God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

05/12/2014 • 9:55 am Comments Off on The Day after the Ball of HOPE

The Day after the Ball of HOPE

Only people who are also in the business of preparing a gala event know what it means to sit there a day after the event and reflecting on it. All the adrenalin is gone and funny enough one feels drained and somehow empty inside. It seems that all energy is gone but still one cannot find real rest. “Are you happy with the Ball” I was asked several times the next morning, meeting people who slept over at the Westin Hotel and enjoyed their breakfast the very next morning. It sounded to me like a strange question: Yes, of course I was happy that it went without major trouble – all obstacles naturally coming up during such an event were dealt with as soon as Anja and I as the organizers were aware off. And yes, the entertainment program was great and the dance band got the people going – wonderful to see. But it takes at least a couple of days to recover and appreciate all what was happening that very eve. And to digest that for the first time in history, raffle tickets were sold out before all could get a chance to buy some. So amazing…
I am deeply grateful for all of you who joined this annual event on Saturday eve – I hope everybody had a wonderful time, enjoyed our Brooklyn Holy Cross Primary School Senior choir and Chelsea, our 9-year-old singer from Switzerland with her powerful voice , Katlego who did a marvelous job as an MC. And I also hope that you took home the knowledge how you fun that very eve meant hope and life and a future for so many less fortunate in the townships of Cape Town, being troubled by HIV, AIDS and TB and so many associated diseases. All and everybody present made a difference and had a personal impact on the life of somebody whom they never will learn to know in person. What a wonderful and powerful connection…

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

04/24/2014 • 11:15 am Comments Off on Good news: Ball of HOPE in Cape Town booked out

Good news: Ball of HOPE in Cape Town booked out

This is indeed great news for the organizers and who ever could get hands on a ticket for the annual Ball of HOPE will not be disappointed: A great entertainment program, the introduction of a MC leading though the procedure of the evening, great food and a fantastic live band will make this evening an unforgettable one.
But this is also good news for the people, HOPE Cape Town is so compassionate caring for; all proceeds will give them more hope, more life, more joy and for some even an entire future. We often forget how little it takes to change the fate of a person to the good and every cent donated on this eve will translate into practical assistance and help.
I remember the first time in 1998 when the Ball, at that time called “dinner-dance” at the Mount Nelson was launched. Desmond Tutu was the guest of honor and spoke to us till the food was cold, but it was all in all a marvelous evening for 80 mostly German-speaking people. How far have we come since then and how grateful should we be for the journey of 16 years of this annual event. With the opening of the office of the Southern African – German Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the beginning of the new millennium in Cape Town, the “dinner-dance” was transformed into a real black tie affair. Anja Tambusso Ferraz as my partner in crime put her special stamp on the event and together we developed it as we went along. But all was only possible through the great support of so many people along the way – no way two people can stem an event like this without so many never officially mentioned colleagues, friends, partners, associates and supporters. The opening of the Westin Hotel gave us the chance to add to the number of guests possible for the event and so when we will launch the Ball of HOPE 2014 in a couple of days, there is again excitement paired with gratefulness to all and everyone supporting this charity in lieu of HOPE Cape Town. It is also good to know that the German-speaking Catholic Community remained faithful to this event all the years. There is a lot of German and German rooted influence in Cape Town and surely on the society side, the Ball of HOPE was a welcome addition to the social calendar of the mother city.
So welcome to all our guests from Cape Town, but also flying in from Germany and Switzerland for this event and let’s celebrate life and doing good at the same time.
Picture: 1998 the author and Archbishop Desmond Tutu @ the first “dinner-dance”

1998

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: Catholic Church, General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

03/01/2014 • 2:45 pm Comments Off on Exciting times @ HOPE Cape Town

Exciting times @ HOPE Cape Town

A new year brings new spirit and energy and it is definitely true for HOPE Cape Town. Having now a so-called “back office” in place, the marketing and fundraising efforts are backed up in the true sense of the word from competent staff following up and preparing new strategies for fundraising. A well-known marketing company agreed to look “pro bono” from a professional side on HOPE Cape Towns efforts to showcase it’s work and successes and built up more fundraising power. The whole question of marketing communication is added to the package. So watch the space…

But also conceptional HOPE Cape Town is developing – HOPE to HOME will be the next major project looking after all kids living with the virus and discharged from Tygerberg Children’s Hospital. HOPE Cape Town is answering with this new concept a call from the Children’s Hospital trying to make sure that all follow-up appointments as well as prescribed medication will be adhered to. This is indeed a very important quest to stop drug resistance which shows up in more and more kids being tested positive.

Also the training portfolio started into the new year with new perspectives: 10 of the HOPE Community Health Worker are attending a 2 years program at the University of Cape Town while continuing working in the clinics. One could call it dual training. Besides the ongoing formation and training it will ensure that the community based employees will be able to feed into the nursing profession or related job opportunities. In February HOPE Cape Town could proudly announce that the HOPE Community Health Worker of Goodwood was accepted into the nursing training program.

Blikkiesdorp remains also an important portfolio for HOPE Cape Town. Nutrition students from the Hochschule Niederrhein visit regularly and the next “Health Days” of Rotary International run by the Signal Hill Rotary Club will take place again in this semi-permanent settlement. There are plans to intensify the work of community building in the area – most was and is not possible without the help of our friends from Muenster in Germany.

To keep up with all the news you can either check the “up to date” of the HOPE Cape Town website or “like” them on Facebook , follow them on Twitter @hopecapetown  – be part of the exciting times of HOPE Cape Town and become an ambassador for HOPE and of HOPE for those in need.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/06/2013 • 7:32 am Comments Off on Myth or reality?

Myth or reality?

The Consultation

The Consultation (Photo credit: bigbluemeanie)

We all have heard it many times: 80% of black South Africans consult a sangoma before they even consider going to a Western Clinic. I always wondered about it, having worked with sangomas and being involved with the work HOPE Cape Town has done and is still doing in parts with traditional leaders. What I have seen is little work for sangomas, lots of part-time traditional healers and a break down in related traditions in the townships of Cape Town. Well, a 2012 article in the South African Medical Journal went further, suggesting that “some 80% of South Africans use traditional medicine to meet their primary healthcare needs”. The claim has also been made in general terms about the population of Southern Africa and the African continent. So where did the claim originate and is there any truth to it?  GroundUp, a South African community journalism project, asked Africa Check to investigate. Their starting point was the World Health Organisation (WHO). A fact sheet on traditional medicine published by the body in 2008 is often cited when the claim is made. “In some Asian and African countries,” it states, “80% of the population depend on traditional medicine for primary health care.” The fact sheet does not include any evidence to substantiate the statement, but one can find a reference to a document discussing the WHO’s Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002-2005. And this was not the end of the research – to read more about Africa Check’s research and its amazing result follow this link.

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

07/23/2013 • 9:13 am Comments Off on HOPE Gala 2013

HOPE Gala 2013

Yes, time is flying and the HOPE Gala in Dresden is fast approaching. On Saturday, 26th of October 2013 the 8th HOPE Gala takes place again and Viola Klein as well as the PAR X Team under the umbrella of the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung, the twin of the HOPE Cape Town Trust in Germany administrated together with the German AIDS Foundation are in full swing again. Not to forget Saxonia Systems, the company in Dresden which is headed by Viola Klein and Andreas Moench, who initiated the Gala and is since then a great supporter of HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust.
It’s a great opportunity to visit the city of Dresden and to see for yourself how beautiful and magnificent the city has developed its old heritage. So it is not only for German-speaking people but also for those from South Africa or elsewhere in the world, who always wanted to experience Germany as it’s best.

More info for the German-speaking people under http://www.hopegala.de. For those more fluent in English please contact Kerstin Behlau (admin@hopecapetown.com). And yes, we also have a travel agent giving advice how to get the best and cost saving flights to Dresden at that time of the year.

HOPE Gala Dresden 2013

HOPE Gala Dresden 2013

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Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HOPE Gala Dresden, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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