The Rotary Club of Johannesburg New Dawn inducted renowned
musician Yvonne Chaka Chaka as an honorary member at a function in March (28
March).
Chaka Chaka is fondly known as the Princess of Africa which bears
testimony to her connection with everyday people and the charity work she is
involved in. Amongst other involvements, she is a Goodwill Ambassador for
Unicef and Roll Back Malaria. She is
Patron of the Malaria Africa Project, an initiative of which New Dawn is also
part. Her commitment to the malaria
cause started when one of her musicians contracted malaria and died as a
result.
When asked about her involvement with Rotary, Chaka Chaka
said: “When you are part of Rotary you put service above self and I am
grateful to be part of an organization
which gives so selflessly. If I can make some contribution towards the
elimination of malaria then my musician’s death has not been in vain. There is
still so much to be done in terms of educating the people of South Africa about
malaria.”
Said New Dawn Rotarian Steve du Plessis who was instrumental
in persuading Chaka Chaka to accept the membership: ” Yvonne’s involvement with
malaria spans some 7 years and her contribution as Patron has ensured greater
exposure for the problems Africa faces
in dealing with malaria. New Dawn is
truly honoured to have her as champion of its malaria cause and as a member of
the club.”
But we did hold our normal Rotary Meeting in the morning with Professor Michelle Williams as our guest speaker. Michelle spoke about "Fair Trade". It was very interesting as most of us are aware of 'Fair Trade Coffee' but not much else. A favourite project of hers is a Fair Trade Rooibos Tea Project in the Northern Cape. Despite the best of intentions "Fair Trade" is a mere blip on world markets and I have to admit that I tended to think that it was just a marketing ploy by Starbucks!
Pride of place is given to the first thing that everyone does when they arrive.....the meeting would never start without it!
HEIVELD COOPERATIVE
Northern Cape, South Africa
FLO ID 2585
Northern Cape, South Africa
FLO ID 2585
"We are going to complete the second phase of construction of the tea court, including the installation of water storage tanks, building a store/office building, purchase a second tea chopping machine. We have also developed a scheme to help members who experienced especially bad harvests during the 2003-2006 droughts as well as a training program for members in sustainable production of rooibos"
Lionel Louw, Board Member of Heiveld Cooperative, 2008
Lionel Louw, Board Member of Heiveld Cooperative, 2008
"A lot has changed. Now at the end of the week there is still money left over after buying groceries"
Koos Paulsen, Heiveld Cooperative Member, 2009
Koos Paulsen, Heiveld Cooperative Member, 2009
Introduction A group of 14 small-scale rooibos farmers of Suid Bokkeveld in the Northern Cape decided to form a cooperative in 2001, then called Heiveld Cooperative. When it was founded, the members wanted to build an organisation that promoted social justice and the social and economic development of the Suid Bokkeveld community.
Now the Heiveld Cooperative represents 60 small farmers and exports its rooibos tea all over the world, also thanks to the commercial links provided by Fairtrade and organic certification, both obtained in 2003.
Background
The Suid Bokkeveld is a harsh land, where the sun sears down and the earth bakes in summer; where the white frost burns the tender buds in winter. It is also a land of gentle spring rains and wondrous biodiversity. Situated at the western edge of South Africa's Great Karoo plateau, the Suid Bokkeveld lies close to the northern extremity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
The Suid Bokkeveld is a harsh land, where the sun sears down and the earth bakes in summer; where the white frost burns the tender buds in winter. It is also a land of gentle spring rains and wondrous biodiversity. Situated at the western edge of South Africa's Great Karoo plateau, the Suid Bokkeveld lies close to the northern extremity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
(Beautiful landscapes of the Suid Bokkeveld, ©www.heiveld.co.za)
Winter rains and acid soil create the ideal home for drought resistant members of the protea family and for the Aspalathus linearis, commonly known as rooibos tea. Sheep and goat herding also contribute to people's livelihoods.
Periodic drought dry out water resources and desiccate vegetation. This is not an easy place to survive. The people of the Suid Bokkeveld are descended from the first people of this area, and those who came later. Discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, they spent the colonial years at the margins of the mainstream.
Periodic drought dry out water resources and desiccate vegetation. This is not an easy place to survive. The people of the Suid Bokkeveld are descended from the first people of this area, and those who came later. Discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, they spent the colonial years at the margins of the mainstream.
Services to the community were minimal, and poverty was widespread. The community was entirely dependant on the natural resources and on poorly paid employment as agricultural workers. Poor access to market resulted also in low prices for their products, exacerbated by the deregulation of the market. The income from rooibos tea was not even sufficient to pay the immediate production costs, let alone invest in future production.
Founding of the Heiveld Cooperative
With the founding of the Heiveld Cooperative in 2001, the rooibos farmers in the group were keen to cut down on production costs by establishing a collective tea processing facility. Before, they were all dependent on tea-making facilities owned by large farmers, and felt that all the profit that they could have made was spent on transport costs and excessive rentals for use of the facilities. Building a own tea court would change all that.
With the founding of the Heiveld Cooperative in 2001, the rooibos farmers in the group were keen to cut down on production costs by establishing a collective tea processing facility. Before, they were all dependent on tea-making facilities owned by large farmers, and felt that all the profit that they could have made was spent on transport costs and excessive rentals for use of the facilities. Building a own tea court would change all that.
(Cutting the rooibos plant, ©www.heiveld.co.za)
After initial discussion with representatives from Fairtrade organisations in the Netherlands, the prospect of a reliable market for some of their tea at premium prices was an important encouragement in investing in the future of the cooperative.
The Heiveld Cooperative has since then moved steadily towards fulfilling the dreams of its members. After renting a tea court from a neighbour for its first five years, it completed the first phase of our own tea court in 2005 and processed its first harvest in 2006 on it. Employment was created for local community members from the Suid Bokkeveld and especially business initiative of women were supported for product packaging.
Fairtrade
The economic impact of Fairtrade marketing has been very significant. By selling rooibos tea to Fairtrade importers, the income of the farmers' families tripled from circa 1 Euro/Kg to currently around 3 Euros. In 2005, the cooperative received 5,80 Euros plus a Fairtrade premium of 0,50 Euro per Kg of processed tea in order to compensate for bad harvest. "There is a huge difference from when we sold to the large farmers. In the past the link between buyer and seller was missing - the buyer just gave whatever price they wanted, it wasn't related to our standard of living. Fairtrade changes this." comments Lionel Louw, board member of the Heiveld Cooperative.
The economic impact of Fairtrade marketing has been very significant. By selling rooibos tea to Fairtrade importers, the income of the farmers' families tripled from circa 1 Euro/Kg to currently around 3 Euros. In 2005, the cooperative received 5,80 Euros plus a Fairtrade premium of 0,50 Euro per Kg of processed tea in order to compensate for bad harvest. "There is a huge difference from when we sold to the large farmers. In the past the link between buyer and seller was missing - the buyer just gave whatever price they wanted, it wasn't related to our standard of living. Fairtrade changes this." comments Lionel Louw, board member of the Heiveld Cooperative.
Impact of Fairtrade
The impact of Fairtrade, namely the better income from sales and the additional Fairtrade premium paid to the cooperative for economic and social projects, has greatly benefited, and is still benefiting, the member of the Heiveld Cooperative as well as the members fro the whole community.
The impact of Fairtrade, namely the better income from sales and the additional Fairtrade premium paid to the cooperative for economic and social projects, has greatly benefited, and is still benefiting, the member of the Heiveld Cooperative as well as the members fro the whole community.
Besides improving the farmers' standards of living, the main goal from the beginning was to make the smallholders independent from wholesalers and neighbouring commercial farms. Due to the Fairtrade premium this became possible. They were able to buy their own equipment for tea production, such as their own tea-chopping machine, and subsequently to build their own tea court, a primary processing facility where raw green tea is finely chopped, fermented and then dried. The premium is also used to train staff members and to support local schools as well as disadvantaged members of the community.
(Tea court, chopping machine and board meeting, ©www.heiveld.co.za)
This week is a Business Meeting.
ROTARY
CLUB OF JOHANNESBURG
ANNUAL
WINE AUCTION
TUESDAY 24TH APRIL 2012
18.30 FOR 19.00
AT THE COUNTRY CLUB, AUCKLAND PARK
THIS WILL BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE
SOME WONDERFUL WINES AND THEN TAKE PART IN AN AUCTION TO STOCK YOUR CELLAR AT
EXCELLENT PRICES.
SUPPER WILL BE SERVED!
ENTRANCE FEE: R100 PER PERSON (SUPPER INCLUDED)
RSVP TO PETER : pvschaar@mweb.co.za or 083 655 3598
Or to Peter
Alexander 011 4403104 sithanda@iafrica.com
Rotary International signs project partner agreement with ShelterBox
Top: Tom Henderson, CEO of ShelterBox, and John Hewko, RI general secretary, during the signing of a project partner agreement this month. Bottom: ShelterBox teams distributed more than 550 tents to Madagascar for families left homeless by a powerful cyclone.Photo by Angela Spencer-Smith/ShelterBox
Rotary International on Facebook
Rotary International and ShelterBox, a grassroots disaster relief organization, signed a project partner agreement this month, allowing the two organizations to collaborate more closely to provide relief and temporary shelter to survivors of natural disasters.
“Project partner” is a special status RI gives to groups started or managed by Rotary clubs. The agreement will build on the strengths of both organizations in responding to disasters all over the world.
“Our Rotary friends have always been there ready to assist – from generous donations to direct operational support on the ground Rotary has always been part of our DNA,” said Tom Henderson, ShelterBox CEO. “I feel like we have 34,000 ShelterBox offices around the world working together to help those who have lost everything when they need us the most.”
Saving lives
RI General Secretary John Hewko said the agreement will enable Rotary club members to have an immediate, lifesaving impact in communities hit by natural disasters. “ShelterBox will be able to ensure that local Rotarians are provided an opportunity to participate in the distribution of ShelterBox containers,” he said.
Each ShelterBox typically provides a bespoke tent designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, stove, water purification kit, blankets, tools, and other necessities to help a family survive for six months or more after a disaster.
Henderson, a civil engineer and former search-and-rescue diver for the British Royal Naval, founded ShelterBox in 2000. Its response teams of trained volunteers have brought lifesaving supplies to victims of more than 175 disasters in nearly 80 countries.
Mutual goals
“For more than 10 years, ShelterBox has given light to over one hundred thousand families worldwide in their darkest hour,” said Hewko. “This project partner agreement represents our mutual goal of helping those in need. It gives RI a forward-facing approach to immediate disaster relief.”
Noted Henderson: “This partnership with Rotary International is a formal recognition of our good work over the past 12 years. It will help Rotarians get a better understanding of what we do. I hope Rotarians worldwide will see us as a coherent and able disaster relief organization.”
Earlier this month, a ShelterBox team distributed more than 550 tents to communities in Madagascar where powerful cyclones left more than 250,000 people homeless.
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