Social Projects
Culture Presentations
Company profile: Afrika Culture Institute
Open Culture Appreciation workshops (half-day)
Rainbow Nation – powerpoint presentation (45-minutes)
Ubuntu-workshops (2 days)
Company profile: Afrika Culture Institute (CC2005/091219/23)
Background:
Every South African company, big or small, grapples with the issue of accommodating employees from different cultural backgrounds. This issue is going to become more and more relevant as BBBEE is to be implemented in the years to come. This unique challenge to South African companies will be much easier if we know where our people come from and what makes them tick. You cannot appreciate what you do not know!
Afrika Culture Institute
The Afrika Culture Institute (a fully BEE-compliant company) has been presenting Culture Appreciation-workshops to a variety of clients (ranging from international visiting groups to corporates, culture organizations and youth groups.organisations) with great success over the past 6 years.
Recent clients include ATKV (8 three-day workshops and 9 one-day workshops countrywide); Hostex; Clicks; SARS; Uniglobe; APTA (on invitation in new York, USA June 2004); Centurion Busienss Forum; SAACI; University of Pretoria; Dept of Education, Western Cape (180 principals); etc.
The members/presenters are Dr Hanneke du Preez (Intercultural Communication-specialist) and Mr Isaac Magakwe (HR Manager and African culture-specialist).
Member/presenter profiles
Dr Hanneke du Preez studied and lectured Communication at the University of South Africa (UNISA), specializing in Intercultural Communication. She started her own company in 1989 working in the field of intercultural relations and democracy education.
She has published extensively in various media including radio and television productions. At present she spreads culture appreciation by presentations and arranging tours to areas and neighbourhoods with cultural significance
Mr Isaac Magakwe obtained a BA-degree in Heritage Tourism fro the University of Pretoria and a Human Resource Management certificate from UNISA. He has held positions as director of various companies in the mining, construction and telecommunications fields and human resources manager for a large construction company. During his years as missionary he traveled extensively through southern Africa, gaining deep insight in the religious-cultural foundation of South Africa’s people. He consulted and facilitated many community development projects such as the Ivory Route in Limpopo province and being a personal financial management advisor for emerging entrepreneurs.
OPEN CULTURE APPRECIATION WORKSHOPS (half day)
(Highly popular with corporates and organisations; now accessible to everyone. Do not miss this!
EVERY SOUTH AFRICAN (AND VISITOR) SHOULD ATTEND! )
What it is:
- A stimulating, thought-provoking and entertaining workshop on African and Western orientations, developing understanding and intercultural communication skills.
- The specialized knowledge and unique approach of the multi-cultural presenters inspires people to realize their role and place in their community, company and country.
Outcomes:
- Understanding and appreciation between South Africans from different cultural backgrounds
- Awareness and pride in the own cultural identity and awareness of each unique contribution
- Improved social climate, relationships, loyalty, productivity and general optimism
- Less unnecessary misunderstandings, conflict, negative attitudes and racism.
Content:
- Our rainbow nation: origin of cultures in SA, brief historical overview, townships, democratization, Africanization and Westernization.
- What is culture? How did I become me? Cultural differences, how cultures change and the effect we have on one another
- Exercise
- African and Western traditions - ways of thinking, values, language, body-language, time- and space concepts, etiquette.
- Attitudes and stereotypes
- Overcoming stumbling blocks.
3. Rainbow Nation – powerpoint presentation 45 minutes
Introduction to the cultures of South Africa (indispensable for international visitor groups).
Topics:
- Why are cultural differences so important in South Africa?
- Who were the first inhabitants?
- Origin of the different cultures
- Brief overview of South African history
- The struggle against apartheid
- Origin of the townships
- Coming of democracy: Mandela & Mbeki
- Africanising: its influence on the people of SA
- Westernization: its influence of the people of South Africa
- African and Western traditions: similarities and differences
- Attitudes.
UBUNTU WORKSHOPS (2 days)
Programme:
Session 1: Introduction. Purpose of the workshop. Ice-breaker.
Session 2: Our Rainbow Nation.
What is culture?
How cultures change: Westernization and Africanization.
Session 3: Food and culture
The South African dinner (practical).
Session 4: Exercise: The mineshaft
African and Western traditions: values.
Session 5: African and Western traditions (continued)
Language and body language
Time- and space concepts
Etiquette
Session 6: Play and culture
Traditional games (practical)
Session 7: Art and culture
Variety concert (practical)
Session 8: Exercise: CV
Attitudes, stereotypes, ethnocentrism
Session 9: Negotiation and conflict handling.
Overcoming stumbling blocks.