Introduction

We are sad to announce of the passing away of our colleague, Gert Vermeulen, who tragically and senselessly lost his life early in October. Gert was the co-founder of #Bikes4ERP, and his passion and enthusiasm will be sorely missed. In an expression of appreciation of Gert’s heartfelt efforts, ERP would like to honour his memory by raising a record-breaking number of 402 bicycles to be delivered in January 2022.

402 BIKES IN HONOUR OF GERT

In remembrance of Gert Vermeulen, who tragically lost his life on 16 October 2021, our next bicycle delivery will be in January 2022.

Gert was a founding member of #Bikes4ERP, and his passion and enthusiasm will be sorely missed. Messages of condolences from colleagues, friends, ERP partners, groupelephant.com clients and the beneficiary communities where Gert’s  efforts to improve the quality of life of many rural children have poured in over the past few days. We, too, in an expression of our appreciate of Gert’s heartfelt efforts would like to honour his memory by raising a record-breaking number of 402 bicycles to be delivered in January 2022. This target reflects the total number of bicycles deployed to date through #Bikes4ERP.

UPDATE ON ERP HONEY

We are very proud to share the news of Portia Morudi’s success in the honey production business. Portia recently partnered with ERP to produce honey using ERP branded bottles. The branded labels indicate the relevance of Beehive Fencing in reducing human/elephant conflict. Since elephants are afraid of bees (a bee sting in an elephant’s trunk can be fatal), elephants avoid going anywhere near a beehive, thus preventing their entering into agricultural land or property, where hives are strategically placed.  ERP have invested and partnered with Portia and she has set up a bottling facility that employs three permanent staff. Portia’s ERP branded honey will be available in a number of the Gauteng branches of  the well-known South African supermarket chain, Food Lovers Market, shortly. The honey is harvested from our beehive fences in KwaZulu/Natal province, and, shortly,  from the Madikwe community, where Portia recently procured, Beehives, funded by ERP, which will expand her ability to deliver to wider markets which we believe will be opened for her, shortly.

WATERBERG WAVE RADIO STATION

This month, the radio station’s overall themes focused on climate change and habitat, in relation to the upcoming COP26 and World Habitat Day that was commemorated in October. This year’s theme for Habitat Day was “Accelerating urban action for a carbon free world. The theme is very relevant considering climate change effects brought about by industrialization in cities, often leading to high greenhouse gas emissions through such urbanized activities as transport, energy production, landfilling and inadequate waste management processes. The radio station also focused on other forms of habitat including trees, water and fauna as habitat for elephants and rhinos. All these programmes culminated in a clean-up campaign that was held at Mahlasedi Primary School. These activities were over and above the daily ERP programmes that are produced and broadcast, promoting the conservation of elephants and rhinos through the  alleviation of poverty.

NTSHABELENG WASTE COOPERATIVE

Despite volatility in the market, particularly with fluctuating plastic prices from their current buyers, the Cooperative continued with their waste collections during October. They managed to harvest their remaining vegetables under the food for waste programme and have now prepared the land for a new crop to be planted. We anticipate replicating a similar model in all ERP communities, as this is one of the best ways to address issues around food security, whilst allowing communities to sell any excess vegetables for income generation.

MATHU PROGRAMME- MADIKWE

We are pleased to report that this programme is progressing well, with students and educators now making full use of their MathU loaded Android phones. There continues to be a steady improvement in the overall performance of the students making use of this programme, and as the year draws to an end, we await to evaluate the impact that the programme has had since inception.

SEKELEKANI COOPERATIVE UPDATE

The Cooperative is now busy planting their chilli seedlings, in the hope of finishing the process in early November. It is exciting to note that the chilli plants that have already been planted are showing positive signs of good growth, raising great expectations for a bumper crop. With regard to their apiculture project, the Cooperative will harvest their honey between December this year and January 2022. We will provide more updates on this project next month.

NDUMO FEEDING SCHEME FUNDRAISER

We extend our gratitude to ERP for, once again, assisting the over 400 orphans at Ndumo with yet another month’s supply of e’Pap. Most of these orphans would not have access to a regular and nourishing daily meal. They rely on the provision of the highly nutritional porridge. We continue to appeal for funds to assist these orphans and vulnerable children, most of whom come from child headed families.

For as little as the equivalence of $15 a month, you can support an orphaned or otherwise vulnerable child for an entire month with a daily meal of ePap, ensuring improved health and quality of life. We appeal to you to join us and support our cause by clicking on the link below:

https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTEwNTYx