Umcebo
Trust is a non-profit organisation which believes
that marginalised people have, within them, the creativity
necessary to make a difference. Specifically, the
Trust supports work that helps mothers and caregivers
as well as the marginalised (with and without special
needs) to:
enhance their self-esteem and value to their families,
communities and society;
acquire/develop creative, innovation and participatory
skills; and
create top quality art works and practical craft
items (emphasis on recycling) to be sold locally,
nationally and internationally to generate incomes
Work over eleven years at the Department of Art and
Technology at Ningizimu School for the Severely Mentally
Handicapped in Durban serves as the model and launch
pad for the Umcebo Trust. This work includes the creation
of 3-dimensional objects, banners, and mat and basket
work and their sales via a programme that generates
marketing opportunities, sales and commissions.
The value and effectiveness of this work was recognised
in October 2003 by the Presidential Award from the
Hamlet Foundation, as well as a National Teaching
Award for Excellence in Special Education in 2001.
The interim workshops have run from February 2004
on Saturday mornings at the Durban Institute for Technology
(City Campus), after which they will be transferred
to a full weekly operation at a permanent venue.
The emphasis of the project is on skills training,
ultimately leading to full learnerships, which aims
to give people (learners as well as teachers) access
to quality training, recognised by the National Qualifications
Framework.
Contextual
overview
The daily struggle against HIV/AIDS, unemployment,
prejudice and poverty in South Africa today, is the
broader context and motivation for the Umcebo Trust's
establishment. The Trust aims to stimulate and promote
participant skills (via accredited skills training
programmes and ultimately full learnerships).
The goal of the Trust is to create a non-threatening
and secure environment where a diverse range of people
from surrounding communities can gather and interact
together on joint and individual projects that illustrate
the value and power of diversity and co-operation.
Amongst the many skills that will be trained and used
are sewing, wire work and bead work. There is an emphasis
on producing practical and usable crafts, and also
on creating art works of a unique and exceptional
quality, to grace some of the top national and international
corporate and private collections and décor
ranges.
In the light of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, we anticipate
that the Trust will have to grow rapidly in the direction
of formulating projects specifically aimed at involving
the increasing numbers of AIDS orphans and their caregivers
as a special needs group.
Projects
Ningizimu projects that are being used as a model
and launch pad include:
3-Dimensional Sculptures
These involve challenging pieces of work using pupils'
sewing, painting, sculptural and creative talents,
as well as emphasising recycling, and a combination
of bought and found objects. A recent client was the
US Consulate in Durban, who bought a sculpture of
the Statue of Liberty, and flew it to the Head of
Special Schools in Manhattan as a gift. This created
all sorts of new and exciting links, as well as focusing
international attention on the work and potentials
of those who produced the piece.
Banners
Through the school, Robin Opperman and the pupils
have completed 12 banners for the French Institute.
Ten banners 1m x 2m, and two 2m x 2m. These are currently
traveling through Africa after an exhibition at the
Durban Art Gallery and their journey will eventually
end in Paris, where they will be on display for an
international audience. The Art Department has a long
history of producing these 3-D banners, which grace
private and corporate collections both locally and
abroad. Clients include: Comair, Department of Health,
The Playhouse Company, Huntsman etc. but would also
serve to generate an income from a wide variety of
skilled participants
Mat and basket making
This project involves a steady flow of thick and thin
plastic supplied by a local company. These materials
can then be used to either crochet, weave or fold
into mats, hats, bags, wash baskets and other useful
items, which there is a proven demand for both here
and abroad. Already a star pupil has been working
on orders for Paris and New York, and is training
unemployed members of the community, and is now assisting
in the running of a number of Co-Ops in the hostels
in the townships surrounding Durban. She has also
been awarded an NBS Young Entrepreneurs Award as a
mark of her success. This project is ideal in that
with very little investment, existing skills in the
community can be fine tuned, and used to generate
an income, for a wide variety of people who otherwise
see themselves as unable to earn a living and to be
productive members of the community.
Fire Blocks
We encourage the local community to connect with the
school and to bring their old newspapers, toilet roll
holders, egg boxes etc. These are pulped and made
into fire blocks which are non- toxic fuel for fires,
and for which there is a large demand. This generates
a new source of income for learners. The overheads
are low, and the scope for involving people in a common
project is vast.
About
the Trust
Umcebo is a Zulu word meaning "treasure".
The Umcebo Trust is a public benefit non-profit organization
which was registered on 22 May 2003. The main aim
of the Trust is to establish a studio workspace for
people to use and develop their artistic talents as
a means of personal and creative development, as well
as to generate income.
We envisage a studio workspace that will ensure contact
between marginalised people, no matter what their
abilities, age, socio-economic background, who can
train and be trained in a mutual exchange of ideas
and skills.
Interim Workshop: An early partnership which has
been established between the Trust and The Durban
Institute of Technology (DIT) has meant that from
February 2004 until July 2004 an interim workshop
has been established in the Fine Art Department, at
the DIT. This functions on Saturday mornings, and
was piloted with learners from Ningizimu School for
the Severely Mentally Handicapped, St Raphael's School
(for those with severe physical and medical challenges),
learners from Sinethemba Shelter as well as members
of the community.
This way we can also orientate the core group that
will establish the initial phase, which will be moved
over to the permanent workshop. Skills such as budgeting
money for bus fares, and catching buses safely too
and from the centre of town are some of a whole host
of skills which will need to be mastered from the
outset. In addition learners can enjoy the status
that comes from working on Saturday mornings in central
Durban.
By the end of July 2004 we hope to have secured a
permanent venue, and funding to expand it to a five
day a week operation, involving an even broader cross
section.
Where it comes from
The idea for the Trust came from Robin Opperman, an
Art Teacher at Ningizimu. Robin has worked at the
school for 11 years, helping students generate income
through artwork and crafts. Their work has resulted
in numerous national and international awards including
the National Teaching Award, the ThinkQuest International
Challenge Award and a Presidential Award from the
Hamlet Foundation.
What we hope to achieve There are two aspects to the objectives of Umcebo
Trust: Firstly, to assist people to generate income,
develop creativity and skills and to integrate with
and develop the skills base in the community, by building
on the model that has been established through the
art programme at Ningizimu School; and secondly, to
offer training (accredited skills training and ultimately
full learner ships) and starter kits for educators
and members of the public, who have no resources to
help them be more effective at their own work. The
training would assist them with the skills to start
and grow an art project. Already we are networking
and training students from the University of Natal
(Durban), as well as the DIT. In addition we are also
hosting educators and trainee educators from Canada,
New York and Denmark, as part of their learner ships
and study programmes.
The medium term vision of the Trust is to make the
benefits of the work done at the school more widely
accessible to young people in KZN. Our long term vision
is to have these services available to people throughout
the country and when possible to facilitate or take
part in exchange programmes with other African countries
or organizations in the world who share the same vision.
Trust
Members
The Trust is, at present, a group of people committed
to realizing this Vision by setting up a space with
staff and equipment, as the base for an art workspace
that assists students and members of the community
to generate income through their art work. The present
group sees itself as initiators, with a view to the
Trust being expanded in future to benefit as many
community participants as possible.
Community ownership - driving the work of the
Trust
The issue of community ownership of this workspace
and the projects that it generates is important. The
process of encouraging the community to not only visit
the facility, but to also become involved in bringing
scrap and recyclable materials to the project will
ensure their ownership of, and support for, the work
of the proposed venture. People in the community are
encouraged to come in and be trained as well as share
their skills to train others. For example retired
residents can be encouraged to share their crocheting
skills, i.e. a skills-exchange.
Using scrap plastic and other materials obtained
from factories and business ventures will provide
corporate resources and other avenues that open up
via them such as conservancies, recycling forums etc.
Individuals and companies are encouraged to sponsor
a particular client of the Trust with a monthly amount.
This will secure them a set number of products from
that client, as well as a progress report on that
client, and their progress and development. The sponsor
can then either take items for themselves, or else
donate them back to the Trust to give as gifts to
promote the Trust and to attract new sponsorship.
Quality products - valuing the work of the people
The Trust will rather aim at top quality, creative,
innovative and marketable work that will sell both
locally and internationally, and which would become
highly sought after and collectable. We believe that
dis-ability does not mean not in- ability. With encouragement
and training, our students should be able to earn
money and not be reliant on the State or on parents
or relatives to support them.
We will also endeavor to encourage independence and
skills in the clients. The focus here is on self-sufficiency
and entrepreneurship. The workshop will not be offering
' jobs', but will instead focus on developing people
who are entrepreneurial and who can serve as islands
around which new and innovative initiatives can be
established and grow.
How
you can help?
The Building - our premises
We hope to be able to secure safe premises that are
accessible to the public along the major transport
routes. Ideally the premises should include a large,
secure and wheel chair friendly workshop/craft studio
plus an area for a shop. A storage space will be essential
to ensure the effective sorting, storage and use of
donations. A coffee shop and gallery that can be run
by the students is also a possibility as this can
offer a whole different range of skills training as
well as a reason for customers to spend a while longer
in the space.
Equipment
The workshop will need to be well stocked with good,
sturdy and low maintenance tables and chairs, which
can be easily cleaned. We will need good lighting
and ventilation which will comply with safety, health
and labour regulations. We will need to ensure that
there are basins with water, as well as power points.
The workshop will also need to secure funding for
a contingency fund to purchase items such as fabric,
sequins, paint and other materials etc to complement
donations which they may secure.
Mentorships via monthly contributions
Individual monthly or one-off contributions are welcome.
Contributors will receive regular updates on the work
of the Trust. You can also sponsor a client of the
workshop with a monthly donation of R100.00 or more.
Please contact us for details of this form of sponsorship.
For more information on the Umcebo Trust, please
visit the HIVAN Photo Gallery by clicking here,
or access a story on the Trust here.
Alternatively, visit the Trust's website by clicking
here
Robin Opperman is the Director of the Umcebo
Trust. He can be contacted via the following media:
Postal Address: 913 The Gables,
174 Victoria Embankment, Durban, 4001 Telephone: +27 31 3053408 or +27 31 4690767
Facsimile: +27 31 3056090 Mobile: +27 83 793 3408 Email:robino@telkomsa.net
Umcebo
Trust is a non-profit organisation which believes
that marginalised people have, within them, the creativity
necessary to make a difference. Specifically, the
Trust supports work that helps mothers and caregivers
as well as the marginalised (with and without special
needs) to:
Contextual
overview
Banners
About
the Trust
Trust
Members
How
you can help?