Newsletter -- MAY 2004

ROOTS & SHOOTS GAUTENG

Although we usually only send out a newsletter every third month, many events are being planned and we’d like to keep you up-to-date. Also, World Environment Day is around the corner and we’d like to share some ideas for activities that can be undertaken by your groups.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

World Environment Week is being held from 29th May to 5th June but the day that will be celebrated in recognition of the environment is 5th June.

The theme for 2004 is ‘ WANTED: SEAS & OCEANS – DEAD OR ALIVE’

This theme is obviously very broad and allows enormous scope for creativity. We thought that it would be a great idea to get the groups to undertake activities in recognition of the day. Ideas include: designing posters, making sea creatures out of waste material and creating a food chain, making a sea creature mobile, making a fish tank with messages about the theme written by each child on a paper fish.

Please remember to take photographs of your group’s creations and send them to Merle Finch at merlefinch@iafrica.com for inclusion in the next newsletter.

ROOTS & SHOOTS INDABA

Another exciting Indaba is being planned for September. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from other Roots and Shoots groups and share great ideas. The dates will be confirmed within the next few weeks - we’ll keep you posted!

EASTER EGGS PROJECT

As you know, the response to the Easter Eggs project was phenomenal and the eggs were greatly appreciated by the organizations that we delivered them to.

Below is an extract from a letter that we received from CLAW(Community Led Animal Welfare):
“On behalf of the committee and staff of CLAW I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the easter eggs you sent us. CLAW provides primary healthcare to pets in the 23 informal settlements in and around Soweto. We put much focus on sterilization and humane education. Because we are often the only welfare of any kind to work in these areas, we are frequently approached to assist families who are struggling because of Aids or unemployment. CLAW has adopted a holistic approach to the communities in which we work. We distribute food parcels and clothes to these families as often as is possible. We have established a vegetable gardening project to enable people to learn to grow their own vegetables all year round. Thus teaching them a skill and providing them with a source of food. We then provide the gardeners with seeds to establish their own gardens at home.

Our work is possible only because of the kindness and generosity of people such as yourselves.”

Below are 2 photos of children receiving easter eggs from CLAW staff.

SOAP APPEAL

Thanks to the groups that have already collected soap for the children’s wards at Johannesburg Hospital. If any other schools have collected soap please let us know and we’ll arrange collection – please contact Merle Finch on (011) 804 2648 or 082 375 6674 or Sue Slotar on 082 454 9629.

ARBOUR DAY AND PEACE DAY CELEBRATIONS

Arbour Week is from 1 to 7 September and PEACE Day is on 21 September so we thought that it would be a good idea to combine them and celebrate by planting seeds in clay pots and attaching a message about PEACE to each pot. The pots can then be swopped between schools. If you are interested in participating, please let us know approximately how many children will be involved and we’ll arrange for another school to swop with you.

‘WISH LISTS’

We have received lists from Johannesburg Hospital Paediatric ICU and Sunshine Centre (during a visit there the other day) about items that they need. We have included them in case there are items that your groups would like to collect.

JOHANNESBURG HOSPITAL PEDIATRIC ICU and SURGICAL WARDS ‘WISH LISTS’

Soap, Tissues, Hand-cream, Baby Shampoo, Dummies, Teaspoons, Polystyrene cups, Dishwashing liquid, Daily Wipes (for washing babies), Dish towels, Tea bags, Gel filled ice bags (small and large),
Face-cloths, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Aqueous cream, Vaseline, Toys, Bunny ears aerials (as they have 2 TV sets but no aerials)

SUNSHINE CENTRE ‘WISH LIST’

Some of the items required by Sunshine Centre are as follows: Strong toys (for children under 6 years old), activity toys – noisy, musical etc (0 – 12 months old), paint easels, educational toys (large beads – threading), educational toys (for 4,5,6 and 7 year olds), puzzles (35 and 48 pieces), plastic containers to store puzzles, paint powder, stacking crates, peg boards, puppet theatre, peg puzzles (8 & 12 piece), plastic bikes, educational posters – various topics.

Should you be able to assist with collecting any of the above items, please contact Merle Finch on
(011) 804 2648

‘CHRISTMAS CRACKER CHEER’

Just a reminder about including the ‘Christmas Cracker Cheer’ project on your schedule of events. We’ll advise you about the date for the picnic in the next newsletter.

MASIBAMBANE COLLEGE

Last week we visited Masibambane College in Orange Farm. They are a new Roots and Shoots group and it was amazing to see how many projects are already being undertaken that fit under the Roots and Shoots umbrella. Welcome aboard and we look forward to working with you on other exciting projects!

PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARIES ALLIANCE (P.A.S.A)

Sue Slotar has just returned from a PASA workshop in Cameroon where they learnt many skills that will help with the designing of new education programs. Presentation were given by all the sanctuaries participating in the workshop and it was agreed that a bushmeat (wildlife that has been hunted for human consumption) crisis awareness education campaign needs to be implemented internationally.

Kind regards,

Sue and Di

Email Us | Write: Roots & Shoots Program, Jane Goodall Institute South Africa,
P.O. Box 166, Morningside, 2057, Republic of South Africa

legal & privacy | terms & conditions | site map | JGI SA

website sponsored by InfoHub