The World Traders' in South Africa
March 2010
In March 2010 a group of World Traders including Past Master Sue Hughes, Court Assistant Mark Hardy, Alderman Neil Redcliffe, Liveryman Jonathan Sacher and the Master Michael Wren joined the Lord Mayors overseas delegation for the Cape Town section of his mission to South Africa.
In a fascinating but short visit the party were given an in depth insight to the apartheid situation at the Law Department of Cape Town University, where Jonathan studied prior to coming to London. Professor Howard Phillips Head of the History Department also expounded on the history of both South Africa and the University in a fascinating tour of the Campus.
On the last evening UK Trade and Investment in association with the City of London hosted a reception and dinner on board Queen Mary 2 that was berthed in the harbour on stopping off on a world cruise. This gave the party a chance to meet a number of the business community of South Africa in quite unique circumstances.
One of the highlights of the visit was a visit to the Etafeni Day Care Centre in the township of Nyanga on the outskirts of Cape Town that the World Traders company adopted as the Masters charity for his year in office. On this part of the visit we were accompanied by some other notable guests, including the Mayoress Mrs Claire Anstee and reproduced below is an article written by Jonathan Sacher's daughter, Annabelle who was also one of the party that day.
ETAFINI
In a visit arranged by the Worshipful Company of World traders through the charity Starfish Greathearts Foundation, a party consisting of the Lady Mayoress of London, Mrs Claire Anstee, Mrs Liz Wootton, wife of Alderman & Sheriff David Wooton, Aldreman on Liverman Neil Redcliffe and Mrs Ina Gallagher wife of the British Trade Commissioner to South Africa, joined the Master Michael Wren and four other Liverymen to tour the Etafini Day Care Centre.
Etafini is situated in a township with a high unemployment rate and composed largely of poor people, situated deep within the heart of Nyanga outside Cape Town, South Africa. Emeging from the chjaotic, poverty stricken streets of the shanty town, the Etafini Day Care Centre is a haven of peace and education.
The day began with a moving speech from the Development Manager, Stephanie Kilroe, detailing the Centre's aims in helping the lives of those children and young people at the Centre who were affected by HIV Aids. Many were either infected, or whose lives had been severely impacted by the effects of the disease, often through the death of either one or both parents.
The Lady Mayoress and the party were then given a tour of the facilities. This included the children's classrooms and playground. Here, the visitors were given the chance to interact with the younger children. A group of young adults were then presented to the party to explain the project's work with those old enough to find employment and/or seeking higher education. One particularly bold young man told the visitors the ways the Centre had helped him gain confidence in himself despite the absence of any home support system, and define his goals to attain his long term dream of becoming an accountant.
The visitors were then shown the Centre's rehabilitation programme for women suffering from AIDS; which supports them rebuilding their self esteem through the medium of creating exquisite cloths and beaded items which are sold both within South Africa and internationally.
The day ended with an enjoyable lunch, provided by the women at the project and a speech from Stephanie Kilroe. The party left the Centre in a reflective mood, admiring att that the Centre is accomplishing coupled with a profound sence of the significance that the Etafini Day Care Centre holds in bringing order and hope to the fortunate children and youg people whom they met in the mudst of this sprawling township.
SOUTH AFRICA FOLLOW UP
On Friday 25th March 2011 Claire Anstee, Lady Mayoress of the City of London in 2009/10 spoke at a dinner arranged by the charity 'Starfish Greathearts Foundation about her experience in visiting the Etafin Day Care Centre with the World Traders in March 2010. To a packed audience at the The Hurlingham Club, West London her words galvanized those present to raise a considerable sum towards the furthering of the work done in helping those young people in South Africa suffering from Aids.
