A percentage of all African Divas' products are donated to Itshepeng. This is an NPO and is run by Iris Adams. All the African Divas sales representatives are constantly looking out for opportunities to promote Itshepeng and their programs.

We at African Divas lead the drive for funding Itshepeng. The relationship between Deborah and Caxton Printers and CTP Gauteng goes back 18 years and with mutual trust and respect in place it was easy for her to approach them to get involved with Itshepeng. We are forever grateful for the commitment by these companies.

Itshepeng operates from the Coronationville Community Center. They run the following programs:

a) An employment service called Circle of Friends.
We interview people from the community, draw up CV's and try to find people work from companies in the surrounding areas. We have an agreement with Caxton Printers and they take people from our community projects into their apprenticeship programme. Itshepeng also supplies them with a small labour force from the communities within their area. Over a two year period we have managed to find over 200 people employment.

b) Caxton/Itshepeng Feeding Scheme.
We run a feeding scheme from the Community Center 5 times a week, feeding approximately 500 people per day. Our goal is to feed 5 or 6 days per week from 2009. Caxton is the primary funder of the feeding scheme.

c) Caxton Maths & Science programme
A maths and science programme to help Senior Phase students with extra classes on a Saturday. We pay for the tutors and the program is overseen by Iris. We are currently able to help about 300 students annually. This program is also funded by Caxton Printers.

d) Christmas Party – 2008 (12th December 2008)
A Christmas party for the community will be held in the hall at the Coronationville Community Center We expect about 500 people to attend and have started collecting toys for the children. African Divas and their sales staff are behind the promotion and collection of gifts for the children. This will be a yearly event. This event was a huge success.

e) Christmas Party – 2009

f) Sewing and Beading School.
Lessons in basic sewing skills are offered at the center to anyone off the street. No costs to the students. We are hoping to expand this service in 2009. Our two machines are old and we could really do with funding for new equipment and the money to employ a qualified trainer. We also offer beading classes, and need to seriously grow this area.

g) Itshepeng Vegetable Garden
Was born from a dream Iris had for the feeding scheme to move from 100% reliant on donations and fundraising initatives to eventual part substainability. The idea was to start a garden on top of the roof of the Coronationville Recreation Centre whereby all kinds of vegetables could be grown. The aim is to eventually provide most of the produce for the feeding scheme and sell the remainder to the community at a reasonable price. Iris was introduced to the man b the name of Thys, who had run into very hard times, he creates containers for seeds to be grown in, they are made from steel drums. Iris is so happy with the product that she intends filling the roof of the building with these containers. She is currently growing carrots, spinach, cabbage, chives, parsley, dahlia and potatoes successfully. Thys also makes various other items like braais, burglar proofing, roller gates ect ect. He is in partnership with Patrick and they can be contacted on 072 568 3515.

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African Divas contributes to the running of the Itshepeng office, paying the telephone bills, stationery, printing and paying a small salary to a staff member. People from the community are able to use the computers at the center to type up CV's and have general access to the Internet facilities without any cost to themselves.

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