Mid-Summer Update

I arrived back from a two-week trip to South Africa in mid-July. In contrast to the July heat in the US, it was a cold winter there, but the people were warm and welcoming as usual.

I want to share some quick updates from the trip:

ZITHULELE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL UPDATE: First of all, a BIG thank you to those who donated in response to our request for support for Zithulele Independent School teachers. Some of the $1,640 raised will go to teacher training related to math education and work with special needs students. The remaining balance will go to teacher salaries. Sally Le Roux, founder and former principal expressed her deep gratitude on behalf of the teachers and students at the school.

WELCOMING TWO NEW UBUNTU PARTNERS

I met with several of our current partner organizations while I was there to get updates on our ongoing partner programs and initiatives. In addition, the trip solidified two new partnerships, one with The NOW Fund and one with New Hope SA.

The NOW Fund provides scholarships for exceptional young people who have the potential to transform South Africa but are not able to access an excellent high school education. These scholarships provide tuition to the Westerford School, a prestigious co-educational high school in Cape Town, as well as support for books, uniforms, other school-related costs.

New Hope SA, also located in Cape Town, provides long-term sustainable pathways out of homelessness. It does so primarily through the use of multiple residential transitional homes. New Hope SA seeks to help individuals living on the streets find community, financial independence, emotional, psychological & physical healing & spiritual growth in a New Hope house.