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 | Becky Harmon with Talitha Mthethwa,
Ekurhuleni Orphan Center Director |
Dear friend of Seeds of Light,
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Happy 2013 to each of you! We are so grateful for all of the support we received from you last year. Because of your generosity, we were able to accomplish miracles! Thank you, thank you.
We'd like to share some of our program highlights of 2012 with you in pictures. We hope you enjoy seeing what blossomed from the seeds we planted.
In looking ahead to this coming year, we see potential for Seeds of Light to grow our work and have an even bigger impact on the rural area around Acornhoek. We'll keep in touch with you and let you know about new opportunities as they come into form.
Much love and gratitude from all of us at Seeds of Light.
Becky Harmon, Director
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Seeds of Light on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter
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Seeds of Light has a beautiful Facebook page and is tweeting away. We'd love to have you be one of our "fans" and also follow us on Twitter or Pinterest. Visit our FB page and then hit the little 'thumbs up' to become a fan. You can also link to our Twitter and FB pages at: www.seedsoflight.org. Join us! The power of social media is awesome. |
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New Dawn Community Children's Art Center Opens
Seeds of Light renovated a dilapidated building adjacent to the New Dawn creche and opened an art center that offers classes to children twice a week. Art teachers Nick Vorono and Walter Sibuyi have the children working in all kinds of media including markers, beads, paper mache, clay and paints. We are developing some very talented young artists and helping them gain confidence in their ability to create. As the principal at one school stated, "Art makes the children so happy!"
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African landscape done by art student |
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One Hat One Heart Warms Heads in the Winter
Our beloved knitters came through again this year, gifting hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children with beautiful, colorful, handmade hats for the winter months. It is always such a joy to watch the children pick out a hat and see themselves in the mirror. Big smiles all around! Thank you to everyone who put their love into making a hat!   |
 Schools LOVE
our gardening workshops
Seeds of Light in partnership with Abundance Farming Project (AFP) is offering seasonal gardening workshops four times per year with the change of season. The course covers everything related to that season - crops, pests and how to control them without chemicals, medicinal plants and their uses, water use and conservation, the use of AFP's Zeba (an agricultural superabsorbant), and permaculture principles that apply all year round.  | |
Leanette Sithole (in red) with school gardeners
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The workshops are a favorite with everyone. They all leave with seeds, seedlings, door prizes, and a new sense of confidence and knowledge they can apply at their home schools. Thank you to Leanette Sithole, our permaculture expert and educator.
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 Ekurhuleni Center for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Opens
to Feed Children
The construction is proceeding at beautiful Ekurhuleni Center with 3 buildings completed and 2 more within a few weeks of being finished. One more building, a life skills workshop/community center will follow, completing Phases 1 and 2 buildings. We still have to add sports fields, play areas and landscaping. Thanks to our partner, A Spring of Hope, there is a borehole and water management system for the Center's cooking, drinking,and cleaning needs. We are so grateful for their support.
On December 1st, the Center opened for meals and activities for about 100 children, 7 days a week. Christmas Day was a time of great joy and celebration for everyone. Watch our Christmas Day video here and share the amazing experience. There is much more that is needed for the Center. Stay tuned for updates on how you can help our precious children.   |
Scholarships Support Two Very Special People
in Getting Driver's Licenses
Langutelani Moyana (right), gardener at the Seeds of Light Center, and Angy Dibakwana (left), one of the Mapusha weavers, both were successful in passing their driver's course and getting a license. Driver's licenses are very expensive and difficult to obtain in South Africa, but are a requirement for many professional positions. We are so proud of both of them and hope that this is a stepping stone to their employment advancement.
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Upliftment Work with Primary Schools Continues
In 2012, Seeds of Light worked with 7 primary schools and 2 creches to improve the quality of the schools. We continued to partner with Hlokomela to operate a primary health clinic at a large rural school, supported gardens at all 7 primary schools with seeds, gardening education, borehole repairs, and Zeba.
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Chicken manure is critical
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We installed a larger water storage tank and irrigation system at one school, partnered with the Global White Lion Trust to offer Eco-Clubs at 2 schools, and provided toys and books to 2 creches. We have short videos that give you a peek into 3 of our schools at this link. We are very proud of the schools we work with, and love watching them grow and develop through our partnership.
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Murial Mambane, Phatsedi Principal
with Ida, gardener at new water tap
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Painted schools blocks at Powerline Primary School
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How To Help
Not all of us can do great things.
But we can do small things with great love.
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Children Supported by Ekurhuleni Center
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View our wish list for the Ekurhuleni Orphan Center to see what is available to purchase. If you are inspired to fund raise for our work, please let us know and we will help you. We have videos, brochures, stories, everything you need to make it a success. Contact Mona at (505) 424-8844 or write to us: info@seedsoflight.org. If you'd like to donate today by check or online go to www.seedsoflight.org
Your donations are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Seeds of Light's mission is to assist with the awakening of the Global Heart, which we perceive to be the interconnectedness of all life through tolerance, forgiveness, love and compassion. Seeds of Light is the humanitarian service arm of CoreLight, a spiritual non-profit organization dedicated to inner and outer peace in the world, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Seeds of Light does not impose any spiritual beliefs on the people it supports.
Mail: Seeds of Light, 223 N. Guadalupe #275, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Phone: (505) 424-8844 | Toll free in USA/Canada: (888) 989-3552
Fax: (505) 424-8848 | Email: info@seedsoflight.org | Website: www.seedsoflight.org
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