Amakhala Newsletter Aug 09

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