Report from Nqiningana

As you may have heard, Gcinisizwe's brother passed away suddenly not so long ago, he was only 39. As a result Gcinisizwe has now become the patriarch of the family after burying his father and 7 other siblings, now only 3 remain. These deaths were a result of chronic poverty and a reminder that we must cherish every moment and continue working on behalf of the poor, because they too deserve to have a life with opportunities.

Gcinisizwe is currently in Nqiningana for the burial of his brother and while on location has taken a moment to give us an update on the current situation.

The trees that were planted in May of this year are growing strong due to the dedication of the community members who hand water each tree. This is a relief because Nqiningana is also facing a horrific drought as they have not had a drop of rain since June of this year. Due to the lack of rainfall the village well has now run dry leaving the village with no sources of clean water. The grass in the area has died and as a result animals such as cows and sheep are also dying. As a reminder, there are no lakes, rivers or streams near the village. Currently the only source of water is a small reservoir at the base of the mountain however this water is not clean or in my opinion potable. I have pasted a picture of this water for you to see, clearly it is not of high quality.

I have been researching alternative water sources and there is one that seems promising for the region of Nqiningana and it is called Fog Harvesting. This is a process of collecting fog or cloud water droplets on a mesh fabric and directing the water to the village. More can be read about this process here:
http://www.southafrica.info/about/sustainable/fognet-270810.htm

I would like to propose that we begin fund raising for this project now. I have already begun sourcing supplies for the necessary materials. If you are interested in donating to this project please email me at thembaproject@gmail.com or donate directly with canadahelps.org  type Themba in the search bar.

Fog Harvesting has been tremendously successful in other regions similar to Nqiningana. This project could literally transform this community and finally give them a sustainable and renewable source of water.

Black Market 22nd Anniversary Charity Bash!!!

Anyone who knows me knows that my all time favorite store in Halifax is the Black Market, located on Grafton Street in Halifax. As you walk past the store you are greeted with a fabulous painted facade and you get your first smell of the lovely incense that is about to greet you. First thing you will notice when you go inside? The store is stocked floor to ceiling with unbelievably cool stuff, brought to you by the owners and staff who travel around the world to buy items and return them back to Halifax to share with us. The staff are absolutely amazing,  these are the people that you admire, and wonder how it is that any one store could ever find so many lovely people in one city.

Well on top of being a fabulous store, the owners also have a heart as each year they celebrate the anniversary of the store with a big birthday bash, AND all proceeds are donated to local charities. This year (as well as last) the owners have chosen The Themba Development Project to support! That means that each skirt, necklace or henna that you buy is actually funding a local, grass roots charity that supports two communities in South Africa.

So buy all you can people, and know in your heart that you supported local organizations trying to make a difference in the world.

Catherine Robar featured in November, 2010 issue of the Halifax Magazine!

I am so excited to inform everyone that one of my favorite publications, The Halifax Magazine will feature me in the November, 2010 issues, hitting store shelves shortly!

Be sure to pick up a copy, you can also visit the website at:

http://halifaxmag.com/

A special thank you to local journalist Chad Lucas for both a wonderful interview as well as pitching the story to the editors.

Catherine Robar, winner of Community Mentor-ship award

I am very pleased to announce that I have been honored by Big Brothers-Big Sisters for the 2010 Community Mentor-ship Awards. This special award is given to members of the community who have acted as mentors in the community. Nominations are made by the public and winners of the award are honored at the awards gala which takes place on October 22nd in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A special thank you to Abdul Abakar, his beautiful nomination is the reason why I was chosen.

For more information please see below:

http://www.bigbrothersbigsistershalifax.ca/en/home/events/catherinerobar.aspx

In 2008, Catherine Robar departed Halifax for South Africa to volunteer with a community in need. There she discovered Thembalethu, and created The Themba Development Project. The Project’s volunteers (there are no paid staff) work to improve access to food, minimize poverty, encourage education, and to develop short and long term solutions to the food crisis facing so many in South Africa.

Catherine’s impact extends beyond South Africa. Her volunteer work with Halifax’s MISA (Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association) has helped newcomers learn English, secure employment, and adjust to life in a new country, “I have faced many challenges in my life including genocide but I never thought there were still people with such a beautiful heart, like Catherine. Since I fled from Darfur over seven years ago, I never thought I could find someone who really wanted to do something better for people. When I found Catherine Robar doing such tremendous efforts for free, to help struggling people, I completely change my mind”.

When asked about mentors in her life, Catherine describes former employer, Catherine De Sua Branson, Vice President of Fraser & Hoyt Travel Management, as a woman of integrity and strength. “Although it’s been a couple years since I worked for Catherine, her teachings stick with me and I often think of her when I am facing certain situations. She taught me that a professional woman can be many things: strong, courageous and confident, but also beautiful, compassionate and a person of their word. Catherine gave me the freedom to put forth ideas, she gave me creative space, but she also provided me with guidance as to how the real world works. She reminded me about the importance of family and a close network of friends. Even Superwoman needs a balanced life, and it is just as important to be a successful business woman, as it is to be a good friend, daughter, sister and community member”.