Monday morning

Just like in the States, Monday mornings roll around and we start yet another work week.  I feel as if I have been playing quite a bit (dancing until all hours of the night, going to Botanical Gardens, sitting in the warm sun) and it is time to knuckle down and get some work done. 

I have many points of focus on this trip.  Because there are only two of us MBA's, the list of things that need to be done, things that need to get done, and things that would be nice to be done is long.  Most of these projects stem from the LEAP Science and Maths Schools Headmaster, John Gillmor.  The school has an increasingly large Social Development Programme (with an e, please note) and Community Support programme.   Most of the MBA projects come from the CBO's (community based organizations) that are attached to the LEAP School.

For example, the Iso'Lezwe project is connected to LEAP through Joyce.  The Realistic program (program that serves people formerly incarcerated) is attached through Solomon. The Soup Kitchen, and Mama Soup is connected because the Soup Kitchen (do you remember when we went there?  The first day I was in Langa, way, WAY back during the first week of this trip, seems like an eternity ago) is housed in the same shipping container as the Langa/LEAP after-school study center.  And so on.

My projects are as follows:

>  Help Kirstin, External Relations Manager at LEAP, research and find new grant opportunities.
>  Help Kirstin develop an "elevator speech" of the fundraising needs of LEAP
>  Do the same thing in a 2 - 3 page Letter of Interest sort of report for possible funders
>  Research and write proposals for Community Partners that are of interest.  In my case, this is:
                    > Iso'Lezwe  (Joyce)
                    > Realistic (Solomon)
                   > The Book Store (Papa Chris and Randall)
                   > The Langa Soccer Club (did any of you donate soccer gear?  Adisani took all of the gear and he started the Club.  About 15 pairs of cleats, a set of cones, a rule book, some shorts, jerseys, shin guards, and a bright green sports bag that says NYSA (Novato Youth Soccer Association) on it.  You can see it from across the field, lol.)
           
Then .......

>  Help Iso'Lezwe get their Non-Profit Organization paperwork filed
>  Work on getting the shipping container moved from Pinelands to Kalkfontein
> Help Ross (a teacher at LEAP 2) get the earthworm farm purchased, installed, and operating
> Help Subina research and organize a series of Entrepreneurial/Leadership workshops

WHEW!!!  It makes me tired just listing it all out. There are some other things, but I can't recall what they are right now.

All of that to say that is time to get off of my duff and get to work.