Go for Gold has the immense pleasure of having an amazing international supporter, Mr Wolfgang Handt from Rotary Nuremberg-Reichswald. He was instrumental in the creation of a German bank account for donations for Go for Gold ensuring German donors’ contributions received tax benefits.
Mr Handt has always successfully initiated grants in support of Go for Gold over the years and 2021 was no different. His latest grant, the District Grant was even more impressive because he successfully rallied the support of numerous German Rotary Clubs, each contributing to the successful grant amount of €16 000 (R273 898.40).
The funding was ringfenced toward Entrepreneurial training for Phase 3 and 4 students. Go for Gold utilized the services of an entrepreneurial training provider called Over the Rainbow. Twenty Go for Gold Phase 3 students, currently finishing their tertiary studies attended the course from 27 to 29 October 2021 at a venue in Cape Town.
Thank you so much to the following German Rotary Clubs and members for your valuable contributions to our youth on our programme:
- Rotary Club Nürnberg-Reichswald – Wolfgang Handt, Jörn Sens & Martin Drechsler
- Inner Wheel Club Erlangen – President Dr. Ute-Michaela Kladny
- Inner Wheel Club Nürnberg – President Cornelia Bellé
- Inner Wheel Club Nürnberg St. Lorenz – President Beate Meckler
- Rotary Club Nürnberg – President Klaus Meyer-Wegener
- Rotary Club Nürnberg-Fürth – Pastpresident Theophil Graband
- Rotary Club Nürnberg-Kaiserburg – President Dieter Bellé
- Rotary Club Nürnberg-Neumarkt – President Juergen Hartlic
- Rotary Club Fürth – Pastpresident Volker Panier
- Governor of District 1880 – Reinhard Hoepfl
- Foundation Officer of District 1880 – Sabina Gaertner-Nitsche
View more photographs here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3806317499471244&type=3
On the final day, students had to use what they had learnt during the workshop to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges. Judges on the day included:
- Lesley Waterkeyn – Leadership and Pitching Over the Rainbow facilitator (left)
- Mr Wolfgang Handt – Rotary Nuremberg-Reichswald funds initiator joined via Zoom from Germany
- Mr Richard Saxby – Rotary Helderberg Sunrise
- Mrs Bridget-Ann Mullins – Go for Gold Managing Director
- Ms Karen Rademeyer – Go for Gold Fundraiser (right)
Each judge had a scoresheet to judge the new entrepreneurs presentations on various merits. The winners below for first, second and third prize!
The remainder of the funding was allocated to build Go for Gold’s capacity to deliver their best to the students they assist, by providing funding for new and very necessary upgrades of Go for Gold IT and office support infrastructure. For years Go for Gold staff have used very old laptops but thanks to the District Grant, all staff will enjoy new laptops, faster internet and a stable telephone system at the office.
We are extremely grateful for the funding and the care so many German Rotary Clubs feel toward youth development in South Africa. Thank you too to Lesley at Over the Rainbow for such a great entrepreneurial course.