WorldVentures Foundation Partners with Food & Trees for Africa and Botshabelo to Empower Children in South Africa; First Two Service Days in the Country

Plano, TX – May 19, 2014: WorldVentures Foundation™, the philanthropic arm of WorldVentures™, collaborated with multiple South African organizations to help educate and nourish children in South Africa by renovating two buildings and devloping a school’s permaculture food garden. 

“WorldVentures Foundation is honored to support the extraordinary passion of South African WorldVentures Independent Representatives, led by Steven & Tessa Kahn and Devraj & Cassendra Soojay, in assisting local children and communities,” Gwyneth Lloyd, Executive Director, WorldVentures Foundation said. “The excitement and energy of launching the Foundation’s first two Service Days in South Africa enthused volunteers from multiple countries.”

On its first South African Service Day, WorldVentures Foundation teamed up with Botshabelo Community Development Trust, Sizanani Children’s Home and Prettify Your Township to help several South African children, who were orphaned by HIV or whose families cannot care for them financially. Collectively, the organizations revamped two buildings, doubling the initial goal: a day care and a foster home in the community of Olievenhoutbosch, Gauteng.

“The WorldVentures Foundation team brought change and empowerment to children in the community of Olievenhoutbosch,” Michelle Hinrichsen, Funding Coordinator at Botshabelo said. “Both the day care and the foster home buildings were completely transformed, and their new colorful appearance has greatly surprised and inspired the children.”
On its second Service Day in South Africa, WorldVentures Foundationjoined with Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), the first South African social enterprise realizing sustainable development, and assisted to develop Cosmo City Secondary School’s permaculture food garden in Randburg, Johannesburg North. Together, the volunteers planted herbs, vegetables and staple foods to accompany the existing orchard.

“The Service Day was a great success,” said Joanne Carty, Programme Manager FTFA. “Developing the school’s permaculture food garden will help feed local families, donate to the school feeding scheme and sell produce to the surrounding community. The money collected is ploughed back to the school’s garden.”

                                                                                       

WorldVentures Foundation’s first two South African Service Days follow the first ever Service Day in Zimbabwe, held a few months ago, and many other frequent service projects in Mexico, Liberia and Guatemala. The Foundation’s next collaboration with Botshabelo will take place on July 24, in the form of a third Service Day in South Africa.