Income Generation Projects
This year Thembanathi continued to support three income generation projects in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa by buying their products and selling them in Oregon.  Zulu Beadwork Project continues to be the primary project we support.  Thembanathi purchased over $10,000 worth of jewelry from them during the last twelve months.  Zulu Beadworks primary focus is to create sustainable income and a raised standard of living.  They aspire to positively impact the communities involved through creating greater economic freedom and to help women to afford proper nutritional, medical treatments, and education for their children.  We also purchased over $2,200 worth of goods from the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust income generation project which helps those in need regain hope and dignity by getting them to use their creativity to earn an income.  Additionally, we purchased over $1,000 of embroidered items from the Fancy Stitch Project, a self-help, income generation and skills development initiative amongst women living in the deep rural hamlet of Ingwavuma, KwaZulu-Natal. 

Support for Holy Cross
Thembanathi was successful again in raising enough funds to meet our pledge to Holy Cross Hospice of approximately $15,000.  Holy Cross currently provides services to 1,965 orphaned children from 774 child-headed families. There are 19 caregivers who visit the homes of the children.  The monthly average number of visits is 495. There are 120 orphaned and vulnerable children who are being transported daily to their crèche (day care center). There are four satellite centers which feed 200 children everyday.
 
In addition to transportation and other support for the crèche which we have provided in previous years, we were asked to assist with the opening of a new satellite feeding center in an area that has not been receiving any services.  Here are some of the things the money we contributed went to:

• Driver for crèche;
• Security Guards - One for new center;
• Cooks;
• Cleaners, cutlery, crockery, and pots for new satellite feeding center;
• Training for five caregivers for new satellite center and facilitator for training;
• Tent for new satellite center; and Mattresses.

We also sent some dedicated funds for school fees and food parcels.

Expanded Sales/Outreach
This spring Thembanathi participated in three new events in the Portland, Oregon area – an African film festival, an event for World AIDS Orphans Day, and an annual event called The Day of the African Child, commemorating the children who marched in Soweto, South Africa in 1976.  Additionally, we petitioned to participate in one of the largest art festivals in Oregon held in Salem and though they generally only allow artists who are displaying their own work participate, we were accepted to have a booth there for three days in July.  During the three days, we sold $6,500 of goods from the income generation projects – by far our largest event to date.