ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016
CONTENTS PAGE WHO WE ARE
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CEO REPORT
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CHAIRMAN REPORT
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WHERE WE WORK
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SOZO CENTRE
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SOZO EDUCENTRE
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SOZO DESIGN
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SOZO EDEN
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SOZO YOUTH CAFÉ
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SOZO CARE
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THE FIGURES
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OUR FUNDERS & FRIENDS
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GET IN TOUCH
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WHO WE ARE Vision “Collaborating to see a community transformed through unconditional love”
Mission We’re a non-profit organisation on a mission to see the people of Vrygrond equipped and empowered to live with dignity, purpose and hope.
Strategies Education
Skills
Wellbeing
Youth
“We help people to know they are loved so they can love others” 3
CEO REPORT ANTON CUYLER
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years ago in 1996, Nelson Mandela signed the final draft of the Constitution of South Africa in Sharpeville, Vereeniging. It was a significant day for all South Africans and aptly coincided with International Human Rights Day. Constitutions have been, for many ages, a symbol of fairness, equality and progress. They establish concept, character and structure for the governance of nations and organisations. This annual report is filled with many amazing facts and stories of transformational change and development which have been flowing through the programmes, projects and people at the Sozo Foundation during this year. Personally I would like add one more story of significance: a story of a Constitution.
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Our community has been suffering for many years at the hands of, among other things, taxi wars and violence, mainly due to the varied views regarding the issuing of legitimate taxi permits. During October 2015, such conflicting views and heightened tensions led to our community being locked down for more than ten days. As peaceful protests got out of hand and spiralled into violence and life threatening chaos, our Sozo tribe had to evacuate until further notice. Whilst a major highlight for Sozo had been the building, completion and official opening of the new Sozo Centre in September, we suddenly faced a situation where our beautiful building was under imminent threat of arson, vandalism and possible destruction. It was during these deep pains that one of our community’s greatest achievements was birthed and Sozo had the immense privilege of playing a significant part in this transformational process. Having been invited in the midst of this situation to attend a community meeting to discuss the issues at hand, the Sozo Foundation was able to offer its newly built centre as a base for peace and reconciliation. What transpired was the unified singing of the South African anthem in all languages marking the start of a journey to establish the first ever Vrygrond Community Development Forum. A body which would be inclusive of all stakeholders of the community and be a voice for the people to govern, lead and direct the positive future development of our community. During this process all community engagement meetings and deliberations were held at Sozo and in December 2015 the first ever official democratic election and launch of the Vrygrond Community Development Forum took place here at Sozo. This was only possible due to the many voluntary hours that were given by the community members, including Sozo staff members, towards the establishment and the development of the Constitution of the Vrygrond Community Development Forum. A Constitution that symbolises fairness, equality and progress, that establishes concept, character and structure, paving the way forward to a united, inclusive and peaceful Vrygrond. Thank you for partnering with Sozo this year and for being part of the beginning of history being made here at the Sozo Foundation Centre.
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT ROY KEMPSTER A Big Step Up The last year has seen the character and hearts of all of our stakeholders carry us to a new level of operation and service delivery. The move to our new building brought wonderful opportunities and new challenges. The quick increase in existing and new projects, brought many new community members into our environment, drew us into a process of further refining and development of our management and control structures, and into becoming a key role player in community leadership. The dedication and love of our leaders and staff, has been a key factor in us managing to ‘take a step up’. Our trustees appreciate the commitment of every staff member. Our donor partners have given life to us. They have given of their time, energy, experience and financial resources. You serve our community in a truly honouring and life giving manner, which we respect and admire. We look forward to the next steps with excitement, knowing that as the needs in all areas increase, our community, our staff and our donors all grow, and become more. We thank you and our God for it all.
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WHERE WE WORK Vrygrond is a vibrant, truly multi-cultural community situated in the Cape Flats of Cape Town. With its roots as a fisherman’s village, it is now a sprawling area bustling with a diversity of people from across the Cape and the African Continent. Vrygrond leads the way in learning how to live together again after our painful history of forced separation. Vrygrond boasts stunning views of the Steenberg mountains and is within walking distance to the beach. Vrygrond is also well placed to enjoy a variety of resources, with Blue Route Mall and Fish Hoek beach at most a R11.00 taxi fare away. Like any community, Vrygrond has its challenges, particularly in the areas of gangsterism, crime and the abuse of al-
cohol and drugs. The Vrygrond Youth are particularly at risk of the negative influences and false security of life in a gang, and all the values that come with it. Although Vrygrond boasts many early childhood development centres and an excellent primary school, there is currently no high school or adequate services targeted at young people. We imagine safe spaces for the youth on weekends, centres of information on youth employment, skills development or further education, and that’s what motivates us to do what we do in Vrygrond!
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Sozo Centre Grand Opening In 2014, we began what has been the most exciting development in the Sozo camp to date: the construction of the Sozo Centre. The project started as a humble dream to see a modest two-classroom building built to house our Educentre project. CEO, Anton Cuyler, shared the vision for a Sozo building with a good friend Steve Morris, who in turn shared the dream to build an education centre at a conference in the United Kingdom called New Wine. Moved by what they had heard, conference attendees jumped out of their seats and began to empty their wallets at Steve’s feet. Over the next couple of days, donations continued to pour in and over R1 million was raised for the education centre at the conference, more than double the budget for the original building.
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It was clear that the dream for a two-classroom building was too small, and would not provide enough room to expand the Educentre project so that more youth could benefit from the programme. Anton and Sozo’s Building Manager and Fundraiser, Sophie Olivier, began to dream of a bigger building, the Sozo Centre. A space that would not only provide more than ample room for the Educentre, but also provide a home base for the Foundation and its other projects. With a bigger vision and a bigger building to construct, Sophie began fundraising. At the same time, construction on the new Centre began. Businesses, churches, individuals and organisations heard about the building project, and wanted to be a part of making it a reality. We received numerous monetary donations and material gifts, which continued to come in over the construction period.
The new plans and bigger building feature four grade-specific classrooms, enabling Educentre to grow to 60 learners in 2015, and 90 learners in 2016. In addition, space for a new project, the Youth CafĂŠ, was created; the project is set to launch in June 2016 and will directly address youth unemployment through skills training. Both spaces provide multifunctional rooms that can be used for other projects and training.
of Cape Town joined us in thanking the construction team that built the Centre, and Ms April from the Department of Social Development cut the golden ribbon, officially opening the Sozo Centre. We are amazed at the big dream that became a two-storey reality. The Sozo Centre now stands as a reminder to continually dream bigger, and we hope it encourages you to do the same.
In September 2015, we celebrated the opening of the Sozo Centre, and invited donors, partners, NGOs, Educentre learners and community members to join us in commemorating the exciting event. We shared Sozo’s journey, recounted the story behind the Sozo Centre and honoured the men and women, organisations and businesses that made the building a reality. Councillor Yoliswa Ngqame of the City
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SOZOEDUCENTRE
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Vision “A generation of young leaders who inspire positive change in their own communities�
About The Sozo Educentre provides a safe space for 50 high school learners (between the ages of 13 – 18 years) to be equipped and empowered within their own community so as to achieve their full potential. After-school tutoring and academic assistance is offered four days a week to young people at the Sozo Centre The programme provides alternative role models, who are committed as mentors to help grow and develop every individual to be able to take responsibility for their own dreams through commitment, perseverance, shared learning, giving back and fun.
Our mission is to see every child finish high school successfully and to assist each learner to secure post schooling opportunities that will lead to a dignified job.
The Need There is currently no high school or youth education facility in the Vrygrond community, and with very high levels of gangsterism, crime and violence, this community needs safe spaces for youth to further their academic development.
What We Provide
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Achievments this year Supplementery and Core Tutoring
Information Technology
This year was marked by exciting growth as we moved into the new Sozo Centre. The increased space and grade-specific classrooms enabled us to provide 60 learners (Sozonites) with Supplementary and Core Tutoring. Our Supplementary Tutoring is learner driven, and our tutors provide continuous feedback and positive reinforcement.
Our new facilities have enabled us to increase the learners exposure to computers in 2015. Eight computers are loaded with relevant and engaging academic software. The exposure to Information Technology is vital for our Educentre learners. It not only assists them with homework and projects, it also helps develop their computer literacy, which is an essential skill for future careers. Because of this, one of our goals for next year is to provide each learner with basic computer literacy education.
Our Core Tutoring, on the other hand, takes a more focused approach where we provide specialised tutoring in areas such as Maths, Science and languages. Tutoring would not have been possible without our passionate and dedicated tutors. Thank you to our tutors who displayed such heart and willingness to see a generation rise above their circumstances.
Nutrition Nutrition forms a pivotal part of the model by providing each learner with a wholesome meal during every session. FoodBank SA continues to grow from strength to strength, allowing us to provide learners with a variety of healthy food. We felt it was important to employ a member from the community as the caterer, responsible for developing a six-week menu that includes fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Mentorship Our grade mentors play a crucial role in the growth and development of each Sozonite as they provide ongoing relationship building with each learner. Grade mentors journey with their learners as they move up through the Educentre Programme, from Grade 8 through to Matric (Grade 12). The grade mentor is seen as a positive role model for the learners, particularly to our learner representatives, modelling leadership skills and including them as part of the decision making process. This year has seen an expansion of our grade mentor team, with two dynamic young men from the Vrygrond community joining the group. This has provided learners with relevant, young and contextual role models.
The results
91%
Pass Rate 2015
235
Hours of Tutoring
87%
Attendance Rate 2015
5765
Nutritious Meals
Grade 12 results Out of the 7 Gr 12’s of 2015:
4 Bachelor passes, 1 diploma pass and 2 higher certificate passes; 2 distinctions 1. Jean Pierre Chitter – University of Pretoria – Bachelor of Sciences (Biological and Agricultural Sciences) (Bursary) 2. Nangamso Melamane – University of Cape Town – Bachelor of Social Sciences (Bursary) 3. Nigel Jonas – False Bay Westlake (Engineering) (Bursary) 4. Unathi Notywala - CPUT (ND Analytical Chemistry) (Bursary) 5. Linda Cevula CPUT (ND Sports Science) (Bursary) 6. Lelethu Matiya - Employment 7. Akhona Mvolontshi – Sozo Youth Cafe’ Intern
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Career Inspiring Initiatives
Psycho-social Intervention
Career Inspiring Initiatives include three key aspects: excursions, short courses, and career guidance with the aim to inspire career aspirations. We believe that one of the main issues that could stop a young person from pursuing their dreams with passion and determination is not being given the opportunity to try. Therefore, this strategy provides the platform for career development to take place and in doing so, fosters the ability to dream.
With the wonderful addition of a second social worker, we have been able to provide more support to our learners through counselling. This greatly increases a learner’s capacity to deal with challenging life circumstances and stresses.
Short Courses: - Philosophy Course: Critical Thinking - Design Course: in partnership with the Design Project - Dignity Campaign
Excursions: Sisanda Funday - Mandela Day
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Life Skills Workshops This year, we have had numerous opportunities to extend our support beyond counselling. We hosted workshops during Winter Hub that focused on Child Protection and Wellness. Out of the wellness workshop, which looked at dealing with stress in a healthy way, a need was identified and our first ever matric support group was formed. Since then, the learners have gained much encouragement and motivation from the support group sessions.
Refresh Child Protection Training 2015 Educentre hosted its 3rd Annual Refresh Child Protection Training in May this year. The training provided local NGOs and Sozo staff and volunteers with valuable insight into how we can best protect the children that we serve. In addition to presentations from Educentre Project Manager, Arlene Bock, we were joined by representatives from Living Hope, Hope House Counselling Centre and Childline South Africa, for an informative panel discussion. We have already seen great partnerships formed as a result of the training, including our partnership with Childline South Africa. Childline has since presented a workshop during our Winter Hub programme, and facilitated a Children’s Rights workshop in partnership with local celebrity, Emile Jansen.
Room for growth: We are constantly aware of the great need for holistic support among our Sozonites.
With this in mind, we aim to consistently expand and develop the quality of holistic care that we offer, and hope to provide more opportunities for personal growth through life skills workshops, support groups, an extended career guidance programme, and the provision of support to each learner’s family system.
WINTER HUB This year saw the launch of our very first holiday programme, Winter Hub. The two weeks during the June/July school holidays included mornings of specialised tutoring and afternoons filled with fun life skills and career focused work shops. The classrooms were abuzz with such creativity, learning and growth. Thank you so much to our tutors, partners and every staff member who made this a hub to remember.
It was different from school, it was like I was in a planet of education”
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STORY OF SUCCESS Nangamso Malemane
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A
bright young mind determined to make something of her life, Nangamso Melamane began attending Educentre in 2012. Nangamso grew up in Vrygrond. With two older brothers and two younger sisters, she credits her independent, go-getter spirit to being the middle child. This very same go-getter attitude is what introduced Nangamso to Sozo Educentre. After struggling with her school work, Nangamso knew she needed to seek help and consulted a lady in the community. She was referred to Educentre and quickly signed up for the programme. Nangamso worked diligently on her school subjects, and with the help of the Sozo staff and tutors she began to surprise herself. “You think you can’t do well, but then you do. I improved a lot since joining Educentre, and told everyone about Sozo. I went viral with it”, she said. Many teenagers, like Nangamso, face a number of challenges growing up in Vrygrond. One such obstacle is not having access to quality education. “I wanted to become a doctor, but I had a really bad physics teacher at school and struggled to get the marks I would need to qualify to study medicine.” Although disappointed, Nangamso was determined to not let that distract her from pursuing a career where she can work with and help people. “It’s important to know your goal and let the distractions go. I can’t focus on the bad in the community, otherwise I’ll end up being a victim of society.” Nangamso also credits her Matric Support Group for helping her overcome disappointment. “The group meets at the Sozo Centre on Fridays, and we talk about life, school we support each other and give each other advice.” Through Educentre’s Career Inspiring Initiatives, Nangamso found out about a range of careers and study options. Even though medicine was sadly no longer an option for her, Nangamso found out about other fields where she could work with people. “A Sozo Tutor took me to work shadow an optometrist. I got to see how they operate and interact with people. People are my passion”, Nangamso explained. As Nangamso went on to pass matric and was accepted at UCT to study Neuro Psychology. She shared some wise words of advice and encouragement for other Educentre learners, “Have a goal, keep it realistic and make time for it. Don’t stop at anything until you achieve it. And its OK to be scared, if your dreams don’t scare you then they’re not big enough.”
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SOZODESIGN
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Vision “Inspiring and enabling opportunities for a generation of creatively skilled young people”
About
The Need
Sozo Design empowers and equips gifted young people from the community of Vrygrond in areas of graphic design. We offer the practical experience of a working environment, where youth have the opportunity to learn, grow and also teach others in design.
Our Educentre learners buzz with creativity and artistic ability. However, access to artistic, creative outlets and learning is almost non-existent, with only two of the 11 schools that our Educentre learners attend offering Design or Arts and Culture as subjects.
This project takes a holistic developmental approach by incorporating elements of lifeskills into various activities and tasks. We also partner with Educentre to equip high school learners with a basic understanding of design, as well as expose learners to design-related career opportunities.
With this gap in the development of young people’s creative minds, there is little hope of them entering a creative career. in turn the creative market loses the potential of these young, talented people.
What We Provide
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Achievements this year Sozo School of Design Launch On the 22nd June 2015, we launched the first course of Sozo’s School of Design. Seven Educentre learners attended the 12-week Basics in Graphic Design course, which provided the learners with a better understanding of basic design theory and explained key design programmes, including Ad0be Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. From the first session, the learners were excited to get creative and learn something they had never been exposed to before. The course has not only uncovered their creative potential, but also given the learners the confidence to use a computer with ease.
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Sozo Foundation Rebrand The Sozo Design department took on the task of rebranding the Foundation as a whole.
Grade 11 Job Shadowing As part of our mission to expose Vrygrond teens to graphic design, an Educentre learner joined the Sozo Design team for a week of job shadowing. The learner spent time with our graphic designer and trainer, Keenan, and got hands on experience in the daily tasks and activities of a graphic designer. This was a great experience for both parties as it gave the learner a better understanding of Graphic Design as a career choice, and gave Keenan the opportunity to teach design.
Social Enterprise Sozo Design offers graphic design services to businesses and organisations as a means of generating income. Previous clients include: Drip Drop – Flyer and Magazine advert The Vrygrond Community Development Trust – Brand Pack
Golf Day 2015
In 2015 our Annual Golf Day named Sozo Design as its sole beneficiary project. Setting our sights on raising R50 000 to
cover the fully equipped design computers that would be used for our Basics in Design course, we stepped out in faith and bought them. Our golf days have always been well attended and have had amazing support from the golfers as well as our sponsors. But this Golf Day was far more successful. We had more fourballs than we have ever had before as well a very successful auction where golfers gave generously towards the project. Due to this generosity we reached our target of R50 000, which fully covered the computers.
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STORY OF SUCCESS Stacey Samuels
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aw creative talent abounds among youth in Vrygrond, but with little access to training, many are unable to develop this talent further. Few high schools offer subjects like art, design or dance, and even fewer households have computers on which students can explore digital arts like graphic design. For Educentre learner, Stacey Samuels, design was a familiar concept. “My uncle does photography design, where he edits photos on a computer”, she explained. But despite this, she had never had the opportunity to explore design or art until she joined Educentre. “I did a one-day workshop in Fine Art through Educentre. When I heard about the Sozo Design Course I was really excited; I couldn’t wait to learn how to use Photoshop”, Stacey explained. Stacey was one of seven Educentre students selected to attend the Sozo Design course. The 12-week training was developed to provide learners with a basic understanding in graphic design, as well as basic computer literacy. The course was unlike anything Stacey had ever experienced. “It was my first time designing on a computer. I found it interesting how you can design things using your own creativity”, Stacey explained. Participating in the course with her peers and friends added a special element of family to the course. “We worked together. If someone didn’t understand something, we could ask each other for help.” Stacey also raved about Design Trainer, Keenan. “It was great to have Keenan teach the course; I could understand him. When we didn’t get something the first time around, he wouldn’t shout at us but explained things again in a calm way. He is a good trainer.” In addition to learning new design skills, Stacey walked away having learnt some profound life lessons. “The course taught me to never doubt myself and what I can do. I can’t always be right and things might not be perfect, or how I want them to be, but that’s OK.” *The student’s name has been changed to protect her identity.
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SOZOEDEN
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Vision “A self-sustaining, food secure, community of organic food gardeners�
About
The Need
Sozo Eden is a holistic programme that equips and empowers low-income families to be able to provide nutritious food for their household by developing individual gardens within their own community. Through an established handson training course, follow up support visits, access to the community garden centres and full-time gardeners, we are able to provide the resources and increase knowledge and skills in urban agriculture. Our mission is to see every home gardener grow their own vegetables successfully, through commitment, perseverance, shared learning, having fun, assisting each other, giving back and selling or bartering their produce within the community.
The vast majority of people living in the Vrygrond community are either unemployed or earn minimum wage. Without economic security, they are unable to feed themselves properly. An unhealthy diet leads to many health problems, which, in some cases, results in the inability to work and earn a living. Many community members also lack the knowledge and resources to grow their own food. The soil in Vrygrond is beach sand, which, if left on its own, is not conducive to growing nutritious vegetables to feed families.
What We Provide
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Achievements this year Home gardening Eden hosted two Home Gardening Courses in 2015 from March to May and September to November respectively, equipping 16 Home Gardeners. Francisca provided the training and follow-up support for both of these courses. One of the groups named themselves “Masikhule” which means “Let’s Grow” in Xhosa. In March we had the privilege of having Simone from Germany join us as a volunteer. She spent time helping us with basic gardening and visited our training sessions. The Home Gardeners loved her and she definitely enjoyed her time spent in Vrygrond as a once in a lifetime experience.
New garden In March, Sozo Eden began planning the new Eden Garden, to be developed at the new Sozo Centre. By May we were digging trenches at the building and in August the preparation was in full swing for the Sozo Centre opening on 19 September. With some outside help we
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have installed a pond which will serve as part of an Aquaponics system. Our irrigation system was installed and partly sponsored by Autowater. The Constantia Valley Garden Club gave generously to provide enough indigenous plants and compost for a hedge along the fence in the Garden. In October, Kim De Jongh took over the managing of the Sozo Eden Garden, Oasis, while Francisca has moved over to manage the garden at the Sozo Centre named Paradise. Over fifty different plants were donated to Sozo Eden by Melanie Stewart of the Cape Horticultural Society and are looking great in our garden.
Community partnership Sozo Eden has partnered with Communiversity to train their students in Home Gardening at our Sozo Centre. In May the Communiversity Students were the first to break ground at our new Garden Centre. Francisca trained two groups of students, a total of 83 young people!
Workshops 5th June was World Environment Day and Sozo Eden organised a Health Workshop hosted by Francisca. We raised awareness, did breathing exercises, gave the attendees health tips, especially about healthy eating, and prepared a healthy meal which we ate together. During the school holidays Francisca hosted another workshop using the knowledge she has gained from Soil for Life and taught the Educentre Sozonites how to scrapbook using recycled materials.
Fundraising On 27th August 2015 Sozo Eden again gathered Cape Town’s finest brainiacs for the second annual Pub Quiz. The evening was a great success and we raised almost double the funds raised last year! All the teams were super competitive but team The Superlatives conquered all, proving that ridiculously difficult questions can be answered! They won themselves some Cape Town Comedy Club tickets and fine wine from Groot Constantia,
while the runner ups won various vouchers from local restaurants, Fringe Hair Salon and more Constantia wine. Pub Quiz also marked the launch of Seeds of Change, a campaign designed to inspire our followers to donate to the Sozo Eden project on a monthly basis and to encourage their friends and family to do the same via Social Media. Elom Fiawoo, who come from the UK to volunteer for a year at Sozo, filmed and edited short videos of some of the Home Gardeners from the community who shared their stories with us. You can view these amazing videos on our website where you can donate to Sozo Eden too!
Annual Eden Prize Giving Sozo Eden hosted its second Annual Prize Giving this year and all past and present Home Gardeners were invited. Home Gardeners shared stories of how their lives were enriched by the Home Gardening course. Francisca and Kate handed out certificates and prizes to gardeners who have persevered and stayed committed to growing organic vegetables.
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STORY OF SUCCESS Patricia Vertuin
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T
he Eden team first met Patricia when she attended Eden’s Home Gardening course in early 2015. A gentle woman with a peaceful presence, Patricia fosters children through the Eniwe Children’s Fund programme. With intense demands on her as the primary caregiver and no secure employment, ensuring that her children have food to eat is a constant challenge. Patricia’s story of food insecurity and a constant battle with hunger is not uncommon in Cape Town’s townships. In fact, over 80% of low-income households in Cape Town are food insecure. For Patricia, however, that all changed when she attended the Eden training. Patricia explains, “One night, there was nothing in the house to eat. I was standing in the kitchen and then I realized that I have spinach in the garden. At that moment I got so excited, “Shoh, I’ve got something to eat!” For me it was very inspirational to think that my hands did work and now we can eat out of the garden. The children said, “Yoh, mom you said there was no food tonight, but everybody ate.” The 10-week Home Gardening course provides women in Vrygrond like Patricia with foundational knowledge in growing organic vegetables, even in limited space and infertile soil. Patricia shared her experience of the training, “What I learned is that you can live from your garden. The Sozo Eden staff that gave the training, they make sure that you understand what they are teaching us because they did the training and they also did the practical with us.” Home visits conducted by the Eden team after the training also offered Patricia additional support and helped her to implement what she had learnt. According to Patricia, the hard work to set up and maintain a garden is all worth it. “It takes effort to work with your hands to water the garden, to nurture the garden. But at the end of the day, I benefit from the rewards because there is food on the table.” Now, months after the training, Patricia’s garden is a well-established food source for her and her family. Profoundly impacted by the course, Patricia passionately advocates for other women to attend the training. “I want to encourage other women to come out and have the training because at the end of the day you don’t have to struggle. You can go into your garden, you can pick your tomatoes, you can pick your spinach, you can even sell some of your food that you have harvested.”
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SOZOYOUTHCAFÉ
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Vision “Equipping unemployed young people in Vrygrond to be engaged, inspired and contributing community members.”
About
The Need
The Sozo Youth Café is Sozo’s newest project, set to launch in June 2016. Youth Café will provide a safe, creative and vibrant space for unemployed young people (between the ages of 16 – 25 years) to be equipped, trained, mentored and to socialise within their own community, so that they reach their full potential.
Youth unemployment in South Africa is extremely high, with 51.3% of young people between 15 and 24 year’s old unemployed (Stats SA, 2014. Labour Market Dynamics In South Africa Report). In addition, youth in Vrygrond have limited access to skills training. With no means to gain employment or upskill themselves, many youth get stuck in a cycle of poverty and become hopeless about their future.
We will offer a variety of opportunities for unemployed young people to learn and be equipped, including workshops, internship opportunities at the Café, and access to computers and the internet. We will also partner with businesses and organisations inside and outside of Vrygrond who can offer internships for young adults, which will lead to work experience and full time jobs.
Watch this space!
What We Provide
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Achievements this year Internships We will be employing 10 young adults training and equipping them to run and lead the Youth Café project alongside two Cafe managers.
Virtual Currency The Youth Café operates with a virtual currency rewarded by engagement and spent in the coffee shop and to access the various opportunities provided. This system ensures young people learn the skills of budgeting and decision mak-
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ing. We believe this will encourage the value of investing in your own learning rather than receiving a hand out.
Physical space The Youth Café is an inspirational space which cultivates a shift in mindset from uninspired disengagement to engaged, independent and confident young adults. The concept is developed around a vibrant working coffee shop, tech park, indaba space, dream factory and our brain box training spaces.
Workshops Our workshops take place in our brain box and dream factory spaces. These spaces host two streams of engagement. Our brain box hosts various lifeskills workshops and our dream factory hosts a number of skills development opportunities.
IT Our Tech Park provides access to a number of computers and the Internet. The space is used to search for informa-
tion, research and complete online applications. The area will also be used to run computer and internet training.
Network Partners We are currently developing a pool of local business, education and NGO partners who offer a variety of opportunities for young adults to engage in employment, education, training or volunteering.
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SOZOCARE
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New project launch: Vision “A community of holistically transformed families and individuals”
The Need The organisation of Sozo is made up of a community of people taking on different roles and responsibilities as staff, volunteers and beneficiaries, working towards a common goal. Intentional opportunities for personal and organisational development are essential in ensuring we can effectively fulfill our purpose, both individually and as a community. Inevitably we face the challenges of working
harmoniously together, whether dealing with external environmental factors, such as harsh living conditions, or internal relationship issues, such as family conflict. We have a new and fresh vision for this area of our mission, which will soon become the Sozo Care Project, with exciting plans to go deeper and enable us to ‘love ourselves so that we can love others.’
What we provide:
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The figures
Income
Total = R3 888 857 Donations and Grants - Local (R1 506 470) Donations and Grants - Foreign (R1 283 289) Individuals (R952 440) Fundraising & Social Enterprise (R107 107) Other (R21 930) Interest (R17 621)
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Expenditure Total = R4 353 583
Capital (building project) (R1 262 316) Educentre (R1 181 995) Central administration (R748 864) Eden (R450 280) YouthCafĂŠ (R447 091) Design (R263 037)
*Shortfall covered from 2014-2015 reserves
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Donors & Funders
Donors Andrew Selley & Family Bidvest Corporate SE Claude Leon Foundation Community Church, Chafford Hundred Constantia Valley Garden Club CRC London Delphis Eco Elim Missions - Elim Camborne EMpower Frank Jackson Foundation Harcourts Foundation Heart Brands King Baudouin Foundation Liquid Thought Business Meridith Harington Financials National Lotteries Commission Rolf-Stephen Nussbaum Foundation
St Matthews High Brooms The Bay Community Church The Dove Trust The Learning Trust Vantage CA Willowleaf Consulting Yellow Door Collective Western Cape Youth Community Safety Partnership
Donations In Kind GMS Systems H2O Somerset West GSE Products Macneil Drip Drop Auto Water SA Value Engineering
Thank you to all our individual donors who support us on a monthly basis!
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Get in touch Office: 021 825 5529 Email: admin@thesozofoundation.org.za Address: Vrygrond Avenue, Vrygrond, Muizenberg Cape Town 7945 Please “LIKE” us on Facebook and “FOLLOW” us on Twitter and Instagram
Donate Account Name: The Sozo Foundation Account number: 072043776 Bank: Standard Bank Branch: Blue Route Mall Branch Code: 025-609 Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ
Thank you....