For the belief in me ... Ashish Joshi & Yvette Hardie

Two people living their lives through music and theatre...

YVETTE HARDIE challenges all theatre houses, theatre patrons and funders, and theatre-makers to ensure that 21 000 young audience members (under age 21), who have never or seldom seen theatre before, get to the theatre before the end of March 2015: "Take a child to the theatre today"

Yvette  serves as Chairperson of ASSITEJ SA, Deputy Chairperson of ACYTA (African Children and Youth Theatre Arena) and now President of ASSITEJ, which has chapters in over 80 countries worldwide. In these capacities, she creates opportunities for artistic exchange, mentorship, skills development and cross-cultural collaboration.

Yvette Hardie: "The Arts are our soul"
Ashish Joshi: "iStart2 create sustainable gigs"

ASHISH JOSHI, a musician who said goodbye to the corporate world a few years ago: "I consciously gave up my day job. If you want to do it ... do it. Stop being afraid to be in a fearful state of false security." Ashish challenges South Africans to live a simpler and greener life. We chat to Ashish about his favourite instrument (the tabla) and sustainability in music and life.

To listen to the show and music by Ashish Joshi just click play:





Thought of the Day:

Listen Thursdays @17h30 to the iStart2 Show on Radio Today 1485 AM in Jozi, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Show hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa.

The Madiba Shirt ... Sonwabile Ndamase

Prince Sonwabile Ndamase, designer and creator of the world-acclaimed Madiba Shirt, has built Vukani! Range Creations situated in the heart of Joburg, into one of South Africaís leading fashion design houses. Hailing from the Royal blooded family in Pondoland, Prince Ndamase became a household name in tantalising African trends of fashion. Today he is a world renowned activist for his creativity and leading role in SAFDA.

"Fashion is revealing. Clothes reveal what groups people are in. Styles show who you are, but they also create stereotypes and distance between groups. Fashion is a language which tells a story about the person who wears it", says Sonwabile. " Clothes create a wordless means of communication that we all understand". 

Such an honour to have had this wonderful man with his great sense of humour, sharing and telling the story behind the story of the Madiba Shirt on the iStart2 Show. " I wanted to honour and thank Mandela for his magnanimous bravery by giving him his own style as a way of saying thank you".

"iStart2 Believe I can fly" - Sonwabile Ndamase

To listen to South African greatness and the success story of the Madiba Shirt in the words of its creator, just click play below:





Thought of the Day:

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Thursdays on Radio Today 1485 AM, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa.

God Bless Africa ... Karen Hauptfleisch

Karen Hauptfleisch is maybe better known for her passion for the environment and underprivileged/vulnerable children which led her to the establishment of the non-profit and non-governmental organisation called SOAPkidz (www.soapkidz.org).  SOAPkidz has to date taken over 17,000 children and volunteers into nature where they are made to feel special and they are each taught about nature and their environment.  Through this stimulating experience, they are also taught that they have a role to play in the future of this planet.  

Karen Hauptfleisch with Deon Warrin, Keitu and Pierre

" iStart2 make a difference"

Karen has started a personal dream to be the first South African and woman to clean the highest peak in each of Africa’s 54 countries.  To date she is halfway and has had the opportunity the “see” the sunrise on 33 peaks throughout Africa.  This endeavour is affectionately called Sunrise on Africa’s Peaks (SOAP) and it started with a trip to Kilimanjaro in 1992.  

On each of these trips she takes the opportunity to interact with the local communities and clean up the litter on top of the peaks: "I always cry when I get to the top of a mountain. The destruction on some of the mountains, however, is heartbreaking".

We chatted to Karen on the iStart2 Show this week. To listen to this remarkable woman, just click play below:



Thought of the Day

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful  Keitu Gwangwa and Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us! 

Confluence ... Steve Dyer

 "I haven't seen artists with musical instruments wanting to go to war," says Steve Dyer. He believes artists have a positive role to play and that we need to learn to accommodate each other. "The more dignity you give to others, the more dignity you give to yourself." 

This man is a beaming reflection of diversity in this country. Not only does he speak a few of our official languages, including Sepedi, but he continues to celebrate South Africa's sense of diversity through his work. We chatted to Steve about the role of diversity in his music and life and he shares his views on sustainability issues; "There is no monopoly on culture", the art of life; "Humans not finding the value of the other,"  and lessons learnt in his long and illustrious career where he has "migrated" to a number of countries. 

" iStart2 live a life where I treat everybody with dignity and respect"
- Steve Dyer on the iStart2 Show

If Jazz is your thing, catch Steve performing with Nono Nkoane in Tshwane on the 13th February at the Rendezvous Theatre. To listen to the interview and some tracks from his latest cd, Confluence, just click play below:



Thought of the Day: #ForeignFear

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful Keitu Gwangwaand Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us! 

The first time ever I saw your face ... Ashanti Mbanga

"The bicycle is the vehicle of a new mentality. It quietly challenges a system of values which condones dependency, waste. inequality of mobility and daily carnage... There is every reason why cycling should be helped to enjoy another Golden Age," - James McGurn 

Ashanti Mbanga feels strongly about sustainable transport. She is a green transport economist, a former Miss Earth South Africa and a passionate change maker who aspires to educate and affect a positive change in the lives of others. We chatted to Ashanti about her time in the Netherlands and her views on cycling in South Africa.  As an iStart2 Ambassador, Ashanti urges all artists out there to submit their art and become part of the iStart2 Challenge.

Ashanti Mbanga: "iStart2 challenge South Africans to challenge themselves"

To listen to the show, her favourite music by Roberta Flack and a "transport" song from the iStart2 cd, "Die Laaste Trein" by Daniel Eeuwrick, just hit play:

Thought of the day: Aim for number one ... avoid number 2 ...

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful Keitu Gwangwaand Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us! 

Visit www.iStart2.com and join our initiative

Quiet Love - Fortune Madlala & Simon Manda

Are we hearing the silent voice? What is the difference between a mime and a sign language interpreter? What are the challenges that deaf people face in the world? What can we do to make a difference?

This week on the iStart2 Show we chatted to two people who have both feet in the world of persons with disabilities, Fortune Madlala and Simon Manda:

Fortune is a South African Sign Language(SASL) interpreter. Her love for interpretation for the deaf community has seen her have stints on YoTV and SHIFT on SABC 1, News in 60 Seconds on SABC 3 and SABC2 special broadcastings. She has interpreted for President Jacob Zuma during live broadcastings of the State of the Nation address, ANC centenary events for Deputy Presi­dent Kgalema Motlanthe and former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela. She is the founder of Forch Communications and Projects - a media company that communicates deaf awareness and solutions.

Simon is the Editor of the first ever cross disability awareness newspaper in South Africa, THISABILITY Newspaper, Simon has got a massmedia approach to TV, radio, print and web platforms. He is involved in media, events and brand management. He currently sits on the Association of Independent Publishers(AIP) board and is Secretary of the Board at Forch Foundation - an NPO offering socio-economic services to the deaf community. He is very involved in disability initiatives where he works with Casual Day - the largest fundraising disability program in SA, I SEE YOU SA - a diversity project  and iStart2.

Simon Manda:" iStart2 Sign"

Fortune Madlala: " iStart2 create change in the deaf community"

To listen to the show (and the songs Quiet Love and Whales from the iStart2 cd) just click play:

Thought of the Day:

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa and Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us! 

www.iStart2.com

Charlie ... Ismail Mahomed

Are enough artists challenging the status quo? 

Energetic, back from Europe and ready to rock 'n Roll. Great chatting to Ismail Mahomed, Festival Director at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival about his four month trip, new insights into the world of art and the Charlie Hebdo attack. Ismail also shares advice on touring Europe at less than R700 a day. Read his tips and tricks here.

"Reach out!"

Ismail Mahomed on the iStart2 Show

Ismail feels we have failed to deal with reconciliation effectively in South Africa. However, he is confident about our Artists: "Artists are committed to building a nation that is transformative and healing," says Ismail. "iStart2 Challenge ... we all need to start challenging"

To listen to the show and an oldie by Rabbitt, (Charlie) just click play below

Thought of the Day ...

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worlwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa and Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and repeated at the same time on Thursdays. Happy listening!! 

Get Involved!

A call to independent/capable/dynamic entrepreneurs keen on working with an EXCITING Sustainability-through-Arts initiative that will contribute to several non-profit beneficiaries including the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in SA (NCPPDSA), Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital Trust, Woman of Africa Foundation, IPACC, Princess of Africa Foundation, Food & Trees for Africa and Schools for Disabled Children around the country.

We are recruiting champion teams in 27 cities and towns in South Africa: Cape Town, Worcester, Stellenbosch, PE, East London, Grahamstown, Durban, Richards Bay, NewCastle, Emalahleni, Nelspruit, Thohoyandou, Polokwane, Mahikeng, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Johannesburg, Soweto, Centurion,Vanderbijlpark, Boksburg, Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Kuruman and Upington.

Champion Teams consisting of 6 members plus a city champion is being setup at the moment to form one of the biggest citizen networks around South Africa.

The Task:
- Organising auditions for artists entering the iStart2 Challenge.
- Organising an event to showcase the winners and other artist(s) performances
- Fundraising through selling the BAG OF HOPE and other iStart2 sustainability products to benefit charities
- Facilitating and managing Learnerships that will be run in all 27 cities

eMAIL your cv or a company profile to iStart2Challenge@gmail.com if you are interested. Closing date: 24 January 2015.