Projects
One of the most exciting and ambitious undertakings has been the painting of two frescos for the UNESCO Child Art Competition. They each measured 4.5m x 1.5 m and depicted the life and culture of the children of this country. They also graphically expressed their hopes for the future.. The Child Art project was organised on an international basis with the help of UNESCO. It has been active for some years, and the funds collected are devoted entirely to needy children worldwide. This contribution is a first for DSG and in fact for South African Schools. Two of the chosen frescos, together with those from at least 120 countries, will form an exhibition, which will tour the important large cities of the world. Finally in New York, an auction will be hold to benefit humanitarian groups, who will then organise the carefully controlled distribution of money raised.
The Cape of Good Hope
Over half a century ago, when Bartholomew Dias sailed round the Southern most tip of Africa on his return voyage to Portugal, he and his crew in their sturdy little caravels encountered a storm of such ferocity and magnitude, that he named that storm-lashed coast, "The Cape of Storms"
"No!" said the king of Portugal when he heard this. "To encourage those that are still seeking a sea route to the mystical Spice Island of the East we will rename it "The Cape of Good Hope" And so it was.
If you stand on the top of Table Mountain and look out to sea, a small island to the South will catch your eye. It has not much to commend it. It is a bleak little island, thirsty for a lack of natural water and with sparse vegetation. Over the years it has been used for many things; a leper colony and a prison for political prisoners. How is it then that this little island has gained the attention of the whole world? Robben Island as it is named, was where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for many, many long years. Here he spent long torturous hours in the sun, harvesting kelp from the sea or working in the lime stone-quarry, almost blinded by the glare. But all the time he prayed , thought, and dreamed a dream!
As he gazed towards the Table Mountain, with its snowy white tablecloth peeping over one corner, he paused to wipe his brow. Across the sea was the land he called home. He saw a rainbow shiny bright, fill the sky. He thought he heard gales of laughter of children playing on the beach, with butterflies and birds all dancing round them. He imagined that the wind carried the sounds of ringing bells and the songs of happy, contented people. He saw schools and hospitals and places of worship, fields of vegetables and brightly colored flowers. In fact he saw color and light, but most of all he saw happiness, freedom and love. Could there possibly be hope?
Things have changed since those bleak and hopeless days, when light, color and hope were things about which he could only dream. Those dreams have become a reality and the southern most tip of Africa is now at last, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon," The Cape of Good Hope" indeed..
Our hope for the future is that peace and harmony will reign in our land forever and that we will truly become the "RAINBOW NATION" we aspire to be.
South African Jigsaw
We are the children of the Rainbow nation. Our nation is at the foot of Africa where the oceans meet and the waters swirl. We have inherited an enormous jigsaw puzzle and the pieces are spread around the towns, villages and the veld. As we grow up we are going to try to build this jigsaw puzzle. There are many pieces that have been misplaced, and we fear some are lost. A few shapes have been coupled together. We are already gathering pieces.
Our lady president is a wise old person. She lives where the Sweet Thorn trees grow. Can you find her? To give you a clue, she is wearing many golden bangles. It is this shrewd woman who advised us to first find the main pieces of our puzzle. "Don’t look for the ‘four corners’ first. Leave the ‘edges’ and boundaries open. Find E.A.R.T.H. When you have found the E.A.R.T.H. pieces fit them together and remember to place them on the left"
There was now an additional puzzle to solve E.A.R.T.H. It was only when the Berg Wind stopped blowing and the rains settled the dust that the puzzle pieces where exposed.
Kelly Long to represent South Africa 25th January 2012
Kelly Long will represent South Africa at the 5th International Sustainable World Project Olympiad in the USA
