The boxes were taken out to Rosie’s Soup Kitchen where she is currently feeding
180 school children every morning on their way to school. While we were delivering the porridge to Rosie she told me that she is also providing a meal for many people suffering with TB, they stop at her kitchen on their way to the TB clinic as they have to have food in their stomach before their medication can be given to them.

Rosie is also providing a meal to many other people in the community who are poor and unemployed.They can get a good nutritionous meal from her at the cost of 60c
a meal.

The story Mariette was talking about was the Tourism Community Development Trust !
Mariette explained to listeners how the TCD Trust had put action behind their good intentions and teamed up unifying the efforts of players in the tourism industry to bring real and meaningful benefits back to the community at large.

Mariette discussed some of the increadible success stories already achieved through the Trust with the support of our “friends of the Trust”. She also mentioned Blomvlei project and the increadble news that we beging building in January 2010 with this ambitious and wonderous project.

“Creating a variety of secure, sheltered, meaningful and inspirational spaces.”

What is our call to action ?
1. SECURE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO MAKE THE DREAM COME TRUE.
2. ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TO JOIN AS FRIENDS OF THE TRUST AND SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK WE DO.
3. GET THE COMMUNITY, PARENTS AND CHILDREN INVOLVED.
4. FINDING PARTNERS AND RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH AN EXTRA MURAL CURRICULUM.

I would like to introduce myself to the Friends of the Trust, some of you may already know me as I have been involved in the tourism industry for many years. I was born in Zimbabwe and grew up with a genuine love and passion for Africa which has never left me. I have, as a tour operator, travelled Southern Africa extensively. For the past four years I have worked on a part time basis with a social upliftment project in the townships in Cape Town which has given me great joy and a deep respect for these communities. The project also involved the tourism indusrty and I saw how the project changed many people’s lives from living in a shack to owning a home of their own.

I look forward to working together with the Trustees and the Friends of the Trust to continue the good work which has already been achieved by the TCD Trust and to see the reality of the dream for the new multi purpose centre at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park.

I recently visited Blomvlei Primary School for the first time and met with the head mistress, Dawn Petersen. She proudly showed me around the school and the new sports flieds which were being laid, the first step towards the bigger picture of creating an enviroment for these children that they can be proud of and play in a safe area. We were there on a scorching hot day and the children were having their school assembly out in the school courtyard, Dawn said she could not wait for the day when they will have the centre open and the children won’t have to sit outside.

I hope to meet with many of you as soon as possible and look forward to working together.

Bronwen has been in the tourism industry for over 20 years and has, for the past four years, successfully coordinated projects involving the tourism industry and raising funds to build houses for shack dwellers living in the townships of the Western Cape.

With her passion for the upliftment of grassroute projects in South Africa and a vast knowldge and understanding of the tourism industry, Bronwen will continue to expand our Friends of the Trust and work with our various projects which the Trust supports.

The multi-purpose centre at Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park will be the focus of fund raising efforts and ensuring that the project continues to become a reality for this community.

We welcome Bronwen onboard and look forward to working together.

The trust would like to thank George La Hood from Australia who spent time and energy whilst visiting Cape Town to source, buy and install the fan. Your effort is much appreciated George – thank you!

Rosie is concerned about the cost implications of this fan – her electricity bill will definitely be higher. We have asked Rosie to monitor her bills and the trust will endeavour to see that she is not out of pocket. Any volunteers?

Richard recently told us that they had “successfully wired one thousand dollars to TCD Trust. We are happy to be able to make this donation at this time. Maybe you could use it for the renovation of Rosie’s kitchen, but we will trust your good use of it.”

The good news is that renovations at Rosie’s Soup Kitchen are already complete. The funds will be allocated to the trust’s newest project: a Respite Centre for HIV infected children.

I was very pleased to respond to Richard and Gaby with the following:

Rosie in the wendy house that is her soup kitchen.

The current soup kitchen as seen from outside.

Rosie and some of the local children outside her new Soup Kitchen!

We will post photos of the progress for Rosie’s Soup Kitchen in the near future.