The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Nigeria Advances the Fight Against Polio
With continued hard work and investment the world is on a path toward something pretty incredible, the eradication of polio.
In the past two decades, polio cases around the world have been reduced by 99 percent. If we can get rid of the last 1 percent, polio will become the second major infectious disease, after smallpox, that has ever been completely eliminated. There are still gaps in funding for polio eradication, and new outbreaks could reverse some of the progress made so far. But if polio is eliminated, never again will a child be crippled by this terrible virus.

We have a chance to get there because of some great efforts, particularly by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which involves the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Our foundation is very involved in supporting polio immunization campaigns and other efforts to educate parents and communities about the importance of immunization. We’re also supporting work to improve polio surveillance and to develop better vaccines and anti-poliovirus drugs.

The Dreamcatcher Foundation

The Dreamcatcher Foundation

25 years ago, we were the leaders in South Africa. The first to break the mould: To dare to connect visitors to the land, to the people. Nelson Mandela's people at grass routes. Today Dreamcatcher is still leading: Merging valued partners, volunteers and visitors to pioneer groundbreaking projects and tourist visitor experiences which will change for the good, the destiny of individuals and communities across South Africa. Join us! It's possible. Let us lead the way!

The Dreamcatcher Foundation of South Africa, Registration Number: IT/1675/2003 constitutes an appropriate legal body in the form of a development trust, to facilitate and promote the relevant identified initiatives outlined below and is duly registered with the Department of Justice in the Republic of South Africa in terms of section 6 (1) of the Trust Property Control Act 198 (Act 57 of 1988)
How are we making dreams come true?

The mission of The Dreamcatcher Foundation is to change words into action and literally Walk the Talk to put an end to poverty permanently, for an identified number of individuals in impoverished communities across South Africa. Founded 25 years ago in 1984 from humble beginnings, in a then Apartheid dominated South Africa, by Anthea Rossouw, named Dreamcatcher by the dying patriarch of the community of Stilbaai South Africa, for her roll in the socio-economic transformation of many individuals in his home town. Dreamcatcher's work is to help people to help themselves out of the poverty trap and to bring lasting dignity, knowledge, skills, training and access to medical assistance and help, to women, their families and communities situated across South Africa. Furthermore to build universal peace through mutual respect and understanding between cultures and nations. Dreamcatcher has won numerous awards in recognition of the results achieved, ground breaking new models and initiatives developed, and is a high profile charity working for the wellbeing and advancement of the under-privileged communities in the of South Offering volunteers a chance to learn about a whole new way of life – maybe even implement some of it into their own community or workplace when they get back home. Working, volunteering or a donation to to Dreamcatcher, offers a chance to really make a difference where it counts. Even if just to experience the warmth and positivism, if faced with enormous odds, and beating it by the sheer tenacity of the human spirit, a Dreamcatcher experience, to witness how we are changing lives, is a journey of the mind.
Our aims are to:

* Improve the lives of predominantly South African women and their families by vocational training, teaching of basic business skills and access to medical assistance & knowledge
* Tackle and eradicate poverty and unemployment with lasting results
* Work closely with identified matriarchs, mothers and grand-mothers of children in communities across South Africa, 365 days a year
* Develop and mentor profitable micro-business opportunities and outcome- based projects, owned by the entrepreneurs and to utilize the skills, passion, patronage and knowledge of volunteers and visitors recruited in countries such as The Netherlands, Canada, United States of America and the United Kingdom
* Develop and nurture a network of strategic partners and alliances throughout South Africa and internationally to work in harmony as a committed, caring team to reach the main objective of poverty alleviation
* Spearhead initiatives in the development projects above which will emphasize the need for waste prevention, efficient energy consumption and environmental awareness
* To reach out for assistance and resources globally, but to act locally

Dreamcatcher Nominated by the WTTO as one of the top 3 organisations in the world in the Investment in People Category – March 2005 – Winner of Proudly South African Award (WC) – The founder awarded TIAW World of Difference Award in Canada in 2008 - Inspiring award winning films

Food Gardens Foundation

Food Gardens Foundation also known as FGF was established in 1976 under the name of Food Gardens Unlimited, as a result of the June 16 riots in Soweto, Gauteng. At that time there were no food supplies going to Soweto as van were overturned at every opportunity available. Two ladies Pauline Raphaely (a geologist) and Joyce Niland (a farmer's wife) saw a need and started the organisation out of R100 to introduce Food Gardens in Soweto. These gardens were letter called Peace Gardens and as a result of this the organisation won several awards.

In 1977 the organisation was formerly registerd as a socio-economic project to teach people to help themselves by growing essential food according to sustainable organic principles.

Our Vision is the empowerment of people to overcome malnutrition, famine, hunger and the effects of desease.

Food Gardens Foundation achieves community development and social upliftment by teaching people small-scale low-cost organic Food Gardening which in turn

* improves their health and quality of life
* helps them to escape from the grip of poverty and helplessness by achieving a High Level of Household Food Security
* self-actualisation
* self-employment

Organic trenchbed gardening, according to our specific method (called 'Food Gardening'), makes efficient use of normal domestic and other organic waste to revitalise the soil and feed the vegetables.

This method is cheap:

It costs between R45.00 to R145.00 per year for a family garden of four vegetable beds of 2m x 1m; and this would exclude the cost of a spade. Plastic shopping bags and bottles, tin cans, orange bags, cardboard cartons and newspaper all have their place in Food Gardening. It is easy to understand and not arduous to carry out; the trenchbeds last approximately five years before needing to be re-dug.

It is environmentally friendly and safe: no pesticides or agro-chemicals are used. It is appropriate to the limited resources available: limited space, scarce water, and little money. Food Gardening leads to the poor achieving an ongoing means of helping themselves by producing nutritious, freshly picked, organically grown vegetables. Food Gardening restores fertility to poor and arid land and can be expanded into small-scale or urban agriculture, Permaculture, or BioDynamic farming.

Our motto is: Maximum nutrition in minimum space with limited water and resources


The philosophy of Food Gardening

The FGF method of organic gardening not only revitalises the soil but also deals with constructive recycling, energy and water saving and conservation.
Food Gardening employs sustainable soil management and drought-orientated cultivation techniques

Is a fully integrated and holistic approach to food production and human health.

Services offered by the Food Gardens Foundation

* Training
o Half-Day Demonstrations, 1-Day Workshops and 2-Day Training Courses with Follow-up visits (the follow-up visits are continuous training)
o Our core training activities, workshops and demonstrations are aimed at the education and training of communities groups, youth groups, church groups, small scale farmers, schools and individuals
* Additional Service
o A fieldworkers' and facilitators' support network
o Motivational and introductory lectures
o Model gardens for visits and demonstrations
o A yearly membership giving access to support and information services, a quarterly Newsletter, information pamphlets, and a low-cost seed distribution network
o Information regarding nutrition, food preparation and menu planning
o Small-scale or urban agricultural entrepreneurial support
* Food Gardens Foundation serves -

1. Individuals
* such as the unemployed, the disabled, the aged, the marginalized, and the poor, as well as all those who wish to upgrade their quality of life
* Community groups in rural and urban areas - women's organisations, welfare groups, youth group, and churches, schools, technikons, universities, training centres, hospitals and clinics
2. Government departments
* Education, Health & Welfare, Agriculture, Environment, Labour, Public Enterprise, and local metropolitan councils, other NGOs and CBOs
3. Companies
* Workers who are retiring or might be retrenched, or who would like to add to their skills and pass these on to others at their homes and within their communities

Solar Aid

Power to the people
Two of the biggest threats facing humanity today are climate change and global poverty. SolarAid helps to combat both, simply by bringing clean, renewable power to the poorest people in the world.

Fighting poverty
Right now, two billion people have no access to electricity. They rely on burning fuels such as kerosene and wood for light and heat, which is highly toxic and expensive. Having solar power improves people's health, income and education. That's because solar power can enable poor people to cook food, pump clean water, run fridges, light homes, schools and hospitals, farm more effectively, and much more.

Fighting climate change
Climate change is mainly due to the massive and continuing use of burning fossil fuels for energy. This has pumped vast amounts of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. At the same time, we have destroyed vast tracts of forest, which has released billions of tonnes of carbon.

By replacing carbon-emitting products with solar power, and reducing our
dependency on burning wood and fossil fuels we can alleviate global warming.

Fact:
The average kerosene lamp, used widely across the developing world, creates around a tonne of carbon over seven years. Replacing these lamps with solar lanterns will lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions.

HOPE Foundation South Africa

Education and unemployment are two of the greatest challenges in South Africa today. The H.O.P.E. Foundation, with its focus on underdeveloped communities, aims to address these key areas.

The H.O.P.E. Foundation is a registered non-profit organisation that provides aid to underdeveloped communities in the province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

What do we do?

The Foundation's current programmes can be divided into three categories:
job creation, education/school assistance and community building.

Job Creation Programmes

The Zwide Craft Project.
This project is an urban skills development programme which aims to develop craft skills amongst
unemployed people in informal and poor settlements in the Nelson Mandela Metropole.
Traditional beading craft, fabric painting, fabric printing, sewing and quilting skills are taught.
We focus on designs with an African motive.
Items made in our workshops are sold at local and overseas craft markets.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation in South Africa

History

The Heart Foundation (a Section 21 non-for-profit company with 18-A status) was established in 1980 to co-ordinate heart health activities in South Africa.

September 2006 saw the amalgamation of the Heart Foundation with the Stroke Foundation and becoming the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa. The joining of the two Foundations can only aid in the fight against heart and stroke disease, by creating awareness of the risk factors and focusing on prevention.

Aside from HIV and AIDS related deaths, heart disease and stroke (jointly termed cardiovascular disease) are the number one killer in South Africa. 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women will have a heart condition before the age of 60.

The function of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa is to present the vast scientific knowledge of heart disease and stroke to the public in an understandable and applicable manner.

Projects include:

Health Promotion

* Educational material in the form of brochures, website content, award winning heart magazine and media articles
* Health checks
* Children’s Programme (community empowerment education initiative in crèches)
* Primary School Programme (Grade 1 - 7)
* Sow-A-Seed vegetable gardens
* Heart Mark food approval programme to identify healthy products at a glance
* Heart Mark restaurant programme - a health promotion tool designed to encourage restaurants to provide healthy food options
* Heart Mark Diet Line – free advice from dieticians

Support

* Mended Hearts support group for people who have had a cardiovascular event and their families
* Heart Mark Diet Line – free advice from dieticians
* Heart magazine

Fundraising

* Red hearts collection boxes located at various retailers throughout South Africa. Find out more...
* Events – fun activities for a good cause. Our organisation’s success is dependent on fundraising and our dedicated Events team hosts activities for the whole family from Fashion Shows, Fun Walks, Dress Red days, Golf Days and everything in between.
* We also rely on business's social responsibility and individuals’ generosity for donations and bequests.

Who We Are and What We Do

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a Section 21 company (not-for-profit) with 18-A status, dedicated to reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease through education and supporting research. The Heart and Stroke Foundation has 3 key focus areas:

* Health promotion to encourage prevention of cardiovascular disease
* Support for people who have had a cardiovascular event and their families
* Fundraising to continue our work, with no government funding we raise every cent we spend

Vision
To create a future where South Africans adopt healthy lifestyles and reduce the number of people who suffer or die from heart, stroke and blood vessel disease.

Mission
Our mission is to raise awareness, educate and drive research on the benefits and characteristics of a healthy lifestyle so that fewer South Africans experience disability or die from cardiovascular disease