Our mission is to provide children in historically disadvantaged communities with the opportunity for enjoyment, empowerment and promotion of self esteem through the medium of dance, as well as training professional dancers and developing a unique, indigenous dance company.
“While I dance I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole. That is why I dance.” – Hans Bos
And that is why Dance for All (DFA) teaches dance, offering the opportunity every day to hundreds of children from historically disadvantaged areas to experience joy and to feel whole through the medium of dance. As DFA comes of age, we celebrate 21 years of giving our students the chance to reach beyond their circumstances through being empowered with skills that could open doors to a career in the performing arts. Their training, which is of a very high standard, gives them a strong dance foundation. But beyond that, it equips them with personal and life skills that will be an advantage, whatever they choose to do.
Whether classes are taking place at our home-base studios in Athlone or in a township classroom or community hall in DFA’s Cape Town Outreach areas of Gugulethu, Nyanga, Langa and Khayelitsha, there’s always a high-energy buzz as students flock into class. Here, students ranging in age from three to young adults learn ballet, African and contemporary dance from a talented and dedicated team of teachers. Some were founder or former DFA students, while others have the experience of successful professional dance careers behind them.
DFA’s Rural Outreach Programme offers similar dance classes in the areas of Barrydale, Montagu and neighbouring Zolani.
Positive Social Change
Most of our students live in extremely challenging socio-economic circumstances. By providing an enjoyable and constructive extra-mural activity that is open to all, DFA gives children the opportunity to spend their afternoons off the street, in a safe environment, while learning valuable dance skills.
But our work is about much more than dance training. Our staff and teachers provide students with a support system of mentors and our structured dance classes help to develop life skills such as discipline, confidence and self-esteem – all of which empower students to set positive goals for their future.
DFA has a rich account of students who have achieved great success as a result of the transformation they’ve experienced. These stories serve as an inspiration to our current students and those who wish to be part of DFA.
Focused Training
Talented students from the Cape Town Outreach Programme are selected for DFA’s Specialised Dance Programmes, comprising Ballet, Contemporary Ballet and African Contemporary. These intensive training programmes prepare students for careers in the performing arts.
As an introduction, students on the Specialised Dance Programmes who would like to perform and who show particular talent may audition for InSPIRAtions Youth Company.
As part of their training, students in this group are prepared with the requisite skills and knowledge to enter the world of professional dance. They are developing an exciting repertoire of old and new choreographic works, across a variety of dance forms, which creates many performance opportunities.
InSPIRAtions Youth Company may be hired for performances, corporate or private functions, as well as for television commercials.
Origins
When Philip Boyd, a former principal dancer with CAPAB (now Cape Town City Ballet), started offering township ballet classes in 1991, it was to a group of 34 students in a classroom in Gugulethu, under the name of Ballet for All. He was building on the legacy of CAPAB director David Poole, who started teaching ballet in the townships of Cape Town during the mid-1980s.
As Ballet for All grew, Boyd recruited more dance teachers and expanded the programme to include diverse dance styles, renaming the organisation Dance for All in 1995.
From its early days, renowned Prima Ballerina Assoluta Phyllis Spira (OMSG) was involved in Ballet for All. On her retirement from the stage, she joined DFA as Assistant Artistic Director and, until her unexpected death in 2008, helped to build the organisation into the highly regarded school of dance it is today. A powerful testimony to this is that at least 20 ‘graduates’ of the DFA programme are now working professionally in the performing arts industries in South Africa and abroad.
Sustainability
DFA is dependent on funding for its continued existence and being able to offer dance training to all students, regardless of their financial circumstances. This means we have to be very creative in accessing diverse funding sources. We recognise that sustainability is not only about money. We can also save on expenses by negotiating services and partnerships with companies who can contribute in some way to the many aspects of our organisation. We would welcome this type of partnership. See Support Us.
Dance for All is a registered Section 21 Company 2002/016119/08 and Non-Profit Organisation 036-431 NPO. We also serve as a Public Benefit Organisation, with tax exemption number PBO 930010087.
www.danceforall.co.za

Bright Start is an Education Support Programme, based in Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.
Our objective is to offer previously disadvantaged children a brighter future, by placing them in prominent local schools with proven excellent educational standards. We provide ongoing support and guidance through an Education Support Programme to ensure the child reaches his or her full potential.
Founded in July 2008, we are a registered non-profit making (section 21) company based in Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa. Hout Bay is a racially diverse suburb consisting of black, white and coloured communities.
We provide an education based project that places under-privileged children in good fee-paying schools, obtaining sponsors to finance their education. There are a range of public and private schools available in Hout Bay from nursery to Grade 12 (Matric).
Our Education Support Programme provides ongoing support and guidance throughout the school career to assist the child in achieving his or her full potential, and empowers the parents through informative workshops and functions. This means that although we are focused on the children, the parents play an integral part in the process!
We also have an active fundraising team who raise additional funds for the children’s other needs such as uniforms, birthday parties, sports and cultural destinations  – this enables the children to have the same opportunities and exposure as other, more privileged children.
We work closely with a number of different individuals, educational institutions and organisations. The efforts from everyone involved allow us to continue to achieve our goals. Thanks to all for their contribution to the Bright Start Programme. Together we have, and will continue, to make a difference.
www.brightstart.org.za
 

Diabetes South Africa is a non-profit organization, founded in 1969 to be a support and an advocate for all people with diabetes in South Africa.
MISSION STATEMENT
Promoting Diabetes care and support for all.
ORGANISATION
Diabetes SA has a National Office in Johannesburg and 8 branches around the country.
Branches are run primarily by volunteers drawn from the ranks of the membership base.
Our branches have a strong network through linkages with over 100 smaller groups and support groups in South Africa.
OUR WORK INCLUDES
Informing, encouraging and supporting all people who have diabetes and their families. Acting as an advocate for people with diabetes, lobbying for better facilities, cheaper medication and better services. Promoting public awareness of diabetes, its symptoms and risks. Diabetes SA is a member of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), which represents 146 diabetes organisations in 121 countries. Diabetes SA representatives are intimately involved in a number of working committees on this prestigious body.
Diabetes SA has working relationships with –
University medical departments
State and provincial health departments
SEMDSA (Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa – for doctors specializing in diabetes
DESSA (Diabetes Education Society of South Africa) for specialist health care workers
CDE (Centres for Diabetes and Endocrinology) An association of private medical practitioners and other diabetes related healthcare workers
Non-government organizations working in related fields within the primary health care sector.
Industry, including pharmaceutical companies and other companies servicing people with diabetes.
Diabetes SA is primarily a volunteer organisation and relies heavily on people with diabetes and their families who pool their talents, share their knowledge and experiences and give of their time to help each other.
You too could be a great organizer and get everyone off on a big walk or you may, equally valuable, be a friendly face at the end of a hospital bed.
Call your nearest Diabetes SA branch and see where you may be able to assist others with diabetes.
www.diabetessa.co.za

The Community Chest of The Western Cape was founded in 1928. That year 7914 pounds was raised and distributed to 15 member organisations. By 1938 the Community Chest was an accepted part of the Cape Town community and an unqualified success and has therefore, been in existence for the past 80 years.
Today the Community Chest supports more than 520 social welfare and development organisations with an annual spend of close to R 20 million.
As a leading professional fund-raiser, community investor and development organisation, the Community Chest facilitates caring to a wide range of people and communities. To do this the Community Chest provides the organisation and structure that enables social responsibility resources to go to the right people at the right time and the right place.
The Community Chest forms part of United Way International. United way is a volunteer led non-profit organisation that leads, supports and participates in collective, inclusive community efforts that build capacity and mobilise resources to improve lives and create positive, long term social change in local communities.
Purpose
To advance, empower and care for vulnerable communities by adding human value and other resources to improve service delivery and achieve positive social impacts.
Objectives
To enable communities in the quest to alleviate poverty. To foster and develop a Spirit of Philanthropy by motivating and creating opportunities for giving. To allocate funds raised and other resources for sustainable community development.
Business Recipe
Business Recipe To facilitate social change by offering a range of resources and services to Non Government Organisations (NGOs), underpinned by sound governance and business practices.
www.comchest.org.za

The Princess Project was started by the late Helga Leurs and Erica Pienaar in 1996. Helga was quoted saying “I’m still not sure what contributed to the fact that an extraordinary idea entered my mind without routing to my brain and just inspired me to spread the word. So what’s this all about: Checking my e-mails a few weeks later, I realized that I received over 300 responses from the initial e-mail. What an overwhelming response!!!
So, this was really not in my immediate future planning to respond to all of this. I can honestly say that I wanted to run and hide as far as I could, but the idea came back seeking and haunting me. Nice thoughts, but with no one to help and never being involved in anything remotely like this, I still felt like running.
Then Erica Pienaar, came into my life….still imagining that I’ll be able to ‘quit’ the project & get myself out of it…real soon – Erica somehow sensed I was drowning.”
We continue to realise Helga’s dream of helping young girls all around South Africa feel like princesses, even for a night.
“An unusual idea, but (hopefully) one of great importance. I started the year with determination to REALLY make a difference in someone’s life – Came up with the idea of sponsoring less privileged – (in fact they have nothing) – matriculants that long to feel like a princess at their matric farewell, but do not have the financial capacity to “get dressed” for the occasion. The reality is that they do not attend a function, rather than feeling not ‘fitting in’. The idea is: Let’s all donate ex-evening outfits / wedding dresses / ball gowns, matric farewell outfits (that don’t fit anymore, and you don’t anyway want to be seen in it ever again), etc”
The Princess Project is now proudly a registered trademark.
www.princessproject.co.za