In the Sappi Ideas That MAtter competition NMMU Student, Michelle was awarded R100 000 for her campaign for the Missionvale Care Centre.

“I have always had a heart for the hungry and marginalised. The Missionvale Care Centre selflessly helps thousands of people everyday, but their hands are tied as a result of the critical shortage of food,” says Michelle.

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Michelle has been awarded R100 000 for her campaign for the Missionvale Care Centre, Leigh-Anne R80 000 for her campaign for the Thandusana Babies Home in Newton Park and Bianca won R100 000 for The Nkosinathi Foundation. The grants will be used to pay for the production (printing) of the campaigns on behalf of their chosen organisation.

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Stop Hunger Now, as the organization is known, is collaborating with a
local church to provide much needed relief to needy individuals.

This comes as the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is mooting a
city-wide war in hunger campaign to respond to the immediate needs of
families while long term sustainable poverty eradication measures are
being put in place. The plans are at an advanced stage and a number of
stakeholders have been engaged. Further consultations with communities
on key aspects of the campaign are scheduled to take place shortly in
order to bring communities on board.

The Municipality is pleased to see stakeholders respond to the call to
action and is truly inspired by this great initiative.

Nelson
Mandela Bay Municipality Contacts (Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage
and Despatch).

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Graphic Design BTech
students Michelle Hoch, Bianca Wolmerans and
Leigh-Anne Salonika designed campaigns for community-based
organisations. With the guidance of Applied Design postgraduate
lecturer Bruce Cadle, all three submitted work to The Sappi Ideas that
Matter competition.
 
The initiative encourages designers to use design to influence positive
change, to help those in need, to make a difference, towards building a
more sustainable future that reduces inequalities and access to
resources in South Africa.

“Graphic design students have become acutely aware that they have a
social responsibility to use their talent for more than just commercial
ends – it’s about balance and making a difference in someone’s life as
well,” says Cadle.

“This year choosing work for submission was a real challenge because
there were such outstanding ideas. I guess three wins out of five
entries is pretty impressive. Last year we managed three grants as well
and this year have scored an additional R280 000. I am really proud of
these students’ achievements. Watch out 2011!”

Michelle has been
awarded R100 000 for her campaign for the Missionvale
Care Centre, Leigh-Anne R80 000 for her campaign for the
Thandusana
Babies Home in Newton Park and Bianca won R100 000 for The Nkosinathi
Foundation. The grants will be used to pay for the production
(printing) of the campaigns on behalf of their chosen organisation.

“I have always had a heart for the hungry and marginalised. The
Missionvale Care Centre selflessly helps thousands of people everyday,
but their hands are tied as a result of the critical shortage of food,”
says Michelle.

“It is always fulfilling to reach out and help others, and now this
Sappi grant has provided me with the opportunity as a designer to do
just that.”

Bianca’s campaign is to create awareness about people with visual
impairments and try and obtain donations for the Nkosinathi Foundation
to continue helping people.

“By doing this I intend to show the difficulties visually-impaired
people are faced with. Hopefully then sighted people will see things
differently and have a positive reaction by donating money.”

The third winner Leigh-Ann was prompted to support orphaned babies
after reading the plight of abandoned babies. “I could not think of
anything worse than abandoning a child without a
thought as to if they survive and how. Their plight hit home while
spending a day with these little ones.

“They are amazing little people when you enter Thandusana’s home you
are welcomed with smiles and greetings of hugs around your legs that
brighten anyone’s day”.

Director of the School of Music Art and Design Mary Duker is equally
delighted with the results. “These Ideas that Matter 2010 awards add to
students recently excelling in different areas of art and design. Our
students from NMMU
in the Eastern Cape are showing their potential and
flair nationally and internationally.” 

The SAPPI Ideas That Matter competition is open to the design industry
worldwide and includes students and design professionals. The
competition requires graphic designers to identify a charity or NGO of
their choice. The graphic designer is challenged to create a
publicity/fund raising/ awareness campaign for their selected
organisation and calculates the costs for the production of the
campaign. The graphic designer’s time is supplied pro bono.

The talent of graduate and postgraduate work in Art and Design will be
on exhibition next month. The public is welcome to attend.

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The statement was released after a meeting between the church leaders
and senior management officials from the Department of Education in
Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage on Thursday 9 September.

“A frank discussion was held in which we expressed grave concern about
the state of education in general, despite huge budget allocations over
many years. The serious predicament of Grade 12 learners, who were left
without educational support in the face of their final exams, creates
an intolerable situation,” says the statement.

It comes as the Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011 by the World
Economic Forum gives South Africa poor marks for education:

South Africa is ranked at 129 out of 139 countries for “health and
primary education”. It is at number 125 for the quality of primary
education, 130 for the quality of the educational system, 137 for the
quality of maths and science education, and university enrolment at
number 15% of matriculants places it at number 99 in the world.

“The plight of all children at school touched our hearts, since we as
adults are failing them and leaving them at risk while we are called by
God to protect and nurture them, helping them to find a productive and
meaningful future through a proper education,” says the statement.

“We were greatly encouraged by the rescue plan prepared by the
Department of Education’s senior management for our area. It includes
the request to pray for our children and the way forward,” it adds.

The leaders are Catholic Bishop Michael Coleman, Pastor Neville Goldman
of the Ebenezer Christian Centre, Bishop Lunga ka Siboto, head of the
Episcopal Church, Methodist Bishop Musi Losaba, Ds Danie Mouton, head
of the NG Church in the Eastern Cape, and Anglican Bishop Bethlehem
Nopece.

“Parents need to work hand in hand to motivate learners. All is not
lost. By working hard, staying focused and preparing themselves well,
our children, especially those in Grade 12, can still reach their dream
in 2010.

“Learners should motivate one another. Stay on track, prepare each day,
study hard, turn up for school, take part in your exams.

“Teachers need to be responsible and work hard in the class room with
learners to prepare themselves. Now is the time to put in extra hours
with our children to make sure that we complete the curriculum. Take up
the chalk and teach!

“School governing bodies and principals carry the responsibility to
lead and to manage their schools professionally, and to follow the
leadership of the Department of Education. We are held accountable by
God for the way in which we treat and support those put under our care,
the children, the future of our nation.

“Congregations should take up their public responsibility to be
involved in the local schools in their vicinity. Support the schools,
strengthen the hands of educators, motivate learners and pray for our
school system. Create space in your liturgy for education,” say the
church leaders.

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The constrained performance of the PEBCI, however, does reflect more
subdued levels of economic activity in the economy in general. During
the second quarter of 2010 South Africa’s rate of economic growth
declined by more than expected to 3.2 percent, down from 4.6 percent in
the first quarter, and when the contribution of agriculture to GDP
growth is factored out, the rate of GDP growth in the second quarter
falls further to 2.7 percent.

Despite growth in the real disposable income of households, which will
also probably have slowed in the second quarter of 2010, households
remain heavily in debt and under pressure from the loss of around
700000 jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector in the past eighteen
months creating an environment of caution characterized by debt
reduction and financial consolidation. In these circumstances despite
an already significant reduction in interest rates with possibly
further interest rate reductions to come, growth in credit extension to
the private sector, while slowly improving, remains subdued continuing
to reflect growth rates last experienced in the mid nineteen sixties.

Encouragingly business confidence levels for South Africa as measured
by the RMB/BER survey and SACCI are both reflecting some improvement in
the third quarter which will be supportive of growth in the economy,
but in all probability at a further reduced rate in the second half of
the year. Further interest rate reductions, should they occur, will
also support sentiment and economic activity in coming months as well
as the performance of the PEBCI.

With regard to the details of the PEBCI, the trend cycles in seven of
the sub-indices reflected improvement, six reflected deterioration and
two moved sideways.

 
The indicators that supported the PEBCI through July included growth in
the trend cycle of new car sales in the metro which continues
reflecting improvement and the trend in the number of passengers
arriving at the PE airport which also continues reflecting growth. The
PEBCI continues to be supported by a decline in the trend cycle of
local rate of inflation which fell to four percent in July from five
percent in June. Trend cycle growth in the real value of retail sales
in the Eastern Cape continues reflecting slow recovery and the trend
cycle in the price of gold also assisted the index. While down on
levels achieved earlier this year the trend cycle in the JSE all share
index recovered slightly through July and the trend in the real value
of exports while moving sideways in recent months reflected growth in
July.

On the downside, while new data will only be available in
mid-September, the level of consumer confidence in the Eastern Cape
declined during the second quarter of 2010 with the index falling to 20
from 26 in the first quarter. Furthermore, the trend cycle in the rand
US dollar exchange rate reflected weakness through July despite the
average exchange rate for July strengthening in comparison to June, and
the trend cycles of the real value building plans passed in the Metro
and the real value of building completed declined through July. The
decline in the trend cycle of the total new vehicle market continued
into July as rates of growth in commercial vehicle sales reflected
weakness and the trend cycle in the real seasonally adjusted value of
manufacturing output also declined through July.

The trend cycle of two indicators moved sideways through June, these
included the trend cycle of the prime rate of interest that has
remained unchanged since March, and the trend cycles in the real value
of imports which moved sideways through July.

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Many Bay businesses have thrown their weight behind Save Bayworld
campaign by sponsoring tables and prizes for the event and are
determined to see that the city does not loose one of its best loved
icons.

“I honestly believe that Bayworld has been and is one of Port
Elizabeth’s landmarks. We are devastated that we stand the very real
chance of loosing this crucial facility,” said Elsabe Boshoff, general
manager of Ocean
Divers International, which is sponsoring a prize for
the Day at the Races raffle and lucky draw.

“If we look at other oceanariums around the world and in South Africa -
like uShaka in Durban – I think we in Nelson Mandela Bay really do have
the capacity and facilities to create a phenomenal oceanarium.

“With the money and the right leadership Bayworld can go to new
heights. But this cannot happen without buy-in from the public,” said
Boshoff, hence the reason they are supporting the campaign.

Trenwyth Pledger, owner of Thunzi Bush Lodge, said that supporting this
campaign was equivalent to being patriotic to Nelson Mandela Bay. “As
someone from the private sector, but working in the tourism industry, I
realise more than ever that it’s vitally important that we help
Bayworld because it’s a key tourist attraction for our city,” she said.

“I myself have fond memories of the dolphins, seals and museum at
Bayworld – and it’s important for our children to have a place to go to
revisit the history of our city and also learn and see the beauty of
the marine world,” said Pledger, a mother of triplets. “We live right
on the ocean – it makes sense for us to have an oceanarium that gives
us insight to what goes on under the waters.”

Legacy Hotels Resorts is sponsoring the biggest prize for a raffle
draw, valued at R12 000, and includes a wellness weekend breakaway at
Kuzuko Lodge near Addo for two people.

Das Boffa, general sales agent for Legacy Hotels Garden Route and
Eastern Cape, said the company as a tourism industry stakeholder
believes it is important to protect tourism in the country. “Bayworld
is a core product for Port Elizabeth and it is sad that, as a
destination, it might loose one of its most important attractions.

“It’s important that we help preserve Bayworld because it improves the
whole tourism trade to Nelson Mandela Bay – we couldn’t not get behind
the Save Bayworld Campaign,” said Boffa. 

Summerstand Hotel is also sponsoring a prize and sales representative
Donna Peo reiterated the point that Bayworld helps bring people into
the city and provides a centre of excellence for those who live here.

“We decided to back this campaign because it is crucial that Bayworld
is saved, fixed up and brought back to it’s former glory and better for
Bay locals and other tourists,” said Peo.

The first fundraising event is a Surf n Turf Day at the Races today at
Fairview Racecourse, Greenbushes. Bay idols candidate Simon Shaw will
play for the public and the Sunrise Jazz Band will also be performing.
Members of the public are invited to come watch the races from 12pm
onwards and to dress in either surf or turf attire and to “open their
hearts and wallets to the Save Bayworld Campaign”, said Phrosne
Phillips NMBT
event organiser.

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Spring Tide occurs twice monthly, every month of the year, at New Moon
and again at Full Moon.

The few days leading up to, during and following spring tide
are when the strongest rip-currents
occur.

Bathers and people wading in the ocean who are caught up in
Rip-Currents are the greatest cause of drowning accidents along our
coastline.

Anglers can be swept off rocks by the unusually higher than normal tide
or cut off from the mainland when fishing on rocky outcrops.

Caution along the coastline is advised for bathers, paddlers, surfers,
anglers and boaters during spring tide.

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Mr Louis van Aardt, Owner of Pro Dive, said that he was very impressed
with the group’s enthusiasm to learn and that they were actually very
good.

“They all passed the intense instruction on open water diving and
advanced diving with flying colours which means they can now classified
as rescue divers,” he added.

Laurence Gin, Kirsten Ingram, Kirsten Japhta, Thomas Plaatjies, Kurt
Cain, Cameron Pritchard, Asanda Makazi, Luvoyo Nonzinyana and Craig
Scott received their certificates at a brief ceremony at the Pro Dive
Offices.

They were exposed to this course as a result of the Nelson Mandela Bay
Municipality’s Training and Development Programme that is essentially
focused on developing the skills of the lifeguards who are entrusted
with the important responsibility of safeguarding the visitors to our
pristine beaches.

Their newly developed skills will not just be put to good use during
rescue operations, it will also be used during the placement of buoys
and they will now also be able to dive it out.

Nelson
Mandela Bay Municipality Contacts (Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage
and Despatch).

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