As an industry we have neither the time nor the money to waste on interventions that have no measurable, positive and long lasting impact on people’s lives. Fragmentation threatens to dilute impact.

Our goal at the TCD Trust is collaboration to work together as the tourism and hospitality industry bringing meaningful, accountable and long lasting change to desperate communities around us. Since 2004 we have successsfully completed six community development projects mainly focussing on children, education and health.

How do I become a Friend of the TCD Trust ?

We have a number of options availble to become a Friend of the TCD Trust and let your business start reaping the benefits in 2012 of being part of an increadibly successful responsible tourism organisation :

Membership Options

BRONZE – R1500 p/a

SILVER – R2500 p/a

GOLD – R4000 p/a

PLATINUM – R9000 p/a

DIAMOND – R10000 + p/a

Benefits include:<br />
• BEE scorecard points
• Tax deductible
• Use of logo on marketing material / web site and more …

For full details please do not hesitate to contact me and I would be happy to meet with you and discuss the benefits for your company for joining the TCD Trust in 2012.

“The travel and tourism industry could do more for responsible and sustainable tourism, reveals a survey that took place at World Travel Market 2011 – the leading global event for the travel industry – by exhibitor SustainIt.

As the travel and tourism industry continues to grow there is an increased emphasis on responsible travel. During WTM 2011 Technology and Online Travel exhibitor SustainIt, the leading software and data consultancy that specialise in sustainability performance, surveyed more than 200 WTM participants. This was to understand the industry’s experiences of sustainability and responsible tourism and work out whether the industry really is engaging in the principles of sustainability.

More than seven out of ten industry professionals including hoteliers, airlines, resorts and tourist attractions believe the travel and tourism industry could do more to reduce poverty and support sustainable local economic development in destination communities. Only 18% of companies questioned have sustainable supply chains and procurement policies in place.

An increasing number of companies offer their customers carbon offsets, but only 26% of companies were looking at their own carbon footprint. Six out of ten industry professionals asked felt their company could do more to promote sustainability overall, with only 29% of employees not knowing if they had an targets or objectives to meet in these areas.

When WTM delegates were asked to identify the key responsible tourism issue for 2012, the survey ranked ‘Increasing employee and customer engagement in sustainability’ as the top issue. With only 29% of respondents believing their company is doing enough to promote sustainability and responsible travel/tourism to its employees and customers.

These two statistics coincide to unveil that the industry is informed and aware of sustainability on one hand but has a lack of employee and customer engagement on the other hand.

SustainIT Managing Director Charlie Stockford explains: “Our survey shows that whilst there is increasing activity and concern around sustainable and responsible travel and tourism within the trade, many employees are not aware of what their own company is trying to achieve and therefore are unable to share it with their customers.

We really hope that 2012 is a year where businesses start communicating and engaging far more with their employees about their sustainability and responsible travel programmes and that those companies who are just starting out realise the real positive impact a good sustainability programme can make to both their profitability and to the future of our planet.”

Reed Travel Exhibitions Chairman World Travel Market and pioneer of responsible tourism Fiona Jeffery expressed that the key observations revealed are ultimately the key reasons why WTM World Responsible Tourism Day – an international day of action dedicated to help protect the world – was formed.

“Travel companies, destinations and professionals worldwide recognise that responsible tourism offers a valuable and exciting new dimension to travel and tourism. With this in mind, one of the key objectives of WTM WRTD is to help drive change by educating more responsible behaviour with the travel and tourism industry and travelling public”

From the above leaking and dilapidated shack to the below gorgeous, warm, comfortable classroom, office area, sick bay and bathroom.

Construction of the new wendy house classroom, office, sickbay and bathroom facility has been completed, with only the plumbing and installation for the toilets and hand basin which still need to be completed. It really is beautiful and the crèche now has all the facilities they need to go into 2012 and make this crèche the success that they dreamed of.

They can now almost double their capacity for the amount of children they can take care of and grow the crèche into a viable and sustainable business in their community and for themselves.

We thank you for your continued support of the TCD Trust and helping us to make these sort of changes to people’s lives which are meaningful, long lasting and bring hope for a brighter and positive new year ahead for this community. What a GREAT start they have for 2012, without your support and generous support of the Mount Nelson Hotel this would not have been possible !

Sabelo from Andulela Tours visited Blomvlei Library last week with a group of visitors from the UK. The group meet with the school headmistress, Dawn Petersen, who explained to the guests some of the problems which the children face growing up in Hanover Park and that keeping them away from drugs and gangs is an on-going headache for the parents and the teachers. She said that the library has already changed the lives of the children at the school and that the library periods were a highlight of their week, the children love reading new books and each week they give book reviews to their classmates about the books they have read.

We were all amazed to realise how lovely and cool it was inside the library although temperatures outside were in the mid 30c, this is thanks to the eco design of the library which is naturally cool in the summer months with windows strategically placed to allow the cool southeaster wind to blow through the library and then in winter the much larger north facing windows allow for maximum sunlight ensuring no high electricity accounts for heating or cooling inside the library.

After the visit to the wonderful library the guests visited various classrooms where they meet the children and read to them introducing the children to the new books which they had brought with them and had donated to the library.

The purpose of the library was to create a place of safety, inspiration and education for the learners and it seems that it is already a great success. We would like to see more of our Friends of the TCD Trust visiting our projects in 2012. It is wonderful to come out and meet the people and experience for yourself the great work the TCD Trust has done with your support.

Let’s hope that 2012 will be best year ahead for the TCD Trust and hopefully many more members of the tourism and hospitality industry will join us as Friends of the Trust and our longstanding friends will continue to support us. The TCD Trust is providing real, meaningful and long lasting change to desperate communities around us, it is wonderful to be a part of it and it’s going to be great for your business too in 2012, so join us now and enjoy the rewards of being a Friend of the TCD Trust for you and your business.

Dear TCD Trust,

My name is Carlijn Smeets, I have been an intern at TCD Trust since October. I worked very close with Bronwen Wetton, the manager of TCD Trust. My tasks at TCD Trust were;  writing blogs, sending newsletters, updating the Facebook page, updating the website and arrange meetings with companies from the tourism industry to inform them about TCD Trust and try to attract them to cooperate with us. I have also been involved with several projects which are supported by TCD Trust.

During my first weeks in Cape Town, I have mainly experienced  Cape Town as;  beautiful beaches, stunning landscape and friendly people. However, after a while I noticed the other side of this mysteries city , and it was shocking for me; there are still a lot of people who are left behind. Besides my internship at Ashanti Lodge (a backpackers hotel), I also decided to do something more then only work in the tourism industry. My boss, Lisa Kröhn, gave me the opportunity to work two days a week for TCD Trust. During my first week with Bronwen, she showed me the RGG crèche and the Library at the Blomvlei Primary School; the two latest projects of the TCD Trust. I knew what I could expect, but to see the conditions of the different townships was still shocking for me. But by speaking to the people from the communities, I have really created respect for them. Most of them are trying to improve the situation where they live in, especially for the children. But these communities have nothing and depend on the support from others. I have visited the projects for several times and I always tried to make good contact with the children and the people who are involved with every project. During my whole internship I learned a lot from Bronwen; how she deals with problems and the daily activities. She presents TCD Trust very good and is always correct in the way she communicates with the people around her, even when she gets a bit disappointed. But most of all I learned from her that you must not give up if something does not work out well, but always try to be motivated and make the best of every situation. Every step we make is one step forward!

I am very glad that I have seen everything in Cape Town, the sunny side and the sad side. Some people may shut their eyes down and don’t want to see this other side of South-Africa, but these communities really need support! The TCD Trust is really doing a great job and I hope that there will be more people who will notice the demand for the communities who have been left behind during the ‘apartheid’.

I would like to thank Bronwen for everything that she has done for me and for giving me this wonderful experience.

Kind regards,

Carlijn

‘Christmas Cheer at Baphumelele Children’s Home’

While people all over the world celebrate Christmas for different reasons and in various ways, the main theme behind this day is families being together, a bit of extravagance  (sometimes more) and a sense of enjoyment of the year that passed.  At Baphumelele Children’s Home the anticipation was exactly the same!  And some miracle workers made it possible for the 65 children that were spending their holidays here to have exactly that!  All dressed up and almost squeaky clean, the anticipation in the air was feverish as the smell of the braai filled our nostrils!  Promise was in the air!  The girls were singing and dancing, expressing their excitement and joy, the boys were helping with the fire, and the little ones, for them time was just passing too slowly!

Dedicated helpers dished up plate upon plate of delicious food, with more than enough for second helpings!  Then more treats followed, cup cakes, ice cream and even a present for each child.  One little boy remarked that he is so happy he could just fall asleep another said he doesn’t think he’d ever be able to eat again!

Sometimes in life it is hard to make a difference, but sometimes we probably don’t realise how big a difference the little contribution we make can go.  Some of us, like Mama Rosie, (I forgot the name of that lovely social worker now) and their team of volunteers dedicated their Christmas to these children, their reward the happy, contended faces of the children.  Others make days and moments like these possible with their contributions.  Like the saying goes, it takes all kinds of people to make the world a happier place.

Thank you Charmaine Beukes, for spending your Christmas day with these children!

Blomvlei Primary School in Hanover Park held a thanksgiving service at a church close to the school. As the Southeaster wind howled outside, the school celebrated and gave thanks with dance, music and words of grattitude. The TCD Trust was also present at this special service. Enver Mally, one of the four trustees of TCD Trust, was one of the guest speakers. He said some nice words about the school and he officially handed over the two laptop computers which had been donated to Blomvlei Library from Increadible Connection. In the picture below you see Enver Mally in the middle, with remarkable Headmistress, Dawn Petersen and Deputy Principal Yvonne Adonis.

We salute you Blomvlei Primary School, teachers, learners, parents, you make us humble that you have achieved so much in the past 40 years under such hard and difficult circumstances in your community. May you go forward and continue to be the shining light that you are for the community of Hanover Park.

A special message from Blomvlei Primary School during the service:

”Life is a continuous journey. It is given to us in stages. Do not look back and grieve about the past, for it is gone forever. Do not be troubled by the future, as God will provide. Live in the present and make it beautiful, that it will be worth remembering.”

We recently visited the RGG Creche in Phillippi to see who our latest project is doing. When we arrived we saw that a community member was clearing the ground for the new classroom area! Also the teachers had already started clearing the ground for the new classroom. Everyone was so excited and were hoping that the new classroom will be build before Christmas.

The teachers were extreamly excited because we had just given Centercore the ‘go ahead’ for the contruction of the Wendy House and Abloution block for their Creche. Centercore will start with building the Wendy House classroom this monday! So that means that the building will definitely be ready before Christmas!! Ofcourse everyone was so happy to hear this great news!

I love it when a plan comes together, thanks again to everyone who has supported us to make this project possible. In particular thanks again to the Mount Nelson Hotel, without your generouscity this would not be possible.

Thanks so much to Incredible Connection for their donation of two laptop computers for Blomvlei Library. This month four computers has been donated to the library!!!

After the two computers from Andulela Experience, the Library can now work with four computers! This is really great, because we can now set up the resource centre inside the library which will be used by the learners at the school. We also hope to open it up to the broader community in the future and start to give computer training worskshops for adults.

A very BIG THANK YOU to Incredible Connection for their support!

Monique from Andulela Experience was asked by one of her overseas clients to find a suitable project to donate some computers. After a lot of paper work to clear customs etc Monique managed to obtain two computers which were delivered to Blomvlei Library in Hanover Park on Monday morning. Renshia, our librarian, was waiting at the gate to meet us with such excitment to receive the first computers for the new library !

Now the Library can start to give computer lessons after school hours to the children who have problems with using the computer. But also students who like to work on a project after school hours, now have the opportunity to use the computers in the Library. Thank you so much Monique, your support is greatly appreciated.

Sorry to say it AGAIN, but working together makes sense, with these sort of partnerships we can continue to bring Real, Meaningful and Long lasting change to people’s lives. We encourage everyone in the tourism and hospitality industry to come on board and join us as a Friend of the TCD Trust.