Good News

BULLETIN 13 March 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# The Smile Foundation in collaboration with its partners has raised funds totalling 2.1-million-rand to cover surgical procedures for 22 children. This supports Smile Week at Universitas Academic Hospital in the Free State, where reconstructive surgery will be offered for children. A notable case is that of nine-year-old Arrianna Botha, who survived a dog attack. Last year she underwent scalp expander surgery. Today she will have her follow-up surgery, which will involve removing the tissue expander and stretching the scalp flap to cover the extensive damaged area with hair.

# Stellenbosch University and high-tech company Enlightened Isotopes have partnered to develop a protocol for the separation of the ytterbium-176 isotope, set to be used as a radiopharmaceutical in cancer therapy. The research partnership is worth 8.5-million-rand. At present, Russia and China are the world’s largest suppliers of isotopes. Stellenbosch University’s professor, Pieter Neethling, says they are extremely excited to be able to contribute to the development of such a high-tech isotope enrichment facility in South Africa.

# The eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal says it is continuing with its mandate of encouraging an entrepreneurial culture and innovation. This is in a bid to create employment and boost local economic development. Local small, medium, and micro enterprises are encouraged to apply for the 2024 Lions Den Business Plan Competition before the closing date of 5 April. The competition aims to stimulate good business ideas and encourage sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation. Participants stand the chance to benefit from exciting business development prices.

# The African Reclaimers Organisation has established its own sorting centre for recyclable materials in Selby, Johannesburg. This comes after almost three years of stalled talks with the City of Johannesburg on the integration of informal waste pickers. The organisation’s Recycling With Reclaimers Programme collects from nearly 100 residential areas around the city. The city’s waste management entity, Pikitup, says it is looking at how best they can assist waste pickers with sorting facilities, but budget constraints are a challenge.

# And finally: Save a Fishie founder, Zoë Prinsloo, is currently representing South Africa at the international Helen Storrow Seminar in Switzerland. This a leadership programme for youth focusing on environmentally sustainable projects for their communities. Save a Fishie is an initiative that raises awareness about marine conservation and the dangers of plastic pollution. Prinsloo says thanks to this initiative, she has organised more than 260 beach clean-ups, visited more than 111 beaches across South Africa and collected over 20 tonnes of litter.

Stay tuned for more news………….