Little Travellers selected by Cosmo mag as HOT STUFF

One of South Africa’s most authoritative fashion magazines, Cosmopolitan, has selected Little Travellers as “unmissable” and one of the hottest accessories in their June, 2007 edition! They note, “Chic coats from Durban to New York are sporting a handmade beaded Little Traveller Doll in support of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre”.

Please click here to see the Little Travellers strutting their “Hot Stuff” in this month’s Cosmo!

Worrying news

June 21, 2007

Dear Ilan [coordinator of the Little Traveller Initiative],

Although I should have notified you sooner, I have been in a bit of a spin
to be quite honest, but 2 weeks ago we received some worrying news. The
hospital needs their ward back!!! The matron called Maryanne in and asked
how far we are with building our unit. We do have a lease until end of Feb
next year so we will be fine until then at least. As you know the furthest
we are is that the property has been rezoned so we are now allowed to build
a unit on the property. Anyway, the reason is not that the hospital is
being difficult but because they (DOH [Department of Health])are closing down some facilities that are claiming for chronic care patients that they don’t have and so they will have reopen wards at the hospital to house the patients that are legitimate and we will as a result have nowhere to go.

The first thing is that I dont think that they will insist that we move at
the end of Feb, but it certainly means that we have to get moving as far as
building is concerned.

Anyway GOD is moving in this place. The day before we were told the news,
an architect arrived on our doorstep and stated that he had a strong feeling
that he needed to help the Hillcrest AIDS Centre!!!! He has already drawn
up plans, and had the windows, baths and roofing donated!!!!! Additionally,
I am going to a meeting today with a senior official at the department of
housing, in order to possibly get a subsidy from them!!!!! Shaun actually
drew up the legislation for Department of Housing a few years ago but you
can only apply for it if you are housing people which is what the unit
does!!!!! 4 other organisations have received money this way previously -
Gods Golden acre, Lilly of the Valley, and Dream Centre.It wont build the
unit but will bring in about R11 000 per bed and with 21 beds its worth a
try!!!R231 000

Anyway the bottom line is it will cost about R2 million to build and will
also house the HBC [home-based care] and counselling and ARV [antiretroviral medication] monitoring but we are hoping to get most of the materials either donated or at cost.

Now more than ever, we are relying on the little travellers to support the
running of the unit because all my energies and begging expertise will be
going to building the unit and meeting with potential funders.
Additionally, Gap foundation are going to be coming for a visit on the 5th
and 6th of July – hopefully we can get them on board, by showing them what
we are doing.

I will update you of developments as we go.

Lotsa Luv

Julie [Director of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust]