Just a small note to let you know that we will close for the holidays on 19 December and will reopen again on 5 January.
Wishing you all the best for the season and the year ahead! See you in 2009!
All the best from all of us here at The Darling Trust.
Friday 19 December 2008
Wednesday 10 December 2008
DARLING t-shirts!
In Bussum, at the Gooisch Lyceum, a group of students, parents and teachers have gotten together to raise funds for The Darling Trust, and they have found a really great way to do it - DARLING t-shirts!
They have set up a website and will be selling their t-shirts at the Christmas Market in Bussum on 16 December. So, if you are in the Netherlands, please support this dynamic group of stundents, parents and teachers!
Tuesday 2 December 2008
A brief glance back at the year
Looking back can be a very enriching exercise, which results in seeing how far we have come and the lessons that we have learnt along the way. As 2008 slowly starts to draw to a close, we look back on the year that has been and study our progress.
A few projects stand out in my mind as giant leaps forward for The Darling Trust as an organisation.
The first one is the HIV/AIDS campaign that we ran on farms around Darling in August. The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management put together a play called 'Lucky the Hero'. The play focused on the importance of knowing your HIV status. We travelled to farms around Darling with the play. After the play, the TB Care Association provided free testing for those who wanted to be tested. During the month, we reached approximately 700 people, of which 245 people were tested.
A number of crucial lessons were learnt during this exercise, not least of which is that there is still a desperate need for HIV/AIDS awareness, education and testing in our area. We look forward to finding new ways to reach those people in our area who are not exposed to the usual sources of information on HIV/AIDS.
A second project that was a major step forward for us was the evolution of the crafting group into an independent cooperative. Of all our achievements in 2008, this is definitely one of the most special ones. In 2006, The Darling Trust set up a crafting group, mainly as a training organisation - the initial idea being that people would be trained and then move on to other organisations. At the end of October this year, the crafters' group officially became an independent cooperative. They make their own decisions, design and develop their own products and ensure that their admin and financial records are kept up-to-date. The Darling Trust provides their workspace free of charge and acts as a mentor for the Cooperative. The crafters have taken genuine ownership of the cooperative and their work is of the highest quality. If you are ever in Darling, be sure to come and visit the Darling Craft Cooperative at Evita se Perron and you will be able to see for yourself the creative and exciting atmosphere that abounds!
These are only two of the bighlights in a year that has seen major changes and developments for our organisation. As we look back, we also start to plan our way forward. 2009 is looking bright!
A few projects stand out in my mind as giant leaps forward for The Darling Trust as an organisation.
The first one is the HIV/AIDS campaign that we ran on farms around Darling in August. The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management put together a play called 'Lucky the Hero'. The play focused on the importance of knowing your HIV status. We travelled to farms around Darling with the play. After the play, the TB Care Association provided free testing for those who wanted to be tested. During the month, we reached approximately 700 people, of which 245 people were tested.
A number of crucial lessons were learnt during this exercise, not least of which is that there is still a desperate need for HIV/AIDS awareness, education and testing in our area. We look forward to finding new ways to reach those people in our area who are not exposed to the usual sources of information on HIV/AIDS.
A second project that was a major step forward for us was the evolution of the crafting group into an independent cooperative. Of all our achievements in 2008, this is definitely one of the most special ones. In 2006, The Darling Trust set up a crafting group, mainly as a training organisation - the initial idea being that people would be trained and then move on to other organisations. At the end of October this year, the crafters' group officially became an independent cooperative. They make their own decisions, design and develop their own products and ensure that their admin and financial records are kept up-to-date. The Darling Trust provides their workspace free of charge and acts as a mentor for the Cooperative. The crafters have taken genuine ownership of the cooperative and their work is of the highest quality. If you are ever in Darling, be sure to come and visit the Darling Craft Cooperative at Evita se Perron and you will be able to see for yourself the creative and exciting atmosphere that abounds!
These are only two of the bighlights in a year that has seen major changes and developments for our organisation. As we look back, we also start to plan our way forward. 2009 is looking bright!
Monday 1 December 2008
World AIDS Day
Today is a special day - a chance for all of us to stand together against the epidemic which is ravaging both our country and world.
If you are in South Africa, please consider joining the minute of silence at midday today.
For more information on events around South Africa, please have a look at www.46664.org.za and www.sanac.org.za
For information on events in other parts of the world, take a look at www.worldaidsday.org and www.worldaidscampaign.org
Together, we can make a difference.
If you are in South Africa, please consider joining the minute of silence at midday today.
For more information on events around South Africa, please have a look at www.46664.org.za and www.sanac.org.za
For information on events in other parts of the world, take a look at www.worldaidsday.org and www.worldaidscampaign.org
Together, we can make a difference.
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