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Amakhala Newsletter Aug 09 |
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Newsletter Issue 2
August 2009
AMAKHALA GAME RESERVE, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA
ACC Commitment is Rewarded
During June a ranger function was organised by Schalk Pretorius to reward all the reserve's rangers for their hard work over the last year.
Jenn and her award
At this function the ACC also presented a new award "Amakhala Conservation Award". This year it was awarded to Jenn Hillyar from Reed Valley due to her outstanding contribution to the ACC.
Damara's Disappearance
During the cheetah monitoring week at the beginning of May, Damara's telemetry signal could not be picked up. This caused
concern as Damara has her two young cubs with her, and sparked a great
search. The search was concentrated in and around the area where she
was last seen, but no signal was being picked up. An aeroplane flew
over with telemetry to try and cover the whole reserve and get signal,
unfortunately this had no luck.
It was then decided to get the help from the rangers to go out and
search. On 20th May, Sarah from Woodbury Lodge saw the family walking
across the plains and all looking healthy. The ACC went straight over
and it turned out that her telemetry battery had died explaining why no
signal had been picked up. This was unexpected as the battery was only
six months old and should last for two years.
One of the two little cubs
Mufasa gets a new Collar
Mufasa the male lion had a new GPS radio collar fitted on 6th May, the
previous battery had died and it was time for a replacement. The
darting had to be postponed after he wouldn't emerge from the thickets,
the following day was more successful and the operation went ahead with
success.
Buy-a-Brick fundraising campaign
The Amakhala Foundation and Isipho Charity Trust have begun a new
fundraising campaign to raise money to renovate the building that was
purchased last year. It is taking the form of Buy-a-Brick tickets which
are being made available for purchase by guests at the Amakhala lodges.
The tickets are R100.00 each and we hope to raise R100 000.00.
The donor's names will be listed on a wall of thanks at the new home of
Isipho. Isipho currently operates out of municipal buildings that are
unsuitable for occupation by young children. The municipality has also
requested that Isipho moves as soon as possible as they require the
buildings for other purposes. Renovations will result in four
classrooms for the 120 pre-school aged children and an apartment for
the 9 orphans that are in the care of the Isipho Safe House. The safe
house will also be big enough to care for more orphans.
The new building in its present state
The Isipho HIV/Aids Program also provides support & education to
those living with the HIV virus. Amakhala Game Reserve is actively
involved with the management of Isipho & our guests have
contributed in many ways through fundraising & donations. If you
would like to make a donation please contact Justine Weeks trustee of
the Amakhala Foundation and the Isipho Charity Trust for banking
details held by De Jager & Lordon Attorneys.
ACC New Faces
During May the ACC expanded with the arrival of two new volunteers,
Thecha and Rodger. Thecha, a student from Saasveld, is the new
Environmental Education Officer. Rodger, a previous Ulovane student,
loved Amakhala so much that he wanted to stay on and is now
volunteering with us helping with all areas. Along with the new faces
the ACC's office has had a new makeover. A ceiling has been fitted and
a coat of paint on the walls and floor has made a real difference in
the appearance of the building.
World Environment Day
The ACC hosted two major events in June; both were in support of
international World Environment Day. The children's event ran smoothly
thanks to the help of the Hands-On students. There was three different
crafts for them to make and take home at the end of the day, each
relating to our ongoing battle with global warming and what they as
children can do about it.
A visit from Wilderness Vision 1+1=1 team was arranged, who travelled
over 10 000kms over 8 weeks bringing a message of social and
environmental tolerance to schools. Everyone had a chance to sign a
scroll and pledge to be more environmentally conscious, the scroll has
been handed over to the UN Environment Program.
Everyone listening to the 1+1=1 team.
The adults evening was associated with the year of astronomy. The
Rhodes Astronomy Society came out and shared their enthusiasm for the
night sky in the form of entertaining presentations. Some delicious
hot soup was enjoyed on the cold night provided by the lodges of
Amakhala. The Rhodes students also brought along their impressive
telescopes for us to take a peek at our disappearing night sky (due to
light pollution) but unfortunately our prayers weren't answered and the
clouds did not disappear.
Amakhala Craft Centre
The Amakhala Foundation has begun its first income generating/poverty relief project in the form of the Amakhala Craft
Centre. It is a project that started very tentatively just a month ago.
An idea that has been brewing for a couple of years, it took two well
timed coinciding opportunities for it to finally become a reality. Reed
Valley School closed down in February this year and the school building
become available for another use. Along with ex Handson-Volunteer,
Frances's persistent begging to stay on Amakhala in lieu of work, the
Amakhala Craft Centre was born.
The aim of the Craft Centre is to create an opportunity for unemployed
women from Paterson to earn an income. We will encourage all guests on
Amakhala to visit the Craft Centre, where they will be able to purchase
the items that have been made there. Products that have been made in
the past few weeks include beaded jewellery, Elephant dung handmade
paper, ostrich eggshell mosaic and embroidered items. Candle making is
next on the list.
Inside the Amakhala Craft Centre
Sales to visitors at the Craft Centre this month have been so encouraging and have way exceeded our expectations.
In This Issue
During the cheetah monitoring week early in May every effort was made
to find Lightfoot so that he could have his telemetry transmitter
replaced. The planned date was 5th but he was only located the next day
where he was spotted relaxing in long grass.
In true Lightfoot style he was undisturbed by the vehicles around him
trying to get him to stand so that Dr Peter Brothers could get a shot,
but he confirmed his interest with a yawn. Eventually Dr Peter Brothers
took the shot and Lightfoot went down.
Lightfoot under anaesthetic in the field
This was a crucial time as we all had flashbacks from last time but
fortunately all went smoothly and he was stable for the operation
ahead. Dr William Fowlds and Dr Peter Brothers undertook the operation,
aided by visiting vets. The operation went well and Lightfoot was
transferred to a boma where he was able to recover.
HIV/Aids Peer Councillor Course
As part of Amakhala Foundation's fight against HIV/Aids, a five day
Peer Councillor training course was held in June. The training was
provided by Nola Elliot from the Raphael Centre of Grahamstown and was
designed to equip two staff members from each lodge with the
information and skills to provide support to those infected and
affected by HIV/Aids amongst their colleagues, in their communities and
to their own families.
Proud participants of the course.
We are so proud of Salani Mangobe, Nombulelo Mayinje, Nolita Zealand,
Lumka Ntsete, Nomonde Matyila, Thando Nkewana, Liyanda Mgilane, Sylvia
Solani and Ncomeka Sokola who gave so much of themselves to complete
this course. Their support is so desperately needed in our country
where one in five people are HIV positive and 1700 new cases of
infection are reported every day. It was also a wonderful opportunity
for firm friendships to be made.
This week of training coincided with the 3 monthly HIV/Aids programme
run on Amakhala Game Reserve. A partnership has been formed with the
Raphael Centre and Amakhala, the Raphael Centre provides quarterly
counselling and voluntary testing to everyone working on Amakhala and
we in turn offer the staff of the Raphael Centre much needed time out
in our lodges termed, Care for the Carers.
A social worker from the ARV clinic at Settlers Hospital in
Grahamstown spoke on the importance of early detection of the virus and
the effectiveness of ARV's and a counsellor from the Raphael Centre
spoke on the importance of healthy eating habits. This kind of
information is so important as it dispels untruths about the disease
and attempts to break down the stigma that is attached to HIV/Aids in
this rural environment.
Amakhala 2009
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SA Tips & Facts
DID YOU KNOW? Kimberley may have the biggest man-made hole in the world, but the southern Free State town of Jagersfontein has the deepest vertical man-made hole.
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Cape Town, South Africa
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Temp:
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9°C
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Wind Chill:
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7°C
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Humidity:
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76%
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GBP 
ZAR 
619.591 %
