God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

05/15/2014 • 9:39 am Comments Off on From Prevention, Polygamy and Crime…

From Prevention, Polygamy and Crime…

As always in between posts I like to share some of the articles I am reading in between and they are ranging from the blue pill to criminal laws.

US Federal health officials recommended yesterday that hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk for AIDS take a daily pill that has been shown to prevent infection with the virus that causes it. If broadly followed, the advice could transform AIDS prevention in the United States — from reliance on condoms, which are effective but unpopular with many men, to a regimen that relies on an antiretroviral drug. Please read this article here.

In Africa, most people infected are female. In a modest public health clinic behind a gas station here in South Africa’s rural KwaZulu/Natal Province, a team of Norwegian infectious disease specialists think they may have found a new explanation. Not sure it will hold the scrutiny of sciences but it is worth reflecting on it. Read here.

In Kenya, a new law came into effect allowing for polygamy. Men can take several women as wives without the consent of the first or any of the others already married. Does it make sense? Well, questions are asked here.

Uganda was once the example of how to reduce the HIV pandemic. Then came complacency and PEPFAR rules, latter a curse and a blessing at the same time. Now Uganda has chosen to add to the draconian law regarding homosexuality also to criminalize HIV transmission. It is known that this has an adverse effect, but it seems that politicians in Uganda want to go the extra mile to do the wrong thing.  Click here to read the story.

Enjoy reading!

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

04/29/2014 • 1:38 pm Comments Off on In between all the public holidays..

In between all the public holidays..

It is difficult for Non-South Africans to understand the time between end April and May, where several public holidays as well as this year the national elections create somehow a very disruptive life for people living in this country. Long weekends tempt people to go away for a couple of days and it is difficult to get appointments or keep them intact.
For HOPE Cape Town this time is also a time before the Ball of HOPE. Excitement about this event being sold out is paired with the anxiety that everything is going alright and will work according to plan. Also on the hospital side there are movements. The Ithemba Ward has finally moved to the 10th floor and the question now is what happens to the HOPE Cape Town office. Do we move with to the 10th floor or do we look for alternative space as we are asked to provide services for all wards? Whoever works in public entities knows how painstaking such a process is and Tygerberg Academic Health Complex is unfortunately not the exemption of the rule. So Sonja and her office is floating a little bit in between decision-making processes and all the public holidays hindering those processes coming to a conclusion. On the positive side is to report that HOPE Cape Town has successfully employed to new members to the HOPE Cape Town family and that fundraising and marketing now will be done much more professionally and up to the point. The so-called “back – office” is now complete and starts to get into gear. This is good news before the AGM of the HOPE Cape Town Trust which will also decide on streamlining certain aspects of the work of HOPE Cape Town as an entity. 13 years into the course, the organization is somehow entering a new stage of its life without losing the heart and the core of its mission and vision. As somebody being the initiator of the project I am very proud to see how HOPE Cape Town is growing and how my role is also changing. I always believed that for a founder there is a time to give up some responsibilities so that an organization not dies when the founder is dying. I guess we are on the right way, broaden the objectives and filling the gaps the government is not able to fill in 2014 – HOPE Cape Town has changed over the years and was always able to adapt to developments within South Africa. I am looking forward to all the new steps taken in the next 12 months and I am proud to be part of a journey full of life and dedication serving those who need it most being infected or affected by HIV or AIDS or TB.

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, 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, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

04/08/2014 • 12:03 pm Comments Off on Working means networking

Working means networking

No NGO is working alone – even if the South African fundraising market is heavily contested and organizations try to gain the upper hand in securing funds, networking is an essential. There is unfortunately not really a culture to this – and140404_A3-Poster Leader Recruitment 2014_colour_v02-a jealousy and the meaning of superiority can undermine every effort to network on the same eye level. Obviously there are also exceptions, but it has to be said that there is a long way to go in South Africa to understand the real meaning of working together. Next jealousy is politics the other downfall when it comes to the attempt to work together. It was amazing to see how many “hopes’ have been created after the visit of chancellor Angela Merkel to HOPE Cape Town and I was thrilled to see an organization in Durban using even our logo for their advertising. Even in certain township communities  people try to cash in on associating themselves with similar wording. Amazing to see when analytically observed…

HOPE Cape Town has always tried to keep an open mind and  is networking and partnering with many organizations in South Africa and Germany. The German AIDS Foundation and HOPE & Future e.V. are such NGO partners but also in South Africa there are partners like the Manenberg After-school Care or Emilie’s Creche @ St. Lorrie’s Pass Village. There is always so much to do and so little one organization can do alone, so working together is essential if one really wants to better the lives of people.
Belonging to a network of NGO’s here in the Western Cape, I visited AMANDLA in Khayelitsha, an organization using soccer as means to bring youngsters away from drugs and gansterism and allow them to develop self-esteem and developing their potential. They are trying now to establish a further project exactly between Manenberg and Gugulethu – a black and a coloured township. Everybody who is familiar with the locations will know that this is an adventure as these areas are strictly separated since apartheid and each area is a no-go area for the other side. Bridging this gap and ending the hostilities is the aim of this project and obviously HOPE Cape Town sees the chance to network and introduce the Manenberg After-school Care project to AMANDLA. I guess sometimes it only needs to bring some people or organizations together to create synergies.

I wish the new endeavor of AMANDLA all the best and hope that more networking can be done in the future to strengthen the fabric of those lives still separated through race or skin color.

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , ,

03/16/2014 • 7:52 am Comments Off on Welcome to the Ball of HOPE 2014

Welcome to the Ball of HOPE 2014

Join us again for this prestigious event
and play a significant role in the lives of many needy children and their families in the Western Cape.
The Ball of HOPE 2014
takes place on
Saturday, 10th May 2014 at 18h30 for 19h00
at the WESTIN CAPE TOWN
Dress Code: Black Tie

Enjoy fantastic entertainment, delicious food, extraordinary people and support the good cause at the same time! Stand the chance to travel to Europe, compliments of  Lufthansa and Edelweiss.

THE HOSTS
THE SA-GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
120 offices in 80 countries. One network, one objective, one design. The Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC is part of the German Chamber Network and has therefore a lot to offer to its members and customers. With offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, the SAGCCI is the official authorized representative of German industry and trade for the Southern Africa. As a private, non-profit organization, its primary goal is to offer the best service for building bilateral business relationships between Southern Africa and Germany.
HOPE CAPE TOWN
HOPE Cape Town is a non-profit organisation providing outreach, education and counselling at the community level, focusing on HIV/AIDS and TB in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. HOPE Cape Town is co-located and associated with the Ithemba (Hope) Infectious pediatric Ward at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town and is linked to the University of Stellenbosch. HOPE Cape Town cooperates with “KID-CRU”, the Tygerberg Hospital research unit for pediatric infectious diseases. The offices of HOPE Cape Town are located at the Medical School of the University of Stellenbosch – Tygerberg Campus in close vicinity of the Tygerberg Hospital.

THE VENUE
THE WESTIN CAPE TOWN
Set in one of the most popular destinations in the world, directly linked to the Cape Town International Convention Centre, The Westin Cape Town is a deluxe city centre hotel dedicated to providing world class facilities and services. Classified as the preferred luxury establishment for heads of state, business leaders, celebrities and those who simply seek an oasis of comfort at the end of a busy day.
Relish in spectacular views overlooking the vibrant city, Table Mountain and harbour. The Westin Cape Town is ideally positioned for business and pleasure, located within easy walking distance from cultural and commercial attractions. The hotel offers a variety of food and beverage options, including The Westin Executive Club Restaurant on the 19th floor with unsurpassed views of Cape Town, the contemporary Thirty7, Raleigh’s cigar lounge and Louis B’s Bar.

THE ENTERTAINMENT
KATLEGO MABOE – MASTER OF CEREMONY
In his career as a television presenter, Katlego started his venture into the industry at the age of 21 when he was selected to be one of the leading presenters of “DEKAT TV”, an Afrikaans lifestyle program launched on SABC 3. After only a few months on the show he was approached by CMP (Clive Morris Productions) to audition as a presenter on the well renowned nature program, 50/50. He was subsequently head hunted to be one of the hosts of SABC 3’s breakfast show Expresso, SABC 3: 2010 – Present, Studio and field presenter on 50/50, SABC 2: 2010, Head presenter on DEKAT TV, SABC 3: 2009 – 2010
ADOLF THELEN – MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Adolf Thelen is a freelance musician and producer in Cape Town and also works as a music educator at Holy Cross Brooklyn. He has been in charge of the entertainment at the Ball for 15 years.
For each Ball he has conceptualized and conducted different musical acts from opera to West End musical to rock-shows.
HOLY CROSS CONVENT SCHOOL BROOKLYN
The Holy Cross Convent School is a catholic private school in Brooklyn. Their Senior Choir has performed at the Ball of Hope for more that 10 years. May of the children live in neglected areas of Cape Town. For these children, the participation at the Ball is an important event in the school’s calendar.
The choir is conducted by Mrs Josey Oranzie.
CHELSEA
Chelsea was born in2004 in Switzerland. Before she started talking, she was already singing her little songs. As a little child, the young talent was discovered by a US-American Gospel singer in a small church in Switzerland. Chelsea is a little hurricane. Apart from singing she enjoys tennis, where she is very successful due to her hard-working nature.
Chelsea became famous through the Show „The Voice Kids“ in Spring 2013, where she presented a very energetic version of the title „Girl on fire“ by Alicia Keys. She captured the hearts of her fans by storm. Chelsea loves to touch people‘s lives with her voice.
CHELSEA’S PARTICIPATION IS KINDLY MADE POSSIBLE BY ParX. Marketing & Events Dresden, WINDROSE finest travel and South African Airways.

All proceeds are once again for the HOPE Cape Town Project at Tygerberg Children’s Hospital; one of the major HIV outreach programmes in the Western Cape.
visit: http://www.hopecapetown.com
For bookings please contact:
SA-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Tel. (021) 418 3311, Email capetown@germanchamber.co.za

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

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