YCS 2012 Gala Event...

The past week we had the finalists of the YSC 2012 come together to have the judging and Gala event where the winner for 2012 was announced. (For all who do not know what this event is about, go back a few entries on this blog to see the remarkable work these special young people do)
After meeting them all at Park Station, JHB, we all went to Monte casino where we booked the finalist into a five star hotel.

On Monday the judging started and they were very nervous. A group of judges, appointed by the sponsors then took the finalist, looked at the video we made of their projects and asked some questions to get to know them better.

                                             Here is one of the finalist in the judging room.

On Tuesday the 26th, we had the Gala event at the Ballroom in Monte casino. Around 250 guests were invited to this prestigious event.

                                                  The finalists before the Gala event.

Throughout the evening there was entertainment, a five course meal and lots of interviews, speeches and so on. In the end the winner was announced. However all of the finalists got a cash bonus prize. Here is the picture of all the finalists;

Here are the winner and runner-up;

This is happiness...

To the sponsors of the event this year we would like to thank you, - without you it will simply not be possible.

To these nine very special people I want to say thank you! You are remarkable people and I have learned a lot from you. Keep up your unselfish work where-ever you are. Thank you for behaving so wonderful these four days. I am proud to call you my friends.

Leica M9 + the out-house with a view!...

In Qua Qua, I passed by this Out House with this incredible view. Makes you think you can kind off get lost in thought here :)

                                                            M9 + 50 mm Summilux.

Leica M9 traveling trough SA, off the beaten track...

As you know we have been traveling through this beautiful country the past two weeks to film the projects of the Young Community Shapers finalists for 2012. I have spend a lot of time in airports, on plaines and in the car to reach these exceptional young people.
Here are some of the images I made in far away places.

This is feet we found in some of the far away places we visited and this is how our feet feels like now.

One of the informal settlements we visited where so much was done with so little to so manny needy.
Five images stitched together.

                                A church where students are taught how to become a pastor.

         Deep in the Maluti mountains, houses with a view to get lost in. Two images stitched together.

    Cows in rural areas we saw aplenty, - the township in the background. Five images stitched together.

                                           Not just a shack, a church in the Qwa Qwa area.

Leica M9 and strangers on the road...

During the past months travels and filming we met many, many interesting people on the road. People have always fascinated me and I like to interact with them and share a story on the road. After all we are all just travelers on the road of life, right?
Here are a few images I made of the people;

                                         Now there is some roadmaps of life in that face!

                                                                            Wild hairdo!

                                                                             Old warriors.

                                                                         Dudes with attitudes.

     
                                                                            Tell me a story?

                                                                          Lost in thought.

All images was made with the M9 50 mm Summilux combo. Where I took portraits of individuals alone I shot at F1.4

Leica M9 in the classroom at Soshanguve...

As promised to the learners in the class, here are the images made on the day of the filming of the project.
All images made with the M9 + 50 mm Summilux combo at F1.4.

Leica M9 does a Gym in the Hood...

TAB, or That's Africa Babe! is a saying that we use often to describe strange happenings or sightings here on this very strange piece of rock called Africa. Once again I said TAB to myself as I got in the car and drove away from this Gym I came upon in one of the Hoods.

Only in Africa you will find this type of one-stop-shop-for-all next to the road. A Gym, - R 10 an hour, R 100 a month and Fridge repairs and fruit shop all in one. Of cause I asked to go in and make a few images.

Inside the gym I was amazed to see the number of weights they had in the small space. Four guys was busy training. As promised I made images of all while training and post it.

The open wires, uneven floor and small space was not bothering these guys one bit. They were punishing the iron! Notice the water-station and cooling fan in the corner and the broken mirror on the wall.

There was a sound system in one corner-blasting RAP at top volume. In another a computer screen was showing soaps on SABC! What a contradiction.

These guys earned my respect and proof that you don't need a fancy spick and span Gym to take care of your body. Where there is a will there is a way!

Although the light inside was not good - to put it lightly, and I had to shoot on the run, - they did not stop for a shot but kept it going, the 35 mm Summilux F1.4 ASPO had no problem performing.

Here are the four in front, proudly displaying what they work for. Well-done guys!

Young Community Shaper finalist 2012 - Zandile...

Next to the up market area of Centurion a small informal community resides as if almost forgotten. But they are not forgotten and it is her that we found a mother and daughter combination that have really huge hearts!

Zandile runs with the help and sometimes guidance of her mother, Dina a day care centre for the disabled.

                                     
                                        Some of the people at the project having a discussion.

With absolutely only the grace of God they are helping these special people every day. Some have nowhere to go and they live on the grounds with these two Angels in their home. And this is not a house like you and I know; it is a one room shack.

                                        Zandile feeding on of the children in the day care.

During the day, with the help of small donations from various churches they feed the children and adults both breakfast and lunch.

                                                Two boys playing in the day care hall.

The children in the daycare have both physical and mental disabilities. They need care and attention all the time. The volunteers play with the children, interact with them and give then physical exercises that are necessary for the development of muscles.

                                    Dina at the back, in the room where they do the handy work.

Zandile and her Mom have also trained some of the adults how to do various handcrafts like sewing, beading, doll making and handbag making. These are then sold in order to generate an income for the project.

Members of the community started a vegetable garden and this is now also used as food for the disabled.

To all the members with these huge hearts at this project we say good luck, well done and may God bless you!

All images made with the M9 + 50mm Summilux combo.

Young Community Shaper finalist 2012 - Dorcas...

In the windy, dusty town of Joberton outside Klerksdorp we found yet another amazing young lady.

Busy preparing the food that she will later give to learners at a local school; she was almost to busy to notice us.

Dorcas lives with her Mother and together they have a small roadside vegetable shop that helps with funds to buy the food provided to the learners.

Dorcas told me that she knows how difficult it is to study with an empty stomach and that is one of the reasons they are doing this.

But this is not where she stops. After school she helps with the couching of both a soccer and netball team. Believe me I was very surprise to see how this lady can run and play with the boys!

As if all this activities are not enough, she also started to train the learners how to make little arts and craft works to keep them creative and busy.

At the school she is a real legend. Where ever we walked people of all ages came to her and wanted to talk. Here she also has a small group of children that she teach traditional dancing and they love to perform! To this very humble and larger than life girl we say very well done!

All images made with the M9 + 50 mm Summilux combo.

Young Community Shaper finalist 2012 - Palesa...

Just of the beaten track in Benoni you will find the lovely little suburb of Wattville. This is also the home of Palesa and where she helps to uplift her community.

Palesa's project runs at a local school. Here, she and her team of volunteers feed the foundation phase of the school every afternoon after school.

After they have eaten, they are taken back into the classroom where the children are taught in a very interactive and fun way on the subjects they need a little extra time in.

It does not end here. Palesa and her helpers have made a vegetable garden in a corner on the premises and here they not only grow veggies to feed the hungry horde of young ones, - but also teach them how to grow and look after the veggies as well as the importance of a healthy diet.

After all the learning and schooling the day ends with the group playing various sports like soccer, netball and drum majorettes. I am sure this team sleeps very well at night, - I was tired after just one day we spend with the little ones!

All images made with the M9 + 50 mm Summilux.

Young Community Shaper finalist 2012 - Mbalenhle...

Wow where to begin with this remarkable young lady? Mbalenhle runs a skills development project in Kwa Masho near Durban.
She combined her skills with a friend and together the have been able to make a real impact on the people in the area. With the images I made while filming this project I will show you what a normal day in the life of this gentle lady is like;

Here she is helping the toddlers go to sleep at one of the creches in her area that her project is providing food for.

These two young men just attended a workshop by her project in sound engineering. This skill teaches youths willing to learn, how to start a business that can be sustainable.

Here a young man is being taught the art of metalwork. They then take this skill and produce thing such as security doors, gates and vehicle restoration. All is done at no cost to the learners but solely to help people to become independent.

Here are some of the children the projects also feeds. Notice that this is a second creche and not the same as the first one, - yes they feed TWO creches!

I just have this effect on babies :)

                        

Once a month the project makes small parcels of snacks and it is then delivered to a nearby old age home where they spend some time with the elderly.

Here is one of the co-founders of the project, - Siabonga. (On the right is one of his students) He is training people how to do metal work as well as training people in this container how to repair tires and open their own businesses in order to become independent.

To this remarkable project and people involved we say good luck and keep it up!
All images made with the M9 + 50mm Summilux.