Day 11

Bayanda, one of our security guards is a big poser, we think he could make it to the covers of Mens Health Magazine!



'Sibu the Chef', this could make a good audition photo for Ben's Mthwaku's Next Top Model.



Little Clifford Moses, who was picked up by Ben and Wendy, is now in a much better state than the first time arrived at Lulutho. Thanks to Ben's tender love!



Jeremy takes time to check how things are going back home.

Text by Onwaba Nkayi

To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/

Days 8-10

Our main goal on these days was to get the semi-permanent tents functional. Before this could happen the ground had to be levelled and measured- an ongoing saga because we have tried so many methods and all to no avail. Hopefully we will get this right.



Zimasile is one of our night security guards, but he is also a keen crafts man. He made this beautiful walking stick by knotting a young tree then allowing it to mature, before harvesting it for future use.



The soil under our feet here at Lulutho is perfect for making mud bricks. We will use these to construct our permanent buildings.



We have converted a room in one of the Wendy houses (wooden huts) into an office. This is where Rachel Docherty, one of our interns spends her time managing this blog.



When sunlight dwindles and some of our team members go home, the boys have their fun with the football on the lush green pastures of Lulutho.



While the girls run for their cameras and capture the moments.



Text by Rachel Docherty and Onwaba Nkayi



To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/

Day 7

Sunday is the team's day off. While some of us relaxed at camp, others went on a Nelson Mandela adventure. They visited Qunu, Mveso and the burial sights of the Mandela family.



On the way back from Mveso (the birth place of Nelson Mandela) they encountered some local children, who were only too willing to show them their singing and dancing skills.



Text by Rachel Docherty

To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/

Day 6

Our Saturdays, like any other day, begin with a lot of hard work. We then get time off to relax, get familiar with our surroundings and to know each other as a team.



Project Manager, Jeremy Elsom, is in desperate need of a pedicure.



A bit of entertaiment from our chef Sibu, who clearly is not just a good cook but but a budding artist as well- a man of many talents.



We get a chance to take a shower which one rarely gets during the week.



Onwaba, Bayanda, Zimasile and Lindikhaya take some time to get to know each other around the fire while nibbling on roast mealies.




A slide show on the events of the past week, courtesy of Nathalie Gros our film maker, is the closest thing to entertaiment we get.



On this day of the 20th of March Wendy and Benjamin welcomed a bundle of joy into the world, whom they named Clifford Moses.

Text by Onwaba Nkayi

To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/

What We're Doing Here

Three years ago, Richard Mason, Nelly Tom-Bulana and Onwaba Nkayi spent a night in a bewitched forest in South Africa's Eastern Cape.


Richard was researching a novel about a glamorous scoundrel. Nelly and Onwaba were making sure he stayed out of trouble in the homelands of the Xhosa people. All three were struck by how much talent is stifled by lack of training in this part of the world.

The word Lulutho means Opportunity in isiXhosa. It's a name we've given to 50 hectares of land in the Tunga Valley, where we're making opportunities for other people and ourselves.

One day we hope there'll be a farm here, and a centre for enterprise development, and an indigenous forest, and classrooms, and a library, and an HIV clinic, and a pond full of mosquito-eating fish.

At the moment there are twelve tents, two wooden huts, a long-drop toilet, a gorgeous view, and at least one extremely venomous snake.



Welcome to our world.

Text by Richard Mason

Day 5

Day 5 was Mbizo Day! A chance for Team Lulutho to introduce itself to the local communities, and to ask for their help and protection.



With some coaching from Onwaba, Richard learned his opening speech in isiXhosa.



Dancing and singing started the proceedings...



... but there were serious moments too.



Mrs. Mkatshana, first lady of the Village of Mthwaku, showed us her kitchen (a lot nicer than ours) ...



... while Lunga Dyantyi, our Head of Human Resources, made it clear what he expects from Lulutho's employees: honesty, commitment, punctuality, and hard work.



All the excitement was captured on film, and you can watch what happened as soon as we've loaded the clip onto YouTube. (Connection speeds in the Tunga Valley make it unwise to hold your breath, but we're trying.)

Text by Richard Mason

To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/

Day 4

By Day 4 we were ready to start clearing and levelling ground for the first semi-permanent tents. We bought them from a company that usually supplies the army and are told they'll last 10 years.



Botanist Wendy and the film crew took today to research the local fauna at Bawu Falls, like this indigenous stapelia tsomoensis insitu.



Our Botanist, Wendy Sanderson-Smith










Wendy's research on the plants was the perfect excuse for our film crew to have a look at Bawu Falls.

Text by Richard Mason

To see more photos from our adventures at Lulutho visit our Flickr at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectlulutho/sets/