Tell IT Media

CELEBRATIONS, GOALS & 'SOCIALUTIONS' FOR 2012

2012-01-04T22:22:00.000+11:00

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

For those that don’t know I share my Birthday with the birth of a New Year.

Despite some disadvantages, there are 2 really good things about a birthday on the 1^st of January:

One: As I get yet another year older I for one don’t have to worry about getting older for the rest of the year.

And Two: It gives me the chance to reflect on the past year and experience the wonderful opportunity to rethink, define and set goals for the new year ahead. This is always a time where I seem to go into a frenzy of de-cluttering; clearing out the old to make space for the new.

I remember once listening to an artist reflect on how they sometimes feel the need to hang on to their artworks, not wanting to sell them. His philosophy was to let it go, allow others to enjoy your artwork which also then allowed for space to re-create and develop further. I guess sharing and re-creating are closely linked.

Back to goals: How often have we set some goals and by February they have been forgotten? Here are 3 small tips whether for Business, your Marketing efforts or Social Media strategies, to make your resolution a long term reality.

1. PLAN YOUR GOALS
It’s proven that by planning or writing down your goals you are more likely to be successful.

2. KEEP GOALS TOP OF MIND
Be mindful of your goals by constantly prioritizing and not losing sight of them.

3. REMAIN OPTIMISTIC
Own the decision for your change and don’t let anyone or anything change your mind. Be accountable.

Here are some more of my Social Media Cartoons

CELEBRATING my 'SOCIALUTIONS' for 2012

People Take Priority
Consistency is King
Self Promotion is Silly
Being “Real” Rules
Monitoring Matters . . .

. . . and having a daily “Mini Digital Detox” session by stepping away from the computer for a stretch, run or walk.

Please share one of YOUR Resolutions or Socialutions for 2012 . . .

CREATIVITY - A SNAPSHOT IN TIME!

2011-09-15T18:12:00.000+10:00

I have always been passionate about Creativity, Communication and, more recently, the power of Social Media. So I was very excited to host 2 workshops on Social Media for the “Australian School of Wedding and Portraiture Photography” ASWPP and chat with other creatives in Melbourne. It made me think about how the world of visual media has changed over the past 3 decades.

In a sense we have experienced an industrial revolution. Check out the amazing statistics from June 2011 in this video Social Media Revolution which is one of the world's most watched video series, based on #1 International Best Selling Book 'Socialnomics' by Erik Qualman.

Graphic Designers and photographers have always worked in close association. Using the technology of the day we would retouch photos by hand, enlarge images using bromide cameras. Computers filled entire rooms and had absolutely nothing to do with creativity- Our tools were airbrushes, pencils, pen and ink, magic markers, Letraset, cutting boards and knives, dexterity, and patience!

The airbrush was often the tool of choice for graphic designers and was used to produce artworks and touch up photographers images for Brochures and print.
Here’s an example of one of a series of Airbrush work I did for sparkling bottled labels . . . in the early 80’s.

Advertising concepts were stripped and positioned using wax and an eye for spacing.

Visual communication is moving from the realm of print into the digital world- and it is becoming more and more important to communicate and market your message to your digital audience. There are a number of tools and applications to help with digital marketing, but Social Media is probably the most effective way to get your message out there. Facebook in particular is a great platform for Photographers due to it's highly visual and community based nature.

Photographers used to spend many hours in darkrooms (and some probably still do) developing their work, using creativity to achieve the effect that they were after. While skill and creativity remain the basis of all visual design and communication- the tools at our disposal have become incredibly sophisticated and powerful. All this sophistication and power can be overwhelming at times, but it is critical for any business to understand what these tools are and how they can be harnessed. Lately I have been looking at a lot of amazing work by photographers and it is clear that creativity is flourishing. Their images are all a unique expression of their personality, their vision and individual creativity. Creativity is alive and well – no matter what medium we choose to use to convey our ideas. I've included The Internet Yesterday & Today [infographic] 1996 vs. 2011 just to reflect how times have changed.

One very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity. ~ Edward de Bono

On a side note, as an iPhone user I have become fascinated by i-Photography. There are many camera apps for mobile phones. Whilst not being in the realm of the professional photographers - It’s a really fun outlet for your creativity, and sometimes a great way of keeping in touch with your digital audience. Apps like Instragram allow iPhone users to take snaps, apply cool filters and share them with the digital community.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this topic, we'd love to hear your feedback!

Creativity is the natural extension of our enthusiasm. ~Earl Nightingale

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE QR CODES?

2011-05-26T21:26:00.000+10:00

Discovering the cool world of QR codes

So let’s have a look at QR codes! Some of you may have seen these already- they are those funny squares (normally black) with blocks that seem to be popping up everywhere. We are all familiar with supermarket barcodes and how they contain information about products that is displayed when scanned- Well QR codes work in the same way. Originally invented in Japan QR stands for Quick Response. Each code is unique and can contain information about your business such as a business card with all your contact details, a website, a link to an email, a You Tube video, images, maps or even audio content.

The easiest way to understand their nature in today media world is to describe them as paper-based hyperlinks, which is pretty much what they do.

In addition to being cool- QR codes can also help spice up your marketing by making printed material interactive printed material interactive, and taking your clients on a journey of discovery rather than reading a one dimensional brochure or flyer. If you have a Smart Phone or an iPhone you can download software which will turn your camera into a scanner to scan codes and upload the information.

iPhone users can check out the iTunes store for free QR Readers, for other SmartPhone users there are many sites online where you can download QR readers.

There are also a number of places online where you can get the software to generate these codes and a number of good articles giving more details. Here is a great article about using QR Codes in Social Media or the use of QR Codes in email marketing.

We've Customized our own QR Code using our Logo and Colours and having some real fun along the way :)

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END . . . (Part 7)

2011-05-22T23:29:00.000+10:00

Cape Town to Kuala Lumpur - Day 24 -33

It was time to leave Jozi and head south to the Cape of Good Hope. Mango airlines got us there safely on the eve before Easter Sunday- after all the rain we had experienced we were relieved to hear the captain announce that the weather in Cape Town was fine. We were picked up by our dear friend Tash who moved to Somerset West from Switzerland where we also lived for many years. What we didn't realize was that our arrival coincided with the arrival of a cold front- which became obvious when our enthusiastic hostess woke us up at 5am on Easter Sunday for a blustery Easter Service at the beautiful Helderberg Nature reserve. We returned rather weather beaten and enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt and breakfast.

Beautiful Xhosa Singers at the Waterfront

We then took a drive towards Cape Point via Kalk Bay and Simonstown - a stunning drive through charming towns and spectacular scenery- despite the less than perfect weather. The weather did stop us from going to Cape Point- please excuse the pun- but there was no point!

Liked this Graffitti near the Photographer Dave's Studio in the city

The next day we headed for the “Fair City” and met with a local photographer Dave Robertson whose work our daughter Gita was interested in and had touched base with from Australia. After this we headed for the Waterfront- a great shopping precinct near the Cape Town harbour.

Living Copper Statue at the Waterfront

The Waterfront - here you can catch a boat to Robben Island

We maintained our reputation of arriving late when we had a braai (BBQ) in an amazing 12^th floor beachfront apartment in Strand of a friend from Johannesburg- we also caught up with friends from Somerset West- and enjoyed views over the ocean as well as the Mountains behind us.

View from the 12th floor

The next day we visited Mama Lumka Charity one of the many reasons why we came down here – this is covered in a separate Blog.

The following day we awoke to sunshine, and decided that this was the day to go up Table Mountain- coming from Melbourne we should have been suspicious about how long the sun would remain- but we pressed on. We first went up Signal Hill to soak up some expansive views of Cape Town and the new World Cup Stadium. The plan was to then take the cable car up to the Table Top and walk down. When we got to the top the awesome views made up for the arctic conditions, and occasional shower. We realized that plans sometimes don’t align well with reality- the reality being it was windy, very cold, and one of us was a six year old who refused to walk down- so we ended up taking the City Slicker option of taking the cable car down again.

Cape Town from Table Mountain - Robben Island just visible on the top
left (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for most of 27 years)

The Cable Car station on Table Mountain with view of Lions Head

Next on the menu was a trip to Struisbaai- situated close to Cape Agulhas- the southernmost point of Africa and home to the longest sand beach in the southern hemisphere where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet. Here we spent time with friends in a Cape Dutch style holiday house. We were very sorry to leave this beautiful spot and say our goodbyes- and drove back along the coast past the picturesque town of Hermanus, through Betty’s bay and Gordons Bay- the start of the famous Garden Route.

Cape Town was kind to us on our last day, with 30 degrees and sun! To celebrate we headed off to Bloubergstrand to enjoy the views of Table Mountain across Table Bay. Our last night was spent having a delicious fondue true Swiss Style – something we missed!

Classic view of Table Mountain from Bloubergstrand

We were all sad to leave South Africa after all the amazing experiences- but we planned in a few days in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to break up the long journey home. The long flight took its toll on us – and we slept on most of the taxi ride from the airport to the city of Kuala Lumpur. KL is a modern, bustling cosmopolitan city and the pace of life was hectic compared to the laid back vibe of Cape Town. Although we were all tired from the long flight and the time difference- we did manage to venture into the city and to our daughters delight the city lived up to its reputation as a shoppers paradise.

Streets of Kuala Lumpur

Different perspective on the Twin Towers because it fits better on this Blog ;o)

But there is more to the city than just excellent shopping- the city also boasts a bustling China Town, the spectacular architecture of Petronas Twin Towers and many cultural sites. A large part of the city consists of beautifully landscaped lush gardens. They have an excellent hop on hop off bus service which takes you to all these sites. On reflection we could have spent a day or 2 more in KL- there is a lot to do and see.

As the saying goes "All good things come to an end" - not really! After all the amazing experiences and wonderful people we met along the way it was good to be back in Melbourne. What a great place to be ;o)

Sunset in Somerset West a beautiful end to our time in South Africa

Thanks for reading,

regards irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

MAMA LUMKA - A SPECIAL STORY FOR MOTHERS (Part 6)

2011-05-08T17:34:00.000+10:00

Mama Lumka and our visit to the Nceduluntu Sanctuary - Day 27

April 26^th was a big day for us. This was the day we had the privilege visiting the Nceduluntu Sanctuary in the Western Cape and meeting Mama Lumka.
We first met with Chris Wilmot and Jenny King. Chris lives in Somerset West and has been working closely with Mama Lumka for many years. Jenny founded the Australian Mama Lumka charity - which has been instrumental in the development of the Sanctuary. Chris briefed us about the Sanctuary and the amazing work of Mama Lumka.

We then took a drive to the township and the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary itself is surrounded by a high Barbed-Wire Fence and is made up of a number of refurbished shipping containers clustered around an open area with a playground and other facilities for the 34 children under Mama Lumkas care.

From the moment we met her, Mama Lumka’s personality, energy and passion was obvious to all of us. Her hearty laugh and energy makes her seem younger than 63, and even though she has had very little formal schooling - her wisdom is inspirational (the mother of all mothers). She joked about how she now has a website which the people from Australia - “The place where the sun rises” could visit or even send an email!

Before touring the Sanctuary, we were invited to tea and biscuits with Mama Lumka. With Chris as the mediator, we chatted about how Mama Lumka started by wandering through the township with a wheelbarrow, picking up sick, orphaned and disadvantaged children. She would end up taking them home to feed and care for them overnight. Mama Lumka and her “car” became a well known feature of the townships landscape. Mama explained that when the children cried – she cried inside, and that she just had to help these innocent victims of a harsh township society that has little sympathy for those with illness, disabilities or tragic family circumstances.

Mama's original 'car' now sits at the edge of the playground.

Chris explained how the neighbours/community become envious of Mama’s success, as the Sanctuary was set up and then grew. A sad reflection on township life where people with aspirations are dragged down rather than lifted up and encouraged. She spoke of issues with unions and having to close the curtains of the childrens container homes to stop people from looking in. Chris also explained that the children are farmed out to foster homes in the community - often with detrimental consequences. Most of the foster parents are more attracted by the financial compensation than by love for the children.

Mama declined to join us on the tour of the Sanctuary - saying she did’nt want to be seen as the one who did all this and take all the credit. We were shown the containers - all cheerily decorated with cartoon figures. The figures were painted by a prisoner who was on community service duty and asked if he could contribute with his creativity rather than digging trenches with a shovel and pick axe. Each container was a fully fledged home environment for these children who are seen as bad omens, living at edge of society - hidden in dark rooms, mostly ignored and neglected or even abused. There are 4 of these - each one costs in the region of R15,000 per month to run.

The second “home” we visited was particularly sad. This was home to some severly disabled children. One of these was deliberately dropped on his head 3 times by his mother, a local prostitute, so that she could claim social benefits. It was very confronting and made the plight of these people very real to us and our teenage children. This is why Mama Lumka’s work is so important.

We were shown the classroom facilities and where GVI (Global Vision International) volunteers - mainly young students from across the globe helped the children learn in one-on-one sessions. Next we visited the newly set up bakery. The bakery is where the bread for the Sanctuary is baked in gas ovens. Chris explained how the baker Simon taught himself to bake the bread and how they had intended to start selling bread to the general public. Sadly this would mean that there would be cash on the premises - making the Sanctuary a target for thieves. The classroom facilities were funded in part by donations from the Australian Charity Luncheon 2008 and contributions to the bakery were facilitated by the Australian Charity Luncheon 2010 through the efforts of Jenny. It was clear that running the Sanctuary was full of challenges and that the donations are desperately needed to keep things running.

Simon presenting myself and Jenny with some freshly baked bread.

The classroom where kids are taught by the GIV volunteers

We then returned to Mama Lumka for another cup of tea and to present her with a cheque of R11,755 - which was made possible by the generosity of the people mostly from the “Place where the sun rises” and using 'Social Media for Social Good' raised before my leaving. This day was a truly humbling experience and gave us a great perspective on the good work being done as well as the ongoing challenges of keeping the 'wheelbarrow' running. On behalf of Mama Lumka, Chris, Jenny and all the staff we thank those who made a difference by making a contribution and encourage you all to “spread the word” about this very worthy charity.

Jenny presents Mama with a gift by a Melbourne Artists and her interpretation of Mama

As Mama says - “Success is in your feet - you have to walk until you find it!” . . . I hope that I may find more ways to help in the future.

Please feel free to share this with your friends, family and work colleaugues or to share your thoughts below below!

yours sincerely,
irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

WILDLIFE IN THE WILD EAST OF SOUTH AFRICA (Part 5)

2011-04-27T06:04:00.000+10:00

Moholoholo Wildlife Rehab Centre & Kruger Park - Day 17 - 23

The next part of our journey took us to the north eastern corner of South Africa. The region is called the Lowveld and is situated at the base of the “Escarpment”-a ridge of towering 1000 metre high cliffs which defines the edge of the Drakensberg Range. Much of the area is natural bush named “Bushveld” and is devoted to wildlife conservation.

We were surprised that Cheetahs purr and meow like house cats.

Our destination was a private reserve named Moholoholo-set in Bushveld at the base of the Escarpment close to the Kruger National Park. This is a very special place and formed the perfect backdrop for a big family reunion with all the family from Switzerland. The first night it poured with rain-luckily we arrived before the rain started. The next day we all settled into a camp on the Blyde River- a beautiful spot with rolling lawns and massive indigenous trees.

My 12 year old daughter feeding a Vulture.

The wildlife in South Africa (and all of Africa) is under constant threat. Increasingly, humans and wild animals end up in conflict over resources, and the habitats of the animals are destroyed by agriculture or development. Outside of the national parks this conflict over resources often ends up with wildlife being shot, snared or poisoned by locals. Even within the parks some animals fall victim to poachers.

Rhinos are heavilly poached for their horns.

This is where places like Moholoholo play a crucial role. Apart from the beautiful setting for visitors to enjoy the wildlife. Moholoholo is also a renowned centre for wildlife rehabilitation and education- ensuring that future generations can also experience the incredible African wildlife.

Leopards differ from Cheetah in that they have clusters of spots.

Sick and injured animals from far and wide are brought here and cared for. Where possible, the animals are returned to the wild. The ones that would not survive in the wild are looked after and become ambassadors for their species, and serve to educate us about the importance of wildlife conservation. Here you can find Cheetahs, Leopards, Lions, Vultures, Rhinos, Wild dogs and a multitude of other animals who have been saved. Students from across the world have the opportunity to work at Moholoholo to learn about conservation and convey the message to the wider world.

We were suprised to see a large number of Elephants, Giraffe & Zebra in the Kruger Park.

After 4 extremely pleasant days in Moholoholo with the family we headed into the Kruger Park. The camp we stayed in is called Pretoriouskop and is the southernmost camp in the park. It is a beautiful camp set in rolling bush punctuated by granite “koppies” – small hills. Due to the recent rains the bush was thick and the grass was high-so spotting game was at times difficult. Despite this we spotted a lot of game in our limited time, including Rhinos and elephants. Our time was short, but the memories will be lasting.

To see more pics go to my facebook page

Next Stop, Cape Town

See you there!

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mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

OUR WORLD VISION SPONSOR CHILD (Part 4)

2011-04-21T23:40:00.000+10:00

Meeting Nkosingiphile - Day 12

From the sporadic news reports and phone calls from concerned friends and relatives we were still unsure whether to go or not. We were very impressed to receive a call from World Vision in Swaziland who offered to escort us from the border to our accommodation in Mbabane which enabled us to go ahead with our plans. We left first thing in the morning for what turned out to be an epic ten hour journey back along the potholed roads and a series of road construction sites. After a stressful last stretch in the dark and through pouring rain we finally arrived at the border and we received a warm Swazi welcome by Sethimbile and Musa from World Vision.

World Vision staff with Musa on the left who accompanied us for the day.

After a restless night we were picked up punctually at 8am by Musa. Our first stop was Pick’nPay in Matsapo to buy some basic provisions (10 kg of Maize, Rice, Sugar, some Oil and Tinned fish) as a gift to our sponsor family. From there we proceeded through beautiful rolling countryside and a number of police road blocks and a game park before ending up at the regional office. Again we were giving a warm welcome and were briefed by the staff about our itinerary. We were then accompanied by an additional four wheel drive car and two additional World Vision staff. After picking up the regional coordinator responsible for our sponsored child we finally headed to Nkosinginphile’s family home close to the Mozambican border. The drive wound its way through sugarcane plantations, with occasional fields of maize, bananas and cotton. Just before reaching our destination we also passed a number of smiling school kids (it was their last day of school before the holidays). The World Vision car in front of us car picked up our sponsored child Nkosingiphile and his brother along the way.

Nkosinginphile's family homestead in amongst the sugarcane plantations.

We arrived to a neatly laid out homestead and received a warm welcome from the family who laid out grass mats (and one chair) under the shade of an avocado tree. Musa acted as master of ceremonies and everyone had a turn to introduce themselves while Musa did the translating. We learnt that Nkosingiphile had eight brothers and sisters and that his older brother is a golf pro currently representing Swaziland in the national team. We were even shown a photo of him and the team by his proud mother.


Us gobbling down the sweetest bananas we've tasted.

We recognized Nkosingiphile straight away who was extremely shy and probably overwhelmed by the entourage and all the attention being focused on him. After we presented the family with our gifts we were then treated with real Swazi hospitality with fresh sweet bananas and tradition meal of maize and beans and (very chewy) chicken. As the man of the house my husband Oliver got to sit on the chair and eat his meal with a spoon. It is tradition that the women and children sit on the grass mat and eat with their hands.

Oliver (my partner) enjoying the privilege of sitting in a chair & eating with a spoon.

After our meal we had a bit of a conversation, asked a few questions and asked permission to take photos. My daughter Gita was inspired by the setting and the people and many photos were taken of the family and the homestead. There was a lot of warmth and laughter and even Nkosingiphile seemed more at ease as the day progressed.

Nkoisingiphile on the right showing off his Echidna hand-puppet.

The family presented us with avocados the size of footies, ochras, bananas, maize and homemade marmalade. We were humbled by their warmth, openness, respectfulness, generosity and the way the family functioned as a unit. Knowing that we had an almost 200km drive ahead of us back to Mbabane Musa said it was time to say our farewells. Before leaving, the family and the World Vision staff sang a prayer which gave us all goose bumps. I still have an image of Nkposingiphile running after and waving after us as we left.

Miss 12 year old giving her present to Nkosingiphile.

Hand -made Marmelade :)

It was an enlightening experience for all of us especially for our daughters having grown up in first world countries. We are truly grateful to World Vision for making this wonderful experience possible for us and have a new level of respect for what they are doing in disadvantaged communities.


The oldest and wisest of the Family who was very grateful for our visit.

Our next destination is Moholohola, a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre alongside the Kruger National Park. We can't wait to see the Wildlife.

Hamba Gagle, irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

FROM THE CITY TO THE BUSH (Part 3)

2011-04-20T01:35:00.000+10:00

Day 8, Day 9

Weekend in Jozi - Jozi style

The weekend was spent enjoying true Joburg hospitality with a Braai (BBQ) and a 50^th Birthday party on Sunday. The Braai was held in the inner city suburb called Kensington which sits on top of a ridge with spectacular views of Johannesburg city. The day ended with us climbing on the rooftop to enjoy the sunset over the city.

Golden sunset over the City of Gold

Day 10,

Biltong & Potholes

Driving from Johannesburg to the Freestate to our destination, a 700 acre farm on the Lesotho border brought to our attention a new national sport in South Africa - the sport of Pothole Dodging. The stakes are high – losers end up parked on the roadside with not one but two flat tyres. Winners get through by looking like drunken drivers by swerving this way and finally high-fiving their fellow passengers when they make it through. We unfortunately fell into the former category, hitting the mother of all potholes on a notorious stretch of road that claimed many victims daily. The self-made millionaire garage owner repaired our tyres that night and said with a smile that he repairs more than 5 cars per day and on weekends even more. It seems the roads have been damaged by recent heavy rains and many years of neglect due to lack of funds. Biltong is the South African version of Beef Jerky and just one of the many forms of meat that we ate over the next few days. For a while fruit and vegetables were a distant memory and we became pure carnivores.

Day 11,

Leopards and Blankets (Appaloosa Horses)

We finally arrived warn out and minus two hubcaps on a dirt track that was corrugated and partially washed away. Our destination was a sandstone farmhouse built in 1880, the last of two houses in the area that did not get burnt down during the Boer War. The farm is a home to over 100 pedigree Appaloosa horses. Appaloosa horses are a breed with characteristic markings sometimes similar to Dalmatians. The varieties vary from Leopard which have lots of spots to Near-Leopard with less spots to Blanket which have almost no spots at all. The pure white horses are the most valuable as those can be bred with any other horse to breed a horse with spots. This farm and its magnificent horses were used for a National Geographic documentary. This farm is so well known that the King of Lesotho purchased one of the horses for himself and was so impressed he bought a second as a gift for Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa.

A day in the life Gallery > Here are some photos of our time there.

Spot the Appaloosa

Too little time was spent on the farm and a lot of it was spent on deliberating whether or not we should head for our next destination Swaziland. Swaziland is the last true Monarchy in Africa where the King has ultimate power and no political parties are allowed. At the moment students and teachers are protesting against the injustice of a Monarchy with a young King that squanders millions while the rest of the nation live in poverty. The reason we are travelling there is to visit our World Vision sponsored child. To find out more read the next blog.

The Farm with the Maluti Mountains in the distance

Till later, irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

SOUTH AFRICA - SWINGING TO SOWETO (Part 2)

2011-04-08T16:59:00.000+10:00

Swinging to Soweto - Day 5

After an “African Time” start-it was off to the Townships with our friendly guide Eric. First stop was the very impressive Soccer City - Built for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the massive Stadium is inspired by an African calabash and has been built in open land against a backdrop of mine dumps.

Soccer City, built for the World Cup 2010 is now a great venue for concerts

Then it was off to Soweto (Which is a shortening of South Western Township). Soweto is a sprawling settlement which is home to an estimated 3.5 million people and covers an area of 140 km² . The townships were originally conceived by the previous government as a place to house African labourers who worked predominantly on the mines and other industries. Soweto is probably the largest and most notorious of these and became a huge dangerous ghetto where most people feared to venture. Unsurprisingly, Soweto has been the stage for extreme violence, crime and unrest - and captured the attention of the world through events like the 1976 riots.

A typical hostel with communal taps and porta toilets

Today, Soweto is a place of contrasts which wears its heart on its sleeve - where affluence and extreme poverty can be seen side by side. There is a strong sense of community and a vibrant culture.

Our first stop was a suburb named Diepkloof which is also known as the Beverly Hills of Soweto. Here there are some beautiful homes most of them without the burglar bars, barbed wire and electric fencing so common in the suburbs of Johannesburg. The contrast here is apparent when across a stretch of open land from this well to do suburb are rows of hostels - the original compound blocks where mine labourers were housed. These hostels have no electricity and only a few communal taps for water.

In the street

From this “upper class” area we moved through some more middle class areas where the government built “Matchbox” Houses predominate. The matchbox houses are small brick houses with basic utilities and have been sold to residents by the government. Some residents have added tin shacks or containers to their houses and sub let these to tenants.

One such matchbox house is the house where Nelson Mandela lived for 15 years prior to being imprisoned- Number 8115 Ngakane Street.

Nelson Mandela's Matchbox House now a museum and restored

Trying to entice us over to the curio stall outside the Hector Pieterson Museum

His house is in the suburb of Orlando - which is also home to Winnie Mandela and Archbishop Tutu. This was also where the 1976 Riots began and where the famous photo of a dying 13 year old Hector Pieterson being carried away was taken. There is a memorial at the site of the shooting and a museum nearby. It’s still difficult to understand the level of atrocities that occurred – but it’s also clear that this marked a pivotal point in the fight against apartheid- the beginning of the end.

Millions were spent on these Cooling Towers now a tourist attraction with bungee jumping

From here we visited the other end of the spectrum- a shanty town where there is no running water or electricity. We visited a child care centre and were inspired how the human spirit can persist even under the most difficult circumstances. It was humbling to see how the people there managed.

The day care kids were very excited to receive some childrens books.

The final stop of the day was the Apartheid Museum. The brutal architecture heightened the power of the display - but unfortunately a power outage cut our visit short- our first experience of what is apparently a common phenomenon in a country with ever increasing energy demands.

The lasting impression was one of great positivity. To steal Julia Gillards pet phrase this is a place which is 'moving forward' despite obvious issues and exudes a feeling of positivity, life and colourful experiences.

Thanks to my daughter Gita who has developed an eye for photography and has taken all the photos.

Until the next blog
cheers, irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au

mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

SOUTH AFRICA - JUMPING TO JOBURG (Part 1)

2011-04-06T22:24:00.000+10:00

Jumping to Joburg - Day 1

After a very long flight we have arrived on the bottom of the African Continent. Even the drive from the airport stimulated our senses.

The early morning smog, the frenetic pace of life on the streets, the people walking everywhere with no apparent destination, the building taking place everywhere, impromptu market stalls at every intersection - Johannesburg is certainly a vibrant place, a central industrial hub for this corner of Africa. But it’s also a place of contrasts, where beautiful leafy suburbs alternate with rows of shanty houses.

The shadow of crime is never too far away- driving through the affluent suburbs is like driving through a man made gorge with huge fences on either sides topped by electrical security wires- occasionally you will have a brief view of the houses behind the medieval castle like gates.

Jumping to Joburg - Day 2

Visit to Witwatersrand University - some things just remain static whilst everything around changes dramatically. After went to Zoo Lake bowling Club to meet with dear friends over the cheapest meal I have had in years. What a wonderful example of everything that the new rainbow nation represents- people just having a good time with no aggression.

Jumping to Joburg - Day 3

Market day today - time for some African style retail therapy. So it was off to the rooftop of the Rosebank shopping centre. It was an opportunity to stimulate the senses with African sights, sounds, and smells. Rows and rows of beaded crafts, wooden carvings, brightly coloured garments. Contrasting flavours- South African Samoosas, Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolate. The African style buskers were an amazing experience. Our daughter got into the groove with some local dancers - together with some other locals - very entertaining for all involved. The day culminated in a real African storm - complete with lightning and torrential rain which was very spectacular! And by the way- the cappuccinos weren’t bad either!

We have planned a guided day tour to Soweto. Soweto is one of Johannesburgs renowned Townships - you can read about our experience in our next blog.

Until then, irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
mailto:info@tell-itmedia.com.au

AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES - TELL GOES ON TOUR

2011-03-20T19:37:00.000+11:00

We are on the eve of our departure, and thought this would be an appropriate time to reflect on all the things that need to be considered before taking a well-deserved break.

There is always a feeling of anticipation before going away - an intangible tinge of the unknown. You begin imagining about places you will visit - the faces you will see, the sounds, the experiences.

Before you go - there are of course a lot of other things to think about on this end particularly if you are running a small business.

I thought I would focus on some of the key points to address before going away for any extended period:

1.    Let your customers know.
2.    Don’t take on work that you will not be able to complete.
3.    Make sure that all your current jobs will either be complete prior to you leaving, or ensure that the customer is informed about this.
4.    For urgent work - consider engaging a business associate to help look after things while you are away.
5.    Forward your phone numbers so calls are taken care of - or set up an answering service. Your service providers can give you details on how.
6.    Set up an “Out Of Office” email responder.
7.    Don’t be tempted to work unless it is an absolute emergency - you are probably taking a break because you really need it!

By taking these steps you are ensuring that your customers feel “looked after” and informed. Informed clients are happy clients.

In our case priority no 1 is Mama - and no, this time it’s not my mother (although that is also a top priority at any time!).

The Mama I am referring to is of course Mama Lumka - who runs a shelter for AIDS infected and affected children near Cape Town in South Africa. With all the tragic natural disasters that have occurred in our region recently – it’s easy to lose focus on the little tragedies that occur to people everyday. One such tragedy has affected Mama Lumka - one of her major sponsors has withdrawn financial support - leaving her with even less resources to help her extended family of needy kids.

Inspired by this I have been running a fundraising campaign to help - and plan to personally hand over the funds to the Mama Lumka Nceduluntu Foundation when we visit South Africa next month - If you are planning to donate Please Note that we need all donations to be made before 28 March 2011 - and if you can’t help us this time please pass this on to someone who can!.

A huge thanks to all of you who have already generously supported me with this fundraiser. So far we have raised 710 dollars.

Pay it Forward

We will be taking some video and will make this available to all donors so that you can see first hand where your money has gone.

So to wrap up – Tell IT Media will be out of the office from March 29 to May 11th. I will check my emails periodically, but avoid calling my mobile as global roaming can be costly.

Thanking you in advance for your generous support!
Socially yours,
irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL GOOD - MAMA LUMKA

2011-03-01T13:30:00.000+11:00

We have been extremely busy in the office designing and developing websites for clients and have really got the ball rolling with some exciting Social Media projects for businesses. More and more I see the need to tie in Social Media with personal and business and activities – after all it’s simply another way of exchanging ideas, sharing information & knowledge and our experiences.

One particular project which lies close to my heart was a website I designed and sponsored for the Mama Lumka Charity Fundraiser. Mama Lumka is one of those unique and inspirational people who gives back every day- by founding and running a Sanctuary for abused and AIDS infected children in South Africa. Through the inspiration of Jenny King, Fundraising Luncheons were arranged- the last such function managed to raise over $20'000 -which was used to build a bakery which provided the Sanctuary with food and funds as well as creating employment and training for members of the local community.

I received news from Jenny who just visited Mama Lumka on thursday and this is what she wrote:

"We visited them yesterday and they are doing so well but they lost 50% of their sponsorship when one of the big corporations said they could no longer support them. They were absolutely devastated but have since managed to find a few more donors so they are able to keep going but with more severe financial constraints".

As I do, I was sitting on my balcony having a little contempative moment and this idea came to me. I wanted to try and find a way ‘to make a difference’ in some small way and get those I know to be involved and somehow use ‘Social Media for Social Good.’

At the end of March my family and I will be travelling to South Africa. We want our 2 daughters (aged 12 and 16) to share the colourful cultural experience, the landscapes and wildlife as a family before they become too independent and no longer want to travel with their parents. Of course we will be also visiting Mama Lumka and the children at the Nceduluntu Sanctuary in the Western Cape. We are hoping that this will allow the girls to gain a new perspective and insight into how privileged we all are and an opportunity to share our experience with you through our Blog and website.

Ok, so here is my ‘Hare brained’ scheme. I will be leaving at the end of March, that’s 4 weeks away.

My plan is:

1.    To try and get as many people as I can to donate to this charity through my Social Media Networks.
The amount people donate doesn’t matter. Every bit helps.
2.    The set-up of a PayPal Donate Button to facilitate donations which will be linked to the Mama Lumka Charity in Australia.
3.    I will be visiting Mama Lumka personally to hand over the donations.
4.    We will document our visit with Mama Lumka and the Children and get some video footage and pictures
to share with you in our blog and website so that you get hands on idea of where your money has gone.
5.    As a token our appreciations we plan to have Mama express her thanks and all those who donated.

Please click here to go the website to get more details or to make donations http://www.mamalumka.org.au/Social-Media-for-Social-Good-

The donate now button is really visible – if possible please leave your Name, Town and Email address so that we can keep track . . . and lastly please feel free to share!

Thanking you in advance for your generous support!
Socially yours,
irma

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

SOCIAL MEDIA – AN ANALOGY TO LIFE

2011-02-20T16:36:00.000+11:00

By now we would all have heard about Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Social Media. You may even have seen movies about it. But what’s all the hype about? And more importantly how can businesses benefit from it? We will try to de-mystify Social Media for you by creating an analogy with a real life village.

A village has a town square, or some central place where people gather and connect. Maybe they have a market there on weekends; they may have the occasional art exhibition, or organize meetings to discuss community issues. There will probably be a community noticeboard with important information or items for sale. Most likely there will be a café where you can chat with friends or even colleagues over a cup of coffee in a relaxed and familiar environment. Some days you may not make it to the town square- so you will pick up the phone and call-or send a fax.

Traditional village Zug (Switzerland) where I lived with my family for many years

Think of your website as being that town square and you will find that there are strong parallels between this familiar scenario and the online community. Similar to the café, Facebook or Linkedin, for example are places where people gather and connect- and provide a platform for people to share images, experiences, opinions- or perhaps raise the awareness about an important issue. Twitter is like the phone or fax that you use on the days where you can’t make it to the Town Square.

Blogs, Webinars, YouTube and Ebay are some examples of a kind of community noticeboard where you can engage with people and find useful information about what’s happening and what’s for sale. The only difference is that the online community has no municipal boundaries- it literally spans the entire world- and there is a town square to suit anyone. And with today’s technology the community is also mobile and can travel with you wherever you go!

By now you will be realizing why Social Media is no longer just a place to “hang out” online, but a place where business is conducted too- it’s a natural fit into the way we live and interact. It allows you too choose your community and who you want to network with both on a private and business level.

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF BEING SOCIAL – with Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin & YouTube

2011-01-28T22:00:00.000+11:00

These are exciting times - and nothing has been more exciting than the phenomenal growth of Social Media and its impact on the way we conduct business. It may all seem a bit overwhelming and you are probably wondering how to harness the power of Social Media for your business.

We won’t bore you with too many numbers, but statistics in this video show that social networking and the use of Social Media is becoming part of the marketing strategy of businesses across the spectrum. Recent research shows that social network or blog sites are visited by three quarters of global consumers who go online. Australian web users average the most time on social networking sites, averaging 7 hours 19 minutes in April 2010.

As online business has grown so have the expectations of the customers. What used to be a one Way Street has become a 2 lane highway - where businesses and their customers build relationships, engage in a conversation and exchange of information.

It’s all about building relationships and telling your story to potential customers. By Listening, Sharing, being humble and offering help and advice - you add a human element to your business or service. Using Social Media you can engage directly with customers in an informal way and build new networks.

Having a range of Social Media Presences is a good idea but care needs to be taken that profiles and branding are consistent across the platforms and that your Social Media presence accurately reflects your business personality.

Before embarking on any Social Media Strategy you need to ask some questions:

What are the needs of my business?
Whose attention am I trying to get?
What will I use Social Media for?
Which Social Media Sites should I use?

To sum it briefly, you should define your audience, locate your potential customers, build a social relationship with them and promote your brand and website. What you choose to do on these sites depends on what your business offers. The goal is to connect with people and influence them to talk about your business.

Social Media sites are community based (think of them as an online 'Town Square') and provide the ideal platforms for ‘Getting into the business of being Social’. For me there have been some interesting surprises along the way allowing me to nurture my relationships and build my business from my desk.

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

A COLOURFUL STORY ABOUT BLACK SATURDAY

2010-11-23T19:21:00.000+11:00

Another Tell Tale:

It was almost 2 years ago when we took off to our little Getaway from Melbourne to stay at the Cathedral Lodge just below the Cathedral Ranges near Taggerty. The kids loved this place - it had a pool, trampolines to keep them occupied while we relaxed or went for walks within the National Park.

Our ritual when we packed up after a weekend was to stop by at Marysville, a beautiful spot for a picnic or a relaxed cuppa coffee before heading back to the city. The kids would hit the Lollie shop or we would go for a quick walk to the Stephenson’s Falls.

On one occasion we went to visit Bruno and his Sculpture Garden. We remember Bruno and his wife Marleen’s welcome to the Gallery. We quickly got Bruno’s sense of humour apparent in his artworks and enjoyed wandering through the peaceful Sculpture Garden. We left inspired by his imagination and passion for the work he does.

Exactly a week after one such visit, we heard the news of the destructive fires that had swept through Victoria and of course our thoughts were with our friends in Taggerty and what might have been in Marysville. The lodge we stayed in was completely burnt down along with the original house and cabins – our friends first comment when we finally got hold of them was that at least they were still alive.

Almost a year and half later I made contact with Bruno through a client and business associate (an architect that had offered to design a new gallery and home for Bruno). This is how it happened that I have come to return to Marysville and reconnect with Bruno to work on revamping his website to try and encourage visitors to return to Marysville.

Bruno worked hard on restoring the sculptures that were damaged, cleaning out the Gardens and rebuilding both the gallery and his home. It’s incredible how people can draw positives out of bad experiences and see it as part of enriching their lives.

Many of his works were destroyed but fortunately his book holds his collection of paintings and Sculptures. The new Phoenix edition ‘A Colourful Story’ also contains images of the fire and the Garden before and after Bruno was allowed back to Marysville (after intense police investigations).

Bruno is an inspiration, to get the full story go and visit the website. It shows the Aftermath, the Rebuilding and the Garden now.

. . . or better still take a day drive and visit Marysville. See how nature has already started regenerating itself with the green slowly returning and the rivers flowing . . . finding new ways.

Marysville was completely destroyed on that day, but the positivity and optimistic philosophy of the community, the town is experiencing a rebirth. People like Bruno are an example of how a positive attitude can let you embrace new beginnings.

www.tell-itmedia.com.au
Email: info@tell-itmedia.com.au

THE POWER OF BEING SOCIAL

2010-11-07T19:02:00.000+11:00

As one of those uninformed people who scoffed at Social Media - I have been on a bit of a journey of discovery over the past few months. This journey has taken me to a previously unknown world and opened my eyes to a new way of interacting with people, both at a private and business level.

Like me, some of you may see Facebook as a platform for teenagers to gossip with their friends, and Twitter as something used by famous people for self promotion. Maybe you've heard about LinkedIn, Digg, Delicious,Flickr, Skype- but aren't sure what they actually are- or why people would want to use them. What about Wordpress, Posterous, Blogger and of course YouTube?

It's all quite overwhelming, isn't it? Initially it was hard for me to see how any of these services could bring any benefit- especially from a business perspective.

Well, the fact is they do.

The statistics speak for themselves - the internet is becoming the medium of choice to convey messages, both private and business. It's a modern industrial revolution that is changing the way we do things. "Traditional" methods of marketing and communication are being challenged daily, and we need to be aware of this. We are moving from a world of "push", where communication was generally one way to a world of "Push and Pull"- where communication has become a conversation and responses are generally instant.

Think of the old days where you would write a letter, pop it in the mail, and wait. Or when companies invited you to Market Research evenings to get your feedback on their product or service. Now you send an email (already becoming outdated) or tweet- and businesses will receive feedback on an ongoing basis from an enormous online community. A great example of this is when IKEA used Facebook's tagging function to promote a store opening. Basically people were encouraged to visit the Facebook page and win by being the first to tag pictures of articles of furniture with their name.

For me these powerful tools have enabled me to open many new windows.

· I am able to follow my interests with friends, business associates and my clients.

· I am able to meet people online and become part of a community without leaving my desk (particularly important for me since moving from an inner city location to the suburbs).

· I am able to organize meetings and network with potential clients, and at the same time have my finger on the pulse of what is happening in my industry.

Above all I have discovered how being active in Social Media can drive traffic to your website, and generate interest in my services and have developed a new level of respect and interest for both Social Media and SEO.

I enjoy being in a world where people and businesses can connect and communicate in an open forum, where ideas flow and where feedback is generally instant.