an update from the tip of Africa

farm workers participating in module three

it's been awhile since we posted and so much has happened since then, this post is a short update that includes some of the highlights of our time back here at the tip of Africa in the beautiful but challenging Elgin valley where the small farming town of Grabouw sits amongst high mountains, ever dwindling lakes and dams with the struggles of daily life in the informal settlements bumping up against those of us who have the opportunity to 'live in the first world' where cappuccinos flow faster than the much needed rain!

a drive to work

firstly we must say that it feels like we've never been away, yes things have changed, often for the worst, but the people remain the same, friendly faces greet us from our former colleagues at ThembaCare and the Village of Hope whom we visited on 'World AIDS Day' to children calling out our names as we drive to meetings in the informal settlements, faces of friends we have met at various gatherings, including those from our 'old' home group who were celebrating the end of year with a Christmas 'get together' and others who we have joined at a meal and film night at a local vineyard.

painting with the kids at the village of hope on
World AIDS Day

our work here has led us to meet up with some incredible people and organisations, we are excited by the opportunities that are presenting themselves to us as we seek to gain some much needed traction to the work that Emerging Leaders are doing here. we are blessed to have two wonderful local colleagues who really have the heart and passion to see transformation come via the Leadership for Life modules and we have already had the chance to work together with Joseph and Sharene who share the same love of the material as we do.

Maz swimming in the dam whilst I ran around it!

we have also had help in translation from English to Xhosa from some of our friends who we got to know during our six year stay here from 2008-2014 which has been great, its amazing to see the lives of these young people transformed, incredibly they attended the original Leadership for Hope three day event in October 2014 when Trevor Waldock first led the programme, to say they have gone on from strength to strength is an understatement. they have certainly picked up their 'life pen' and started to write a new story for their lives, two of the boys are now at university and one lady has just graduated from the Pinotage Youth Development Academy and who is now working at a senior level at one of the local packhouses.

it would be foolish for us to say too much on this social media site but just to say we have been working closely with our UK funding partners who have enabled us to have access onto the farms in their supply chain. we've run three modules at Paul Cluver we have had some great fun with their workers who have embraced the Leadership for Life principles via our interactive delivery.

Stunning Spring flowers and a very low dam!

we have spent a lot of time in meetings securing dates for the delivery of the programme and now have six farms, two schools, where we will be working with the teachers to help them 'see themselves as leaders', and one huge packhouse, with further discussions with the World Wildlife Fund who have already used our programmes in other areas of South Africa and who are keen to help them with the success of their projects and initiatives.

a visit into the community on World AIDS Day
with old friends

Maz has been able to swim most days, even venturing out into the Ekienhof dam with her friend Ali whilst myself and Sandy ran around the new 'mountain bike track', around 9kms, which was wonderful.

this time next week we will be back in England where we will be spending Christmas with our family before returning to South Africa in mid January for a further three months, all of which seems a long way off as we sit here in the hot African sun having delivered module three 'Lead your finances' to some farm workers this afternoon.