Pebbles Project celebrates 20 years
This year Pebbles Project celebrates twenty years of existence – two decades of providing services and support to agricultural communities within the Western Cape.
"In 2003, I arrived in South Africa with the intention of setting up a small, simple education project and staying for just three years. It was never my intention to permanently relocate to South Africa and to adopt this country as my home. It was not in my original plan to share my life with two precious and deeply-loved South African children. Neither was it on my bucket list to become the CEO of a large organisation that has supported thousands of children and created hundreds of jobs.
But here I am, 20 years later. The universe has led me to this point and I couldn’t imagine my life any other way." - Sophia Warner (CEO and founder)
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our donors, partners and supporters for their unwavering support over the last twenty years. Together we have changed many lives!
In the spotlight: Darren Bunker
Darren Bunker joined the Pebbles Project team on 10 January 2019 and fills the position of the Pebbles Kitchen production manager.
Pebbles Kitchen
Growing up, Darren had big dreams of becoming a marine biologist. Darren literally has salt water coursing through his veins and spends most, if not all of his free time, surfing.
When asked what Darren enjoys most about his job, he says that it’s the opportunity to help improve the lives of our beneficiaries in some way. It brings him great joy.
Darren dislikes bad time keeping, bad attitudes, and bad manners and always tries to maintain a positive attitude.
Meet our medical interns
We recently welcomed Tom and Floris as medical interns at the Pebbles Clinic. They are both 6th year medical students studying at the Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
During their internship at the Pebbles Clinic, Tom and Floris will assist with patient care, providing medical advice and gaining much needed experience while in South Africa.
Both are avid sportsman and will be taking part in the coveted Two Oceans Ultra Marathon on 13 April before returning home in. We are excited to have them.
Little Lions Child Coaching
Little Lions Child Coaching envisions a world where every child’s journey into adulthood is marked by a profound understanding of their mental well-being and a resilient spirit to cope with life's challenges.
In February a selected group of Pebbles Project staff members received training on the Little Lions Mental Health Programme with the aim of normalising conversations about mental health specifically focusing on children aged 8-14 years of age.
The Little Lions Mental Health programme includes fun interactive board games based on proven psychological methods and will be used by trained staff members to identify learners in need of support.
Pebbles staff who completed the Little Lions Mental Health training.
UK donors visits
At the end of March Sophia Warner (CEO and Founder) and Estée Heyns (CAO) spent some time in the United Kingdom (UK) visiting some of our UK based donors, of which some have been donors for over a decade. Sophia and Estée also had the opportunity to attend
The Smiley Charity Film Awards representing Pebbles employee Ms. Liesl Ahlers whose impact film “Daylight” won a silver award. We are very proud of her accomplishment.
Soap For Hope
On 7 March, Dow Diversey – a Solenis Company and Pebbles Project launched the Soap For Hope Project in Stellenbosch.
This initiative was one of seven awarded by Dow within its Business Impact Fund. The annual fund connects non-profit organisations with Dow customers to help solve global issues by means of utilising Dow technology and employees’ expertise.
The Soap For Hope Project, initiated by Diversey in 2013, has expanded to more than 50 countries globally.
Through the recycling of discarded hotel guest soap, this programme not only supports local communities by offering livelihood opportunities but also contributes to mitigating infant mortality rates associated with insufficient access to proper sanitation conditions.
"The recycled soap will be made available to communities that do not have access to proper hygiene tools today," said Sophia Warner. "We will train unemployed young adults and women on entrepreneurship to upskill and empower them to run the recycling project as a small business."
Should you wish to get involved, please contact Jodene at jodenen@pebblesproject.co.za.
Long service awards
We would like to give recognition to Liezl Worship and Loryn Esau, who both celebrate 10 years at the organisation.
We would also like to give recognition to Jamie-Lee Plaatjies and Karlena Matthyzer who celebrate 5 years at the organisation.
As a team, we all take inspiration from your dedication to the organisation; your passion for the work that you do; and your commitment to the beneficiaries.
Liezl Worship (left) and Loryn Esau (right) celebrate 10 years at the organisation.
Wines2Whales
As one of the official beneficiaries of the coveted Wines2Whales MTB race that will take place between 1 and 10 November 2024, Pebbles Project has four rider entries available to aid in raising funds for the organisation.
This year the race returns to its origins with a journey from the historic Lourensford Wine Estate in Stellenbosch to the coastal town of Hermanus via Oak Valley Estate.
Riders can anticipate a blend of thrilling and challenging sections on the route, offering breathtaking views of the Overberg, fresh trails, and the revival of beloved classics.
Entry per rider team will be R18 450 and will include:
- Single tent per rider (including mattress)
- A 3-day stage mountain biking experience with fully stocked waterpoints on route
- Ciovita Rider Jersey
- W2W event gift
- W2W finisher medal
- Access to all race village services
- 8 Meals over the course of the event
Funds raised from the sale of entries will be allocated towards the Hemel-en-Aarde Education Project near Hermanus.
To purchase your entry or for more information, please contact Madelein at madelein@pebblesproject.co.za.
There are plenty of good news stories from the South African Winelands. The #wineforgood campaign, launched by wine.co.za in June 2016, is all about sharing these positive and uplifting stories. We dedicate the month of April to our #wineforgood campaign each year, sharing a good news story every day. Join us in spreading the good news about South African wine. If you'd like to submit a story, please email editor@wine.co.za.