gallery

TRAIL/DIARY

mission statement

Art is more than a visual gateway but a place in itself. To produce something that propels not only myself but others into a world where the unseen is seen and celebrated, and where we can be seen and celebrated is reason enough to paint. Art is a means of gaining personal, emotional and political emancipation, even while still imprisoned.

Who knows what hope lies ahead? Only those who choose to have the bravery to hope.

-Taf

13 December 2011

"The continuing struggle to align word and action, our heartfelt desires into a workable plan." – Barack Obama, Dreams From My Father

Since its inception, Facing a Century, a collection of 100 portraits, sought to celebrate moments of life being truly lived, and to celebrate the Promethean members of our society who inspire others to search for and discover their own Prometheus within.

The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation emerged from Allan W.B. Gray's desire to make a sustainable and long-term contribution to Southern Africa and it is supported by the companies founded by him, Allan Gray Limited and Orbis Investment Management. The enthusiasm and energy with which the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation have pursued their objectives over the last 5 years (and which they continue to do) is proof that we can win the struggle to align word and action, and to free our heartfelt desires out into this world.

The vision at the heart of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation is that 'in the coming years, there will emerge from diverse communities, a new generation of high impact entrepreneurial leaders. Individuals of passion, integrity and innovation, who will be at the forefront of the continuing economic and social transformation of Southern Africa. These individuals will be ambassadors of the power of initiative, determination and excellence, acting as role models so that more will follow in their pioneering footsteps.'

At the foundation's inaugural selection camp at the end of 2005, Batandwa Alperstein, Nishant Lalla, Phathiswa Mdladla, Caron Bramwell, Cheryl-Lynn Freeman, Siphesihle Buthelezi, Gerard Govender and Patrick Mann stood out as individuals who would become a part of this generation of entrepreneurs and they became the first Allan Gray Fellows and, later, the graduating class of 2008. This first cohort of graduating fellows are the individuals in the 18th portrait of Facing a Century, which was delivered earlier this week to Sue Marx at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation’s offices.

Sue Marx & Taf [Tafadzwa Mukwashi], Allan Gray Orbis Foundation

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation has given scholarships to 167 learners in schools around South Africa, and dozens of Allan Gray Fellows have been selected. One fellow, Ludwick Marishane, a commerce student at the University of Cape Town, recently won the Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards in New York with DryBath (described as a "bath-substituting product") which was invented and is held by a company he formed himself.

CEO, Anthony Farr, hopes that the individuals they have brought into the Foundation are 'going to be remembered… for their legacies - for the new designs and opportunities they bring to life; the impact that they leave behind, as they infuse their efforts with the energy and transforming power of the entrepreneurial spirit.'

Those hopes are already being realised, thanks to the more than capable African Youth, and the dedication to them by the team at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

23 September 2011

"There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder. " – Ronald Reagan

The Justin Stanford Portrait met its highly focussed, relaxed and unassuming owner earlier this week in Cape Town. Justin Stanford is one of South Africa's most successful entrepreneurs and angel investors in the ICT startup sector. He is the cofounder of 4D Innovations Group as well as the Silicon Cape Initiative, a private sector, community driven initiative that was endorsed by the head of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), Dr. Mamphela Ramphele. He also has his own independent record label, JMR Records, which has signed up the Purple Hearts (PH), 'a Cape Town based rap trio that are claiming back the moral high ground for hip-hop music, one song at a time'. Remarkably, Justin is just 28 years of age and has achieved all that he has after dropping out of school in Grade 9.

Taf [Tafadzwa Mukwashi] & Justin Stanford

Justin maintains that he does not necessarily encourage others to drop out of school as well. He does point out that there are many ways, some very different from what is the accepted norm, of getting to where you want to in life. Justin was a top performing student but the conventional schooling system was not for him. So he forged an alternative path that would result in the best possible him he could develop. Justin did not drop out of school – he walked out, without ever ceasing to learn and discover and remains standing firmly on his feet today.

A generation of creative thinkers and mavericks like Justin is perhaps what is needed to solve our present day socio-economic problems. Justin astutely describes current systems in place as simply 'shifting the chaos' – the shifting of debt does not eliminate debt. Growth, and true economic freedom will come as wealth and value is actually created through ethical business.

With enough resolve and perseverance, regardless of our individual starting points in life or the demographic groups we are slotted into, each of us has the capacity to be part of a positive movement of young Africans and global citizens who, instead of demanding that more is given to them, take the initiative to create and build the future they want themselves.

It seems that we really are living in interesting times... and in the company of some very interesting people.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

08 August 2011

"The future is yours, serve it well." – Raymond Ackerman

"A Sprat to Catch a Mackerel is an encapsulation of my heartfelt belief in how small, seemingly insignificant actions - a chance meeting, a courteous gesture, an intense conversation, a keen observation, a systematic analysis, a positive response - can capture a big idea." - Raymond Ackerman, founder of Pick n Pay, in his latest book, A Sprat to Catch a Mackerel

Raymond Ackerman & Taf [Tafadzwa Mukwashi]

The Raymond Ackerman Portrait is now safely in the hands of the man himself. Positivity radiates off him and within seconds, it is very clear how, over the past 45 years, he managed to turn four small stores into the values-based retail empire that Pick n Pay is today.

There are some days when our efforts, for whatever it is we are trying to achieve, seem futile and energy and hope is elusive. Then there are some days, like today, when a chance meeting, brought about by a brush and canvas, brings a person into your life who tells you what his father told him - 'to keep your head in the sky and feet on the ground'. Those days leave you with an extra spring in your step as you continue to work towards your dreams...

And then there is the next day, when it is your turn to make sure you let someone else know that they too should keep striving to soar.

And thus, Ubuntu lives.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

11 July 2011

"Life is just one grand, sweet song, so start the music." - Ronald Reagan

Dominic Peters & David Poole, GOLDFISH
Acknowledgement: Al Parker, Photographer

Over a year has passed since Dom and Dave of Goldfish helped us to launch Facing a Century. (I am still not sure if they were only kidding about cutting their painting in half so they could each have a piece.) The trails they have left in that time have been wondrous musical outbursts of the soul.

In the last year, the Fishies released their most recent album, Get Busy Living, won the award for 'Best Global Dance Album' at the South African Music Awards, in Johannesburg in May 2011 and their collaboration with Freshlyground on 'Let's do it Again', the official song for the South African Rugby Union's 2011 World Cup Campaign, is to be released later this week.

Forever chasing an eternal summer, they are now in Ibiza at their summer residency after spending many months touring back home here in South Africa. We often hear talk of bands taking over the world, but in Goldfish's case it is so much more than just talk. They really are doing it. And why? Their sincere message to Get Busy Living resonates with many of us who are striving to live life. It is a universal message, uniting all of us regardless of race, class, gender, religion or any of the other anchors society often straps itself to. All that each of us has to do when it comes to Goldfish is dance and dance wholeheartedly.

Dominic Peters & David Poole

Sea. Big Band Wolf. Play. Live.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

10 June 2011

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." - Nelson Mandela

The passion with which South Africans are taking up and spreading the call to be the leaders of their own lives and communities is a huge triumph for this nation. 'Umuntu, ngumuntu, ngabantu' (I am because of you – the spirit of Ubuntu) is steadily becoming ingrained in all of us with every act of kindness done by us and for us. It is an exciting time to be an African, and to know that we can all be a part of this tremendous wave of positive change. Silences are being broken, problems confronted, solutions being found. Operation Bobbi Bear (www.bobbibear.org.za), a registered, Durban-based non-profit organisation founded by Jackie Branfield and dedicated to fighting child abuse, is one of many organisations that is quietly leading South Africa.

The horror of child abuse is heartbreaking and a difficult subject to think about, let alone speak out about. Living in a country that has some of the highest incidences of child rape in the world, I realised that there can be no place for denial or ignorance on the issue. I went through the statistics, the tens of thousands of reported sexual crimes and the estimated hundreds of thousands that go unreported each year.

It often takes just that one person to take action for thousands more to then follow and build upon that action and achieve a great and good thing. Jackie Branfield realised that a teddy bear, Bobbi Bear, could be the tool and friend with which children that had been abused could communicate what had happened to them.

Operation Bobbi Bear

Eleven years on since its creation, Operation Bobbi Bear has seen other (extra)ordinary and courageous women, the 'Rough Aunties' joining Jackie, to grow what has become an entire support system for child victims of abuse. The 'Rough Aunties' support the children they rescue through the traumatic legal process that accompanies bringing an abuser to justice. They have gone on to provide them with a place of safety, the Eureka House, and to give them the love and nurturing that every child deserves.

We can all contribute to the solution that Bobbi Bear presents – no act of kindness is ever too small to be rendered useless. Inspired by the courage of the little survivors of abuse, I am painting my way to a contribution.

Operation Bobbi Bear is leaving a trail of great love, courage and kindness. And it needs all of us, in our thousands, to add to it.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

7 February 2011

"You can't invent a design. You recognize it, in the fourth dimension. That is, with your blood and your bones, as well as with your eyes." - David Herbert Lawrence

An hour spent with Aidan Bennetts and his team at Aidan Bennetts Design in Cape Town is enough to inject enthusiasm for all things beautiful, art and design.

Aidan Bennetts

"The projects we tackle are so much more than just work – I love to do them. Doing 3D design work, creating these new spaces on what has to be the biggest toy ever, and on my 3 screens, is fun. And it is incredibly rewarding creating happy homes and seeing the reactions of our clients when presented with them." – Anke Klein, Designer, Aidan Bennetts Design.

Anke Klein, and Sue Pietersen (project manager, decorator and designer), are two of the people Aidan has chosen to surround himself with and both have embodied his obsession to create perfect and unique design.

Aidan Bennetts, Anke Klein, Sue Pietersen

Aidan's professionalism and focus, on top of the sheer talent that he has for design, has been the driving force behind the success of Aidan Bennetts Design. His manifold successes already achieved so early on in his career make him one South African designer and artist to be proud of. His future is destined to be even more gloriously bright.

Rejuvenated, my own Journey continues with Facing a Century .

[About 85 more people and their moments to go for my century to be complete. We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

17 January 2011

"I think the real miracle isn't what happens after life, the real miracle IS life... In 2011, live." – Gareth Cliff

There is something very cathartic about the advent of a new year. 2011 is, for me, the year in which to, very simply, live. This is perhaps one of my better resolutions, and one that is actually possible to carry out – the only barrier to contentment is very often just ourselves.

And so I begin to see the beauty that has always been around me, and to laugh and to dance, and to breathe even more colour than ever before.

The John Smit Portrait was handed over to the Bok Great at the Sky Bar, Cape Royale’s stunning rooftop bar, during the holidays. The Proudly South African Springbok Rugby Captain, husband, father and supporter of Operation Bobbi Bear is every bit the gentleman.

And this past weekend the Gareth Cliff Portrait finally made it into the hands of its owner too.

Taf [Tafadzwa Mukwashi], Gareth Cliff

Gareth Cliff is this rare amalgam of intelligence, critical thinking and unrivalled popularity. And in the spirit of creating lasting trails of meaning, he has turned all of this into the ability to move our generation to become more outspoken, proactive and involved in the political and social issues that do ultimately affect us all. Preppy good looks aside, that is the basis of the allurement of Gareth Cliff. He is part of the movement of young Africans creating waves of positive change.

So 2011 has begun. This is the Journey - here we hope and we dream and we always will, and we are Facing a Century.

-Taf

14 October 2010

"One ought to hold on to one's heart; for if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too." – NIETZSCHE

So in the beginning there was the Goldfish Portrait, Facing a Century (thank you Dom and Dave! - and the Fishies are currently showing the people in Brazil how to Get Busy Living). And recently, Goldfish, turned into thoughts of GOLD after a conversation with a man called Anthony, who has an inspiring wife, Susannah Farr, who led the founding process of the GOLD Peer Education Development Agency. (Susannah is also an artist, and we look forward to having her on the Global Dialogue on Art in the future.) The vision of GOLD is to see a generation of young African leaders confronting the root issues of the AIDS and HIV pandemic, through uplifting their communities and imparting vision and purpose to present and future generations.

GOLD Peer Education Development Agency (GOLD) is a dynamic non-profit organisation playing a key role in the transformation of under-served communities in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa such as South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana, through the roll out of a long term youth peer education model. The GOLD model uses the methodology of peer education which harnesses the influence that young people have with their peers to encourage youth to make informed choices and develop health-enhancing and purpose driven social norms.

It leaves me so encouraged to see the trails that some people create. Springbok Captain, John Smit’s support of Operation Bobbi Bear (www.bobbibear.org.za) is one such trail, which I discovered as I worked on his portrait for him. And Susannah Farr’s GOLD PE (www.goldpe.org.za) is another. They are not exclusive trails either. You really can walk alongside them for a bit, and even for a bit longer than that if you want to. Do it! Get in touch with both organisations, there are people there who are waiting to meet you.

And for even Nietzche, who was often cynical and dark in his thoughts, to say that we ought to hold on to our hearts...I’m going to pay attention to that, in and amongst the daily and sometimes tiring business of living.

-Taf

06 September 2010

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" – RADMACHER

The last two months have been challenging to say the least, but to give up on that grid of 100 squares is not something that is going to happen just yet. The hope is that it will not actually take a literal century to paint 100 moments. The idea and motivation behind Facing a Century, how it came to be and why it is, is something I need to continually revisit. And by doing this, I believe the courage I need to continue on this trail I have chosen will quietly come.

The trail does continue, and today it took me to Newlands, Cape Town to meet with Bob Skinstad, the legendary former Springbok Captain, and Ron Rutland. The two are lifelong friends and the inspirational co-founders of the Bobs for Good Foundation (www.bobsforgoodfoundation.org). They are both slightly bigger than me.

Buying a shoe from Bobs for Good (www.bobsforgood.com) will not only give your feet quality, world-class apparel to step out in but it will also mean that you end up walking alongside Bob, Ron and the team behind the Bobs for Good Foundation. The goal of the Bobs for Good Foundation is to make sure that every child in South Africa owns their own pair of shoes. You buy a pair of shoes, they give away a pair of school shoes ie buy one, (someone else) get(s) one free.

Both Bob and Ron are both passionate about South Africa, and their time spent overseas had them longing to come back – which they did. They share a positive vision for their nation and realize that for it to become a reality, they have to get up and act. And so, as friends do, they came up with a scheme.

Ron Rutland, The Bob Skinstad Portrait, Bob Skinstad

Bobs for Good is growing, and innovation is at its core. The latest pairs of school shoes will have safety reflectors on them and will come with fun road safety education packs that are area and language specific. This is all in an attempt to make the journey to school and back a safe one and is just one way in which they are trying to address the problem of child-pedestrian accidents on South African roads.

John Wooden said, "Sports do not build character. They reveal it." Bob Skinstad is a man of great character and his moment in jail for Bobs for Good was definitely one worth celebrating in Facing a Century.

About 90 more people and their moments to go for my century to be complete. (If you think one of them should be you, please email info@sketchbooktrails.com).

-Taf

17 July 2010

"Music, the greatest good that mortals know and all of heaven we have hear below. " - Addison

Just over two weeks later and the third painting of Facing a Century is complete and in the hands of its owner – Just Jinjer's Ard Matthews. And as predicted, I did like this one madly. Classic grisaille paintings in a paynes grey monochrome are a personal favourite of mine and this was the perfect way for me to reflect the peaceful simplicity and positive emotion behind the man that is Ard Matthews.

From the days of listening to "Like you Madly" and "Sugar Man" on a mixed tape in a bedroom in the middle of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe , reluctantly staring at geography homework and wondering what, if any future lay ahead; to a Cape winter's evening by the beachfront more than a decade later still wondering what, if any future lies ahead but this time with Ard sitting next to me, one can only have hope and be encouraged that all these little steps that we take add up, every brushstroke adds to a bigger picture.

Ard Matthews, The Ard Matthews Portrait, Taf [Tafadzwa Mukwashi]

About 90 more people and their moments to go for my century to be complete. (If you think one of them should be you, please email info@sketchbooktrails.com).

-Taf

01 July 2010

"Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." - NIETZSCHE

It feels wonderful to be painting again. When I removed the dust off my easel, and took the brushes and paints out of their boxes, I knew that my path had become confused, muddy and had reached an impasse. It was time to strike out in any direction. It didn't matter if I failed, again. The key was just to move, and to keep moving.

And a new trail presents itself, and it is Facing a Century. Facing a Century is a collection of portraits I have started and in honour of new beginnings, it is out with the old pursuit of photo-realism (although I will always love my earlier works). I am trying out different things because that is the great thing about being an artist, you can do what you want. I have been thinking a lot about life in the last two years, and defining moments in it. The moments when I have really felt like Taf and not like I was just getting on with life. And then I thought it would be great to capture some of those moments for 100 people.

So Facing a Century is not a collection of posed portraits of the style favoured by our favourite dictators through history. It is about moments. And the individuals in the paintings know what those moments mean to them.

So I have set up a grid of 100 squares to be filled by 100 paintings here. The first of these squares has been filled by Dominic Peters and David Poole of Goldfish. I have discovered electric orange thanks to the Fishies. I had been listening to Goldfish long before I had even thought of painting them or had met them. They are exceptional musicians (between the two of them they can play the double bass, sax, keyboard and they do their own production and engineering) and their music makes me happy. Simple as that. I dance around to their music when I'm alone and even when I am not, I end up dancing like no one can see me anyway. To understand what Nietzsche meant when he said, "Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music", you really just have to listen to Goldfish. It's all linked isn't it – music, art, dancing, life, electric orange, fish.

David Poole, The Goldfish Portrait, Dominic Peters

The second portrait is of Seth Rotherham of 2oceansvibe. He honestly has a vibe. (I'm not trying to sell anything here, everyone knows artists can't sell anything even if they tried). But the cool thing is he spreads that vibe around and makes people around him feel good too. A drink with Seth at the Cape Royale will make you remember to look at the sunset every evening. I follow 2oceansvibe and I am really looking forward to the launch of a daily 2oceansvibe radio soon. Seth supports musicians and other artists and photographers. Plus his blog is pretty funny but I'll let you discover that for yourselves.

The next portrait I am working on is...I don't know, I just think I'm going to like it madly.

About 90 more people and their moments to go for my century to be complete. (If you think one of them should be you, please email info@sketchbooktrails.com).

-Taf

What makes something aesthetic or not is always a matter of subjectivity, what the viewer sees, and what the viewer will not see.

It is easy to see things that do not require much thought and do not draw on our consciences. To see things that go against this brings up a need to do something.

We are incapable of reaching a point of perfection, there would be no destination after this point but a regression. There is no saving the whole world but we can do the very best we can at each given point in time. Sketchbooktrails is part of my efforts to celebrate the people and places on the trail, and to give back to them for providing me with images that left a trail in mind, whether benign and gladdening, or disturbing and saddening.

Young women do have the capabilities to pioneer projects and can make a difference in their communities. The problem of always waiting till one has enough before one can embark on any community based projects is that that time may never come. Sketchbooktrails believes in doing everything you believe you can do now for, though clichéd, it is true, ‘Tomorrow never comes’.

-Taf

Trailblazers: Jiten Magan, Imraan Sayed and Ria Moothilal, Siyashova

On Tuesday, 22 March 2011, the Siyashova team of Jiten Magan, Imraan Sayed and Ria Moothilal set off on an unsupported cycling tour from Cape Town to Cairo in aid of deaf people in South Africa. With this journey of eight months through ten countries and over 12 500km, the team aims to raise one million rand for Hear Us, a registered and regulated non-profit organization that assists hearing impaired children and adults to obtain cochlear implants, connecting them to sound.

Jiten, Imraan and Ria (two qualified veterinarians and a bioresources engineer) took two years to put the Siyashova project together. After 6500 km, 4 and a half months of cycling, fish bunny chows and the happiness of extra spicy potato curry and rice in the bush, they are currently in Tanzania. Cycling through South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan before reaching their destination in Egypt is however not enough for these adventurers. They are also climbing up to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Siyashova Team: Jiten, Imraan and Ria

Siyashova Team in Lesotho

What has struck me most about the Siyashova team is the overwhelming humility and grace with which they have embarked on this mission. They have a genuine love for their cause and other people, and are willing to make and have been making the personal sacrifices needed to see their goal reached. Their spirits are never crushed.

Find out more about the Siyashova journey and how you too can support it and Hear Us at www.siyashova.com and www.hearus.org.za.

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

Trailblazer: Naadiya Moosajee, SAWomEng

Naadiya Moosajee studied Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town and with Mabohlale Mampuru, she founded South African Women in Engineering, SAWomEng in 2005. SAWomEng is a dynamic non-profit organization that seeks to provide opportunities for young girls and women to pursue careers in engineering and develop the crucial skills needed to succeed in this industry.

Naadiya Moosajee, co-founder of SAWomEng

The importance of being able to interact, network and learn from others, in any industry, cannot be stated strongly enough. The role of the female engineer is the same as that of a male engineer - to 'engineer' new paths and solutions where there are none, branching into science that is yet to be discovered and subverting the current scientific paradigms to allow for the development of more progressive technologies which improve the quality of life of all members of society. Given the relatively recent arrival of women on the engineering scene, the female engineer also has the additional role of proving that gender equality, especially in science and technology, is not a fanciful myth, and that, regardless of sex, race and religion, anyone is capable of pursuing a career in engineering.

SAWomEng provides an invaluable platform and network for women to come together to share their ideas and experiences, and to motivate one another.

In addition to running SAWomEng, Naadiya Moosajee works as a strategy consultant in public transport restructuring. She was also part of the 2010 World Cup Team, running the VIP transport operations in Cape Town. She was CEO Magazine’s Most Influential Woman of The Year (Category Engineering) 2009, selected for the 2009 Youth Action Net Global Youth Leadership Fellowship, and is a member of the African Leadership Network. Naadiya lives her life 'to the fullest and with no regrets' and lives to 'always exceed expectations'. She comments that this may seem like a tall order, but it makes for an interesting life.

"At the end of a busy day, I really love just going home and spending time with my family. As much as possible, I try and eat dinner every night with them, and spend time around the table swopping stories, laughing and joking. I love to cook, I find it very therapeutic, and I do have a vice - it's shopping. I always say that if shopping was an olympic sport, I would probably be a gold medalist. Coats, boots, shoes and bags are my weakness. When I see a sale, a sort of frenzy builds up inside of me along with an urge to buy it because it's such a bargain - and I justify it because it's on sale. I strangely enough have a "bucket list". It includes visiting every continent before I die, learning to salsa dance, speaking Spanish, learning to surf, going on pilgrimage, spending 3 weeks in India and writing a book. So far I have been to four continents, have learnt how to salsa dance and am learning to speak Spanish.

If I could leave a message, it would be that there is no substitute for hard work and, sometimes, not everything in your life is going to go according to plan and you may fail at what you are doing but the most important thing is to not define yourself by your failure but to pick yourself up and learn the lesson, so that you turn the failure into a success. Dream extraordinary dreams and make sure that you work hard to make them a reality."- Naadiya Moosajee.

[About 70 more people and their moments to go for the century to be complete. We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

Trailblazers: Jiten Magan, Imraan Sayed and Ria Moothilal, Siyashova

On the 22nd of March 2011, the Siyashova team will set off on an unsupported cycling tour from Cape Town to Cairo in aid of deaf people in South Africa. With this journey of eight months through ten countries and over 12 500km, the team aims to raise one million rand for Hear Us, a non-profit organization that helps connecting hearing impaired people to sound through a cochlear implant.

The team - Jiten Magan, Imraan Sayed and Ria Moothilal – took two years to put the project together. The route will take them through South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania where they will stop in Arusha to hike up to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro before continuing on to Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan before reaching their destination. They hope to conclude the tour back in Cape Town on 4 November 2011 to coincide with a gala event by Southern ENT to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Tygerberg Cochlear Implant Unit.

Siyashova Team: Jiten, Imraan and Ria

Jiten says that he has been inspired by his brother. "My brother is deaf so I know firsthand how difficult it is for a deaf person to live in a hearing world. Human society is based on communication and when someone cannot hear they find it exceptionally hard to communicate. By providing a cochlear implant at an early age you essentially allow them to communicate for the rest of their lives. It is impossible to convey the magnitude of this unless you know firsthand how tough daily life is for deaf people.

But maybe the reason [why we are doing this trip] is a little deeper than this. Maybe being human is about working together, because by doing so we can achieve great things. Maybe it is about doing something not because it directly benefits you, but because it benefits society. And maybe if everyone did something for someone else this beautiful world would be a better place to live in.

The trip is also about inspiring people. Letting them know that almost anything is possible with determination and resolve. That nothing worthwhile is easy and that life is too short not to live your dream." - Jiten Magan

Hope and perseverance is what we're all about here at Sketchbooktrails: continuing to quietly dream even when we are told not to by people who long ago gave up dreaming themselves, believing in a kinder humanity, and believing in ourselves even in the times when all seems lost.

Find out more about the Siyashova journey and how you can show your support at www.siyashova.com. Wishing the Siyashova team all the best with their journey ahead!

[We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

Trailblazer: Monica Davies, A Thousand Guitars

Athousandguitars.com is a pop culture-focused website, started in January 2009. The main pillar of the website is music. The editorial mix is focused and edgy and aims to include all tastes and cultures found in the youth market today.

The site was founded by Trailblazer Monica Davies, the 24 year old former music manager at Tuks FM. Although based in South Africa, its readership is mostly split between SA, the United States and Europe.

Monica Davies

'I soon realised that the vibe I enjoyed best on A Thousand Guitars, which started out as a simple Blogspot blog, was finding music no one else was listening to yet. I always say that if my friends haven't heard of it, I'll feature it! There is never a lack of music for me to write about. As with the birth of the website, I have now discovered bands without whom I can't imagine defining my days.'

Over the past two years, Monica has found that the creative opportunities online are endless - people record and produce music videos on mobile phones, and some incredibly successful artists have yet to release an actual CD. The internet is the entrepreneurial mecca of a fast approaching future.

'Thanks to the Internet, we've created a little ATG community that, I like to think, grows slightly bigger every day, out of a sincere and honest love for the rhythm and beat of rock and roll. And maybe, one day, the world will join me in my pure and unadulterated love of rock and roll and we'll fulfill the Bruce Springsteen song lyrics I borrowed to name the site:

"I want a thousand guitars. I want pounding drums. I want a million different voices speaking in tongues."'

Athousandguitars.com was a finalist in the Best Entertainment Blog and Best Music Blog categories in the 2010 South African Blog Awards and was nominated for Best Pop Culture Blog in the Bloggers' Choice Awards 2010. It's THAT awesome, so check it out and support Monica's musical trail!

-Taf

Trailblazer: Preven Chetty, The River Project

'What I do upstream affects those downstream.'

Trailblazer Preven Chetty is a 29 year old MSc student in Environmental Education at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, SA and was a Nominee and Finalist of the Inaugural Rolex Young Laureates Awards for Enterprise 2010 held in Switzerland.

Preven Chetty

Preven has pioneered 'The River Project' - a socio visual tapestry of short documentaries using easy to use cellphone and video camera technology in order for participants to record and document their initiatives at a river closest to them.

Speaking on the River Project, Chetty says, 'In some ways this project reflects my personal journey with the environment and caring for it which began when I was 7 years old and managed to convince my neighbor to help me clean up the river that flowed next to our homes. Since then I noticed that the health of our rivers normally reflects the health of our societies and vice versa and this is a project that seeks to portray and create a better river and happier communities around it.

There are many environmental and social issues that plague the Umgeni River from its source in the Drakensberg Mountains to the sea (a total of 255km). The project will analyse key issues of environmental injustice, water supply and water quality but ultimately as a participatory course it will be up to the participants to identify and engage with key issues around the community and to share their stories and contribute to the health of the river. Change agents will be chosen from local communities along the river banks and will be upskilled in directing and documentary making as well as on how to identify and respond to pertinent environmental issues.'

You can find out more about and support the River Project here. Be sure to support Earth Hour 2011 on Saturday, 26 March as well!

...wishing Preven Chetty much success with his trail!

[About 85 more people and their moments to go for my century to be complete. We need YOUR face to make it to 100 portraits. Email info@sketchbooktrails.com to become a part of Facing a Century.]

-Taf

NB errors and omissions excepted