Newsletter Edition 004

November 2013

Welcome to another Living Foundation newsletter!

LouiseThere is so much to tell you about that we hope you may be able to come to one
of our fundraising events and hear first hand about all that is happening. We want to try to
keep our newsletters a bit shorter!
Five volunteers spent the first 3 weeks of September in Zimbabweour first volunteer
team! We had so many questions we wanted answers to and so many things we wanted
to see to help with planning for our projects. We managed to do everything wed hoped to
do and yet we still came home thinking of yet more that we wish wed investigated. One
of the things we have realized is that there are now many things available at cheap prices
eg lovely African fabric for sewing. It is often more cost effective and supports the local
business people if we are able to buy supplies there rather than taking things.
One thing that has become very clear is the need for a water supply at Fort Rixon. In the
last couple of weeks the people have prepared a large area and planted maize. This is a
fantastic start to the community garden but at the moment we are relying on the seasonal
rain. We have a number of options that we are giving serious consideration to for where
and how to provide water.
SuzanneOur trip to Zimbabwe in September cemented in our hearts the real passion we
have for helping the people we are involved with, to become better equipped to improve
their lives. We managed to reach out to an entire primary school at Fort Rixon, providing
them with a days fun and entertainment, reading stories, playing games and singing
Aussie songs. All day long these children aged 3 to 12 had a lot of fun, a lollipop each (not
excluding the teachers!) and each managed to clutch a precious gift (ruler or crayons) to
take home or use at school. Here you can see Grade 3 kids being read Max Lucados You
are Special and proudly wearing their new paper hats, which were not taken off all day!
Im sure our visit would have left treasured memories and the teachers begged us to come
back next year!
The Grade 5s loved the egg and spoon races, and you can see the joy on volunteer
Lorraines face as she organises and has fun with the kids games! Volunteer Trish is the
champion kookaburra sound imitator, and really loved her interaction with the Grade 2
class. The feeling was mutual as you can see by their faces as these at first shy little kids
became involved in the story and in the singing later!
These children will have no secondary education as it stands right now, and are potential
students for the Enkanyisweni Learning Centre established by Living Foundation.
We managed to assist many people, and also spent time with our secondary students,
providing sporting equipment and joining in the fun and games with them. The stories we
have to tell can soon be found on our brand new website! Have a sneak preview and then,
as we fill in the spaces, have another look and see what we have been up to! I wish you all
a joyous and holy Christmas!

Helping individuals and working with other organisations

We have a Living
Foundation Website!
Please check us out! Although we have to
be careful what information we put on
the website, we know youll love the
photos. There will be updates on projects
and news of fundraising activities.

www.livingfoundationaustralia.org

As well as the projects we are involved in we have found there is often a need to help
individuals. Sometimes this is an urgent need that we need to respond to quickly eg
someone needing to be able to get to hospital. The community really appreciates it
when we are able to help in this way. We were able to buy two second hand
wheelchairs, provide comfort bags for mothers in hospital with sick or premature
babies, supply food or seed for planting and help a young physically disabled woman
about to have a baby. We distributed various things that we had been given to take
with usbeanies, bras and knickers and we were able to supply first aid kits and sewing
kits. We worked in with a number of different organisations, each doing different things
but complementing each other. We visited quite a few places doing terrific work and it
is inspiring to see what people are doing and how we are able to support each other.

Sisonke Groups
Sisonke means we are together. We now have sewing and craft groups in three
different locations out of BulawayoFort Rixon, Trenance and Mazwi. Conditions at
Mazwi are difficult as the meeting place is a rough shelter with tarpaulin over it and a soft
dirt floor. It was so hot! While there we took a couple of school desks there to use but
we would love to have some bigger folding tables so that we can keep the sewing clean.
Fort Rixon has about 40 regular ladies and we brought home some lovely things they had
made to sell. The group at Trenance has a hall to meet in. All the groups will work
together under the direction of local volunteers, Celia and Hellen. They will all be making
different things to each other.

We have a wonderful Calendar for

sale. Our thanks go to Lucia from
Word of Mouth Country Living in
Nannup for offering to donate all
profits to Living Foundation. The
calendar has beautiful pictures from
the shop and includes photos from
Zimbabwe telling about our work
there. A bonus is an extra month
January 2015 which is so handy to
have at the end of the year. They
are $12 each plus postage if you
would like them posted. Contact
Kay at kaysavory@westnet.com.au
or ring 0429 159926 to place
your order.

Handcrafts for Sale some from our

Sisonke groups and some from
craftspeople in Zimbabwe. We will be
displaying these on our website soon.
Beautiful Nativity set and many different
African animals, singly ($4) and in
families ($15). Aprons $10, Placemats $2
and more!
Below: Hippo Family in
Rapoko Stone $15
Left: Nativity Set11 pieces in
Serpentine Stone $70

Membership
At the beginning of the new year we will be asking if you will support us by becoming or renewing membership of Living Foundation.
Becoming a member of Living Foundation helps us to organize our efforts and enables us to maintain our charitable status. The
membership fee is $10 per year . There is a form on our website or you can email your details to Suzanne at cleomacsr@gmail.com.
When you become a member you go onto our contact list for our quarterly email newsletters and also our update list for extra news or
for news when we are in Zimbabwe. Our Bank Account Details are Living Foundation Australia Ltd BSB 086565 Account 944010935. $10
helps cover the cost of printing newsletters for people who don't have access to email newsletters. If you would like a newsletter posted
could we please ask you to include an extra $10 to cover postage and envelope. We want to be able to use donations for the purpose
they are intended.

BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS

Living Foundation Australia Ltd
BSB: 086 565 ACCOUNT: 944010935
Please send an email to Suzanne at
cleomacsr@gmail.com
The Eclectic Fashion Fair was held in Busselton on 5th October. With
gorgeous models and an enthusiastic audience it was a great night that we
have been encouraged to repeat. One lady who attended wrote a lovely
letter to the local paper saying "My friends felt inspired to support this
group of enterprising, practical and
hands-on local people who are working
hard to give help where it is sorely
needed." Thank you Judy! Louise
Raffle Winners:
1st Hannah Wilkins from Hilton
2nd Elsy Leatemia from Parkwood
3rd Bev DeMorton from Busselton
4th Trish Wintergreene from Nannup

to let us know of your deposit so we

can provide you with a receipt and
thank you personally for your
donation.
If you require further information or do not wish to
receive these newsletters, please contact:
Louise Furnissfurniss5@bigpond.com
Suzanne Reynoldscleomacsr@gmail.com
Kay Savorykaysavory@westnet.com.au