.

Click here to view the documentary.

Music Tour and Entyatyambeni

2011-06-14T22:19:00.008+02:00

Dear friends,

Thank you all so much for helping
to make our concert tour
to Cape Town and Stellenbosch
a reality.

Through your generosity,
we have to date raised R49000
in cash and pledges.

We have covered our transport costs,
and most of the accommodation
and meal expenses.

Our tour will tell our story of HOPE.
Thank you for supporting our belief
in the power of the arts to change lives.

Also, thanks to the generosity of HWB Communications,
we have a new Facebook page amongst others.

Our performances in Cape Town and Stellenbosch
are listed below.

It would be wonderful if you were free to come and listen.
For more information call Helen Vosloo 082 664 1190

Saturday 18 June 11h00 - 13h00
Slow Market at Oude Libertas
Cnr Adam Tas and Oude Libertas Street,Stellenbosch.

Tuesday 21 June
St Cyprian's Primary School, Cape Town:
Workshop and concert for their students.

Wednesday 22 June around 8h00
Live appearance on "Expresso" on SABC 2

Wednesday 22 June 18h00
Oude Libertas Art Gallery, Stellenbosch
c/o Adam Tas and Oude Libertas Street,Stellenbosch.
Tel: (021) 809-7463
"Entyatyambeni/In flower" exhibition of botanical paintings
and artworks of the Keiskamma Art Project.

Keiskamma Ensemble performs works by Saint-Saens (the Aquarium from his Carnival of the Animals), a few Renaissance Dances, Madosini and Mussorgsky, amongst others.

This exhibition launches the on-line auction of the internationally renowned Keiskamma Altarpiece

http://www.keiskamma.org/
Stephan Welz auctioneers: http://www.swelco.co.za/

Thursday 23 June
Weber Gedenk Laerskool outside Stellenbosch:
Workshop and Performance for their students

Thursday 23 June 13h10
Lunch Hour Concert
Fismer Hall, Stellenbosch Konserwatorium
Works by Saint-Saens (the Aquarium from his Carnival of the Animals), a few Renaissance Dances, Madosini and Mussorgsky.
Contact: Louise Howlett
howlett@sun.ac.za - 084 682 1337

Friday 24 June, 20h00
St Andrews Church, cnr Somerset and Buitengracht, Cape Town
Keiskamma Ensemble soloists perform Baroque recorder concerti with Camerata, Tinta Barocca, Concerti by Sammartini, Baston, Babell and Linicke.
Contact: Quentin Crida
qcrida@gmail.com - 0836847318

The "Etyatyambeni/In flower" exhibition is sponsored by

Music Academy - Easter Workshop and Concert in Hamburg

2011-05-28T09:35:00.002+02:00

WORKSHOP

We had a long and productive Easter workshop at the end of April, which culminated in our concert in the Hamburg Old Hall. We incorporated our eight new beginners into the programme. These brand new students are all having lessons with trainee teachers and they are doing so well.

Hanneke van der Merwe from Ubungani Wilderness experience did personal development and leadershsip skills with the group. She specially focused on the group of senior students. I am grateful for her presence. The students love her and her many interesting games! We need ongoing input for the students learning to take responsibility for their lives, their futures, their exams, their competitions, their concerts, their... I believe Hanneke makes a lasting impact...

CONCERT

The students did their first performance of Daniel Hutchinson’s new arrangement of Musorrgsky’s Pictures at and Exhibition. The work, our most ambitious to date has huge potential. Daniel writes so very well for exactly where the kids’ ablity is at that current moment. We are looking forward to perform the Mussorgsky in cape Town and Stellenbosch.

We had 32 students perform in total, including eight brand new beginners.

Momentous for me was the first ever concert where three students played a movement from a concerto! The three winners of the concerto competition (with Elizabeth Winkelman as the judge) performed at the concert. We are thankful for Peter Breetzke who specially travelled through to from Grahamstown to accompany them on keyboard. Much progress!

The Hall was decorated beautifully by Jackie,Veronica, Mbomba and Fumba and Cathy Stanley made the most beautiful exhibition of ceramics and embroideries.

The programme:

Saint-Saens (1835 – 1921) Aquarium free arrangement by Keiskamma Music Academy. “Group 3”

Ah, Robyn, Gentil Robyn Khanyi, Siphelo, Mkhululi

Sweetly Sings the Donkey Pink and White Groups

Quick March Lwandile, Nomambinga, Lwazi

Pavane “Group 1”

J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750): Air on a G String

Madosini Whistling Song

Sammartini (1701 – 1775): Concerto in F Major: Allegro Nqophisa

John Baston (1708 – 1739): Concerto in C major, Largo Lihle

JG Linicke (c.1680 – 1750): Concerto “Loure” Yolisa

Ubi Caritas (Latin Hymn) “Group 2”

Orchestral instruments:

Schubert (1797 – 1828): Marche Militaire Lihle

Peter Wastall (1932 – 2003): Let’s beguine Simni

Beethoven (1770 – 1826): Ode to Joy Zimkitha and Nqophisa

Modest Mussorkgsky (1839 – 1881): Pictures at an Exhibition – free arrangement by Daniel Hutchinson and Keiskamma Music Academy

The students who performed were:

Khanyi Cuka	Mihle Cuka	Yolisa Gusha
Nonzaliseko Gxamsa	Sibongiseni Gxamsa	Nokuthula Makubalo
Olwethu Solwandle	Nomambinga Mangwane	Thulethu Mangwane
Lwandile Mapuma	Wonke Mapuma	Simamkele Maxontana
Siphelele Maxontana	Lwazi Mbete	Aviwe Nkani
Lihle Mtshonisi	Nqophisa Mtshonisi	Sandisiwe Mtshonisi
Siphelo Mvapantzi	Simnikiwe Nkani	Siyamthanda Jakavula
Yonela Nompunga	Zimkitha Nompunga	Qhama Noncqe
Nolusindiso Nxasi Zizipho Makubalo Sambesiwe Mavela	Thabo Nqoxo Mkhululi Peter	Tholakele Mapikele Thabiso Nqoxo Emihle Mapuma

Partnership with the Sustainable Seas Trust by Mike Vilimek and Julie Cook

2011-05-18T08:07:00.005+02:00

When I first embarked on my internship as a Marine Biologist in South Africa with the NGO the Sustainable Seas Trust, I was hoping to find a magical piece of paradise by the coast where I could work and be surrounded by amazing people. I finally found my paradise when I landed in Hamburg, and encountered those amazing people as I met the community members and those wonderful folks working with the Keiskamma Trust. Though working for an environmental conservation organization and not directly with the Trust, another Canadian colleague (Julie Cook) and I were immediately accepted with open arms by the Trust, which is truly integrated and involved in every part of the community, from health to education and art, and even to my NGO’s domain, the natural environment and its conservation. My role whilst in Hamburg was to try and assess the utilization and dependence upon the shellfish resources by the community. During my stay, the Trust provided me with invaluable assistance and shared freely in their experiences and knowledge of the people and the region, accumulated over 10 years of working alongside community members and striving to uplift those in dire circumstances. We were also given the opportunity to share our knowledge and experiences, and one of my most cherished moments during my six months in South Africa was interacting with the children while we gave a presentation at the after-care program at the primary school in Hamburg, and seeing the pride in their eyes as they told me “Hamburg is beautiful!” and took pledges to keep it so in the future.

I was often amazed over the 2 months that I lived in Hamburg at how much was taking place within this little, hard-to-reach community, from current and future development of the town centre, to the wide-ranging and exciting initiatives that are currently run by the Trust. These things could only happen thanks to the passion and dedication of the members of the Keiskamma Trust. Another of my fondest memories of South Africa was participating in the Capoeira classes. I can remember being very intimidated at first by the intensity and high skill level of the capoeiristas, as they were clearly passionate about what they do, and felt even more intimidation after I learned that most of them have been doing it for nearly 10 years! But I could not have been more wrong, their kindness shining through once you looked beyond those tough-looking exteriors, and I could not have asked for better friends during my stay in Hamburg.

Given the positive nature of many in Hamburg and the beautiful surroundings, it is often easy to forget that many people in the town and the surrounding areas live with high unemployment, little income and face a whole host of other challenges on a daily basis. The Trust and its members work extremely hard to help to sustain the community, but they face a lot of challenges as well. Working for a NGO for six months, I learned that one can never have too many resources at your disposal, and often it’s a lack of resources that’s the rule rather than the exception, and many good projects suffer for that lack. I would encourage anyone reading this to lend a helping hand in any way they can, whether it is through donating time or resources to the Keiskamma Trust, or helping to spread news of the good work they do. The people there are truly exceptional and I witnessed first-hand the positive impacts of their programmes within the community. I plan to return to Hamburg when I am finished with my studies and I assure you that you would have the experience of a lifetime spending several months there!

Sincerely,

Michael Vilimek

(Intern for the Sustainable Seas Trust and Master of Science, Candidate at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada)

During her stay, Julie Cook (Community Education Officer) did the following Blog:

Mundo of Julie

Sustainable Seas Trust's website:
www.sst.org.za

Music Academy Concert tour to Cape Town and Stellenbosch 16-25th June 2011

2011-05-15T12:12:00.005+02:00

Dear friends of the Keiskamma Music Academy,

A wonderful opportunity has arisen for students of the Keiskamma Music Academy to perform four concerts in Cape Town and Stellenbosch at the end of June. Amongst these concerts is an opportunity for our twelve most advanced students to perform as soloists with Camerata Tinta Barocca – a hugely exciting opportunity and a great chance for our gifted musicians to show their skills.

Our students have lived all their lives in the rural Eastern Cape. The opportunity to venture further afield, perform for new audiences in the Cape, and to perform as soloists with a chamber orchestra, is another step in their development, which continues to change their lives. Excitement is running high.

As is so often the case, however, there is an obstacle – funding. In order to take up this proposal, I need to raise R60 000 to pay for extra music lessons, transport, accommodation and food.

My request to you, as friends of The Keiskamma Music Academy, is that you have some fun with your friends and family during May and June and help us raise funds for our musicians at the same time. We ask you to invite (10?) friends and family for tea, a drinks party or a meal at your home sometime during the month of May. Ask them (beforehand, preferably J) if they would be willing to pay (R100/R200/R300?) for the occasion... (R100 = about € 10 = about £9 = about $7).We will have a short info document available on our website which you can send out beforehand or present on the day.

Please let me know if you feel inspired to participate, creating a community of supporters who believe in the power of the arts to change lives.

Yours in music,

Helen Vosloo

MORE INFORMATION

The vision for the Keiskamma Music Academy is to uplift the quality of life of vulnerable, rural children of Hamburg and surrounds, by creating opportunities through a music education. Established over dears ago, we currently teach 35 children aged between 9 and 16. Of these, we plan to take 16 students on tour to Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

We follow the classical training approach: all students start with recorder lessons (soprano, alto, tenor, bass and great bass recorders), theory, marimba and ensemble lessons and then move onto orchestral instruments. Students are selected purely on their expressing interest. The Music Academy is a programme of the Keiskamma Trust and our foundation is inspired by the internationally known tapestries of the Art Project.

The unique sound voice of the Music Academy is thanks to the work of our composer Daniel Hutchinson in conjunction with the students of the Music Academy. We are excited by this aspect of our training fitting in with the vision of the Keiskamma Art Project. We incorporate far lying music disciplines within another, building a rich local culture of music. We work around the classical, jazz and traditional Xhosa genres.

The opportunity to learn to play a music instrument has huge long term benefits: together with the new skills students acquire, leading to job opportunities, there is the empowering sense of fulfillment and achievement that comes with the creation of something beautiful, specially showcasing their beautiful indigenous Xhosa music traditions too.

Donations:

Please reference “MUSIC TOUR 2011” on all payments
We have tax benefit status in South Africa, Canada and in the UK.
The information is on http://www.keiskamma.org/
Please feel free to contact helen@keiskamma.org for more information too.

Donations in South Africa:

Name of account holder: Keiskamma Trust
Bank: FNB
Account number: 62059966097
Account type: Cheque
Branch: Beacon Bay, East London
Branch Code 25010900
SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ846

Donations in Canada:
If you are in CANADA, please contact Keiskamma Canada: keiskammacanada@shaw.ca Payment through PayPal on www.keiskamma.org

Donations in the UK:
UK donors can give tax retrievable through “Gift aid” on the Keiskamma Friends website http://www.keiskammafriends.com/ there is a donation button. You can contact Jan Chalmers: jan.oxford@btinternet.com for assistance too.
A copy of our book can be ordered from helen@keiskamma.org

Our concert programmes will include:

Aquarium from Saint Saens: Carnival of the Animals: free arrangement by Keiskamma Music Academy.
Three Renaissance Dances by Susato, Hassler and Mainerio
Bra Joe from Kilimanjaro by Abdullah Ibrahim Arr. Daniel Hutchinson
Whistling Song by Eastern Cape artist: Madosini:
Ubuhle Bendoda Xhosa trad Arr. Daniel Hutchinson
Ubi Caritas (Latin Hymn)
Pictures at an Exhibition – Modest Mussorgsky free arrangement by Daniel Hutchinson and Keiskamma Music Academy
Concerti by Baston, Sammartini, Babbell and Linicke

Our concerts:
1. Saturday 18 June 10h00: Performing at the opening of the exhibition titled “in flight” at the Gallery at Beaux Conference Centre at Constantia Neck, This performance is in conjunction with the Keiskamma Art Project.
2. Wednesday 22 June @ 18h00 opening of Entyatyambeni (“in flower”) exhibition at Oude Libertas. In conjunction with the Keiskamma Art project
3. Thursday 23 June: Lunch hour concert at Stellenbosch University: Fismer Hall.
4. Friday 25 June 20h00 St Andrews Church in Cape Town: 8 -12 students performing as soloists with Tinta Barocca Chamber Orchestra.
5. In the pipeline is at least one school performance in the Cape.

We specially look forward to the performances in conjunction with the Keiskamma Art Project, because of our collaborations with our book, Aquarium in which we celebrate the natural beauty of Hamburg and surrounds through music, using extended techniques in creating bird calls amongst others. Our latest collaborative work is based on Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in which the children have much fun.

Biking for a Bakkie

2011-03-11T07:23:00.003+02:00

In April last year, 4 bicycle riders from Kidzpositive covered a distance of 1000 kilometres from Hamburg in the Eastern Cape Province, to the Children’s Ward at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. They raised one hundred and fifty thousand rand (nearly $ 20 000) in support of the Keiskamma Trust and its projects.

This year the bikers will ride the Freedom Trail and we are enormously excited and hope to raise the profile of this event. The dates this year are April 21st through to May 2nd with stops in Cambria, Studits, Willowmore, Rondawel, Prince Albert, Gamkaskloof, Vleiland, Anysberg, Montagu, Bainskloof.

Check out the Freedom Challenge Project http://www.freedomchallenge.org.za/

The aim is to raise funds via sponsorships from individuals and corporations and to demonstrate the connections between Cape Town and Hamburg, a city and a rural health district and the challenges we share.
THIS YEAR WE HOPE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR A NEW VEHICLE FOR THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK PROGRAMME.

We are looking for individual sponsors, who will be able to follow the progress of their ‘champion’ or ‘champions’ via our blog and Facebook.

As well we will acknowledge donations from business and corporate organizations on our Web sites and through our blog and Facebook, as well as in the Kidzpositive and Keiskamma Newsletters.

PLEASE CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT
THIS EXCITING EVENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Music Academy Newsletter

2011-03-05T09:55:00.002+02:00

Dear friends of the Keiskamma Music Academy,

We started the Keiskamma Music Academy in the village of Hamburg under the auspices of the Keiskamma Trust in 2006. In just over four years more than fifty children have received music tuition, comprising lessons on recorder (soprano, alto, tenor, bass and double bass recorders), theory, marimba and ensemble lessons. Of this number, thirty-two students have become regular pupils who attend several classes each week, enter examinations, and play in various concerts every year. While we still use “classical” training methods, we also incorporate indigenous Xhosa instruments, including marimba and djembe in our performances. Without the infrastructure established by the Keiskamma Trust, this programme would not have been possible.

Students are still selected purely on their expressing interest. It is possible for a child to “try it out” and decide for themselves whether they would like to continue. We have three rules which the children have to obey to keep their positions in the Music Academy.

Lessons and material are free, but students must:

* attend all lessons scheduled.

* take good care of their recorders.

* practice at home.

Lihle Mtshonisi is a founder member of the Music Academy. Together with the other seniors, he did the hard thing of sticking it out with a musical tradition which was utterly foreign to their community. The children who have joined since then have had a much easier task. The Music Academy has premises at the High School, ongoing lessons, an infrastructure, and a standard set by the older children to aspire to. The group chose Lihle as their leader. He has risen so much to the occasion. He combines humility and gentleness with firmness. When he started he was such a little boy, making lots of noise and jokes. Now he is in grade 10, and one of three students who are preparing to take music as a matric subject .

Our biggest challenge remains that we work in a remote rural area. Teachers must travel long distances to reach us.

Our other current challenge is funding: indeed, our funding situation is rather dire at the moment.

Our teaching programme for 2011 incorporates several facets:

Weekly recorder and theory lessons with teachers from Grahamstown, East London or Port Alfred.

Orchestral instrument lessons are in Grahamstown. And we have 3-4 composition and ensemble workshops planned for the year, with further workshops on Xhosa indigenous instruments, the marimba and djembe.

Oliviera Nickolic, who helped me start the Music Academy in 2006, is encouraging the children to step up the amount of practising they do at home to hasten their development. We will sit UNISA exams both in May and in October. The children are very excited about this.

I plan to go to Hamburg roughly every 4-6 weeks to visit the students, and to oversee and plan and manage the various aspects.

The three grade ten students will be preparing to reach the necessary level by grade twelve for music to count as a school subject.

Seven advanced recorder students have started playing solo concertos, which they find exhilarating. They will be entering a national competition in Grahamstown in June. They are so proud of this new accomplishment. Another ten students will start playing orchestral instruments towards the end of the year.

Eight student teachers have started teaching younger students. The seniors are so encouraging to the beginners.

Says Nqophisa in one of our discussions: “What worked for me is that the beginners, they make me feel proud.”

Highlights of 2010:

· The pride and interest that the parents have taken in their children’s musical abilities is a personal highlight of 2010 for me. We now have a parents' committee of four mothers who play an active role in supporting all our endeavours.

· Daniel Hutchinsonhas started helping to create a unique voice for the Music Academy: enabling the children to make music outside the strict confines of the genre of “classical music”. Together with this opportunity for free improvisation, the skills base of the children is being further extended. We have incorporated playing uhadi bow, djembe and marimba as part of our ensemble.

· Our visitors included Senja Barthel from Berlin, who taught for some months last year. She greatly raised the level of recorder playing. Linda de Villiers gave a warm workshop, culminating in teaching the children an arrangement of Waka Waka. The children loved having a teacher from the early years visiting again. Oliviera Nickolic, assisted by Fladia Buongiorno and Kgothatso Kekana, all came as specialist recorder teachers.

· Four students started on orchestral instruments: Lihle on flute, Zimkitha and Nqophisa on clarinet, and Simni on oboe.

· We continue to have young volunteers from the German Development Corporation. Anna Ferl and Gildas Neukam took over from Janna Regenauer.

· UNISA has become one of our sponsors. Sixteen students passed their recorder practical exams with four distinctions, four merits, and eight passes. The seniors wrote their first theoretical exams too.

· We have started a relationship with Ubungani Wilderness Experience, which helps us with environmental education, leadership training and self-esteem development.

Publication of our first book:

Keiskamma Songbook: Aquarium

The book celebrates the beauty of Hamburg, with an arrangement for recorder quartet of Aquarium from Saint Saens' Carnival of the Animals, and twelve pictures of local birds embroidered by the Keiskamma Art Project, showing how to produce their bird calls on the recorder by using extended techniques.The book is a collaborative project between the Art Project and the Music Academy.

The book would appeal to the art and craft lover, the music teacher, the recorder student and the nature lover. The DVD includes a performance by the Keiskamma Music Academy recorder ensemble, and a feature on Hamburg-based artist Vuyisile "Gaba" Funda, whose dune art inspired the choreography of the Aquarium arrangement.

The book was conceived by Daniel Hutchinson, design and layout by Robert Hofmeyr.

It can be ordered from Helen Vosloo: music@keiskamma.org

We also a set of eight cards with pictures of embroideries from the book for sale at R20 per card.

Our current accommodation is in a classroom as St Charles Sojola High School, while we have some access to other classrooms on weekends. We are grateful for our relationship with Ms Thelma Ncumani, the principal of St Charles Sojola High. We are, however, bursting at the seams and I am investigating options towards finding us a home of our own.

The vision for the Keiskamma Music Academy is to uplift the quality of life of vulnerable rural children of Hamburg and surrounds, by creating opportunities through a musical education.

We measure our success not only in terms of exams passed, several of which are with distinction, gold certificates at Eisteddfod or the standing ovations at concerts. Our success is also measured in the personal growth of our students.

In verbal skills development, in young kids being able to express their feelings through music, in harnessing a discipline of music making.

We thank our donors (of 2009 and 2010 combined)

Sopranino donor (up to R4 999)

Don and Marianne Macrobert, Diana Tabor, Julia Davey, John Campbell (Pick 'n Pay Grahamstown), Jobst Bodenstein, Mike Skinner, Graham Gooden (St. Andrew's Prep), Colette Tilley, Dorothy Holder, Garvey Clarke, Priscilla Glover, Peter Breetzke, Kate Davies (National Arts Festival Arts Encounter Programme), Jonathan Ncozana, Robert Hofmeyr, Yannic Herrenknecht, Hilary Tyghe, David Kinghorn, Meg Twyford

Soprano donor (R5 000 up to R9 999)

Dave and Eileen Thayser

Gerard and Helene Weber

Alto donor (R10 000 up to R24 999)

German Development Corporation

SAMRO

The Ackerman Family Educational Trust Fund

Kathleen Sowersby

Industrial Development Corporation

Tenor donor (R25 000 up to R49 999)

Tom and Jean Lloyd

Yamaha South Africa

BASA

Arts and Culture Trust

Noel and Fran Coburn

Bass donor (R50 000 up to R99 999)

Rupert Music Foundation

Rand Merchant Bank / Apollo Music Trust

UNISA

Contra bass donor (R100 000 +)

Anonymous

International Donor

National Arts Council

Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Fund

NB: We are able to issue tax receipts since the Keiskamma Trust has 18A tax status as a registered NPO.

Thank you for keeping the Music Academy in your hearts.

Yours in music

Helen Vosloo

For more information about the Keiskamma Music Academy, contact Helen Vosloo at helen@keiskamma.org or at +27 82 664 119

Art - Design Indaba 2011

2011-03-01T07:40:00.005+02:00

The Art Project was at the Design Indaba from the 25th to the 27th of February.

We were at the CCDI/DTI stand with our best-selling Nguni range. our felt accessories as well as new fashion items.

We thank ECDC for their help!

At a separate stand, we were announcing KAMMA a beautiful offspring of the Keiskamma Art Project with all new designs. Click here for pricelist.

We thank all our supporters and visitors who gave us an excellent feed-back on our work!

Education - Capoeira is strong in Hamburg!

2011-02-16T06:58:00.004+02:00

The group in Hamburg continue to train hard daily. As some members of the group are leaving town to study at University the group are welcoming new members, taking time to teach the new comers the basics of capoeira.

Having recently received a digital camera and laptop the group are now keen to use these tools, they have plans to make a documentary about the group; it’s beginnings, members day to day lives and what it is that keeps them training each day.

The prospect of a visit from Luis Negao in June/July is something all the group are very much looking forward to.

The group have an exciting year of plans ahead which will be made possible from recent fundraising efforts in the uk and in the Education programme of the Keiskamma Trust. The plans include performances at local festivals and a trip to a local game park for performances, history of capoeira and music practice. The group are also beginning to incorporate HIV and AIDs education into their activity plans to look at lifestyle and how this influences health.

It was a pleasure to see the group again and to train with them, they play very good capoeira, and the energy in their rodas is something we can all aim for.

Post by Kat Carpenter (Morena Clara) - Abolicao Oxford

Art - Ceramics workshops

2011-02-16T06:45:00.006+02:00

The Art Project hosted two ceramics workshops thanks to MTN SA Foundation.

In October 2010, Margy Malan ran a one-month workshop

Nine adults attended. Some had little or no practice in drawing. All engaged with enthusiasm and determination.

The first part of the workshop consisted in drawing and observation using sketch books and digital camera to collect data for a journal. The handcrafting of the books in the form of a journal, cardboard boxes became rich tactile pages line drawing in pencil and brush as well as watercolours, gouache and collages, telling stories.

Photographic images portraying homes enabled access to the inner story – each person has a unique contribution.

Margy Malan went to the homes of all nine people to make photos. This contributed in a closeness and sharing and being able to have friendship and understanding working on the books and pottery.

Then came practical steps in pottery hand technique and the application of design – extracted from journal, using appropriate technique – simple press moulds (original moulds – not plaster of Paris) and slab technique with colour pigments for decor – there is the added advantage of utilising the printing facility for decal application.

The firing of entire works to completion – Bisc and glaze, slab making for press moulding was prevalent using a bisc bowl and plate. These shapes became canvass for interpreting images from their journals. They used underglaze paints on green and bisc ware – with transparent overglaze – mixing of glaze and glaze application – as well as packing and firing the kiln.
The students were experimenting using the decals from the photographic images of their journals onto their own smoke fired pots. They also tested decals on commercial white china.

An exhibition was set in December 2010 for the official opening of the ceramics studio. The decal decors were much appreciated and sales were successful.

In February 2011, Susan Sellschop ran a one-week workshop

The participants experimented clay printing process using a monotype technique and cobalt oxide as the print medium.

Slab making techniques were demonstrated and the slabs made into a flat dish and a tall cylinder vase that would be suitable to make using the printed slabs.

Two glass sheets were covered with a cobalt oxide and frit mix and dried ready for the demonstration.

All participants were asked to make a plant drawing ready for the next step of the process.
The printing technique was demonstrated using layout paper with a drawing of an aloe on it. The drawing was transferred to a slab which was later formed into a flat dish. Printed slabs were also made into cylinder vases.

After bisque firing, a process of colouring the drawings in a soft, water-colour technique was demonstrated.
All the bisque ware was glazed.

The firing was successful and the well-finished items are booked for an exhibition at Oude Libertas in July 2011.

Post by Florence Danais
after reports by Margy Malan and Susan Sellschop

Art - South African Tourism

2011-02-09T08:26:00.001+02:00

The South African Tourism website recommends the Keiskamma Art Project.

Click here to read the online article.

Music - Plans for 2011

2011-02-08T11:10:00.002+02:00

Our year started with an intensive teaching week with Kgothatso Kekano. Anna Ferl’s help (volunteer from the DED) was indispensable. As the children stated their highlights of the week, the beginners’ group mentioned how proud they feel to have started doing theory too. The kids also revel in the opportunity to excel and progress as fast as they determine through their own diligence.

Kgothatso Kekana (she is centre standing with a black top) hails from Mamelodi, Pretoria. She has just completed her BMUS majoring in recorder at the University of Pretoria under Mandy Low.

Our teaching programme for 2011 incorporates several facets and staff:

1) Weekly recorder and theory lessons with teachers from the cities close by.

2) The orchestral instrument component happens in Grahamstown since the closest teachers are in these centres. Three –four composition and ensemble workshops are planned for this year.

3) Expert recorder teachers come and teach about three to four times per annum (mostly during school holidays). During these sessions students have two lessons a day and the progress is phenomenal! These expert teachers are sometimes from within South Africa, sometimes from abroad.

4) I go to Hamburg roughly every four – six weeks to visit with the students, oversee and plan and manage the various aspects.

Compiled by Helen Vosloo, Founder

Music - Christmas concerts

2011-01-27T08:01:00.003+02:00

We culminated last year with two Christmas Concerts: the first at the Old Hall in Hamburg on the17th of December. We had a full house! What a wonderful experience!

In this picture our visiting teacher Oliviera Nikolic and her student Fladia Bonguorno are playing Pachelbel Canon with a group of more senior students.

Our second Concert at Richmond House Museum in Port Alfred also drew a full house. In this photo the group is playing Ubuhle Bendoda, a Xhossa Wedding Song: another beautiful arrangement for the Keiskamma Music Academy by Daniel Hutchinson.

Post by Helen Vosloo

2010 Christmas Activities - Photo Galleries

2010-12-25T11:40:00.003+02:00

Children Christmas Party

Christmas Concert

Official opening of Ceramics Studio and Clothing shop

New Organic Garden at the Treatment Centre

2010-12-18T18:06:00.002+02:00

Dear Friends and Supporters,

On behalf of all of us at the Keiskamma Trust in South Africa, greetings and thanks for your continued generosity and good-will for our community workin Hamburg, Bodium, Ntilini, Lover’s Twist, Mgabaga, and 40 more villages in the Peddie South District.

Hundreds of families, orphans, HIV infected and affected women and childrenhave benefited this year from our programmes and interventions and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.

While we have struggled to make ends meet at the end of this year— like many not-for-profit organizations around the world— we have much to be thankful for,and much to look forward to in the new year.

Some of the highlights of 2010 have been as follows: a newly expanded board of Trustees, the addition of an operations director, a re-vamped and re-trained team of village health workers, a major and highly acclaimed art exhibition at the National Arts festival, increased support of the Education and OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) programme so that almost 500 children are included, the spread of organic community gardens to Grandmother groups, access to health services for over a thousand people, and the transfer of nearly 200 patients on ARVs into the government system.

And coming up in the new year we look forward to : spreading our expertise in paediatric HIV prevention and treatment to public health clinics, nurses and doctors; a joint- exhibition between our artists and those from Botswana to celebrate indigenous plant life in the Eastern Cape; another Kidzpostive Bike Tour from Hamburg to CapeTown along the freedom Trail; and a new IT centre for the youth of Hamburg opening in mid-year. There will of course be much more: for those of you who have spent any time in Hamburg, you know there is always something exciting happening.

We will of course need your help and support, especially in the next few months as our financial year draws to a close and we begin budgeting and planning for our programmes for next year. We are grateful to the South African organizations that have partnered with us this year, as well as groups in Norway, the UK, USA and Canada. We are also happy to announce that we have a new partner in the USA that has approved our NGO for support: the American Fund for Charities will now accept donations from Americans and issue tax receipts for all funds raised. (http://www.americanfund.info/).

Warm wishes to all of you for the holiday season and for 2011 on behalf of the management and staff of the Keiskamma Trust,

Carol, Thabang and Annette,

Directors of the Keiskamma Trust

Music Academy Christmas Concerts & Art Project Sales

2010-11-30T10:59:00.002+02:00

A Programme of recorder consort music, together with marimba and uhadi bow.Works by Saint-Saens, Abdullah Ebrahim, Pachelbel, Renaissance Dances and Christmas Carols.

HAMBURG Old Hall,
Friday 17 December 2010 @ 17h00 for 17h30
Donations at the door

Ceramic studio and Gift Shop will be open on 16, 17 and 18 Dec with artists in attendance.

Enquiries: Helen 082 664 1190 / helen@keiskamma.org

'Classics at the Castle',
Port Alfred,

Saturday 18 December @ 14:30 for15h00
Tickets in advance only @ R60 from Kowie News Agency (tel 046-624 2036)

Enquiries Sue 082 4567 437 / gordofam@iafrica.com

All proceeds to support the Keiskamma Music Academy.

Art and craft articles from the Keiskamma Art Project will be for sale aswell as the new book of the Music Academy.

The Keiskamma Music Academy is a programme of the Keiskamma Trust in ruralEastern Cape. We enhance and enrich the lives of the vulnerable ruralchildren of Hamburg and surrounds through the opportunity of a musiceducation.

Music Academy - UNISA Exams

2010-11-29T16:09:00.003+02:00

The Keiskamma Music Academy entered 16 students for UNISA exams this year, and what was really special was that the exams were held in Hamburg! This was a first for UNISA and an initiative that they were very supportive of, as they have set a goal of reaching out to rural communities. The idea to bring the exams to Hamburg was proposed by the Helen Vosloo, the founder of the music academy, and the choice of UNISA (over the other possible exam boards) was made by our specialist recorder teacher at the time, Senja Barthel, who also prepared the students for the exam.

The students were all nervous but ready and in the end achieved four distinctions, four merits, and eight passes with no failures. Four students entered for Grade 2, eight for Grade 1, and four for Pre-Grade 1. The general comment of the examiner Mr. Botes Gresse was “I can see you are all very focused, you’ve worked hard, and you’ve all done excellently. I look forward to hearing your progress in the years to come”.

There was lots of behind-the-scenes organizing going on, from the purchasing of sheet music to tuning of the Hofmeyr’s piano and an excellent invigilation process conducted by Unathi Meslane. It was a real team effort from the Keiskamma Trust! Many thanks to all involved.

The UNISA examiner, Botes Gresse (rector of the Drakensberg Boys Choir School), standing outside the Hofmeyr’s home (our exam venue) with our invigilator and PRO of the Keiskamma Trust, Unathi Meslane.

Art- Exhibition in Gaborone with Kuru Project - from the 24th of November to the 3rd of December 2010

2010-11-29T15:39:00.003+02:00

'After almost three years, celebrated San artists affiliated to the Kuru Art Project in D'Kar, will return to Gaborone to showcase their artworks at the Botswanacraft Gallery in about two weeks.(...) The exhibition will also feature some beautiful embroidered pieces by artists from the Keiskamma project in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The Keiskamma project, which works amongst the underprivileged in the Eastern Cape, are well-known for their large multimedia pieces like the Keikamma altar pieces and the Keiskamma Guernica. The embroidered pieces for this exhibition, according to Brown, were all inspired by Kuru Art showing that art can communicate and cross boundaries.'

From Mmegi Online
Click here to read more.

Keiskamma Canada Foundation's Fundraiser 'ART FOR ART' raises nearly $17,000

2010-11-14T09:39:00.008+02:00

Reaching a hand of hope across the ocean, an Edmonton silent auction of North American and South African art raised just under $17,000 to support artists in rural South Africa who are part of the award-winning Keiskamma Art Project.

Hosted by Women of Hope (part of the Stephen Lewis Grandmother to Grandmother movement) and Keiskamma Canada Foundation, the October 23 event at Edmonton’s Timms Centre for the Arts featured over 30 works donated by North American artists as well as exciting new pieces from South Africa.

South Africa’s contribution of textile artwork depicted scenes of birds, plant life, and other animals, crafted in brightly coloured collages of recycled and hand felted fabric. One distinct hanging, Cynthia’s Cloth, featuring a characteristic sacred cow, was a beautiful tribute to the earliest beadwork crafts initiated by the Art Project in Hamburg, SA.

Special guests at the auction included a South African grandmother and granddaughter who were visiting Alberta as part of AfriGrand Caravan, a Stephen Lewis initiative.

Annette Woudstra, Director of Keiskamma Trust, provided a brief update on the work in South Africa, where shortages in anti-AIDS medication are adding enormous strain to already burdened budgets.

Proceeds from the event will support The Keiskamma Trust, whose programs bring hope and healing in a neglected region of South Africa that is battling AIDS and ninety per cent unemployment.

Keiskamma Canada FoundationPO Box 34199, 126 Kingsway Mall Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaT5G 3G4www.keiskammacanada.com

Health - Training the Village Health Worker Trainers in Hamburg: 25 – 29 October 2010

2010-11-05T20:10:00.004+02:00

A week-long ‘train the trainer’ session got off to an uncertain start on Monday 25th October when we heard that our expert trainer who was to have flown in from Rwanda, had been arrested at Kigali Airport.

Fortunately for us, Partners in Health whose training programme we were to follow, have produced an excellent trainers manual, with step-by-step instructions on how to proceed. Our training event picked up steam during the week and by all their reports our participants had a most informative and entertaining experience.

The purpose of the week’s programme was to familiarise future Xhosa-speaking trainers with the Village Health Worker’s Handbook, adapted from Partners in Health’s Accompagnateur handbook and with PIH-designed training methods. The Handbook was well received by course participants. It is written in comfortable English and a number of participants on the course felt that it would be most useful to VHWs in the field.

The train the trainer course covered recognition of HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections; management of HIV and TB; psycho-social support skills and duties and responsibilities of Village Health Workers.

The PIH training manual is full of engaging and interesting activities. The highlight was probably our Thursday afternoon ‘radio show’ when participants ‘phoned in’ questions to a panel of expert Village Health Workers, for their responses to various challenges that would be presented to VHWs at work.

We are happy to report that our expert trainer has been released by the Rwandan police and that the charges brought against him were proven to have been false.

Post by Dr. Paul Roux

Art - Felt making workshop with Given Nkuna

2010-10-30T11:44:00.006+02:00

Given Nkuna, award winning felt artist, founder of Le2 Designs, ran a 1-month felt making workshop in September 2010.

The workshop took place in Hamburg, in the Art Project’s felt making studio, where Given taught 15 women – all member of the Keiskamma Art Project, from the local Xhosa community.
Some students were beginners, some were semi-experienced felters.

During this workshop, Given Nkuna developed a range of products and colours together with the students.

He also identified a chore team which would be able to make felt making their permanent activity at the Art Project.

Out of the 15 students, 5 were selected for the following qualities: being creative, mastering the technique, being focussed and being organized.

The selected students agreed to work as a team at producing felt products.
After the workshop ended, they had a week test from the 4th to the 8th of October to evaluate themselves regarding their team work.

The 10 remaining students will be employed at felt making for big orders under the supervision of the 5 selected felt makers.

Click here to view the catalogue of felt products.

This workshop was made possible thanks to a grant from the Anglo-American Chairman’s Fund.

Keiskamma Canada Foundation Art for Art Auction - 23rd of October 2010

2010-10-06T19:33:00.006+02:00

September 22, 2010

Dear Friend of Keiskamma Canada,

You may recall that in May of 2008, a wildly successful art auction was held by the Keiskamma Canada Foundation and the Women of Hope. The purpose of the auction (Art for A.R.T.) was to raise funds for the not-for-profit group based in South Africa called the Keiskamma Trust. Over $14,000 was raised at this event, which Keiskamma Canada was able to send to help dispense A.R.T.s (anti-retroviral therapy) to the many people living with HIV/AIDS in the area served by the Trust. If you attended the first Art for Art, we thank you again for your generosity. It was an amazing evening!

With such success the first time around, we are making plans to repeat the auction event and ask you to join us for another evening of great art. The Art for Art auction this year will take place on October 23, 2010 at the Timms Centre for the Arts in Edmonton.

The purpose of this auction will be to raise funds to support the Art Project of the Keiskamma Trust. The Art Project provides employment to over 130 individuals who are often the only wage earners in their extended families. In an area claiming 90% unemployment, this project is vital to sustaining these communities. A powerful and committed band of artists work together, in a variety of mediums, on craft items and award-winning artworks of monumental scale that have been exhibited both in South Africa and internationally. More information about the Trust and the work produced by the Art Project collective can be found on the website: keiskamma.org.

Recently, the Art Project collective spent time studying Picasso’s “Guernica” and, in response, created a series of embroidered tapestries and installation works, reflecting the experiences of a community ravaged by HIV/AIDS. We are elated to have been able to contribute to this endeavour and to pledge ongoing support for them in future explorations. We invite you to help us celebrate and to envision a more hopeful and sustained future for these people.

Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance for $25 or $30 at the door. A free drink ticket accompanies your admission cost in addition to light snacks. We have will have music from a local duo, as well as presentations from the president of Keiskamma Canada (Suzanne Knol) and the director of the Keiskamma Trust (Annette Woudstra). Many works of art created by locals will be available for auction in addition to a number of large textile works from the collective at the Trust.

Thanks again for your past support. We hope to see you in October.

Sincerely,
Wenda Salomons
Secretary

P.S. If you have time to help us out, we could use your energy in promoting and mounting this event. Please email me to find out how you can help.

14027-106 Ave. ٠ Edmonton ٠ Alberta ٠ T5N 1B3 ٠

http://www.keiskammacanada.com/ ٠ keiskammacanada@shaw.ca

South African group calls on city to help out

Art & Music Trilogy

2010-08-30T09:09:00.005+02:00

From the 21st to the 28th of August, the Keiskamma Guernica installation was on show in the Drama for Life Festival in Johannesburg. We celebrated the closing of this exhibition with the Keiskamma Music Academy and the Trio Hemanay.

Art - Collaborative book

2010-08-29T13:33:00.004+02:00

The Art Project recently took part to the Collaborative Book 'Keeping in touch - A decade of South African Fibre Art', coordinated by Jeanette Gilks.

Education Programme – Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) support project - Mgababa Centre spreads its beautiful wings…

2010-08-16T23:01:00.001+02:00

The Keiskamma Trust is responsible for three after care OVC centres, in Hamburg, Lovers Twist and Mgababa. Both the Hamburg and Lovers Twist centres are well established and providing valuable support structures and care to pre-school and primary school children in their feeder areas.

The progress at the Mgababa after care and nursery centre has been very exciting. Until a short while ago the centre was little more than a daily feeding scheme. The building has been completely repaired and equipped thanks to funding from the Douglas Murray Trust, new carers have been employed and the number of children benefitting from the services provided has almost doubled. The finishing touches have excited the whole community – a series of wonderful murals painted by a talented young man from the area (Xabiso Tokota).

At the beginning of 2010, the Mgababa community approached the Trust to set up a nursery for children from the age of 1 to 3 years. The Mgababa community is very poor with serious social and health problems. There are numerous small children on ARV’s whose families are unable to feed them adequately enough to support their treatment regimes.

A funding application was submitted to 25:40 who agreed to fund the set-up costs for the nursery and three month’s running costs which will be reviewed each quarter. Carers were recruited and the nursery started operating in April. It now has 27 children attending regularly. A community volunteer has joined the staff as two carers are overstretched caring for so many small children. The after-care staff also assist with the cooking and caring in the mornings.

Post by Colette Tilley

Recent Board of Trustees Meeting and Changes in Our Organization

2010-08-11T10:01:00.010+02:00

Board News:

On Saturday the 17th of July we had our annual Board of Trustees Meeting with the entire board in attendance. We spent the day reviewing the year as well as approving the organizations budgets and new Trustees were added onto the Board. Alan Velcich has joined us, a very experienced NGO and non-profit auditor from Johannesburg, and Mpumi Fundam, one of the Programme Heads of the Eastern Cape Development Programme who has been associated to us via the art programme for many years. Thabang Meslane will also be joining us on the Board in his new capacity as Director—see below. We are grateful for their willingness to serve on our Board.

Mrs. Mei, one of the founding members of the board of Trustees, a local business woman, and a long-time advocate of the Trust’s work, has asked to be retired from the board and we thank her sincerely for her many years of support.

Remaining on the Board is John Kincaid, Paul Roux, Andrew Hofmeyr, Novuyani Peyi, Annette Woudstra and Carol Hofmeyr who was elected Chair.

Carol’s New Role:

At the board of Trustees meeting Carol announced that she would be stepping down as a Director of the Trust. Carol began her work in Hamburg 10 years ago and founded the Trust in 2005. Her work-load has been enormous as the driver and creative force behind all of the craft work and all the major artworks the art project has create-- most recently the Guernica-- as well as the sole doctor in huge rural area with many urgent and unrelenting health needs.

She will of course remain very involved in the art project, and our most valuable advisor in terms of our health programme. She is also Chair of the Board.

Carol is taking a 6 month break from her clinic work as well and then will re-evaluate her role after that time.

As a trust we would like to partner with the government to recruit another doctor to this area. We are also in the process of interviewing nurses to work both with our village health workers and in our hospice inpatient unit.

New Director:

Thabang Meslane has been asked to join Annette as a Director. He has been working in various capacities over the past year, and increasingly called on to be involved in day-to-day operations management as Annette has had to be away in Canada for half of the year. This process had begun several months ago when Thabang accepted the role as Operations Manager. He has been doing an excellent job and has agreed to co-direct with Annette. This will ensure continuity of leadership in her absences and further free Carol to pursue other interests.

Their roles and responsibilities are as follows:

Annette: Trust Director

Donor Liaison
Reporting and Fundraising
Programme Development
Financial Planning
Maintaining Vision/Mission of Trust
Communications

Thabang: Managing Director

Responsible for daily operations management
Implementation of budget
Human Resources Head
Policy and procedures implementation
Chair Trust Management Team meetings
Volunteers

Art - Kirstenbosch hosts Keiskamma Art Project

2010-08-10T18:17:00.002+02:00

Kirstenbosch hosted the Keiskamma Art Project in July in preparation for the 2010 Kirstenbosch Botanical Art Biennale.

Click here to read more.

The Keiskamma Music Academy at the National Arts Festival 2010

2010-08-10T17:35:00.014+02:00

The Keiskamma Music Academy had an incredible experience at the National Arts Festival (NAF), performing three concerts on the Fringe entitled "Keiskamma Songbook".

The NAF is South Africa’s largest arts festival, and one of the largest in the world (http://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/).

It was amazing for us to be part of the Keiskamma Art Project’s participation in the same festival by association with the incredible “African Guernica” exhibition at the Thomas Pringle Hall. Visitors to the exhibition were invited to our concerts and we performed at the closing ceremony held in the exhibition space as a celebration of the Hamburg community and as a memorial for those who have passed away.

Throughout the festival, the music academy students grew in confidence, taking audiences by surprise with their unique vibe and music. The review in the festival newspaper (CUE) sums up the audience response: “This up-and-coming ensemble brings you the most beautiful pieces played on their recorders. It feels like you are drifting away to nature surrounded by the sounds that come out of their instruments. Through the creative use of the recorder they give a new meaning to it”.

Courtesy of the NAF’s outreach programme, the students were also privileged to attend 8 diverse shows, varying from Spanish dancing to acapella singing from Soweto to afro-jazz and finally a full scale symphony concert. They had an opportunity to formulate their own views on all that they experienced and what the festival meant to them by writing their own comments in a group journal.

Of all the festivals I have been involved in to date, I found this to be the most enjoyable and the students were exceptionally well behaved, receiving high praise from the staff of the dormitory where they stayed.

We also had excellent publicity material designed by Robbie Hofmeyr (Odd Digital Media), which raised the standard of our overall presentation tremendously. The concerts have already led to two further performance opportunities and our attractive programmes, posters and flyers have potential to further spread the word about the work of the academy.

Click here to view some photos from our first concert at the Commemoration Church on the 22nd of June 2010. (Photos by Stephane Meintjies. Used by permission).

Click here to view some photos from our third concert at the Rhodes Chapel on the 24th of July 2010. (Photos by Daniel Hutchinson).

Lastly, heartfelt thanks to the sponsors of our National Arts Festival experience, the German Development Service (DED) and Business Arts South Africa (BASA).

Post by Daniel Hutshinson

Art - Keiskamma Guernica

2010-08-01T23:12:00.004+02:00

From the 20th of June to the 4th of July, the Art Project presented a new installation at Grahamstown National Arts Festival in the main programme.

This exhibition was funded by the National Arts Festival. We thank them sincerely for their support.

The exhibition, which central piece is the new Art Project’s tapestry, was inspired by Picasso’s painting ‘Guernica’. While Picasso’s Guernica was a protest against the bombing on the small town of Guernica in Spain in 1937, ours is a protest about the slow disintegration and the death of a generation of people that seems unstoppable.

Alongside the tapestry, several elements were presented in memory of our community members who have passed away because of HIV/AIDS. Hundred of pots were made at the Keiskamma Ceramics studio, each of them in memory of a close friend or family member. Hand-made books containing the notes of who have worked in the Treatment Centre in Hamburg were a tribute to those who have worked with, healed, fed and comforted patients and were transformed into artworks. Around the room, sewed inside embroidered pillowcases were the medical files of all who have died in the Keiskamma project’s care in the past five years.

The exhibition was also an opportunity to launch two young ceramicists: Cebo Mvubu and Thobisa Nkani, who are working daily in the Keiskamma Ceramics Studio in Hamburg.The exhibition received rave reviews all over Grahamstown at the National Arts Festival. Major Article have appeared in Cue – the Arts Festival paper, the Port Elizabeth Herald and the National Arts Festival Blogspot. An interview was also aired on SA FM.

Links to press articles:

Week end Post

The Herald

Artsblog

Click here to watch a short movie about the Keiskamma Guernica exhibition, by Rhodes TV-Cue, the Art Festival’s TV.

Music Academy - April/May 2010 update

2010-05-31T09:55:00.002+02:00

The past few months of teaching music in Hamburg have been intensely rewarding. I have seen the students grow in self-discipline and in their love of music and of one another. The group dynamic is very strong and yet individual ability and talent is also shining through, as the students grow in confidence.

We have entered 19 students for UNISA practical exams, and 4 students for theory exams. These exams will take place in August and October respectively. We are grateful for the input of Senja Barthel, our professional recorder teacher from Berlin, in preparing our exam candidates. Senja is also doing a great job in motivating our new intake: we have admitted 9 beginners so far this year. A generous donation of new recorders from Yamaha made this possible.
On the teaching side, we have added capacity with the input of Janna Regenauer, a volunteer from the German Development Service (DED). Janna helps the students structure and implement their practising programme, to be fully ready for their lessons.

So our Saturday ensemble time now features three passionate teachers, Senja, Janna, and myself, all brimming with ideas and enthusiasm... and occasionally, we are joined by Helen when she is down from Jo’burg – and those are the really exciting times! We have expanded greatly on our ensemble repertoire, incorporating improvisation, extended techniques, and new instruments including the indigenous Xhosa uhadi bow, and (coming soon) the chromatic marimba.

The uhadi element, combined with recorders, is critical as it gives us the opportunity to tap directly into traditional Xhosa music. Our efforts in this direction were kick started by a workshop held in Hogsback facilitated by Jonathan Ncozana from the University of Fort Hare. The workshop was part of a camp that we enjoyed together with children from the Health Project, and staff from the Trust.

Other highlights from the past months were the Easter concert in the Old Hall (especially the jam session afterwards with Gaba!), and the shooting of a music video on the beach under the direction of Robert Hofmeyr.

The ensemble also successfully participated in the Eastern Cape Eisteddfod held in Grahamstown in May, achieving a gold award with their performance of a Mozart Rondo and the African-American spiritual, Go Down, Moses.

The ensemble looks forward to three performances at the National Arts Festival from the 22nd to 24th of July under the title “Keiskamma Songbook”. These performances will be the culmination of all the hard work and preparation over the past months.

Daniel Hutchinson - Teacher (Keiskamma Music Academy)

Volunteering at the Keiskamma Art Project, by Sofia Grönvall - Student in Fashion Business

2010-05-15T12:34:00.004+02:00

My name is Sofia Gronvall and I just got back to my home in Sweden from having volunteered with the Keiskamma Art Project during two months. Just to get things straight, when it comes to trips I’ve never been the planning kind of girl.

Needless to say, the day prior to my departure to South Africa I still didn’t have much to say when my friends and family asked what the heck I was about to get myself into. Not because I was about to enrol in secret activities but more because I had no idea what was awaiting me.

At the airport I was instantly introduced to the culture differences as the laid back lifestyle of the "Hamburg:ers" clashed with my Scandinavian importance of being on time. Consequently, I managed to call the Keiskamma office three times in half an hour before the driver arrived, clearly surprised with my impatience (which, if I may add was a result of nerves and not how I usually am).

Together with another volunteer I started off living with a wonderful couple, named Gay and Jens, in a big colourful house on the top of a hill facing the ocean. The view was marvellous and I couldn't believe my eyes when I first got there. Being a volunteer I figured I should be grateful if I had a bed to sleep on so this simply blew me away. Here I stayed for two weeks, paying 80 African rands/day (which included excellent food made by Gay herself) while getting accustomed to the community and my job within the trust. Thereafter I moved to a charming house close to the beach that I shared with three other volunteers and medical students who worked with HIV education. Along with our friends from the project we truly had some wonderful parties in that house!

Together with Florence "Flo" Danais, Manager of the art project, I discussed what my main tasks would be the two upcoming months. After having wandered the beautiful beaches in the area I had come up with an idea of creating a range of accessories made of beads and materials from the sea, such as shells and bits and pieces of things that had been washed up on shore. Flo was very positive and before I knew it we were off to purchase supplies to get on with the project. Within two weeks I had made my first earring and soon I began collaborating with fashion designer, capoeira instructor and Keiskamma artist, Msindisi "MC" Mva.

The first month I spent the morning helping Flo with everything from photographing new crafts to teaching locals basic computer skills. In the afternoon I went down to one of the studios where we kept the tools and shells to make new creations together with MC. Later I started focussing more on the jewellery, working full time to make samples for the Keiskamma artists to be inspired by and make their own.

Throughout my time with the Keiskamma Art Project I always felt like I was surrounded by the best of friends which made me feel very safe and appreciated. Flo was always exceptionally caring and happy about letting me decide what part of the project I would like to engage in. After only two months I had made a whole bunch of new friends while I got to know the Xhosa beliefs and culture. My stay in Hamburg turned out to be the experience of a lifetime and I hope to go back as soon as time allows.

Please note that volunteering opportunities are limited. For any queries regarding that matter please contact Unathi Meslane: unathi@keiskamma.org

Gardens - Success story for the organic gardening trainings

2010-05-09T12:12:00.003+02:00

The gardening trainings of the Keiskamma Organic Garden started in August 2009. From the beginning, Cebo Mvubu, Ayanda Gcezengana and Thobisa Nknani were part of the group who attends the training sessions regularly. They are artists who work with the Keiskamma Art Project as designers, ceramicists, print makers and wire workers. While Thobisa grows his vegetable at home, Cebo and Ayanda have decided to start their vegetable garden on the grounds of the art studio.

They are currently preparing artworks that will be part of the Keiskamma installation for this year’s Grahamstown National Arts Festival. As they spend much of their time at the Art Studio, the opportunity of using the land there and having some food to bring back home was best for them. With funding obtained through a talk at the Interesting Gardening Club in France, Franck Danais – who runs the organic gardening programme - supplied gardening tools to Cebo and Ayanda, and thanks to private donors, seeds and manure are supplied on an ongoing basis. So far they planted spinach, onions, lettuce, green peppers and carrots. Cebo says: ‘I like gardening. I tried at home even before Keiskamma started the gardening programme, but I didn’t have much success. Then I went to the Keiskamma pilot garden run by Franck, Princess and Samantha, and I found that it was a beautiful and fruitful garden. It was my inspiration that pushed me to try and have my own vegetable garden and make it successful. I went to their trainings, and started the garden at the art studio with Ayanda. Thanks to our garden, I can help my family with food: my two nephews, my mother and myself’.

‘I am really happy about what Cebo and Ayanda started. They are really motivated and they are the right example to show that gardening is not only for old ladies. They have the right idea about taking initiative to improve their lives, starting with the basics: healthy food, and cut back on food expenses’ (Franck Danais, Gardening Programme Manager).

April 2010 Fundraiser

2010-04-26T09:25:00.004+02:00

Pedalling for Peddie: ‘One Thousand kilometres from Hamburg to Cape Town'

HIV and AIDS – We are all in it together...

On Friday 23rd of April 2010, we welcomed Kidzpositive’s Director and Dr Paul Roux and five members of the Kidzpositive team in Hamburg. We invited them to the Heritage Site where over a hundred community members had gathered to attend the launch of the Pedalling for Peddie fundraiser.

From the Kidzpositive Website:

'We are riding from Hamburg in the Eastern Cape Province to Cape Town to connect the needs of a rural service with the resources in a city and to symbolize a link between sister enterprises: The Keiskamma Trust and the Kidzpositive Fund’ Click here

to read more.

AIDS councillor Eunice Mangwane was the MC that evening. She scheduled a nice programme for the Kidzpositive team with the Traditional Dance Group, the Music Academy, the Capoeira group and the Gospel Choir.

At the end of the ceremony, the Art Project handed the fundraiser’s banner over the Paul Roux’s team: a 2m long tapestry designed by Nozeti Makhubalo depicting the road that the team was going to ride on from Hamburg to Cape Town.

After a well-deserved quiet Saturday, the Kidzpositive team departed from Hamburg on their bikes on Sunday 25th of April at 8am, supported by Keiskamma Trust’s Founding Director Carol Baker-Hofmeyr, and other members of the community.

Go to our Facebook Fan page to view the entire portfolio of the event!

We are so excited to have such strong supporters in the Kidzpositive Family fund and we wish them well for the journey ahead...

Staff profile: Novuyani Peyi

2010-03-22T15:42:00.006+02:00

Novuyani Peyi is the Keiskamma Art Project's Staff Coordinator. She is also a member of the Keiskamma Trust’s Board of Trustees and of the Keiskamma Trust's Management Team.

Novuyani lives in Hamburg location. She is 43 years old. Her husband works as a security officer. She has three children who are all students. She has three grand-children and a nine-year old foster child.

Time with the Trust.
I started working here in 2004 and went from embroidery to machine sewing, and after some time, being offered to join art management where I dispatched work and made payments. Today I am part of the Board of Trustees.
With the Keiskamma Trust I have gained confidence in decision-making, learnt the importance of short- and long term planning and along with that built my self-esteem.
I feel very proud to be part of the Board of Trustees because I am there to represent the community.

Most Successful Project.
The Keiskamma Art Project has developed a lot. Throughout the years we have gone from having no basic knowledge of how to run a business to becoming an organization led by an experienced board which plans and budgets properly.
In my view, the most successful project has been the Keiskamma Altarpiece which has reached places like Canada, the United States and England.

How The Keiskamma Trust Has Helped my Community.
Today, more than 140 women are hired by the Art Project. The quality of our handcrafts is improving day by day while the work gives therapy to those who need it the most.
Before this Project we had nothing to do. We were struggling to feed our kids and education was just a dream. Through this project that dream has come true.

Music Academy - Plans for 2010

2010-03-01T12:52:00.010+02:00

We have been very excited to have started our new year with Daniel Hutchinson joining us as teacher. He is a Grahamstown based composer and music teacher and is teaching part time for the Academy in Hamburg. In addition, Senja Barthel, a recorder teacher from Berlin, will be joining us from the beginning of March for 6 months. She has studied recorder and music education at the University of Arts Berlin with Christoph Huntgeburth.

Daniel Hutchinson is starting to build on the marimba playing skills of the children. He is equally at home in both classical and jazz musical idioms and has a particular interest in indigenous African music.

Plans for performances in and around Hamburg are under way, including an Easter Sunday concert in Hamburg. We will be performing at the Grahamstown Festival in July. As well, we are considering a benefit concert date in Johannesburg for the end of April.

Special thanks to Dave and Eileen Thayser for their donation of curtains. We have had them embroidered by the Keiskamma Art Project and hung in the music room. Thank you to Suzette Lombard at the SABC Music Library for posters which now adorn the walls of the Music Academy. Thank you to Julia Davey for her donation of a carpet.

Many thanks to all of you for keeping the Music Academy in your hearts.

Yours in music

Helen Vosloo

The Keiskamma Music Academy thank their donors: (contributions since 2008)

Sopranino donor (R500 up to R4 999)
Don and Marianne Macrobert,
AVI, Desklink Publishing,
National Arts Festival,
Nigel Carman

Soprano donor (R5 000 up to R9 999)
Gerhard and Helene Weber

Alto donor (R10 000 up to R24 999)
Dave and Eileen Thayser,
Robert Chalmers and Lawrence Yates- UK,
Dr. & Mrs Viljoen of Northwards Manor House,
SAMRO

Tenor donor (R25 000 up to R49 999)
Tom and Jean Lloyd,
Yamaha South Africa,
National Arts Council

Bass donor (R50 000 up to R99 999)
German Consulate Cape Town,
Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Fund

Contra bass donor (R100 000 +)
Industrial Development Corporation,
Anonymous International Donor,
Rand Merchant Bank

NB: We are able to issue tax receipts since the Keiskamma Trust has 18A tax status as a registered NPO.

For more information about the Keiskamma Music Academy, contact Helen Vosloo at helen@keiskamma.org
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots.
You need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 082 664 1190

Education - Trust’s education programme provides help to Bodium Primary School

2010-01-30T16:23:00.001+02:00

The primary School in Bodium, the village close to Hamburg, is extremely under resourced. The school has only four teachers for 105 pupils. Grades 1-7 share 4 rooms, while Grade R children are accommodated in the kitchen rondavel.

Thanks to Jane Spriggs, a Johannesburg educator who has a holiday home in Hamburg, the Trust has been able to employ a teaching assistant to assist with the foundation phase classes. Jane turned 60 last year and made a generous donation to the Trust to celebrate the occasion.

The foundation phase teacher, Mrs Mcoseli, reaches retirement age next year. Currently she has to run backwards and forwards between two buildings to teach the children in the lower grades. Andiswa Makubalo started work at the school this month. She will assist Mrs Mcoseli with her daily programme and thereby ensure that there is adequate supervision in each of the “classrooms” for a trial period of six months, with the possibility of extending this to the end of the year..

Staff at the school are dedicated teachers under the leadership of Mr Makapela the school principal and teacher of grades 6 & 7.

The Trust plans to assist the Bodium community with the establishment of an aftercare centre for vulnerable children once the centre at Mgababa has been fully equipped and is running smoothly.

OVC - More about Christmas 2009! Creches Christmas Party

2010-01-24T08:53:00.006+02:00

The Presbyterian Church from Port Alfred has taken on Hamburg as their outreach programme, thanks to the connection made by Coleen Driessel who has worked as a bookkeeper for the Trust for 8 1/2 years. Each year a group of ladies from Port Alfred, headed up by Gwen Milne, knit jerseys for the crèche children in Hamburg, Bodium and Ntilini. We received about 120 jerseys this year! If all the jerseys are not handed out to the crèches then they are distributed out at the clinics. In addition, through-out the year clothes are collect by the congregation to be distributed amongst the families of Hamburg and surrounding areas. Once a year a party is hosted by the church for the crèche children over 100 children receive a gift, sweets, cool drink and cake. Many thanks to Coleen and Natalie Renou for organizing the Christmas parties this year.

OVC - Celebrating Christmas!

2010-01-12T20:41:00.014+02:00

Once more, this year, Christmas was duly celebrated with the children of Hamburg. Organized by Coleen Driessel and Elnor Leach, the event took place on the 18th of December at the Town Hall .

Both current and former members of the Trust’s staff collaborated to make this event a success. Games were organized by Nokuphiwa Gedze and Derek Oxlee while waiting for Father Christmas. Enormous cakes were sponsored by Elnor Leach and distributed by Natalie Renou and Jackie Downs. About 100 children had great fun, while waiting for Father Christmas who came on his donkey cart to deliver the Christmas presents: dolls sponsored by the Good Gifts charity in the UK and stationery and toys sponsored by Elnor Leach. The dolls – boy dolls for boys and girl dolls for girls – were made by the Keiskamma Art Project’s doll makers. Good Gifts sponsored a total of 455 dolls. The remainder of the dolls will be distributed in the crèches and the Keiskamma Trust OVC Aftercare centres when schools re-open in January 2010.

We thank Coleen Driessel, Colette Tilley, Derek Oxlee, Elnor Leach and her family, Jackie Downs, Natalie Renou, Nokuphiwa Gedze, the Keiskamma Art Project and Good Gifts.

Happy 2010!

2009-12-31T15:49:00.006+02:00

It is the final count-down to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa with the opening of Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The Keiskamma Art Project has unveiled its new Artwork ‘Children playing games’ part of the decoration of this new stadium.

More information on Durban Municipality's website: http://www.durban.gov.za/durban/discover/museums/dag/mm

Special thanks to the Keiskamma Art Project team who contributed to the success of this new endeavour. We also thank Carol Brown for her help, as well as Robert Hofmeyr and Ardwork Eddie Jange for their expertise.

Hand-dyed and hand-made felt:
Nontozamo Gxamza, Buyiswa Beja, Ncameka Gedze, Nozolile Gedze, Nomgcobo Nompunga, Nokulunga Tupeni, Noluvuyo Damoyi

Cut work:
Novuyani Peyi

Embroidery:
Bandlakazi Nyongo, Nofumene Tobi, Nokutula Mvapantzi, Nomantombazana Joe, Nompumezo Peyi, Nokuzola Mvapantzi, Nolungile Ndonga, Nondumizo Solo, Nozibele Nxadi, Ntombizakhe Sikani, Tabisa Nxadi, Tandiswa Nxadi, Thembeka Makubalo, Thembisa Gusha, Vulelwa Dyido

Wire and beadwork:
Ayanda Gcezengana, Cebo Mvubu, Lindiswa Gedze, Msindisi Mva, Noluthando Ngqula, Nombuyiselo Malumbezo, Patiswa Ngcayi, Siziwe Mva, Thobisa Nkani
Wire and beadwork was supervised by Ardwork Eddie Jange

Photographs:
Robert Hofmeyr

Frames:
Ayanda Gcezengana

Original concept:
Robert Hofmeyr

Coordination and creative supervision:
Carol Hofmeyr, Florence Danais

Production Management:
Novuyani Peyi, Veronica Betani, with the help of Nomfusi Nkani

Art – Exhibition opening at Kalk Bay Modern

2009-12-16T19:04:00.002+02:00

On Wednesday 9th of December was the opening of the sumptuous new exhibtion at Kalk Bay Mondern (Cape Town area) featuring the Keiskamma Art Project. Entitled 3000 hours, the name refers to the approximate number of hours it took to make the work on display. For this exquisite exhibition, the Art Project is presenting a limited edition of its o wn interpr etation of Paul Klee’ s artworks.

Address: Kalk Bay Modern Gallery – 1st Floor Olympia Buildings – 136 Main Road – Kalk Bay.

Capoeira and education, by Kat Carpenter: The experience of a volunteer at the Keiskamma Trust

2009-12-16T18:20:00.008+02:00

During September to December 2009, Kat Carpenter, a member of Aboliçao Oxford Capoeira went to Hamburg to work with the Keiskamma Trust and spend time with the capoeira group there.

Msindisi Mva, the groups teacher had recently returned from Cape Town. Kat and Msindisi worked together to get classes re-structured.

Classes were set up at the primary school on 3 afternoons a week, and 3 morning classes were set up for adult beginners, the regular 4:30pm to 6pm training continued daily. The primary school classes are going really well, parents are happy that their children can train after school so they do not arrive home too late. The morning classes are a good opportunity for people with less confidence around the agile young people to learn the basic moves of capoeira.

Kat also worked with Keiskamma trust looking at child development, providing training to local health and education workers and setting up resources and an assessment kit, also assisting in the set-up of a play room. It was a challenge to split time between the two areas of work!

From the 4th to the 9th of December, Elton Jones another member of Aboliçao Oxford, joined the group for a few days just in time for the end of year party, which the group funded themselves with money they earnt at a performance earlier in the year.

To get the group thinking about the positive benefits of capoeira a small art workshop was carried out at the party. Each member was asked what do you enjoy about capoeira, how does it affect your life, what opportunities does it give you, how does it make you feel, thinking about life before you started capoeira and now, how is it different? The group worked in 2’s and 3’s to write down 3 things, everyone present took part. They then enjoyed putting hand prints in a circle on a piece of cloth to represent a roda. Phrases such as “protection, makes me feel at home, education, energy, inspiration, helps me to do the right things, strength, love, communication” were gathered.

All the words and phrases were written in the middle of the ‘roda’ . It now hangs in the capoeira training hall. The group to get this image printed onto T-shirts, along with their own Abolicao Hamburg logo which is currently being designed. The aim would be for each member to have a T-shirt that belongs to the group and them to be able to sell these to members of Abolicao in Oxford and London and visitors to the Keiskamma Project as a business opportunity for the group as they are very keen to increase their independence financially.

A day of workshops was also held, taught by Elton, an angola workshop, samba, maculele, music and ending in a roda. The group really enjoyed the opportunity to learn new moves and spend the day enjoying all aspects of capoeira, they all worked hard and joined in well.
The group have all missed seeing contra-mestre Luis Negao this year so being able to do these workshops was a good end of year activity to bring the group together.

And lastly, along with the Keiskamma Art Project, a small group went to visit a local Eco-community called Khuladhamma to do a performanace. They did a performance roda and ran a short workshop. The community are keen to get capoeira going so it is hoped more workshops an be arranged in the future which the hamburg group can run.

“ I am very sad to be leaving the group here, I really enjoyed the opportunity I have had to meet the group and get to know them and their day to day lifes. Training here is hard, to keep motivated every week when there is not often a Mestre or even Professor, but the group do it with energy and play very very good capoeira. I think I have learnt more from them than they learnt fom me! I’m happy to be leaving with some projects, ie. T-shirt making and links with the eco-community on the go as it gives good plans for the new year. I look forward to being able to visit the group again. I hope that people in the uk can see how hard to group are working to increase their indenpendence and if they can give anyhthing to help with setting up their plans, publicity costs and transport it would be such a help. Axe!”

Kat Carpenter, 11.12.2009

Art - Keiskamma Canada Foundation's Joyful Angels

2009-12-06T10:30:00.003+02:00

Keiskamma Canada Foundation together with the Canadian choir ‘Joyful Noise Choir’ launched a campaign to support the Keiskamma Art Project. The challenge was for the about 30 children of the Canadian choir to pre-sell as many felt angels as they could for Christmas... and on the 14th of November, closing date of the campaign, they had sold 701 felt angels! The Keiskamma Art Project Doll Makers thank all the children of the choir, Rein for the coordination of the whole order and Keiskamma Canada Foundation for the great support that they brought with this idea of Joyful Angels and for linking our Project with the Choir.

On the photograph: The Keiskamma Art Project Doll Making Group

Art - Hamburg Artist Residency

2009-12-06T10:08:00.008+02:00

On the 18th of November, we welcomed Miss Nomza Mazwai, the Project Officer of the Hamburg Artist Residency for Aspire. She came with her team, and she also invited the very well-known writer and story teller Mrs Gcina Mhlope, and the Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Chief Executive Officer Mrs Michelle Constant. The Keiskamma Art Project presented their studios, and also showed the other activities of the Keiskamma Trust in order to give to the guests a comprehensive approach of the Trust’s activities. The tour was punctuated with entertainments directly grown from the Trust: the Music Academy played recorder songs, the traditional dancers from the Education Departments welcomed the guests at the Heritage Site, and the capoeira group, who also performed at the Heritate Site, made a great impression. It was also an opportunity to share our visions, and to envisage the way that Aspire and Keiskamma Art Project could collaborate together for the establishment of the Artist Residency.

On the photograph: BASA CEO Michelle Constant and Keiskamma Artist Cebo Mvubu

Organic Gardening and Environmental Program

2009-12-06T09:57:00.008+02:00

Keiskamma Organic Gardens run by Franck Danais and Princess Xhaka have started their training sessions. Four themes have been covered so long: ‘Organize your garden’, ‘Fencing and hedging’, ‘Methods of composting’, ‘How to prepare the soil’. Members of the community have shown great interest and have asked for a training session every second week. They enjoyed the projection of the Home, the movie (free of rights) by Yann Arthus Bertrand as a start for the Keiskamma environmental program.

More photographs on Facebook, on the Keiskamma Trust Fan Page.

Music Academy - Some of our highlights this year!

2009-12-06T09:55:00.004+02:00

July was an exciting month for the Music Academy: the children performed at two of the “Baroque and Blue” concert tour concerts, namely in Port Alfred and Grahamstown. They also attended some concerts during the Grahamstown Festival. It is heart warming to see their growth as individuals, their growing discipline, and developing skill on their recorders. We were so proud of them.
The children had an emotional farewell for Yannic Herrenknecht: a young German volunteer (through Weltwarts, a German parastatal) who apart from his music contributions was an inspiration and role model to especially the boys in the Music Academy.
Mpumi Nuyshman resigned in September and Dean Flanegan, an East London based music teacher stepped in at very short notice to prepare the children for their examinations. He has also made a big impact with the marimba band. Dean is not available to teach next year, and we are currently looking for a new recorder teacher. Please contact helen@keiskamma.org or at 082 664 1190 should you be interested.
The children at the Keiskamma Music Academy performed exceedingly well at their recent Trinity College of London Exams.
An excerpt from an e-mail from Dean Flanegan, our teacher who prepared the children for their exams:
“I thought you would be pleased to know that the kids did exceptionally well in the Trinity exams – with 10 distinctions and 5 merits!

These where the best marks achieved by any school in East London entered into the exams. The results are even more impressive when you see how strictly she (the examiner) marked other students....

Below I have given the name and mark awarded to each student. I will be giving them their marks this Saturday.

The exam is out of 100. Distinction is 87. Merit is 75.

INITIAL
Sibongiseni – 97
Kanyi – 94
Siphelo – 92
Mkhululi – 91
Aviwe – 91
Sinesipho – 90
Sandisiwe – 89
Mihlali – 88
Olwethu – 84
Nokuthula – 78

GRADE 1
Nqophisa – 93
Lihle – 87
Zimkhitha – 85
Simnikiwe – 85
Sithembiso – 75”
Francois Le Roux did a moving interactive concert / workshop in Hamburg with the children from the Music Academy on Sunday 15 November at 15h00. http://www.ha!manworld.com/
Thank you to Dave and Eileen Thayser for their donation of curtains. We have had them embroidered and hung in the music room.
Thank you to Suzette Lombard at the SABC Music Library for posters which now adorn the walls of the Music Academy.

We have a request for some loose items:* loose carpets, to improve on the acoustics in the music room
We would like to put up signage in Hamburg saying "Keiskamma Music Academy".
Would you like to contribute, please contact helen@keiskamma.org or at 082 664 1190.

Thank you for keeping the Music Academy in your hearts.We wish you a peaceful Christmas and a beautiful New Year!

On the photograph: Francois Le Roux and the children from the Keiskamma Music Academy

Art - Embroidery Graduation

2009-12-06T09:40:00.003+02:00

On the 20th of November, Keiskamma Friends UK, represented by Jan Chalmers and Jacky Jeselwski, organized a ceremony for the embroidery students who passed their certificates. Congratulations to Nolusindiso JAKAVULA, Nomgcobo NOMPUNGA, Thembeka MAKUBALO, Thembisa GUSHA, Ncameka GEDZE, Nozibele NXADI, Noluntu MAVELA and Bulelwa DYIDO.

Health - Umtha Welanga Step Down Unit

2009-12-06T09:38:00.000+02:00

Keiskamma Trust has been working towards the establishment of a step-down unit at Nompumelelo Hospitstal in Peddie-Town for the past three years. Early in 2009, the hospital made a ward available to us for the step-down unit and for nearly a year, the Keiskamma Health team has been in negotiation with the HIV AIDS directorate of Eatern Cape Province and Nompumelelo Hospital, working on the details. This joint venture is set to open in January 2010. The services offered are essentially what Umtha Welanga has been running for the past five years out of Hamburg – extended care of patients who have been prematurely discharged from Hospital but need care, either because their families are unable to care for them at home, or they need more time for education on the treatment of chronic disease.

Art Exhibition - Not Alone in Cape Town, at the Slave Lodge and The Castle until the 31st of January 2010

2009-12-06T09:35:00.003+02:00

The Keiskamma Altarpiece was opening at the Slave Lodge, an Iziko Museum in Cape Town, as part of the ongoing exhibition Not Alone, an International Project of Make Art/ Stop AIDS co-curated by Carol Brown and David Gere. Pieter-Dirk Uys Dirs was the guest speaker at the event that was attended by Dr Carol Baker-Hofmeyr, Annette Woudstra and for the very first time since the opening in 2005, all 3 grand-mothers represented on the third panel of the Altarpiece, Suzan Paliso, Caroline Tyibilika and Eunice Mangwane, were present with their grand-children. The evening was a great success, well-attended with the US Ambassador. The exhibition is on display until the 31st of January 2010.

Health - 2009 PATA Conference

2009-12-06T09:33:00.004+02:00

For the fifth year in a row, Keiskamma Trust Health programme has been invited to attend the PATA AIDS Conference. PATA stands for Paediatric Aids Treatment for Africa and is a yearly forum which brings together top experts in the paediatric care field. This year’s conference was held in Johannesburg and included PATA clinics from across Sub-Sahara. The focus for this year’s forum was on adolescent care. This year’s Keiskamma Trust team was made of Dr Carol Baker-Hofmeyr, Annette Woudstra, Eunice Mangwane and Thobeka Bhekani. The PATA programme consists of cutting edge practices and academic research, and combines that with practical planning for each clinics health program for the following year. It was an incredible privilege to be amongst colleagues providing excellent paediatric care from across Africa and we went away with many new tools and ideas for our paediatric and adolescent care. Keiskamma Trust loomed large during all the PATA proceedings thanks to the large embroidered and appliquéd Africa maps that we donated to the PATA offices in Cape Town, as well as the 145 conference bags that PATA commissioned and purchased from us for each delegate. Many encouraging contacts were developed during the intensive 5-day workshop, including the cementing of our relationship between Kidzpositive, an NGO founded by Dr Paul Roux, Paediatrician at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, who is also on our board of Trustees; and Partners In Heath (PIH), plans are on the way for both projects for the next year.

On the photograph: Eunice Mangwane