An initiative by a British couple to make a difference in South Africa has earned them the prestigious 2010 Inyathelo Award for International Philanthropy to South Africa.
Inyathelo, the South African Institute for Advancement, assists institutions and organizations to develop a professional approach to raising the donor investment required to advance their objectives.
While assisting in building skills to access giving, the institute also promotes social responsibility and personal philanthropy.
The organization also promotes a strategic approach to development in South Africa, seeing donors and funding recipients as partners.
At a recent award ceremony, a British couple were recognized for their work in ensuring that previously unemployed artists in Cape Town used their ceramic skills to support the operating costs of several children's homes in the Western Cape.
A few years ago, Anthony Record, a British national, told his wife, Carole, that he wanted to put something back into South Africa, the country of his birth.
After considering several options, the Records decided to focus their philanthropic energy to help children who have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.
"The fact that we have an adopted daughter ourselves is one of the main reasons why we were interested in helping orphans," Carole Record said in a statement.
"The sad reality today is that many South African children have lost both their parents, there are overwhelming numbers of siblings raising their own siblings, and we understand that the AIDS orphan crisis has not yet peaked," she added.
The couple said that they realized they couldn't solve the "big problem," they could make a difference in the lives of a few people in South Africa's province of Cape Town.
"We also hoped, right from the beginning, that we could be an example, an inspiration really, for others who might think that there's nothing they can do," she added.
The goal of the children's homes the couple support is simple but compelling to give children the chance to be adopted.
To date, the Records have provided funding for two children's homes.
"Our objective was to provide these homes with assistance once they were up and running. So the conclusion we came to was to develop a business which could provide long-term assistance to maintaining these homes," Anthony Record said.
Thus, the ceramics business, called the "Light From Africa Foundation", which was specifically started by Anthony and Carole to support the children's homes, was opened.
Light from Africa makes handmade clay sculptures, bowls and vessels, which celebrate the diverse African culture that is characteristic of the country's heritage.
As each one-of-a-kind creation can be used as a candleholder, these centerpieces are hoped to deliver warmth and light to those who purchase them, as well as to all those supported through the proceeds of sales.
On the website www.lightfromafrica.com, prospective buyers can purchase a number of art pieces.
The couple have effectively funded the business mainly from their own resources since 2003.
Beyond just generating funds for the two homes, the other aims of the ceramics business are to develop skills and job opportunities amongst a number of unemployed, to create exports from South Africa, and to establish a South African Center for Ceramic Art.
"It all came together as one opportunity. The wonderful thing is the beautiful artwork we are producing. It is stunning. And we trained the artists!" he added.
The Records invite the ceramic artists to visit the children's homes several times a year, because they want to ensure a constant reminder that their working lives go well beyond just producing ceramics.
"Here are these ordinary people who have really difficult lives themselves, who have been given the opportunity to learn a new skill, to hold a job, to be able to support their own families - and the thing that outshines all of that is the fact that what they are doing is in support of orphaned babies. It makes them feel proud and truly worthwhile. That alone makes us feel that we are succeeding in some way," said Carole Anthony.
The couple understand that very few people have the time or capacity to start their own non-governmental organization.
"It is an incredible commitment," said Carole Anthony. "But if people want to do something, find a charity that supports something you believe in and write them a cheque. Every charity on earth needs help and your money can make a difference."
XINHUA
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