Photo of the Day from Soweto

By Umuzi guest photographer, Zinhle

Hlumelelisa

"Huh-loo-meh-le-lisa" means a new spirit - a new beginning. For the past two months or so, I have been volunteering with this organization that offers accredited courses in horticulture and agriculture to prison inmates, parolees and the severely under-priveledged. It may sound bizarre but I enjoy my time in prison very much. These are some of the wonderful people on our team from last Friday when we attended a home gardening workshop in Soweto.

Where has the time gone? To London!

We have been super hard at work these past ten days or so - all to get Umuzi to London. Our first exhibition and fundraiser in the UK is set to open next Tuesday, May 25th. Check it out at Idea Generation Gallery in Shoreditch if you're in that part of the world - the kids' photos are amazing!

www.umuziphotoclubnews.blogspot.com

www.ideageneration.co.uk/generationgallery.php

a-pepper-a-day

I’ve been keeping pretty busy here in RSA but every now and then I take some time to really… obsess. A furious spending spree on hot sauces has brought about this weeks meanderings. Here is our current selection of peppers and pepper-based sauces from in or on top of the fridge - you might think that is a meager population or even know someone with triple the amount of pepper products at home (a nod here to my bro-in-law Jeremy) BUT what is truly spectacular about this gathering is that approximately 95% was purchased furiously over the course of two short days. This country has sparked an addiction: a cafeteria size jar of jalapenos, home chopped chillis, various varieties of piri piri, peppadews, you name it. Alas which is my favorite - the simple no name bottle purchased at a portuguese fest? The Nandos medium recipe piri piri (I'm sorry I know that it is a chain but it's tangy!)? The limited World Cup edition Bafana Bafana hot chakalaka flavor? My love runs deep and wide - I simply cannot chose, so I will eat.

Etosha

Etosha is one of the largest national parks in Africa – it is full of crazy gorgeous wildlife… if you can spot them. We were there during the wet season – while beautiful and green, it certainly made it more difficult for us to see what was out there. Nevertheless – a few key sightings (and of course we fancied ourselves quite expert trackers at the end) include elephant, rhino, giraffe, a lone leopard and a mama cheetah with two cubs.

SPITZKOPPE

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this place – not only because of its beauty but because of Frans, our intrepid local guide. We stayed in a rest camp run by the local Dmara community – Frans was there for us, even helping to push start our car and offering us insight into his favorite soaps and world cup soccer team.