9 May 2005

We've come a long way in our first decade of freedom - thanks not only to the influential South Africans who have made their mark at home and abroad, but also to the extraordinary contribution made by "ordinary" South Africans.

A recent study by the Centre for Civil Society shows that 93% of South African citizens together contribute a staggering R930-million a month to implement development and combat poverty.

A nation of givers - It's official: we're a nation of givers. According to recent research, South Africans hand out nearly R1-billion a month to causes and the poor - a staggering figure, amounting to 2.2% of total monthly income for the working age population.

In classic style, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu recently remarked: "We can be human only in relationship ... a person is a person only through other persons."

By caring for our fellow countrymen and women, we are helping to bring down the remaining barriers of race, gender, religion and culture. The legacy of South Africa today is being built by a nation that pulls together as one.

But we're not done travelling towards a better South Africa.

To help you help us all get there, the International Marketing Council of SA is building up a database of charities across the country for those willing to give some of their time, money or goods.

Here are just a few for starters - watch this space.

Any suggestions or submissions of charities may be directed to info@imc.org.za.

Caring Nation charities

GAUTENG

Aids Corsortium
Tel: (011) 403 0265
Fax: (011) 403 2106
E-mail: aidscons@global.co.za
Website: www.aidsconsortium.org.za
PO Box 31104
Braamfontein 2017
Specifically requires a librarian and a painter.

Association for the Physically Disabled – Greater Johannesburg
Tel: (011) 646 8331 / 6300
Fax: (011) 646 5248
E-mail: mwapdrb@mweb.co.za
Website: www.apdjhb.co.za
Private Bag X 1
Parkview 2122

KWAZULU-NATAL

AIDS Foundation of South Africa
Tel: (031) 202 9520
Fax: (031) 304 7018
E-mail: admin@aids.org.za
PO Box 50582
Musgrave 4062

Centre for Rural Technical Education
Tel: (031) 308 5134
Fax: (031) 308 5136
PO Box 2831
Durban 4000
Contact person: Roy Raju
Field of activity: Business skills training and counselling

Heifer Project South Africa
Tel: (031) 777 1374/5
Fax: (031) 777 1376
E-mail: hpsa@mweb.co.za
Website: www.heifer.org.za
PO Box 1770
Hillcrest 3650

Treatment Action Campaign – KZN
Tel: (031) 304 3673
Fax: (031) 304 9743
E-mail: msf-tac@mweb.co.za
105 Beatime Lodge
Durban 4001

Farmers Support Group
Tel: (033) 260 6278
Fax: (033) 260 6281
E-mail: salomon@ac.za
Private Bag X01
Scottsville 3209

LIMPOPO

Association for People with Disability – Limpopo
Tel: (015) 291 1787 / 8
Fax: (015) 295 4990
E-mail: adpdnprov@mweb.co.za
PO Box 601
Polokwane 0700

Tlhavhama Training initiative
Tel: (015) 291 3312
Fax: 291 3323
E-mail: tlhavham@mweb.co.za
PO Box 4603
Polokwane 0700

SMME Limpo Support Agency
Tel: 015) 295 3581/5
Fax: (015) 295 3590
E-mail: smmecvs@worldonline.co.za
Private Bag X5490
Polokwane 0700

MPUMALANGA

Aids Sexuality Health Youth Organisation
Tel: (013) 973 1390
Fax: (013) 973 3914
PO Box 1958
Siyabuswa 0472

NORTH WEST

Ponong Training and Development
Tel: (018) 467 5360
E-mail: pkhapa@hotmail.com
PO Box 11652
Klerksdorp 2570

The Rural Action Committee
Tel: (018) 381 6802
Fax: (018) 381 6801
E-mail: trac@wn.apc.org.za
PO Box 23773
Mafikeng 2745

Naledo Life Skills Training and Aids Information Centre
Tel: (018 383 3978/710
Fax: (018) 383 3978
PO Box 3244
Mafikeng 2745
Contact person: Mr N'Mongologa
Field of Activity: STD/HIV/Aids awareness

NORTHERN CAPE

Association for Community and Rural Advancement
Tel: (053) 712 0791
Fax: (053) 712 2265
E-mail: ancra@interkom.co.za
PO Box 361
Kuruman 8460

WESTERN CAPE

Business Opportunites Network
Tel: (021) 419 9641
Fax: (021) 419 0586
E-mail: info@bon.co.za
PO Box 7457
Roggebbai 8012

Community Support and Development Centre
Tel: (021) 638 0028
Fax: (021) 638 5939
E-mail: csanddc@freemail.absa.co.za
171 Vygekraal Road
Primrose Park 7764

SouthAfrica.info reporter

	Supporting social entrepreneurs Starfish Dinners of Hope SA rescue teams in Indonesia SA's life-saving ambassadors A nation of givers Mandela's wish for South Africa One SA going forward: Mbeki Scoring quietly, scoring big Tackling the Big Issue One impression, one mouth

	International Marketing Council

What is ubuntu? The isiZulu / isiXhosa word "ubuntu" translates roughly as "humanity towards others". But it means much more than this. The spiritual foundation of African societies, ubuntu involves a belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all of humanity, a unifying worldview best captured by the Zulu maxim umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu - "a person is a person through other persons". For more on ubuntu, see Wikipedia.

Starfish Dinners of Hope The Starfish Greathearts Foundation is challenging South Africans - along with individuals from around the world - to host a dinner in their own homes to raise funds for children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/Aids. Supporting social entrepreneurs Ashoka - Sanskrit for "the active absence of sorrow" - is a global organisation working to support and provide a network for social entrepreneurs in their quest to cure social ills. One impression, one mouth Want to feed the hungry? Spare a few minutes, and a few clicks, and you can make your contribution for free, from your keyboard, on the website of an organisation that started with three women, loads of dedication - and very little else. FeedBack Feedback, an organisation that collects surplus or leftover food from film caterers and supermarkets and redistributes it to children, the terminally ill and the disabled, has nourished close to one million poor people in Cape Town. "It makes sense not to waste food", says founder Bianca du Plessis. "Feedback means giving food back to the communities who deserve it."

Nelson Mandela - former Robben Island prisoner number 46664 - is the driving force behind a worldwide music-led campaign to raise global awareness about Aids and funds to fight the pandemic in South Africa.