Los Angeles’ Angel City Chorale is set to sing their hearts out for the Amy Foundation, set to benefit scores of young, underprivileged South Africans.

Los Angeles, USA (22 October 2024) — The City of Los Angeles is preparing for a special concert to benefit South Africa’s own The Amy Foundation thanks to a team-up with the Angel City Chorale—a premier choral group!

The Amy Foundation is well-respected by many people both in South Africa and America. Founded in honour of Amy Biehl—an activist who lived decades ago and was dedicated to supporting the advancement of democracy and equality in South Africa ahead of the 1994 elections.

Amy lost her life in 1993 in Gugulethu due to political mob violence—a loss felt the world over. Her parents extended the epitome of the new South Africa’s ethos—an incredible act of forgiveness—and set up the Amy Biehl Trust (now the Amy Foundation) in honour of their daughter’s belief in a better South Africa.

Today, the Amy Foundation supports youth empowerment through education, afterschool support, as well as arts and sports programmes, breaking the cycles of poverty and violence through opportunity and hope. Over 1,400 young people benefit from their work every day.

The benefit concert will be raising funds for the Amy Foundation’s programmes underway in 7 centres in underserved communities.

The people and voices of Los Angeles coming together for South Africans is a reminder of Amy’s legacy: that no matter how different our backgrounds may be, we can’t have a better world unless it’s a better world for everyone.

For our readers in the US, the concert is on 27 October 2024, and you can grab tickets here.

Back home, you can support the Amy Foundation in a myriad of ways, like supporting their products, bistro or volunteering your time. 

Sources: The Amy Foundation 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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The Lunchbox Fund and the Development Bank have committed to providing meals to Zandile Mtungata’s organisation.

East London, South Africa (21 October 2024) — Last month GroundUp reported how a woman in Duncan Village, East London, was making a huge effort to daily feed dozens of children in her community. Zandile Mtungata told us at the time:

“When people come asking for food, whoa, I am happy I see the joy and hope. Because I am their hope, I am their hope.”

But Mtungata was battling. For one thing, she needed a new stove. She complained of receiving very little assistance from government to provide food.

Following our article an organisation called the Lunchbox Fund in partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) committed to providing over one million meals until the end of 2025 to Mtungata’s outreach programme, which she calls Healing of Broken Souls, and Inenjongo, an after-school homework tutoring project also in Duncan Village.

Lunga Schoeman, programme manager for corporate social investment at the DBSA, stated:

“From October until December 2025, a total of 1,099,440 meals will be served, ensuring that these children receive nourishing, warm meals daily.”

On Tuesday, Mtungata told GroundUp the food had not arrived on Monday, 7 October, as was stated in the email to GroundUp. This was reported to the fund and a day later the delivery was made.

Mtungata says she was visited a while ago by a representative of the fund and signed documents.

She was also visited for the first time by an official from the provincial Department of Social Development and encouraged to register her organisation at their offices in East London’s CBD four kilometres away.

“But I don’t have the money to go up and down,” she said.

Support has also continued with meals and a microwave from local evangelist Matthew Peake of Helping Those in Need.

Sources: GroundUp

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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In two doses of good news from the Bona uBuntu Programme, the White Cane Day March united communities who walked in solidarity for visually impaired youth while a four-year-old gained his sight thanks to their help in getting him the most important surgery of his life!

Kwadwesi, South Africa (20 October 2024) — The streets of Kwadwesi teemed with enthusiasm and energy earlier this month as 263 learners, educators and community members banded together for the annual White Cane Day Youth March!

Hosted by the Bona uBuntu Programme, which teamed up with Khanynisa School for the Visually Impaired and Ilima Lombi—Kamva, the event brought together community members in the Eastern Cape to raise awareness about the challenges visually impaired individuals face and to promote a culture of accessibility and inclusion.

The Bona uBuntu Programme is an NGO that supports empowerment and education for visually impaired children in the Eastern Cape, while White Cane Day is observed globally and celebrates the independence of people who are blind or visually impaired. A big part of this independence comes from accessibility tools, hence its name—the white cane!

“This event is more than just a march; it’s a movement towards a future where visually impaired youth can thrive without limitations,” commented Robyn Fick, the Programme Coordinator at Bona uBuntu.

“We [walked] for their independence, for their right to access education, and for a community that embraces inclusivity.”

The day also featured musical performances from the Khanyisa School Choir, representatives from special schools, and mainstream schools in Kwadwesi, which were a true melting pot of solidarity.

In other uplifting news from the Bona uBuntu Programme, four-year-old ‘Ollie’ (not the child’s real name) has received cataract surgery that was needed to restore his sight after years of disappointment for his family due to a lack of resources.

Bona uBuntu helped the little one get an appointment with the ophthalmology department at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in East London within a week, and soon thereafter, he underwent the surgery that gave him his sight back!

Sources: Supplied; Bona uBuntu Programme 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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South Africa is uniting for one of our strongest warriors, Alison Botha, who recently underwent a brain aneurysm—The same Alison who survived the unsurvivable after two men brutally raped her and left her for dead with more wounds than doctors could count. Now, all those she has inspired are standing behind her as she climbs this medical mountain!

Cape Town, South Africa (17 October 2024) — Alison Botha’s story is one many South Africans have shed tears over, felt indescribable rage about, and become inspired by—often in one sitting. Now, as Alison faces a medical mountain, South Africa and people across the world are uniting to help her push onward and upward.

Alison is known across the world as someone who went from survivor to warrior. In 1994, she faced unimaginable horrors when one December night changed her life forever.

Two men abducted Alison and took her to the outskirts of Port Elizabeth. She was raped violently, stabbed over 30 times, and left with her throat slit from ear to ear in the bushes, where she was as good as dead.

Except, Alison didn’t die. With every last ounce of strength she had left, Alison dragged herself to the road where a passing car found her. When she eventually received medical help, she had so many wounds doctors could not count them.

Alison’s decision in that moment was to deny death and to continue pushing on day after day, not simply as a survivor, but as a source of immense strength for countless women.

No one would’ve blamed Alison for losing herself to trauma. But, she chose a new life; one where she would help so many other women become warriors instead by seeing the power of choice to triumph over life’s hardships.

Today, Alison is a champion for GBV victims. Her book, I Have a Life—Alison’s Journey became a best-seller and the epitome of courage. She inspired WomanInpowered—an initiative that helps women protect themselves and won the Rotarian Paul Harris Award for ‘Courage Beyond the Norm’ among many other accolades.

While she might be a formidable warrior, Alison is also a human. And right now, her body is in a terrible predicament.

As her collaborating ghostwriter, Marianne Thamm, explains per Daily Maverick, Alison endured an aneurysm in late September where bleeding on the brain ensued.

She underwent surgery to stop the haemorrhage in Cape Town and is currently in and out of consciousness. Today, she is scheduled to undergo brain surgery to help with the fluid that has built up.

But, as Lynette Oxley of Girls On Fire explains, Alison does not have the medical aid to cover all this.

As such, her legal team have stepped forward to help Alison climb this medical mountain via a trust fund, and the support has been significant!

People from all over the world and country have sent their support, love and contributions. Alison has touched so many lives, and now people are paying it forward to ensure this battle is one she won’t go through alone.

Everyone who wishes to support this incredible South African can do so via the following:

Trust Details

Tania Koen Attorneys
Nedbank Trust Account No. 1302230492
International donations include SWIFT code NEDSZAJJ
Tania Koen (Legal Representative) tkatt@mweb.co.za

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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In an ever-changing, tough job market, ‘After School Programmes’ across the country are holding down the fort to help young South Africans level the playing field and access opportunities!

South Africa (16 October 2024) — The pressure of matric finals’ is weighted enough as it is. But it’s also one of many other pressures young South Africans face today. At the top of the pressure list is the big question: ‘What happens next?’ To which an infamously tough job market in our country stares back, often blankly.

Inflation, a recovering post-Covid market, technological advances replacing traditional jobs and a multitude of other reasons have all contributed to the bleakness of the job market for young people.

And the evidence is in the stats and social landscape of our country. South Africa has a ridiculously high unemployment rate of 32.9%. An under-resourced school system that doesn’t focus enough on bridging educational gaps that are often very wide due to underprivileged circumstances and, of course, the disproportional spread of opportunities.

But in the midst of the bleak picture is a light with huge potential to expand. That light lies in After-School Programmes (ASP) that are emerging as something of a hopeline for thousands of South Africa’s most vulnerable youth; providing them with imperative upskilling measures!

This year, the fifth annual Lights On After School campaign was launched; a campaign that’s about sharing and showcasing what ASPs are capable of. Led by non-profit The Learning Trust in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport Youth Office, ASPs are proving to be a source of empowerment in the face of the tough job market; all while equipping future generations with resources to become adults they are proud of.

Here’s How ASPs Help

Critical Intervention

“ASPs act as critical interventions that can safeguard South Africa’s youth against significant barriers to economic participation. These programmes are stepping in to equip learners with digital literacy, technical skills and critical soft skills like problem-solving and emotional intelligence to thrive in a future workforce,” explains Charlene Petersen Voss, the Executive Director at the Learning Trust.

A Bridge for New Opportunities

While ASPs can be a bridge for educational gaps, they also act as a path for future opportunities largely through mentorship.

“The ASP sector is essential in levelling the playing field by providing access to mentorship, job shadowing, and other opportunities that are typically out of reach for marginalised youth,” Charlene says. 

For Sophumelela Ketelo, the Chairperson of the Sophumelela Youth Development Programme, an ASP in the Eastern Cape, it’s a matter of meeting young people where they’re at and bridging off from that place.

Sophumelela says that he doesn’t blame the youth for being underprepared for the ever-changing job market.

“We often expect learners to be ready for the workplace while treating them like children, which delays their growth and readiness. In some cases, everything is done for them, making it difficult for them to appreciate the efforts of those supporting them. After school prgroammes are essential in adressing this gap, offering more than just academic support. They help build the confidence, literacy and life skills that learners need to succeed in an ever-changing world,” he says.

Guiding the Youth

ASP’s roles are heavily to do with guiding young people, especially those who cannot afford tertiary education, as Louise Retief, Programme Manager for the Rogz Academy shares. Rogz, who focus on Youth Development largely through its YearBeyond Programme in partnership with the Boost Africa Foundation, have been a part of helping guide many young people toward new avenues of hope.

The YearBeyond Programme helps Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) members of the youth with over 3500 opportunities annually.  The youth are then able to support over 60,000 learners across the Eastern and Western Cape.

Expanding Access

Further opportunities for youth are created by The Learning Trust’s Catch-up Coalition, which forms part of the Social Employment Fund (SEF). Funded by the Public Employment Stimulus (PES) through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the SEF addresses both unemployment and education at the same time by employing young people in roles that directly enhance educational outcomes.

Through partnerships with over 50 community-based organisations, SEF has helped create more than 10,000 paid work opportunities, benefiting over 180,000 children and youth!

“In the last year of SEF, we have seen 52% of youth exiting to permanent employment, with 44% pursuing further studies,” says Petersen Voss.

“We continue to advocate for government funding for initiatives like the Social Employment Fund and National Youth Service, which not only creates job opportunities and workplace experience for young people but also addresses our education crisis.”

You can find out more about The Learning Trust here.

Sources: Supplied; The Learning Trust

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Non-profit, The Character Company, is on a mission to heal a big part of South Africa’s trauma with volunteers who step up as positive male figures to fatherless boys.

South Africa (14 October 2024)—The trauma of the individual can become the trauma of a country. It might seem like a big statement, but when you get down to the nuts and bolts and unpack why so many of South Africa’s challenges exist, you start to see a common thread. The good news is that many threads don’t have to continue in perpetuity. And with non-profits like The Character Company stepping in to heal the gaping wounds in our society, hope is high.

A big part of South Africa’s trauma stems from fatherless boys and those without positive male role models. Especially in underprivileged communities, these boys can grow up into adults who perpetuate cycles of abuse, poverty and gangsterism, largely because of learned behaviours.

In fact, 70% of South African children grow up in single-parent homes, as The Character Company states. It’s estimated that 4 out of 5 boys with absent fathers don’t have even one other consistent, positive male role model in their lives.

These circumstances can permit chronic trauma. Because trauma is not a cookie-cutter experience, it has to be understood relatively.

Jaco van Schalkwyk, founder of the Character Company, explains:

“We must understand trauma is not just physical hurt. Trauma can also be created by our experiences in life that are not necessarily violent or abusive. The lack of a positive male role model is such a devastating experience for a young boy. It’s a trauma that goes much deeper than sadness at missing out on playing rugby with your dad.”

Jaco adds that a boy’s identity and sense of self are positively shaped by having a father or male caregiver. This is someone who “pays attention, makes time and serves as a guide for him as he grows.”

“Such a boy needs no proof, he just knows that he is ‘good enough’ and that he is someone who his father believes is worth standing up for. By contrast, a boy with an absent father constantly wonders: ‘What is wrong with me?’ He is constantly churning about and seeking answers as to why he is not ‘good enough’ and why he isn’t worth making time for. Psychologically, this is an ongoing traumatic hurt that impacts on boys’ development, behaviour and social relationships. Without intervention, it shapes the man he will grow up to be.”

Depression, aggression, substance abuse, bullying and both poor performance as well as over-performance are all ‘side effects’ that can follow.

Dr Joan van Niekerk, Child Rights and Protection consultant at organisation Jelly Beanz, explains that the absent father is a form of neglect.

“The impact on boys results in a lack of guidance on social relationships and on how to use their physical strength to protect others and not to harm and or hurt. Boys with absent fathers and without positive role models then take gender role guidance from other sources such as television, social media and, if they have access to them, gang members.”

When it comes down to healing what is often a generational cycle, the goal is to instil traits associated with positive masculinity.

The Character Company focuses on balancing consistent social elements of positive male mentorship with healthy experiences to create a social fatherhood model.

“Our programme of consistent mentoring and healthy, outdoor activities is a model of social father hood that we are implementing so that boys with absent fathers have the much-needed opportunity to engage with male role models who are intentional, committed and accountable to them.”

There are five values imperative to the organisation, namely:

• Respect
• Honesty
• Self-discipline
• Courage
• Kindness

Boys are also provided safe spaces to talk about their feelings and develop emotional intelligence and empathy.

Jaco explains that their work is not a quick fix but a committed, long-term process.

“While the extent of fatherlessness in our country seems overwhelming, there’s so much opportunity for South African men to become part of the solution and contribute to healing the generation now, and those to come. To walk this journey over time with a boy is enriching for our mentors and we hope to see many more South African men step up to the challenge of becoming intentional, committed and accountable social fathers.”

You can learn more about The Character Company here and more about becoming a mentor here.

Sources: Supplied

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Sometimes giving something ‘one last shot’ is the best shot you end up taking. For Bin to Beauty a wildcard of kindness, deciding it ain’t over ‘till it’s over’ and determination have all turned things around for the small upcycling business, and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

Johannesburg, South Africa (11 October 2024) — Ever felt down on your luck? Like you’ve got this great idea but just seem to be in the wrong place for it to really take off? Considered that your business might end up less of a dream and more of a memory? Kudakwashe Chigariro knows the feeling. In fact, just a few short months ago, she and her small upcycling business, Bin to Beauty, faced all of the above.

Things weren’t looking good for Kuda’s dream. In fact, at the end of July, she had to tell her team that it was time to close shop for good after 5 years of hard work.

It was a heartbreaking moment. Bin to Beauty was the bread and butter for the women part of the team. Together, they were all dedicated to upcycling recyclable materials into fabulous new products like purses, backpacks and accessories. It helped them help the environment and put food on the table. But at the time, it seemed like a breakthrough for the business was becoming impossible, and the business could no longer afford to keep going.

‘But upcycling is all the rage!’ You might protest. While it might be true that sustainable fashion (of which upcycling is a big part) has taken the world by storm, it’s also important to consider that when your resources are limited, so too can be your reach.

Despite coming to terms with the end of Bin to Beauty, life had other plans for Kuda and her team.

Dana Druion from the Rosebank Sunday Market learned of Kuda’s story and immediately knew she needed to get involved.

Dana gave Kuda her ‘last shot’ by offering her a free stall at one of Joburg’s top markets. Beyond this, Dana went above and beyond in trying to connect businesses that produce wrapper waste to Kuda.

When Good Things Guy shared the news of the relaunch, we were all at the edge of our seats.

As Kuda told us at the time, “We are just praying that we have been in the wrong place and praying that we are going to the right place.”

A few months later and the verdict was in: the tables had turned!

“We have been in the wrong place,” Kuda informed us. Those words alone were enough to make our team’s hearts sing.

Kuda added that her client base has expanded to other parts of South Africa thanks to people who learnt about her business through Good Things Guy, and further, that getting to operate at the market is “like a dream”.

While the journey continues for the little business that could, several lessons shine through for all of us: don’t count yourself out until the curtains have truly closed. Be ready to take help when it is given, and if you’re given a ‘last shot’, make it the best damn shot of them all.

Life can certainly feel like being inside a bin at time, but it can also very quickly turn to a thing of beauty.

You can support Bin to Beauty here, or at the Rosebank Market.

Sources: Email Submission

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Limpopo School has been going strong for nearly 20 years.

Limpopo, South Africa (10 October 2024) — The Vhutshilo Mountain School in Tshikombani village, about 30 km west of Thohoyandou in Limpopo, has been looking after HIV/AIDS orphans since 2002.

The school was founded by Sue Ann (Suzi) Cook, a factory worker from Shayandima. She noticed the plight of women, particularly grandmothers, who could not go to work because they had to care for children whose parents had died of AIDS. This was before antiretroviral (ARV) treatment was widely available. Cook was especially concerned about the young children who needed daytime care.

Cook transformed the caravan she lived in at Thathe Vondo into a pre-school, resigned from her job and started caring for the children, helping with transport, meals, clothing and medical care. She launched a gardening programme to provide fresh vegetables, distributed food parcels to families, and established the village’s first paediatric ARV programme.

Her work caught the attention of Professor Fraser McNeill, head of the anthropology department at the University of Pretoria. McNeill was conducting research on HIV/AIDS-related issues.

“Grandmothers were under stress as they had to work while taking care of sick children. It was difficult for them to administer the children’s medication regularly, and some were forgetting,” McNeill said.

McNeill shared the story of the school with his church congregation in Scotland, asking them to raise funds. In 2005, the Inverclyde congregation of the Church of Scotland built a two-classroom school at Tshikombani.

Among those who have supported the school over the years are Monica McNeill and her husband, Les. At the beginning of the month the couple visited the school from Scotland to mark their 50th wedding anniversary. A signboard was unveiled, acknowledging the Church of Scotland and specifically the McNeill family for their contributions.

Over the years, countless success stories have emerged from the Vhutshilo Mountain School, with many former students pursuing higher education and successful careers. Many return to mentor current pupils.

The school currently accommodates 130 pupils, ranging from toddlers aged one to three to Grade 2 pupils (aged seven to eight years).

Since its official opening in 2005, the school has also started admitting other learners who pay school fees, helping to break the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. Most of the children come from nearby villages such as Dopeni and Fondwe.

The school offers a range of programmes including psychosocial support services, counselling and peer support groups to help children cope with the loss of their parents and the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.

Khathu Nemafhohoni, the school’s director, said the school’s role extends beyond education. Staff also visit the children at their homes. She said shortages of funds limit the school’s ability to accommodate more children.

Cook died in 2018. “Suzi started with nothing. The Church of Scotland built on her inspiration,” said McNeill.

This story is published in association with the Limpopo Mirror.

Sources: GroundUp

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Vhutshilo Mountain School Offers Lifeline to AIDS Orphans appeared first on Good Things Guy.

Africa’s only penguin needs our help. But why are these seabirds facing extinction and what can we actually do to give them a boost? Is there anything? The answer is yes! Here’s what you need to know:

Cape Town, South Africa (10 October 2024) — With International African Penguin Awareness Day celebrated just yesterday, African Penguins are front of mind for many South Africans. But, we do have many questions. Are the measures attempting to protect the seabird from extinction effective? Or do they need a boost? Is enough being done? And how can we, as the public, actually make an effective change?

Need to Knows

• The species has already lost 97% of its population
• African Penguins are down to less than 10,000 breeding pairs
• Estimations point to its extinction in the wild as soon as 2035

What’s Caused This?

The African penguin has faced numerous threats. But, a primary cause of the seabird’s decline is a lack of available food due to competition from commercial purse-seine small—pelagic fishing around its breeding colonies.

As CEO of Blue Marine, Clare Brook puts it succinctly:

“It would be a tragedy if we lost these wonderful iconic birds. And all because of greedy, thoughtless overfishing.”

What Are The Measures in Place to Fix The Penguin’s Plight?

Currently, no-take zones do exist (spots where fishing is prohibited to help restore fish populations for the penguins’ food source), but research by ornithologists has found that these zones are ineffective for penguin conservation.

Based on a recent study that evaluated different no-take zone scenarios around six major penguin colonies (that together support 76% of the global African Penguin population), it has been found that the majority of no-take zones are problematic. This is because they reportedly only restrict fishing in less than 50% of the penguins’ main feeding areas—meaning that the areas counting the most are not being protected effectively.

This essentially means that fisheries are still benefiting while the penguins suffer—not exactly great for the mood in the world of penguin conservation.

Giving Protective Measures a Boost

Scientists, including BirdLife South Africa’s Dr Alistair McInnes and the University of Exeter’s Dr Richard Sherley, have recommended alternative and achievable limits that provide better prospects for the penguins that won’t cause disproportionately high costs to the purse-seine fishing industry.

So, the main matter is one of litigation.

SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa have united to take legal action to enforce greater protection of the species. The two non-profits instituted against the office of the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to challenge the Minister’s ‘biologically meaningless’ island closures to purse-seine fishing around key African Penguin colonies.

Essentially, the legal work is trying to change the no-take zones for alternative zones that are better aligned to the important feeding areas.

These alternatives would hopefully give penguins a boost, reducing feeding competition and allowing fish stocks to be replenished!

In line with this SANCCOB, BirdLife South Africa and the Blue Marine Foundation recently launched a campaign focused on saving the African Penguin. A big part of it is a petition calling on the South African government to make the change! You can sign the petition here.

Ocean Heroes Unite

International action is needed from marine life lovers and ocean heroes around the world. South African free diver and social activist Zandi Ndhlovu (Zandi the Mermaid), for one, has launched an initiative to highlight the plight of the African Penguin in support of the petition and is the narrator of the new campaign video.

As Zandi says: “I urge the international community to sign our petition today to create a catalyst for immediate action—the South African government needs to take action now, before Africa’s only penguin is lost forever.”

Sources: Supplied

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Current Measures to Save African Penguins Need a Boost appeared first on Good Things Guy.

It’s almost time for the 3rd THE Homeless Run, a way to support the homeless simply by hitting the pavement with your running shoes and chasing a finish line of greater empathy and love:

Cape Town, South Africa (10 October 2024) — The 10th of October marks World Homeless Day; a time for those of us more fortunate to rally together for the greater good of society’s forgotten members. In an effort to support Cape Town’s homeless community, The Hope Exchange (THE) is preparing for its highly anticipated THE Homeless Run ’24!

THE Homeless Run was initiated by the shelter based in Cape Town in 2022 as a way to bridge the gap between their clients (homeless people who are turning their lives around) and those who had the power to make a difference in their lives, levelling the playing field through something that connects us all—sport!

At once a small but successful event, THE Homeless Run has grown over the years and is now a time of great excitement for THE’s clients.

As the shelter reflects, it is not just a fundraising run. It’s also an opportunity for them to change perspectives and challenge misconceptions about the homeless community they work with.

“It reminds us that we are all human, sharing common interests like running and supporting each other,” THE shares.

As one of their clients says:

“Imagine that some people in the neighbourhood might have seen me sitting on the curb somewhere and formed one idea of who I am. On Thursday, they might see me happily running with a group and doing something. That could change their idea of who I am.”

How to Get Involved

• On 10 October, THE’s clients are going to be running together, and those who wish to run with them are welcome to join the group. You can contact marie@thehopeexchange.org for more details!
• Those who are in a different area can run wherever they are in solidarity. Simply pop on your running shoes, invite a few friends to join in, tag The Hope Exchange using the hashtag #thehomelessrun and mention them on socials: @thehopeexchange_ for Instagram and The HopeExchange.org for Facebook.
• Donate just R100 or more if you are in a position to do so
• You can also sponsor an element of the event you can, whether it’s printed T-shirts, bottled water and fruit for the runners, balloons for team spirit or raffle prizes. Get in touch with Marie via the email shared above.

Bank Details for EFT:

The Carpenter’s Shop
Nedbank, Gardens Centre
Branch Code: 101-009
Account No: 1010076043
Swift Code: NEDSZJJ
Reference: Run 24

Or find the QR code below:

Sources: The Hope Exchange 

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post THE Homeless Run ’24: Breaking Barriers and Changing Lives appeared first on Good Things Guy.