Every story, every way walked, needs a motivation. This video clip tells the story of such a motivation for the organisation HOPE Cape Town in South Africa.
The world is changing rapidly; not only in technology, but those who say world developments follow a sinus curve will notice that after years embracing a global world we suddenly are confronted with narrow-minded political leaders, partly drifting into the right-wing fascistic corner. USA, Israel, Hungary are certainly frontrunner in this game. This adds another layer to the anyhow complicated world where more and more people seemingly are marred by anxiety and fear in terms of their future. Fearful people love easy answers where the circle closes and populists win and start doing damage.
This sounds pretty negative but looking at the situation and giving up would defy the purpose of this blog entry. It’s the opposite: Times of transformation and hardship, times of challenges and outright human craziness, are times for opportunities.
The opportunity to see the situation and the world as is in reality – not as I wish for. The opportunity to see where systems are not coping any more and structures crumble under the new challenges. It is also the time when people rise to the occasion one would have never imagined they would do.
And it is the time for NGO’s to close ranks and to create synergies, carrying those who normally are loser in such transitions through those times. NGO’s can keep humanity and common sense alive while politics spins out of control. They are the pointing finger that at the end, it’s about people and humanity, and not about power for some either connected or rich wannabe leaders.
NGO’s working globally together will keep the vision of human rights and human dignity alive. And those supporting the work done are contributing to this important work – especially in times like ours. And here we are at another important truth: NGO work needs support – needs the support of people but also from the economic sector. Another important synergy between the non-profit world and companies will be essential. It will be their cooperation on many levels which will at the end also shape the world.
So no, there is no time for giving up nor letting some self-absorbed and self-styled populists or the current anxiety of people and societies overcome the efforts of remaining open to life, open to dignity and humanity for all. Including the care for the environment, which can only be done as a global effort.
Who does not want to leave a legacy and be remembered for being a force for good? How fascinating will it be if your deeds are bearing fruit still in a hundred years time. Seeing the bigger picture and being a hero driven by hope and the imagination, how the world could be; and not only imagining it but putting your money where your mouth is….
We invite you to do exactly this – walk with us while scrolling down…
Thank you for walking with us until this point. You have certainly done the first steps. The question, which remains, and only you can answer: Do you want to go one step further and become a hope hero in-deed?
If you do, please feel free to contact trust@hopecapetown.org
It is a ringfenced email address and all correspondence remains confidential.
Tax receipts can be issued by HOPE Cape Town in Germany, Austria, South Africa and the USA if the donation to capital is received in the respective local HOPE Cape Town related bank account.
Next to HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Trust and HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung there is another sister NGO called HOPE Cape Town USA.
During the Word Aids Conference in Washington / DC many years ago it became clear, that the HIV prevalence rates in Washington or Dallas within the non-white communities were comparable with those horrific numbers in South Africa.
Same problems, but certainly different situations and different ways to tackle the existing challenges. Rev Fr Stefan Hippler, who attended the conference, brought the stats and situation analysis with back to South Africa. Meetings with the then Head of Social Services in a New Jersey county Mr Joe Kunzmann and a lawyer from Dallas, Mrs Stacie McNulty Greskowiak led to the formation of HOPE Cape Town USA.
The entity was meant to explore synergies between the work in the fields of HIV/AIDS in both countries. Connections were established to local NGO’s and HOPE Cape Town via HOPE Cape Town USA and promising leads developed. The pandemic destroyed most of the plans and HOPE Cape Town is slowly finding its feet again.
In November 2023 the first fund-raiser was held in Ann Arbor / Michigan, where one of the 4 directors now resides. Further steps of local engagement as well as fundraising efforts are in planing.
HOPE Cape Town USA is a recognized NGO in the USA with the ability to issue tax-deductible receipts and the directors are currently:
Chair: Joseph E Kunzmann (Somerville / New Jersey) Treasurer: Somerville / Shirley Kunzmann (New Jersey) Secretary: Stacie McNulty Greskowiak (Michigan) and the two members Auntjuan Wiley aka Mr Community” (Dallas / Texas) and Stefan Hippler (representing HOPE Cape Town Trust South Africa)
Focusing on marketing and fundraising for the organisation HOPE Cape Town in South Africa, I had the pleasure – if it is a pleasure – to travel between three continents this year again, trying to find, reach and convince people in the USA, South Africa and European countries to support our holistic approach.
It is generally not an easy task, but the world is currently so much up-side-down, that the challenges seem to grow every day. It becomes a minefield, not only, because of money being diverted for current affairs but also as ideology, insecurity and anxiety are more than ever factors of life.
Gaza and Israel, it seems that you have to put every word on the golden scale to not offend but toe the line to stand on the right side – whatever that may be. Looking at the human factor without politics, as NGO’s do, is a difficult option as you’re directly under general suspicion of supporting terror.
The war in Ukraine means fundraising for people in a country, in which the leadership without any shame stands with the aggressor and pretends to be neutral.
South Africa’s grey listing and constant corruption on the highest levels are often points of debates with funders. They believe that South Africa has enough resources if and when the elite stops stealing money.
The USA is currently in an epic battle when it comes to democracy and a hotbed for the attempt to mix white superior religion, clearly visible in proclaiming a certain candidate a Godsend. Not to forget, a leader of the House who has direct conversations with God and is not the new Moses. In some states, history is rewritten and books are banned again. Not really an ideal environment to discuss support for people in South Africa.
Generally, Covid and the restrictions seem to have a profound effect on people, who felt that the security and safety their life was build on, was gone in seconds. It shows still today in actions, reactions and behaviour.
Business people in Germany, but generally in Europe, are more than worried about the current economic situation in the country and the direction, they are taken by those politically in charge.
All this impacts the world of fundraising a great deal, it makes it perfectly clear, that depending on donations alone is not sufficient for the long run. NGO’s like companies have to build up and maintain a reserve like any other companies if they want to survive long term and meaningfully.
It also makes it necessary to speak with people face to face – not FaceTime, not zoom or teams. Those can be interim measures to keep contact, but the person encounter is in times like ours the most essential part of fundraising.
The need to navigate between the world of possible funders and the reality of the recipients becomes more tricky as sensitivities and anxieties looking at the future reign high.
All this makes the work of NGOs like HOPE Cape Town even more important, because the victims of all the political, social and economic turbulence are those anyhow at the bottom of society. Those who lost out by birth are loosing again. NGOs are the lifeline to survive and even to grow under these circumstances.
We as NGOs need, besides the normal donation also people who want their support working for years to come. We need people investing in the future of others long-term, and so becoming role models for the next generation they helped to form and sustain.
Not only that, but we need this support to be able to stand firm in our support for human dignity and human rights declared for everybody. There are shifts of proportion happening now when it comes to demography, political influence, economic powers. NGOs are essential in those times, balancing what often is overlooked in daily struggles on the world stage. A reason more to support, sustain and to invest in the non-governmental sphere of society.
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 