Good News 14:00

BULLETIN 15 February 2 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Renowned South African ceramic artist Mandi Friedman has been chosen as the country’s ambassador for the 7th edition of the ‘Art Connects Women’ event in Dubai. Friedman, acclaimed for her vibrant and whimsical sculptures, especially her work featuring primates in Rwanda, aims to honour the legacy of Dian Fossey, the renowned American primatologist. Friedman views this opportunity as a platform to showcase South African ceramic artistry globally and represent her fellow artists on an international scale.

# A collaboration between The Beast Foundation and various organisations, the Lead Like a Girl Programme, aims to provide 15 young women with the opportunity to become strong and influential female leaders. Fifteen young women from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Harare, and Bulawayo were selected based on their sporting, academic, cultural achievements, and financial needs. The founder of the foundation, former Springbok Tendai Mtawarira, emphasises the programme will unlock opportunities for women’s empowerment by providing schooling support, annual leadership camps, inter-African country visits and ongoing mentorship.

# Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Provincial MEC for Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie are launching the ‘Getting YOU to Work’ pilot initiative. The programme offers job seekers free travel to interviews using Golden Arrow Bus Services. In partnership with the private sector, this initiative aims to remove transport barriers and provide access to job opportunities for unemployed individuals. Free travel vouchers will be provided to interview candidates by registered employers participating in the programme.

# Non-profit organisation Khulisa Social Solutions has been honoured with its sixth global award for community work. The Great British Investment Magazine awarded Khulisa as the Best Social Solutions Not-for-Profit organisation in South Africa, for 2024. Khulisa has positively impacted the lives of over 100-thousand underprivileged South Africans across 150 communities. This latest recognition follows Khulisa’s previous accolades, including the CEO Today Africa Award and Best Social Solutions Not-for-Profit organisation in 2023 from the Global Excellence Awards, and Corporate LiveWire Youth Support NPO of the Year 2023. 

# And finally: The National Film and Video Foundation is inviting experienced filmmakers and those with limited experience to apply for funding opportunities for the 2024/25 financial year. Applications are open to development Tiers 1 and 2, production, post-production, and archive. However, funding exclusions apply to development Tier 3 projects across fiction and non-fiction categories, as well as the production of web series across all tiers. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications before the 23rd of this month to receive priority compliance assessment, with submissions closing on the eighth of next month.

Stay tuned for more news………….