Click here to listen to the mp3 advert for The Salvation Army's anti-human trafficking message

Click here to watch the footage taken by News24 at the Long Walk for Rhino's Mandela Day initiative at Robben Island School. (QVC donated Media Liaison to this initiative as part of its Mandela Day initiatives)

 Quo Vadis Communications on a field trip to KwaZulu Natal for client, Siyazisiza Trust.

Victoria Makalima, assistant Director for the Johnson and Johnson Burn Treatment Centre (left) and Roger Crawford, Executive Director, Worldwide Government Affairs and Policy for Johnson & Johnson (back right) happily assisted Nurse Ester Manson and clinical officer William Kalua from Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi throughout their two-week specialised training session at the Burn Treatment Centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The training took place as a result of a public private partnership between the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johnson & Johnson, and the University of North Carolina in USA. The hospital in Malawi recently opened a burn unit and the hands-on training Ester and William received at the leading burn treatment centre in Africa, will no doubt make a huge difference in the lives of those in need.

The highly anticipated Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards have now entered their fifth year, and Inyathelo is calling for nominations for 2011.

Philanthropy is becoming increasingly important as evidence mounts that governments across the globe are unable to meet all the demands on state resources.  Philanthropic funding is also critical to ensure a focus on civil rights issues that challenge the state – freedom of expression, for example.  Philanthropy is dependent on the interest, passion, commitment, generosity and foresight of individuals seeking to make a difference, and the Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards seek to recognise and commend people who commit their personal resources towards broader social development.

Opening the 2011 Call for Nominations, the Executive Director of Inyathelo, Shelagh Gastrow, said that there are thousands of people in all economic sectors who support causes, issues and institutions that mean something to them, contributing their own resources to the public good.

“The fact that the Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards are now in their fifth year is indicative of the increasing importance of philanthropy in South Africa. These Awards also reflect a growing international trend to acknowledge and profile individuals who commit their own resources strategically to contribute to long-term development - be it in the Arts, or in health or research, or perhaps in the provision of basic services and the provision of study bursaries.  What is evident is that individuals support their passions, and this support can translate into a huge range of innovative social projects”, said Gastrow.

“We often take such support for granted, so these awards aim to applaud the outstanding contribution of individual philanthropists to strategic social development and to the growth of the philanthropic movement in South Africa,” Gastrow added.  “By highlighting their work, we create awareness of the importance of social giving and they become role models for future generations. It is our hope that their work will be emulated by more and more South Africans as we shift in a more focused way to taking responsibility for our own development.”

Amongst those who have received an Inyathelo Philanthropy Award in the past are Professor Rashid Bhikha for his support for affordable health care initiatives;  Mr Ahmed Ismael  for his work in establishing non-profit computer training laboratories;  Norton Tennille for setting up the South African Education and Environmental Project which provides a range of extra mural learning opportunities for high school learners, Marlene Jooste for setting up the “Ek is n ster” programme that improves the lives of terminally ill children by making their dreams become realities in the Free State; Mark Solms and Richard Astor for transforming the lives of the farm workers on the Solms Delta wine estate through innovative empowerment mechanisms; Refiloe Seseane who founded and directs 18twenty8, an NPO empowering young women and Francois van Niekerk who allocates a 70% of his business interests to his company’s Foundation, to be distributed in support of humanitarian causes.

The entries for nominations for 2011 are now open  and will close on 30^th June 2011.  

For more information on the Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards go to www.inyathelo.org.za or contact Inyathelo-The South African Institute for Advancement on 021 465 6981.

Last changed: Feb 25 2011 at 3:11 PM