Archive for February, 2010
" alt="Welfare gets short end of CSI stick" />Welfare gets short end of CSI stick
23 February 2010
Not as attractive to some funders as their educational and health counterparts, welfare organsiations are struggling to keep afloat – and this is to SA’s peril, warns Doug Greenshields
Written by Tshikululu’s Learning and Developement Manager Doug Greenshields
The word “welfare” has different meanings and connotations, especially in the development sector and the social investment context. There is debate as to whether “welfare” is actually “development” or even part of it. Nevertheless, in my view, “welfare” falls within what we could call the Social Development sector. This sector includes entrepreneurship development, skills training and job creation, sustainable livelihoods, community development and welfare.
" alt="When M&E goes upside down" />When M&E goes upside down
Mokibelo Ntshabeleng wonders about the power dynamics and imbalances between the grantmakers and grantees that can result from an immature approach to monitoring and evaluation.
Written by Mokibelo Ntshabeleng, Tshikululu Social Investments’ Monitoring and Evaluation Manager.
I was invited to a conference last year to talk to the topic “monitoring and evaluation in the CSI context – whose voice matters the most, the measurer or the measured?” This was an interesting subject to muse over as not only does the topic talk about the power dynamics and relations between grantmakers and grantees, but it also talks about the maturity of the practice of monitoring and evaluation as an industry in South Africa.
" alt="AsgiSA’s quiet death - where to next for South Africa’s economic policy? " />AsgiSA’s quiet death – where to next for South Africa’s economic policy?
17 February 2010
The shortage of skills in critical sectors of the SA economy runs so deep and so wide that even the current economic recession is unlikely to ease the demand.
Guest contributor Sven Lunsche has been a financial journalist since graduating with a BJourn from Rhodes University in 1986. He has worked for The Star, the Sunday Times Business Times and Financial Mail.
This article is republished with the kind permission of the Wits Business School Journal.
The history of South Africa’s economic policies resembles a messy alphabet soup. It started out in 1994 with the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), now barely remembered bar for the ‘matchbox’ RDP houses that dot townships throughout SA. It was followed in 1996 by the Growth, Employment and Redistribution Programme (GEAR), a free-market orientated policy that served as the basis for a sound monetary and fiscal policy for over a decade under Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
" alt="Analysing PDI community trusts as vehicles for BBBEE" />Analysing PDI community trusts as vehicles for BBBEE
16 February 2010
In South Africa, PDI beneficiary trusts are employed in a grander nation-building project, which consciously subscribes to the idea that development must be the responsibility of all sectors of society.
Community Trusts are increasingly popular as a vehicle for driving Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). However, there is very limited documented knowledge on the frequency of their use, their fitness for the purpose of furthering BBBEE goals, or the factors that enable and constrain their effectiveness.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the realisation of the developmental objectives described in the BBBEE Codes of Good Practice persistently eludes Community Trusts and that even the immediate outcome for private enterprise – meeting the Ownership target obligation – is inherently problematic. Considering the importance of BBBEE to the nation-building project, and the prominent controversies concerning its implementation, it is clear that an evidence base to confirm or contest assumptions about the utility of trust vehicles in realizing BBBEE objectives is sorely needed.
Tshikululu Social Investments has commissioned an in-depth study to investigate the role and effectiveness of community trusts in Black Economic Empowerment transactions.
" alt="SA’s companies can lead the rest in CSI" />SA’s companies can lead the rest in CSI
South Africa's private sector can show how an interconnected humanity works best
Written by Gina de Villiers, Tsihkululu Communications Specialist.
South African corporate social investment has the potential to have its “ke nako” moment this year, particularly when considering the movement of CSI trends in 2010, locally and abroad.
" alt="NGO partnership to address environmental impact of wind energy" />NGO partnership to address environmental impact of wind energy
10 February 2010
Wind energy is not without negative environmental impacts – particularly on our bird populations.
The challenge is providing wide-scale, clean, renewable energy into the future. The answer, say the industry’s pioneers, is wind energy.
This is particularly true in South Africa, which has an abundance of wind resources, and a power provider looking to diversify energy supplies as much as possible. Add to that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (NERSA) announcement of feed-in tariffs in 2009, and it is understandable why applications for wind energy developments, made increasingly by independent power producers, have been gaining momentum.
Khumbulani Craft goes to the Design Indaba
8 February 2010
In anticipation of the world’s eye being on South Africa this year, the Design Indaba is counting the days until the opening of its biggest exhibition to date. The 2010 exhibition features over 244 of the country’s best creative talents, showing off uniquely South African design.
One such exhibitor is Khumbulani Craft, a local NGO that contributes towards poverty alleviation through the design, production, marketing and sale of traditional and contemporary craft. The company currently works with approximately 350 crafters in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Many of these people live in the most remote of rural areas, where it is impossible to market their goods.
As well as displaying a range of stone, beaded and ceramic products, two new items will launch at the Design Indaba – BarberOsgerby stools produced under license by weavers in KwaZulu-Natal and exquisite white pots entered into the expo’s “The Most Beautiful Object in South Africa” competition.
Laurette, Mandla and Bonita look forward to meeting you at the Khumbulani Craft stand in Hall 1, Stand A1.
The Design Indaba Expo 2010 is open to the public from Friday 26 February to Sunday 28 February 2010 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
MES Thursday Tours
24 January 2010
11 February 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 11 March 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 14 May 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 3 June 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 8 July 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 9 September 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm 14 October 2010 9:00 am to 1:00 pm MES (Metro Evangelical Services) is inviting anyone interested in their activities to join them for an informative tour of their programmes and facilities on Thursday mornings in the coming year.
MES is a registered non-profit organisation that has been serving the homeless and destitute community in the city of Johannesburg for the past 23 years. The organisation started as a feeding programme in 1986, handing out food parcels to the homeless and unemployed community of Hillbrow. At that stage, MES was part of the outreach project of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Booking is essential for planning purposes, so if you are interested in joining a tour or require further information, please email kevin@mes.org.za.
Visit Metro Evangelical Services online.
Serious Social Investing conference
25 February 2010 8:30 am to 5:00 pm 26 February 2010 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Whether your priority development area is education, health or sustainable livelihoods, the Serious Social Investing Conference will help you to make better decisions on how to spend scarce CSI resources in an increasingly competitive market.
Hosted by Tshikululu Social Investments in association with Anglo American, the Gordon Institute of Business Science and the Financial Mail,this is the not-to-miss CSI learning event of 2010.
Limited to 100 participants, those attending this hands-on CSI practitioner’s workshop should be prepared to be challenged and to engage in problem solving and collective learning. This is an active workshop where full participation will be required – and rewarded.
The workshop will provide participants with interactive learning, case studies and practical advice, access to experienced and established experts and useful and constructive networking.
Serious Social Investing – 25 and 26 February 2010
Gordon Institute of Business Science, Illovo campus, Johannesburg
R4 600 for 2 day workshop (VAT, all materials, lunch, teas included)To make a booking for this event please contact Lee or Hayley on 011 467 5377 or email creativespaceadmin@gmail.com
