Western Cape

Founded 2007

www.give-it-bag.com

More about GIVE-IT-BAG

GIVE IT BAGs are designer bags made from recycled material that started out as packaging for salt, sugar, rice, beans, flour etc. They’ve found their way to South Africa from every corner of the world.

Each GIVE IT BAG was individually handcrafted in Cape Town, sparing no effort, to create unique ranges in minimal

editions by a fair way of production topped and with lots of love. Every GIVE IT BAG is marked by an individual number which makes the bags unique and offers the customers an opportunity to report their good deeds by their individual bag numbers.

In addition, GIVE IT BAG give back to charity projects which they organize and document (check out their website for some heart warming stories).

“We are “social entrepreneurs” striving for social, ecological and economical responsibility on a daily working basis. That’s our way to contribute, to give back, to co create a better world – and to encourage others to do alike.”

How it all started…

While on the renovation site of their home in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town, Regina Borth and Dr. Philip Rüther, surrounded by an accumulation of rubble bags, their recycling and re-using radar in action, decided to turn one of those sacks into a shopping bag.
In a previous life the raw material of GIVE IT BAGs carried grains or building rubble. The sacks are constantly used to transport sugar, flour, cereals from all corners of the world. GIVE IT BAG was born.

Their vision?

“GIVE IT BAG vision is to distribute the bags across the globe, generating funds to sustain jobs locally and fuel charity projects and actions. Via a unique 5-digits number allocated on each bag, GIVE IT BAG owners are encouraged to share stories of their charitable acts on GIVE IT BAG’s website thus building an inspiring community of do-gooders.”

Achievements

• “Many charity actions done – mainly with Vulamasango in Philipi – and others still in line, which brings a lot of happiness and smiles on our hearts.”
• “Plus, our community of do-gooders is increasing every day as people buy GIVE IT BAG and take the time to register their good deeds on our website.”
• “And a constant effort to make sure that the production of GIVE IT BAG remains local and that everybody working along the line is paid a decent salary, does not work excessive time and has access to a registered union, medical health services and pension fund.”

How you could lend a hand…

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that GIVE IT BAG would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is appreciated:

• “Recycle, recycle, recycle, less waste, finding the rubble bags before they get thrown away.”

• “Post your good deeds on our website, no matter how small, to inspire others to do the same and help make our world the magnificent place it can be.”

• “Share the load and spread the word.”

Mofolo Soweto, Gauteng

Founded 2007

http://thesissocialjamsession.blogspot.com/

More about the Thesis brand

This is a true collaborative project of the Youth of Soweto.

Thesis began as a concept store stocking the hottest local clothing/footwear/accessories…. but since inception, it has evolved into a brand that epitomises the creative energy of Soweto.

Thesis Jam sessions

On the first Sunday of every month, the store transforms into a social & musical melting pot, supporting local performing talent and providing a platform for up & coming artists.

“The jam sessions are described as social connektion of creatives and people that are like minded coming together to share in the sounds of true music ranging from Soul to Breakz, Jazz to Hip Hop, Poetry to Comedy. Live elements rule the platform with new and unsigned (some signed) acts performing to woe the eclectic crowdz that gather to share in on this environment.”

‘I love Soweto’ campaign

“So the young creative circle that comes around once a month at the Thesis Social Jam Sessions in Mofolo Soweto, has joined hands and come up with the “I Love Soweto’ campaign. Built on the same principles as the “You make Joburg Great” campaign but with less to no budget, this campaign is made to inspire the people of Soweto to take shape of this wonderful hood_burb of ours. The Rich history of this neighbourhood is built in the trenches and is seen through the sweat and tears of its inhabitants who differ in many ways.”

Vision

“To edutain the youth of Gauteng and South Africa at large. By giving a platform to the many people around the hood of Soweto, Thesis wants to expose talent to the world.”

Help needed

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that Thesis would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is greatly appreciated.

• Investment
• Marketing

National

www.imisoceramics.co.za

Description of the business

Imiso Design Team consists of young, dynamic creatives & designers who specialise in handmade products, made of clay; textiles; furniture and leather. Having been established just 4 years ago, the Imiso brand has grown substantially, with their products in demand both locally & internationally.  Their designs are distinctly African, with a contemporary edge, drawing inspiration from local culture, tradition and nature.

There are two Imiso stores in Cape Town (The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock and The Cape Quarter in Greenpoint), and their products are also stocked at a wide variety of independent retailers.  The bulk of their exports are to New York, London, Paris & Milan.

Reason for commencement

As young, creative South Africans with a Xhosa heritage and a background in ceramics and textiles, their dream was to leave a legacy of great importance for those following them, as they use their resources from those who have gone before them.

Vision

“We have grown and have developed a following of our work within four years, trial and error are the learning curves and advice from mentors has guided us, we bounce ideas off each other constantly and create exclusive pieces that are sometimes difficult to let go of.

In the next five years we would like to further expand into the market of art and design appreciators, working as before with organic products but stretching boundaries with the two, design & organic.

We would like to get closer to home and feed off the environment of our Eastern Cape landscape through hosting solo and collaborative exhibitions showcasing, where we are as designers. In addition, we would like to grow our Imiso brand on a national retail scale, becoming accessible from Imiso stores in Johannesburg; Durban and Port Elizabeth.”

Achievements

• Nominee in the Johnny Walker Celebrating Strides, Design category, 2010
• Third runner-up in the International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year Award (IYDE, British Counsel)
• Award winner in the Visi Design category, 2009
• Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) finalist in the Woman of the Year – Design category
• Grand West Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Best Exhibiting Stand, 2009
• Decorex Gold award winner in the Creative and Best Exhibiting Stand categories, 2008
• International Elle Decoration Awards in the Ceramics category 2007
• Exhibited internationally in Paris; New York and Milan
• Ongoing Puma sponsorship for head designer Andile

Help needed

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that Imiso would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is greatly appreciated.

• As young entrepreneurs, we welcome mentorship from experienced individuals or companies.
• Branded company vehicle
• Funding
• 

Soweto

Founded 2006

www.shweshwepoppis.com

More about Shwe Shwe Poppis

Shwe Shwe Poppis are living stories of hope from the Zola crèche in Soweto.

These charming and imaginative fantasy figures are based on a series of original children’s drawings produced by

thekids at the African Children’s Feeding Scheme’s Malnutrition and Rehabilitation Crèche in Zola, Soweto. Lovingly hand-sewn by women from the community and inspired by stories from South African culture, these quirky, unique and sought-after creations are providing sustainable employment, educational opportunities and a sense of pride and purpose for many deserving men, women and kids from Soweto.

In addition to the crafts made by Shwe Shwe Poppis, they have also set up an educational fund for the underprivileged kids in Soweto, and donate funds to the African Child Feeding Scheme (NGO).

How it all started…

“The people that works for Shwe Shwe Poppis where receiving food parcels from an NGO called African Child Feeding Scheme (ACFS) and we saw a gap… to build self confidence, people must do something and get paid for doing that, hand-outs just kills their confidence. So it was to empower the community.”

Check out their cool website for the full story on how they got started…

Vision

“The Shwe Shwe Poppis project has a vision of spreading the joy of the Shwe Shwe Poppis Family to all corners of the globe! In so doing, we hope to create even more sustainable employment opportunities within the communities in which we operate, and have a positive impact on as many lives as possible.”

Achievements

• In November 2006, the Shwe-Shwe Poppis Trust was established, with the primary aim of ensuring that the main profits from this exciting venture stay where it started – with the children and people of Soweto, safeguarding their future. To this end, a percentage of all profits goes towards an Educational Fund administered by the Trust, which aims to support talented and promising young boys and girls from Soweto to further their studies.
• Recently, the project was bolstered by the donation from the ComMark Trust of funding to purchase our very own house in Zola, Soweto, which we proudly moved into in April 2009!
• Selected for the mentorship program hosted provided by the BASA (Business Association Of South Africa).
• Appeared on CNN
• Featured in international publications Vogue & Cosmopolitain.
• Featured locally in Sawubona Magazine, Saturday Star, and Citizen News Paper.

Help needed

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that Shwe Shwe Poppis would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is greatly appreciated.

• Support/mentorship within HR
• Sales of product

Cape Town

Founded 2002

www.g-mo.co.za

More about g-mo…

g-mo Footwear creates beautifully crafted, handmade shoes out of natural & recycled fabrics.

g-mo, founded & owned by talented brother-sister duo, is working towards 100% environmentally friendly footwear placing a strong emphasis on creating a totally bio-degradable product, that makes use of no animal products.

Grandt & Kate Mason are known in the fashion/design industry for their inventive design & production techniques.

“Any two dimensional surface has the potential to become a shoe. We have used curtains, wedding dresses, suit jackets and many other found objects in the past. We are looking into the potential use of yacht sails and billboards in an

attempt to incorporate recycled materials in the manufacturing process as far as possible.”

Each pair of g-mo’s is 100% original, with no two pairs the same.

How it all began

It all began in 2002 when Grandt Mason, founder of g-mo & designer, stopped wearing leather and battled to find

styling leather free footwear of decent quality… so he decided to make his own. The experiment, well-received by the public, inspired more attempts and eventually prompted Grandt to take on the project full-time.

Vision

“We would like to expand the production line to focus on higher volumes geared towards wholesale, while moving the recycled ‘once-off’ product online (distributed via our online shop www.g-mo.co.za). Production runs will make use of natural fibres, working towards a 100% bio-degradable product.”

Achievements

• Featured in Cosmopolitan, Elle, Oprah, Marie-Claire, Glamour to name a few.
• Involved in SA Fashion week, exhibiting and giving an introductory course on footwear design and production.
• Invited to exhibit at Cape Town fashion week, Design Indaba and JHB Fashion week on many occasions, collaborating with some of SA’s top designers.

Where you could lend a hand…

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that g-mo would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is greatly appreciated.

• Advice on management of business/finance/legal
• Capital injection to finance expansion of the factory / to buy materials in the case of a large order

Tembisa Township (East Rand Johannesburg)

More about IDA

The Indigenous Dance Academy (IDA) is a dance school based in Tembisa Township (Gauteng) that focuses on uplifting the youth through dance. The academy was founded in 2003 by a Tembisa resident, Jarrell Mathebula, at the age of 18, and has grown steadily over the past 7 years.  Jarrel’s passion & skill in dance has inspired many young residents to get involved in the academy.

The dance style taught at the IDA is known as Pantsula, and is a typically South African township street style, which is fast, skilful & high energy.

The IDA dancers are trained in Tembisa and perform at a wide range of events & projects, including corporate functions, school performances, social projects (pensioner homes, HIV children’s care centres), theatre shows, music videos, adverts, dance competitions, etc.

Whilst the majority of funds received through performances are put back into the academy for maintenance & growth, all dancers do receive a share in profits earned.

Where it all began

Being an avid dancer himself, Jarrel saw the positive impact of dance on young people in the community, and wanted to offer a space that supported and encourage them to study the art of dance.

Vision

“Our aim is to empower the youth and to create an international network that will help to showcase

the raw talent we have in this country.”

Achievements

• 4 adverts (Metro FM & ABSA)
• Numerous music videos for local DJ’s & artists
• Ekurhuleni Mayor awards competition, 2008: Best dance group in East Rand Townships
• Johannesburg City Council awards, 2009: Best dance group dance in Johannesburg
• International French Institute dance exchange program has collaborated with the IDA, allowing performing artists from SA townships to perform in theatre shows in France.

• FIFA/MTN national road tour- IDA dancers performed & MC’d on the official FIFA gig rig that travelled around SA for 1 year preceding the soccer world cup.
• Guest performers @ Mzansi awards, 2008
• Performed at FNB dance umbrella, 2010
• Hosts of annual dance competition held in Tembisa which attracts over 1000 local spectators.  This is a 1 day event, and is in its 3^rd year running

The kind of help they could use…

• Office space & equipment
• 2 ten seater transport vehicles
• Clothing/footwear sponsorships
• IDA event sponsorships
• Funding
• Mentorship

National

Founded 2004

http://www.heathnash.com

Description of the business

Heath is an artist that works largely with post-consumer waste materials to design and manufacture new products.  This means that he takes recyclable products & turns it into something beautiful and practical…

Visit his website for some incredible pics & an inspiring story.

Why Heath started doing what he does…

“I started my business to pursue my creative potential. Also, through working with both waste and education, I hoped to empower and spread the cash to as wide a group as possible.”

Vision

“I follow my creative instincts and profit financially by selling original, well-made, beautiful, useful things. This will grow my business, allowing me to improve the lives of my staff, and to continue innovating and inspiring people.”

Help needed

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that Heath would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is greatly appreciated.

• I need access to a steady stream of waste.
• I need to hook up with businesses that produce plastic goods.
• I need funding to continue a number of proposed and begun projects.
• I need to work with photographers and filmmakers to document my story.
• I need to work with software developers to make apps and a game.

www.nostanding.co.za

About No Standing:

“By providing a comprehensive recyclable waste collection service for businesses, residents, business parks, apartment blocks/ flats, No Standing helps prevent re-usable/recyclable waste ending up in our overcrowded landfill sites. Our service is tailored to our clients needs and No Standing helps facilitate all the necessary infrastructure needed as well as information to educate the uninformed about what can and can’t be recycled.

No Standing also provides on-site waste management with staff that understands the difference between “waste” and “recyclable”. Monthly, we track the amount of waste recycled for each of our clients. This helps to illustrate that every little positive contribution helps.

We’re also involved in a number of social initiatives, namely the “Township Football League”-actively involving kids from a township in cleaning up their community by creating a visual value to the waste, 500 kids in Khayelitsha now get a meal at school everyday because No Standing initiated a relationship between one of our clients and social upliftment program.

We’re continually looking for creative ways to ‘Pay it forward”.

What inspired you to start No Standing?

“Initially we noticed a lack of quality and reliable recycling collection services that collects all types of recyclable waste for small to medium size corporate companies. In October 2009, due to a small group of passionate and interested residents, No Standing began a weekly curb side recycling collection for people who want to recycle from home.”

Vision…

“We want to grow a brand that is nationally recognised as a driving force for environmental preservation. We also want this company to be a reference point for ways on how to lesson one’s effects on the environment (in everyday, practical ways)”

Achievements to Date?

• Saving tons of waste from the landfill each month is the greatest success.
• Creating jobs, that’s a plus.
• Being on site to waste-manage for multiple events over the last 2 years (including Rocking the Daisies 09 and 3 Mellon Housing Building Blitz’s) and seeing the visual difference we make.
• Having the opportunity to spread the word of environmental conservation through poetry/spoken word at different events and venues.

Where could we use some help?

• Business knowledge.
• Shared resources.
• Website knowledge (development and maintaining)
• Funding, to expand my business.
• Word of mouth. Spread the word people!

Cape Town

Founded 2008

www.liveeco.co.za

Description of the business

liveeco is an online publication that gives readers simple,  fuss-free  tips on how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle whilst remaining  trendy and  chic.  The site provides content regarding eco-friendly, fair trade, natural and organic fashion, beauty, design and lifestyle products and It’s your one stop destination or all things ecofabulous!

The liveeco eco network provides something unique and avant-garde to the South African green industry – it’s an online marketplace and blogging network for eco-minded individuals, businesses and consumers.

The idea behind Live Eco…

The liveeco eco network was developed with the idea of offering eco conscious enterprises and individuals an online platform, a gathering point, where they can engage with like-minded people as well as their consumers and bring transparency to their businesses.

Vision

“To become a highly populated, exclusive eco chic news portal for all things eco and ethical in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle spheres. To provide a thought-provoking, interactive online space where users can spend hours getting lost in the content.”

Achievements

• Media partner for the Natural Organic Exhibition

Help needed

This gives you an idea of the specific areas that liveeco would appreciate assistance; however, if you’d like to collaborate or help them out in any other way at all, all input is appreciated:

• Financial Investment
• Advertising on liveeco site