God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

Seed of HOPE

Nutrition and training … so much needed … and to give hope for 2 Euro a month – share your hope with those less fortune – what could be more rewarding…?

We need your help to support our “𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄” project!
Donate now to support families in Delft, Cape Town and to finance training within the project. Your donation can make a big difference and contribute to improve the lives of many in need. We believe in the power of community and the change we can make together. Thank you for your support.

Please follow the link or scan the QR code:


https://lnkd.in/deD5fHPY

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HOPE Gala Dresden, Networking, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, South Africa, The Nex - Indawo Yethu, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Human Rights Day in South Africa

The Human Rights Day in South Africa is historically linked with the 21st March 1960 and celebrated as a Public Holiday in the new democratic South Africa.
And why the 21st March 1960, those not living in South Africa, will ask.

Sharpeville is the answer: On that day, 69 people died and 180 were wounded when police fired on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the unjust pass laws.

Today we commemorate on those events, and those laws are gone, and we live in a free and democratic society, so we say. But looking more closely, we have to admit, that changing to one person one vote has not brought us to the point where human rights are respected in South Africa.

The last weeks we experienced how a political party can call on infringements of human rights and threatened violence with their “national shutdown”. It was in most parts prevented by a coordinated effort of police and security services, as well as court decisions. Alone that Members of the National Parliament are able to use intimidation and threats tells a story.

But looking at the living conditions of many of South Africans, it triggers the question about human rights and the ability to enjoy them in current times.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education and the list is longer.

At the end, it is the right to have a decent life in safety and security and sheltered in an adequate human way.

Looking at my working place in a township, I am not sure, I witness human rights making it to the front. Violence, gender-based-violence, poverty, lack of education and work opportunities, just to name some, prevent people from enjoying their human rights. It is not particular one place – many townships and locations don’t provide for the living conditions needed to enjoy the real meaning of human rights and human dignity.

I honestly often take my hat off seeing and experiencing the dignity and good will of people who are deprived of the chances and who still try to make the best out of it.

With all those people of goodwill, there is so much more to do to make our Human Right Day in South Africa a celebratory day. For now, it is a day of reflection and commemoration, but also a day of awareness and a reminder, what all has still to be done.

As the world is currently in general in a bad space or in a transition time, it is even more difficult for an emerging democracy to get it right and to give its citizens what they rightfully are entitled to.

Human Rights Day 2023 – a day of commemoration, reminder, and order and not political Sunday sermons.

Filed under: Africa, General, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, South Africa, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Ball of HOPE 2023

Dear Members, Partners, Supporters and Friends of HOPE Cape Town,

…the countdown has begun!

Ticket sales for our 21st Ball of HOPE on Saturday, 6th May 2023 at The Westin Cape Town are now open.

Under the motto “Keep Rocking for HOPE”, this highlight on Cape Town’s annual event calendar promises to be an evening of excellent food, rocking entertainment and great company.

However, it is more than just a fantastic evening – it is a wonderful opportunity to support the important work of HOPE Cape Town!

Please reserve your seat/table as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The WESTIN Cape Town has granted our guests reduced room rates at R2300 (per single or double room, incl. breakfast) for the occasion.

For room reservations please contact Leigh-Ann Lyons/The WESTIN directly by e-mail Leigh-ann.Lyons@westin.com

We look forward to welcoming you to the Ball of HOPE 2023!

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the organisers:

Rev Fr Stefan Hippler                           Anja Tambusso Ferraz

HOPE Cape Town                                SA- German Chamber of Commerce and Industry

capetown@germanchamber.co.za

You can download the form from here

Filed under: Africa, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

Create HOPE in the World

Rotary International revealed last week the motto for the Rotary Year 2023/2024.
Reflecting on this motto at the beginning of the new calendar year, indeed hope is needed. Looking around into the world in January 2023 one could be frightened.

The constant attacks of Russia trying to bring a neighboring country down by sheer bombing terror towards infrastructure and non-military aims has shown no letting down on ferocity.

Brazil and the USA, followed by Hungary and now Israel continue to show how democracy can be eroded on a continuous base, and it seems that a major part of the respective population supports the move into more anarchy and oligarchy.

China’s COVID-19 politics has shown how dictatorial states irrationally govern and at the end are bringing more suffering to the people solely through nonsensical decisions filtering down from top to bottom without being questioned.

And in the country I live, the blackouts give witness to the ongoing incompetence and corruption of the nationally governing parties; failing their very own people in basic matters.

So yeah, hope is needed, and fascinating is, that Rotary does not want to give hope, but indeed create hope. This sounds like a very active approach, and an approach which is the only way to go against the wave of hopelessness and despair, people experiencing on a daily basis.

And this despair brings lots of people to turn towards populists and conspiracy theories. Being told that there is only “black and white” and one is given a clear path to walk is often perceived as the most easy way to escape the amount of challenges the world is facing.

Creating hope means now to actively go against populism and all the other woes of modern society. It means to be on the ground and to work with the people concerned by developing alternatives, by voicing reason publicly and by simple leading and living by example.

For me, as the chairperson of HOPE Cape Town Trust, the new motto is also an encouragement to do more in this regard. It seems to me one of the best wishes for 2023. Not only because it is so desperately needed. But also because I know that millions of Rotarians around the world can make a difference, joining forces with all the NGO’s and civil society institutions already hart at work.

We need a coalition of the willing, a term we know from the Iraq war, but now meant in a very positive way of goodwill and enthusiasm. We need people who put their ideologies aside and first and foremost see the person and his/her needs. And we need people who understand human rights, human dignity and the portion of freedom and self-determination to be afforded to everybody.

Looking at the challenges the world is facing, creating hope means a hands-on approach. It means practicality at work and a mixture of grass-roots approach and policies giving reason and direction.

With this motto Rotary has set a scene giving hope – now lets see how the creation of this hope looks like in real life. As a Rotarian myself I am thrilled to be part of this creation.

Filed under: General, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

Compliments of the Season

On behalf of HOPE Cape Town, Board Members, Staff and Beneficiaries, I would like to wish you, your family and friends as well as your staff a fabulous Festive Season filled with peace, joy, and love.    

We thank you for being part of the HOPE family truly caring about the children, youth, and families in the Greater Cape Town Area.

May you feel the blessing of Christmas, Hannukah and all the other festivities, we celebrate in this time. And may you remain a blessing for others.

We wish you a joyful Festive Season.

Best

Fr Stefan

If you want to share your love and happiness with those less fortunates, please do so in using the details of the respective country:

South Africa

Germany

USA

Please note, for all three countries, we can issue a tax-deductible receipts.

Filed under: Uncategorized

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