Newsletter | September 2005
Campaigns for 21st century giving
Greetings!
Spring is here, and Greater Good South Africa is starting to see some of the seeds we have planted come to life. One of our core aims is to bring you innovative campaigns that facilitate 21st Century giving solutions. The world has changed and all of us want different things from giving. We want to know that what we give makes an actual impact. We want opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways that don't always involve handing out cash. We want some sense of really being part of activities that work towards the greater good of all. These are some of the ways that we experience the gift of giving.
Teachers Dream
In August, Greater Good South Africa officially launched Teachers Dream. The first phase of this initiative has been generously sponsored by the Shuttleworth Foundation, and we are pleased to also have the support of the South African Council of Educators.

We were delighted by the endorsement that we received from Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, who was the keynote speaker at the Teachers Dream launch function in Johannesburg. You can read her speech on Teachers Dream.

The Minister instantly recognised the key benefits of Teachers Dream:
  • It enables everyone who is concerned about education to make a real difference at school level;
  • It results in South African children experiencing better teaching and learning;
  • It supports dedicated and motivated teachers by enabling them to access resources that they need to deliver better teaching and learning;
  • It allows people to choose what they would most like to support and gives them the opportunity to become a 'dream-maker' in other people's lives;
  • It empowers schools to nurture the precious talent that is the future of our country;
  • It connects remote, rural and under-resourced schools to the giving communities of South Africa, and so enables them to benefit equally from the generosity of the country;
  • It helps to inspire and motivate educators who feel hopeless and frustrated because poverty stands in the way of them serving their learners as they would like to.

Teachers Dream is an easy way for individuals and businesses to help improve teaching and learning at school level. We can all help to uplift education. At Teachers Dream you will find the inspiring proposals of dedicated South African educators. You can help make their dreams come true for the benefit of South African children.
Shopping for a Teachers Dream
The Good Shop at www.GreaterGoodSA.co.za offers you more opportunities for responsible consumerism. It is a good life choice to make purchases of particular products where a spin-off of the sale is that a donation is made to assist others in need.
1. Book of Poems
This month, you could support the second phase of a heart-warming Teachers Dream through the purchase of "Thebuwa, Poems from NDofaya Lamula Jubilee High School, Soweto."
This ambitious and extraordinary anthology harbours the talents of some special Grade 9 to 12 learners between its covers. Language teacher, Robert Maungedzo launched and sustained a poetry project at this under-resourced school for three years.

"I have tried to motivate my learners, who study English as a second language, to read and appreciate literature in English," says Robert, "I believe I have made great strides with a particular group who have not only begun to read and interpret poetry but to write it as well.

Academics at Wits University acknowledged Robert's great strides without hesitation. They published this anthology of his learners' poems. They also invited Robert and his student-poets to the launch of the book in June, in the hope that the learners would perform their work. But neither the school, Robert nor the learners could afford R1023,75 to transport the learners from Soweto to Braamfontein for the occasion.

Robert posted this 'early-bird' proposal on Teachers Dream and a dream-maker donated the funds. These young people stood up and recited their own poems to the audience that came to acknowledge the value of their work - all because their teacher had a dream.

Published-Student-Poet, "Nthato" Thato Mazwi had this to say to the donor:
"Thank you for the good heart you have. The trip was fruitful since we as poets had
a chance to present our works to other people. I, as a poet, was honoured to have a chance like this, and we left Wits inspired and empowered."

Funds raised by the sale of this book through www.GreaterGoodSA.co.za will go towards funding Robert's next dream - to take these writers-of-our-future to Cape Town in 2006 to present their stunning work at the National Convention.
The Giving Exchange - Another exciting way to get involved...
52 600 South Africans visited www.GreaterGoodSA.co.za and voted for the 240 Giving Exchange applicants. 120 NPOs selected by the nation will now showcase their inspiring work at the two expos. Please note these dates and visit the Giving Exchange:

16th and 17th of September | Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg

23rd and 24th of September | V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

The primary aim of the Giving Exchange is to promote innovative engagement between the nation and the development sector. Giving is not just about money. The Giving Exchange is the place to explore ideas about how we can further development by supporting NPOs in different ways.
The Giving Exchange is set to be an eye-opener. Many South Africans are not aware of the scale and scope of the development sector, and this is a great opportunity to find out more about what is actually being done in our communities.

The Giving Exchange also includes a retail campaign in the both the Nelson Mandela Square and V&A Waterfront shopping centres. A number of retailers have pledged to make donations to Causes of your choice when you do your shopping at their stores over the Giving Exchange dates.

The Giving Exchange is partnership between the Shuttleworth Foundation’s Innovation Bazaar and GreaterGood South Africa. It is kindly sponsored by the Shuttleworth Foundation, Noah Financial Innovation’s ‘Broking For Good’ Foundation, Discovery, First National Bank The Argus and The Star Newspapers.
The GreaterGood Community NoticeBoard
The GreaterGood Community Noticeboard is a new forum on the website where you can post time, skills or useful items that you would like to give. We will do our best to find a cause that has a need that matches what you would like to give. You will remain anonymous while GreaterGood brokers the exchange between you and a cause. When we have a suitable match, we will contact you privately to make sure that you are still able to give your time or skills or goods. If you have goods to give away, please make sure they are of usable quality.

  • Have you got goods that don't match any of our current wishlists?

  • Have you got time to volunteer?

  • Have you got specific skills you would like to contribute to a good cause?
Report Back: Operation Snowball
Ten people are warmer this Winter thanks to those who donated to Operation Snowball. Every bit does count and real people are absolutely grateful for the blankets you have given.
Latest GreaterGood SA statistics

We’ve had a record month for page hits on Greater Good this month!

373,294 Page Hits  140,624 Unique Visitors  
R1,012,128 in Donor Funds facilitated by GreaterGood South Africa  
23,000 surplus /second hand items redistributed
Causes of the month
It is natural that in a country where development and growth are such priorities that there is a strong focus on the NPOs delivering sustainable solutions. But the ‘greater good’ also includes NPOs whose work is not sustainable without ongoing support. Welfare is key a marker of a society’s recognition of its interdependence with others. There are many charities caring deeply for those who are unable to survive alone, and we encourage support for these efforts as well. Welfare organisations care for the disabled, the elderly, the destitute and the dying as well as the animals that society once made use of. Charitable giving is as relevant as it has ever been.

 Please consider the many causes we have in the welfare and protection categories, some of whom are:

  • Elim Home for disabled children
  • Free State Residential Care
  • Carel du Toit Centre – where deaf children learn to speak
  • Cat Village
  • The Emma Animal Rescue Shelter
  • Institute for the Blind
  • Ingwavuma Orphan Care
  • Highway Hospice Association
Think about registering on www.GreaterGoodSA.co.za
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We assure you that we treat all information with utmost confidentiality. Your information will never be exploited in any way. The registration process does not result in any automatic obligations on your part. When you register you are able to clearly define the service you would most like from us.
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You can also make a contribution directly to a cause by making purchases from our stunning ranges of Greater Goods. When you buy any of these select, high quality products the proceeds go directly towards the funding of the particular NPO that made the product.
You can help to spread the word...

Telling your friends, family and colleagues about www.GreaterGoodSA.co.za and how it makes it so easy support good causes, is one of the most powerful ways that you can contribute to a better South Africa for all.

Please make a point of mentioning us as often as you can to the people in your life.

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