Riding determination

Ambition, clarity, understanding, success and achievement are all emotions I have been contemplating this week. Not necessary for myself but in view of how others handle them (or not) and how important they are in moving forward in life.

With ambition, surely we need to have it in order to gain success and achievement. I have a situation at work where a potential life line has been given away due to the lack of ambition and desire to earn a lot of money. I can’t help feeling that if someone had more drive for wealth and success then the company would be ok. Surely, in business if you own a company then idea is to make money from it and lots of it? Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means materialistic and totally money driven, but I want to make money and I want the company to do well – to succeed and yes, to earn more money so I can live a better lifestyle - it is what motivates me to do my job and gives me the determination to make the company successful. I love my work and the company but that isn’t in itself going to save us. The top isn’t motivated by money, he isn’t after the flash cars, yachts, nice houses etc and even if the business was turning over millions, it wouldn’t change him. He has been truthful to himself but I fear that that, in itself has left us on the edge of what could potentially be, a very big drop.

I think I need to up my influence and up my game. I know I can turn things around I just need the support of the others. It isn’t all nice and fluffy in business, we are there for one thing and that is to make money, yes a legacy is good but that for the rest of us doesn’t pay the bills.
I am a determined soul and generally with hard work I get what I want, nothing has ever been handed to me. I know what I want and I will get it. Move over buster! Let me sort it.
This applies to all areas of my life; I don’t need to tell others about everything, I don’t need to have clarification of the black and white options, I am happy to be working up the gray area until I know which side I want to lay.

Ride the wave and dream
It may take its time
But sooner or later
It will wash upon your shore.

And talking of achievements, I can tick something else from my Things to do before I am 30 list, I know I was 30 in October but I am still planning to get all items completed.

Yesterday, my lovely friend, her partner and I ran a market stall in Salisbury for our charity Zimele UK. We had a good laugh and surprisingly the time flew by despite the bitter coldness, I don’t think I have ever worn so many layers! It was great talking to people about the charity and raising awareness of the fantastic work that Zimele does in South Africa. Some people understood and praised us on the work of the projects; others had very different views which I won’t go into.

We were selling the handmade crafts from South Africa that the women make. They learn new skills such as sowing and beading and then make the crafts, often employing family members. The whole community gets involved and Zimele teaches them the business skills to help them sell and make a profit which then provides support for the families and often money to medicine for the children who have HIV. Zimele teaches communities to be self sufficient. We buy the crafts from them, which have been marked up for their profit and then we sell them and send the money back.

We sold £385 worth of crafts which means that Zimele UK has reached the target of £5000 for the year, and now allows us apply to be a registered charity and the hard work and fundraising can really start. Getting Zimele UK registered was on my list and we have successfully achieved it. Feeling very proud!
The CEO of Zimele was over from South Africa in October and she gave us this video.... it sums up theirs and our work http://www.vimeo.com/7386903 Just watching it again brings a lump to my throat as I know that I have a part to play.

Doing it for the kids - Support Zimele UK

A few years ago, one of my best friends left the UK for 9 months to work in an orphanage in South Africa. I remember her leaving party and how proud I felt of her for doing such an amazing thing – something I didn’t think I could ever be strong enough to do. My friend, who has a medical background worked with children who had been orphaned due to the HIV and AIDS pandemic that is strife across Africa. Many of the children carried the virus and had to be given drugs every day, Peta campaigned for their treatment and drove the children miles to see doctors in a area that was unsafe to be in. During her time there, it was heartbreaking to hear news of not all the children surviving. I admired Peta so much for what she was doing and wrote every month and sent packages for the children – little things like sweets and cartoon plasters, all of which were really appreciated and something new.

I have always wanted to do something like Peta; to do something where I feel I can make a difference, but even my mum tells me I don’t have a strong enough heart to do so. Maybe in a few years when I have a little more wisdom on life and confidence in myself I would like to think I could.

Peta wasn’t the only one who shared this experience and since returning, she has joined three other volunteers who worked in the Kwa Natal communities of South Africa, and set up the UK arm of a charity called Zimele which provides support through projects and skills to the adults and guardians allowing them to look after the children. It is an amazing charity that with little steps and efforts by some very committed people, provides help to those struggling with poverty and who have lost loved ones.Again, wanting to be involved and to help where I can I have become a trustee to provide the marketing support to get the charity off the ground. As with all these things, it takes time and time seems something that gets lost every day. We are all trying to do our bit – from selling the handmade crafts from South Africa at local markets and fair-trade events to writing press releases and arranging fundraising events. Which leads me onto number one of my Things to do before I am 30 list – I have set up my fundraising page and sent it out to all friends and family committing myself to jumping out of a plane at 14,000ft in September. Yikes. I am hoping that I can raise a good amount of sponsorship which will give the projects a great boost and set Zimele UK on the way to being a registered charity (which was another item on my list!)

So, if you are reading this and would like to sponsor me, please go to my fundraising page and donate what you can – even if it is a pound – it makes a difference, and gives me what I need – because believe me, I am going to be shaking like a leaf, with my heart in my mouth as that plan goes up and the doors open.

Thank you ; ) x