Kufunda Learning Village

Latest Update - November 2008

Technical problems with the uploading of our November 2008 newsletter

Dear Reader, just a quick note to let you know that the following are just a few excerpts from our November 2008 newsletter. Sadly our web software programme was unable to upload our larger articles. If you would like to read these exciting 'missing pieces' or better yet, if you would like to join our Newsletter listserve and receive our latest Newstetters with photographs, please email jackie@kufunda.org

Some of the things that were said during our AOLC gathering:

compiled by Silas

'I am here to get rid of my anger and fear' Yeyo, Mexico
'We are the trees that are flourishing'
'I am a rebel a rebel against waiting for the right conditions'
'Kufunda is too rich and I am feeling rich, I am empowered. I know how to copy and paste this learning that I am getting'
'In every reaction there is an action'
'Born fatherless does not mean you are featherless because you can fly' Nathi from INK - South Africa
'I need to wake up and see all the pieces'
'I can't sleep at night because I am sleeping on the earth and the earth has so much to say to me' Alicia, Canada
'We live each moment, we celebrate each victory that we have' Sikhethiwe, Kufunda
'The world has to be peacefully rested so that a new one will take over' Mabule, South Africa
'I prefer being who I am right now' Biko, Zimbabwe
'The world is changing and we have responsibilities to take' Rodrigo
'What are we going to do with the responsibilities that we have?'
'I have re-learnt hug because of this gathering' Stephen, Kufunda

Kufunda as a hosting space, hosting place

We are excited at how busy we are becoming as a venue for other organizations, friends and partners. In 2008 we have hosted several food processing workshops for the Volens network of community organizations involved in small scale farming and food production. We also have bookings though to end of January for various workshops and camps. This is earning us valuable extra income as well as making us new friends and helping to spread our work. We are working on improving the comfort of our kitchen and public spaces and expect that in 2009 an important part of our income will come from this source.

Village Tidbits

Welcome Home

Marianne arrived back at Kufunda just as we were saying goodbye to the last of our guests. She has been unable to travel for several months so we have missed her presence. Now she is back with Paul and their twins, Joseph and Emily, to spend 3 months maternity leave at home in Kufunda. It is wonderful to see her walking around the village, still with a pack of dogs at her heels, but now with the addition of a couple of babies in a sling at her front. We look forward to seeing the twins grow and flourish here.

Drip Irrigation in the garden

Our permaculture garden is still the flourishing centerpiece of our village though frequent power cuts, and consequent lack of water, have been quite stressful for the plants and the gardeners. We are delighted that thanks to a generous donation we are now in the process of installing a storage tank and drip irrigation system so that the garden will no longer have to compete with our domestic needs. This should be ready just in time to welcome the rains! But the relief in the dry season will be considerable and we look forward to more produce from our garden in the coming months.

Warriors without Weapons

Every two years Brazilian friends and partners, Instituto Elos hosts a challenging programme for youth who have a passion to 'make a difference.' Over a month long period they work with each other and with communities to push their own limits and boundaries. They dig deep into themselves, their hearts, bodies and minds, to work out how they as individuals and as communities can 'change the world' . It is an inspired and inspiring programme and Kufunda is very proud that four Kufundees have been selected to participate in January 2009 - Sikhethiwe, Simba, David and Tsitsi. We are working on ways to send some or all of them to Brazil for the month of January.

For more on Warriors without Weapons check out www.warriorswithoutweapons.net or contact Sikhethiwe@kufunda.org for how you can help

A Time to Help our Communities

On a practical level we plan to provide our partner communities with maize seed for the coming planting season. We will buy Open Pollinating Varieties (OPV) of seed so that each farmer will not only get a crop but will also be able to save seed for next year's plantings. $20 buys enough seed for one farmer for 1 hectare and we hope to support at least 100 farmers.

Calendar 2009

Yes! We have managed to do it again. Many thanks to volunteers Sylvie and Marius Berger from Canada, who visited Kufunda in September, took many beautiful photographs and who have managed in record time to organize a calendar for 2009. Once again we look forward to sharing images from Kufunda with our friends and hope you will keep us with you throughout 2009. It is selling for US$15 including postage (from the US), US$12 for orders between 10 & 50 and US$10 for 50 and above. Email Lorraine to place your order