michael lambe

In the aftermath of Lado Japan’s sad demise, there has been a flurry of contact between former Lado teachers and staff, and I’m pleased to say Udo Bartsch in Cape Town has also been in touch with the wonderful news that he and Humi finally got hitched last January. (Congratulations to you both!) Not only that but he has recently gotten involved in something very important. In his own words:

I want to tell you an exciting story about some little people that I’ve met who got a really really raw deal. I have just (last Wednesday) become uncle to about 40 of the cutest, wide eyed little kids with snot and other things running down their faces etc. What a rush! I got involved in an NPO (Non Profit Organisation) , called Intyatyambo. It’s a registered and fully above board NPO. “Intyatyambo” means “flowers” in Xhosa, the main language in the area. It’s an orphanage run by a truly amazing woman, Lindiwe, and about six other wonderful women who take care of the kids, aged 18 months to 6 years old. They’re basd in a run down shack in one of the
largest townships outside Cape Town, called Khayalitsha. 8 of the kids are HIV positive. Some of them were found abadoned under bushes, some have been badly abused (including rape). Others have parents who drop them off in the mornings, but they can’t afford a private facility for their kids. They are not government funded and need about R960 (Y18000) per week to feed all the kiddies. They don’t always raise the required amount and then the kids fast for a while. Very healthy!

My involvemnt since Wednesday:
I’ve commited some of my time in the future and my building skills to train some, as yet, unskilled and unemployed men and women in the area to become builders. Their first project will be to build our orphanage. Free.
I’m also trying get sponsors. I called the brick company where I did my brick laying course. They offered to do the training (Phew! Got out of that one) and supply all
the bricks for the new orphanage, which is going to be kickass! Free.
An architect has agreed to draw up the plans and walk them through until approved by the CT Municipality. Free.
My favourite internet cafe just down the road is designing the website which will be up and running very soon and in several languages, including Japanese. Free.
We’re looking around for two adjacent plots in the area, to buy. Not Free.

… Interested? Want to help? Here’s how:

Next time you go out on an Izakaya and Karaoke ( I can’t tell you how much I miss that) or club night, I want you to keep track of how much you spend. Then put the same amount in your other pocket. Then send it to Intyatyambo. We need to buy the plots asap and get the ball rolling.
Short term target : R60000 (Y1200000 - one point two mil Yen)to buy the plots, get some warm clothes and blankets, fill up the food kitty and other things.
We want to take in more kids - up to 150. There is an endless supply of abandoned and abused innocents here.
I need one individual to coordinate fund raising in Tokyo and send the funds when some has accumulated. This will require a few hours a week at most.
Most of all, we need exposure. So if this interests you, please talk about it. Ultimately we want corporate sponsors to cover food for the kids and a basic salary for the women on a permanent basis.
If we raise more than we need, we will donate the excess to similar NPOs and help them with what we’ve learned along the way.

Think about it please.

OK. So, if anyone wants to make a donation email me here: luain34@yahoo.co.uk
and I will send you the necessary bank details. And I’ll probably be posting more information about Intyatyambo later on, as I learn more about it from Udo.

Here’s a song from South African band Mafikizolo, a tribute to band member Tebogo Benedict Madingoane who was shot and killed in 2004. Even in the midst of pain and grief we can still make something beautiful. Enjoy!