Philanthropy awards honour selfless South Africans

Award winners

• Award for Lifetime Philanthropy - Linda Clement Twala from Alexandra Township, for his outstanding efforts in feeding and caring for the sick, elderly and youth in his community for the past 43 years. He started the Phuthatijaba centre in the 1960s as a centre that provides care and food for the elderly in Alexandra, as well as other activities such as skills and youth development.
• Inyathelo Indima-Tema Philanthropy Award - Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and his wife of 50 years, Nomalizo Leah Tutu from Cape Town, for their tireless efforts to enhance the lives of others and their commitment to improving South Africa's social development. The Award which, loosely translated, means 'forging a path or reviewing the positive work that you've done', was especially created by Inyathelo this year to honour this remarkable couple.
• Youth in Philanthropy Award - Refiloe Seseane of Johannesburg for creating 18twenty8, an initiative that empowers disadvantaged young women by providing crucial life skills through workshops. To date, the organisation has reached and inspired over 750 high-potential girls in Grade 11 and 12 at 11 high schools in Vosloorus, Daveyton, Wattville, Tembisa, Katlehong and Soweto. She has also established the 18twenty8 Big Sister network which pairs educated, professional women who are established in their respective careers with like-minded Little Sisters to mentor them as they plan their careers in a similar field. 18twenty8 is one of the few organisations in South Africa that is 100% led by young women who empower other young women.
• Women in Philanthropy - Ivonne Gentle from Britstown for establishing Gentle Care, a centre formed to care for the sick people in this remote poverty-stricken district in the Northern Cape. The centre also hosts workshops to teach skills to the community.
• International Philanthropy to South Africa - South African born Anthony Record and his American wife Carole, who live in the UK for the establishment of a project called Light from Africa. This project is a ceramic art studio, gallery and foundation promoting skills development, employment and funding. Previously unemployed artists in Cape Town use the ceramic skills learnt through the centre to assist in funding the operating costs of several children's homes in the Western Cape.
• Special Recognition Award for Philanthropy - Francois van Niekerk of Pretoria for his commitment to improving the lives of others for the past 31 years by allocating 70% of the shares in his company, Mertech Group, to the totally independent Mergon Foundation and raising some R30-million per annum to support social investment programmes in South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia and the UK. He has co-established the Atterbury Trust and the Atterbury Foundation, both aimed at improving education and assisting the destitute, as well as Muthobi, a not-for-profit investment consultancy which links businesses and ground-level organisations together in order to create value for those in greatest need.
• Support of Philanthropy in the Media - to both George Mazarakis, executive producer of Carte Blanche and trustee of the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Campaign, together with the patron of the campaign, Karolina Andropoulos, for their work in equipping paediatric units in hospitals with life-saving equipment and mobilising corporate and private South Africa to donate millions of Rands to support this initiative. The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, King Edward VIII hospital in Durban, Universitas Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein and the Kimberley Hospital Complex have all benefited from the R70-million raised.
• Two Community Philanthropy Awards have been awarded this year. One to Jonathan Schrire from Wynberg in the Western Cape for his work with the Vrygrond Community Development Trust in the establishment of the Vrygrond public library, Sunrise Preschool and Capricorn Primary School, all of which have improved the lives of the children in the area. His work in Vrygrond, spanning 15 years, has united a community once plagued with murder, gangsterism and conflict. The second award was jointly issued to Mark Solms and Richard Astor of the Solms-Delta Wine Farm for establishing an equity and profit sharing initiative that revolutionised the standard of living of their workforce in the Franschhoek Valley. As a result of this partnership and the profits from the Wijn de Caab Trust, the farm workers now have new and comfortable homes, satellite television, educational opportunities for their children and medical care to name a few.
• Two Merit Awards for Philanthropy have been awarded this year. One to Noel de Villiers, founder of Avis South Africa for creating Open Africa, a unique initiative that creates travel journeys off the beaten track, enabling several communities in rural South Africa and neighbouring countries to generate income through increased tourism. The initiative has also encouraged communities to conserve their environment as they come to understand the value of the environment for tourism. The second is to writer, Richard Mason for the establishment of the Kay Mason Foundation (KMF). The foundation's aim is to give talented young people the opportunity to fulfil their potential, whatever their circumstances, by providing scholarships for the payment of school fees and, where applicable, boarding fees. Mason has also developed Lulutho, an upliftment programme which is based in the Eastern Cape aimed at assisting KMF students to escape the crime and grime of the township. It teaches them about the challenges facing rural communities and provides training and skills to local residents in setting up sustainable businesses and assists in reviving the local eco-system.

"The response to this year's awards has been excellent and the calibre of nominees inspiring," says Shelagh Gastrow, executive director for Inyathelo. "It was very hard to narrow the nominees down and make a decision. Every one was inspirational and we applaud all for their hard work and commitment." She says it is clear from the nominations received that there are hundreds of South Africans intent on making a difference in their communities and thus helping improve South Africa's social situation.

Go to www.inyathelo.co.za or www.philanthropy.org.za for more information on the awards.