Founded in 1941, West Music’s mission to "encourage people of all ages and abilities to: Play now. Play for life." is at the root of its success and continued growth. West Music has several retail locations in eastern Iowa and one in western Illinois. Our brick and mortar retail locations specialize in pianos, guitars, drums and percussion, band and orchestra instruments, and print music. These locations also offers music instruction, repair and music therapy services. In addition to its retail locations, West Music publishes an annual catalog focused on music education products for the classroom. Paired with its e-commerce presence, West Music continues to strive to provide the best possible music education experience for both educators and students nationwide. West Music’s founder, Pearl West, was born in 1914 to a very musical family. When the Great Depression impacted farming, the family turned to playing music to survive. Pearl toured and played throughout southern Iowa and northern Missouri in his youth. In 1977 West Music was awarded the exclusive distribution rights of Miyazawa Flutes from Japan to the United States; the original relationship with Miyazawa began primarily thanks to Pearl’s expertise in flute design and production. A new division of West Music, Miyazawa Flutes USA, was established to distribute this outstanding professional flute on a national level. Pearl discontinued the limited production of P.L. West flutes, and all flute manufacturing was transferred to Japan. Steve West’s passion for elementary music education led to the formation of the West Music Music Education Catalog Department in 1980. What began as a 12-page black-and-white catalog evolved into the current full color, 200-plus page catalog that is sent to elementary schools, universities, and churches throughout the United States and abroad. In 1984, West Music expanded operations to Cedar Rapids. In 1988, Westco, a separate import/export wholesale company was created to help establish a dealer organization on a national level. In addition to the importation of flutes from Japan, West Music and Westco began importing and distributing professional piccolos from Germany, guitars from Spain, percussion instruments from Mexico, China, and Germany, and ethnic instruments from Africa. Westco was expanded with the launch of a new website and catalog in 2011. Westco Educational Products is dedicated to providing quality, safe, and affordable musical and movement products designed to encourage and enhance a fun education experience. 1995 saw the beginning of West Music Music Therapy Services, a division of West Music focused on using music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. A strong partnership with the University of Iowa Music Therapy program allowed West Music to develop a program that has expanded to 14 therapists. This program has also further fulfilled West Music’s mission of encouraging people of all ages and abilities to play now, play for life. The West Music website launch in 1996 coincided with extensive technology upgrades, linking stores together online and enhancing efficiency and communication. West Music continued to expand with the establishment of Percussion Source in 1996, providing products for symphonic and concert percussionists nationwide. In 2005, utilizing experiences in early childhood education, West Music introduced a new line of children’s exploratory instruments, Sounds Like Fun. In 2006, a 40,000-square foot fulfillment center was built in west Coralville. The fulfillment center has been a major pillar in the continued growth and development of West Music’s local, national, and international business, providing a central hub where West Music can continue to offer customers enhanced care and delivery service. 2006 also saw further emphasis on branding and customer experience, with many of the regional stores remodeling to reflect West Music’s focus on customers experiencing the power of making music. Over the years, West Music has expanded to include virtually all types of musical instruments, including pianos and keyboards, band and orchestra instruments, guitars and amplifiers, drums and percussion, software, elementary general music materials, early childhood instruments, and music therapy products. West Music is also proud to provide a full array of services with repair technicians, delivery crew, music therapists, lesson teachers, school music representatives, classroom consultants, and customer service consultants, in addition to the sales and administrative staff.

The Kids First SA team is made up of a group of highly experienced professionals. They are constantly learning from each other and believe that through collaborative practice and sharing knowledge, ideas and skills they will be able to offer schools and families a service that is truly integrated and most importantly, they hope, effective. The Kids First Centre in Pinelands, South Africa is a multidisciplinary centre offering Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology, Physiotherapy, Play Therapy, Dyslexia Support, Dietetics and a lot more! Their philosophy at Kids First is that a child’s best interests are at the heart of every decision. With this being the fabric of their Centre, they believe everything else will fall into place. At Kids First, they have a multidisciplinary team (MDT) using an interdisciplinary approach. This means that each professional brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, which they can all 'tap' in to in order to benefit their clients. At Kids First, they believe that a Team Around the Child (TAC) is key to effective intervention and support. This ‘Team’ includes family/friends, professionals and teachers/staff, all of whom play an important role in helping a child reach his/her full potential. When you come to Kids First for support, you can expect to be engaged in therapy, and they will up-skill you so that you feel confident to help your own child. You can also expect them to engage with your child’s teacher / key staff members so that they are aware of what they’re doing and can integrate strategies in a more natural context. They believe that listening to and working with parents helps facilitate progress. Therefore, when your child enters Kids First, they will want to support you to understand how you can help your child at home. They provide you with simple and fun activities to incorporate into your daily routines. All interventions and approaches adopted by Kids First will be research and evidenced-based, a founding principle of their UK Company Words First Ltd. There are many ‘interventions’ out there that claim to do miraculous things for children, but many of these are not based on scientific research and lack the evidence to substantiate the claims. Their role is to sift through the wealth of information out there and to select interventions that are well researched with excellent evidence bases. To do this, they tap into the expertise of many international approaches and rely on the interventions they know work in the UK. Their only goal is to support your child to reach his / her potential. Many children do not require ongoing therapy for years – after accurate identification of the underlying cause, they may just require a shorter burst of intervention. At the Kids First Centre SA, they use a range of standardized and informal assessments and observations to unpick your child's strengths and weaknesses. They believe that the assessment phase is vital in helping them to understand your child's unique profile and guide their intervention. Through a detailed assessment, their therapists can deliver deficit-sensitive therapy (that means, therapy that matches the underlying cause of the difficulties.

Wordworks is a South African non-profit organisation that focuses on early language and literacy development in the first eight years of children’s lives. Since 2005 they have worked in under-resourced communities with adults best positioned to positively impact young children’s language and literacy development – parents and caregivers, family and community members, home-visitors, early childhood development practitioners and Grade R to Grade 3 teachers. They are working collaboratively to grow an informed, capable, resourced and motivated network of schools, organisations and institutions that promote the importance of, and work effectively for the improvement of, children’s early language and literacy, through their association with their programmes and materials. Wordworks offers training, resources and support for partners who wish to use their early language and literacy programmes in their own networks. Their programmes all include messaging about the importance of language for literacy development and the need to build children’s home language in the early years as a foundation for the acquisition of a second language. They advocate for children to have access to multilingual, language rich stories and books, as well as meaningful experiences with print. They also know that letter-sound knowledge and phonological awareness are key predictors of whether children learn to read and write, and have developed resources and guidelines to support these important foundations for literacy. Their programmes are based on an emergent literacy perspective and the idea that learning to read and write is a process that happens over time in the context of supportive and responsive relationships. They offer five main programmes, which are used by their network of partners which include preschools, schools, libraries, community organisations, training and resource NGOs, tertiary institutions, education districts and other government departments. Programmes are sustained through ongoing relationships with Wordworks, including refresher training and events, input and guidance, access to resources and opportunities, sharing of learning, and support for programme monitoring and evaluation. They develop, produce and distribute innovative, high quality multilingual materials to support early language and literacy learning. They invest in public education and advocacy, sharing knowledge and ideas to open doors for all children.

The programme was established in 2019 and is currently based primarily in Koutaya, Dubreka (Republic of Guinea). The scheme has been devised specifically to advance child education by providing primary schooling and learning resources to children in areas with reduced opportunities or where significant shortfalls have been identified. The vision is to embed the URBOND philosophy of ‘building bigger, stronger communities together’ on an international scale by involving the charity’s participants in the UK in the organisations work in Africa. The impact that the charity and its participants are having in the Republic of Guinea is just the beginning of what can be achieved by bringing people together to form stronger communities.

I am a Zambian born, comes from a family of 8 and the youngest of the Mwila’s. My siblings always thought I was spoilt because I was the youngest, but I don’t think so! I was born in a town called Mufulira on the Copper belt side of Zambia in 1981,the Copper belt province is rich with mineral finds and Mines, hence the name. I am Married to Eric and we have a beautiful daughter called Chanda, she is 15 years. I completed my matric in 1999 and my mother advised me to study food production since I loved cooking, I did it for her though it was a course that I never dreamt of studying. I graduated successfully and worked for 2 years as a chef, got tired of cooking, I dodged that career and went into studying computers, worked as a receptionist and studied Human resources at the same time and obtained a diploma. I worked for a courier company as a Human Resources assistant. In 2012, I moved to South Africa, Cape Town when I got married, joined a Mobile Money company called Zoona with operations in Zambia, and I worked there for 5 years as a support agent. Zoona is an African Fintech company founded in 2009 with the vision of helping communities thrive. Since launching, it created over 2,500 jobs in Zambia and Malawi, empowered over 1,000 entrepreneurs to start their own business and allowed them to reach earnings of over $10 million. I enjoyed working for this company because we really helped girl child prevail. Apart from the above, I am a lover of interior designing, and my wish is to have one of the most successful Interior business one day, through my passion for interior, I designed my sister’s Kitchen area, how amazing!!! I love cooking and baking (especially Cake pops), they are my favorites!!! I love adventure, gardening and working out too, I am a gym freak. Most importantly, I love spending time with my loved ones. I reflect a varied personality, including ambition, and the qualities of generosity and thoughtfulness. I am also a well determined and vigorous individual, and yet calm. I encourage fighting for what you desire and believe in and doing it through God because nothing great comes easy. I believe mindfulness in the workplace is key to success. Having worked in Customer care I have gained extensive experience in; Empathy, Adaptability, Ability to Use Positive Language, Clear Communication Skills, Self-Control, Taking Responsibility and Patience.

Project Playground, founded in 2010, is a non-profit organisation, engaging over 840 vulnerable children and youth in townships outside Cape Town in South Africa. Princess Sofia of Sweden, at the time Sofia Hellqvist, and Frida Vesterberg, relying on experience and knowledge from the non-profit sector, felt there was a need to focus on the individual's development in combination with a holistic perspective about the child and his or her unique personal needs, in order to create a sustainable and long-term change at both individual and system level. Their vision is a world where every child and youth grows up with a belief in the future and the opportunity to positively impact their own lives. With a holistic approach, they work using educational, recreational and supportive programs to empower vulnerable children and youth. One by one. They aim to create self-reliant individuals who are capable of managing their own lives and therefore contribute to the democratic, financial and equal development of their society. By being part of Project Playground, children gain self-esteem, determination and belief in the future. These three things are key to creating better life conditions and resilience, which results in a ripple effect throughout the whole community. Project Playground works exclusively with and for the children and youth forced to grow up in the legacy of Apartheid. They are established in areas that are systematically socially and economically deprived and in a society with an absent support system. Many of the children come from broken and abusive families, where they are victims of neglect, various types of abuse, malnutrition and lack positive role models. Due to the circumstances of their environment, many children are deprived of a true childhood. That is why Project Playground intervenes early and works long term with both children and their surroundings to create holistic change on an individual, community and systematic level. Without adequate teachers, school books or school facilities, children in townships become further disadvantaged. Policy changes are needed to incorporate a more holistic, supportive approach in schools where children have access to psychosocial support but also where teachers and employees have a broad understanding of Children's Rights and are able to uphold and be guided by a bespoke Child Protection Policy adapted to that specific school. This will equip and protect both school personnel and the students and contribute to a broader, deeper and more sustainable protective environment for children. Project Playground believes that the way forward is to be proactive rather than reactive, and to focus on the individual in everything they do. Decisions and actions should are based on prevention, sustainability and motivation for a positive attitude towards life and the people around them. Project Playground creates a safe space for children to be children. Because we know that what happens early, matters a lifetime.

I have four passions in life. My sport, family, work and God. Each I pursue with dogged determination to be better and to excel. The greatest blessing and experience in life is the privilege of life is having a loving and supporting wife and incredible children. My relationship with each of them is treasured above all. I am blessed in that I am healthy, enjoy the blessing of life and am extremely active. I am thrilled to be able to compete on the international stage for home and country. Success therein is just a cherry on top. Career and work has been an incredible experience. Knowing what I wanted to be early in high school and achieving such has brought about economic emancipation and a lifestyle I could only dream about as a little boy. I bask in the success and abilities given to me and the blessing poured out in great abundance.

CambriLearn was started by our principal, Cecilia Reinecke, so that she can have a positive impact on students around the world. Since then the CambriLearn team has worked with thousands of students over the past 10 years, from homeschooling families to students at traditional schools, tutor centres and schools by providing education support services across more than 20 countries. The CambriLearn curriculum is based on the world’s most widely-recognised British system of learning and assessment, preparing students of all ages to be successful in work, at university and in life. Our team has worked with thousands of students over the past 10 years, from homeschooling families to students at traditional schools, tutor centres and school education support services across more than 20 countries.

Girls Who Code is an international non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. With their 7-week Summer Immersion Program, after school Clubs, College Loops program and New York Times best-selling series, they are leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Girls Who Code has reached 300,000 girls around the world. Girls Who Code values diversity, equity and inclusion as essential to their mission. They focus their work not only on gender diversity but also on young women who are historically underrepresented in computer science fields. They offer clubs for students to explore coding in a fun & friendly environment, a wide range of programs aimed at supporting college-aged students and early career professionals (18-25) in persisting in their computer science education and succeeding in their first internships and jobs, and a virtual summer program for high school students to learn coding and make an impact in their community while preparing for a career in tech.

La Barça Academy es el modelo de escuela del FC Barcelona dirigida a niños y niñas de 6 a 18 años, que tiene como objetivo principal la formación integral de sus alumnos. Este modelo de escuela, exportado a nivel internacional, pretende extender la marca Barça y transmitir la filosofía de trabajo del Club en el resto del mundo. Las Barça Academy trabajan con un modelo propio, único, basado en la metodología Barça, con un estilo de juego creativo y ofensivo, y con una indispensable transmisión de valores: respeto, esfuerzo, ambición, trabajo en equipo y humildad. La BARÇA Academy es la academia oficial de fútbol del BARÇA, una escuela de vida que forma personas a través del fútbol. Nace con el objetivo de acercar el estilo de juego del Club en el mundo, dando la oportunidad de convertirse en jugador/a del BARÇA a cualquier chico/a que se identifique con nuestros valores y que quiera aprender a jugar como el BARÇA. Se desarrolla un programa formativo de fútbol a través del entrenamiento y la competición, fundamentado en la metodología del BARÇA. Una metodología que pretende desarrollar a jugadores/as autónomos/as y creativos/as, que representen los valores del BARÇA (humildad, esfuerzo, ambición, respeto y trabajo en equipo), capaces de organizarse colectivamente para realizar un juego atractivo, caracterizado por llevar la iniciativa a partir de la posesión del balón. En la BARÇA Academy el jugador/a disfruta jugando al fútbol, ​​practicando tareas jugadas que lo sitúan dentro del contexto específico del juego. Él/ella deberá resolver estas situaciones a través de sus capacidades, coordinándose con sus compañeros/as de equipo para, posteriormente, ser capaz de actuar eficaz y eficientemente en la competición siguiendo el estilo de juego del BARÇA. El jugador/a es guiado por el entrenador/a BARÇA, el cual potencia su toma de decisiones y lo convierte en el centro de su proceso de aprendizaje. Esta metodología propia y única pretende compartir el modelo BARÇA en el mundo, exportando el estilo a escala internacional a partir de las BARÇA Academy, sedes distribuidas en los cinco continentes. Cada una de estas BARÇA Academy están dirigidas por un director de Proyecto formado en el BARÇA, quien está asesorado técnicamente desde Barcelona y tiene la misión de implementar esta metodología de éxito ajustándola a las particularidades de cada región, convirtiendo nuestro fútbol en universal.

Voluntechies es una asociación sin ánimo de lucro española que realiza actividades de voluntariado corporativo y RSC desde 2015. Voluntechies ofrece una innovadora experiencia inmersiva a través de talleres con realidad virtual a aquellos que más lo necesitan, como los niños/as hospitalizados, personas mayores o discapacitados. El objetivo principal es ofrecer un momento de alegría y diversión, para que los participantes puedan olvidarse por un momento del dolor, la enfermedad o la soledad y disfrutar como nunca antes lo habían hecho. En Voluntechies están convencidos de que pueden utilizar las nuevas tecnologías para mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas, sobre todo, de aquellos que se encuentran en una situación de mucha vulnerabilidad. Es por ello que tienen un objetivo claro, haber ayudado a 1 millón de personas en 2030. Gracias a sus divertidos talleres consiguen transportar a las personas que participan "fuera" de su realidad, llevándolos a descubrir las profundidades del océano, dar un paseo por la playa o hacer trekking en el Himalaya. Lo mejor de todo es que también les enseñan a cómo montar sus propias gafas de RV, dándoles así una herramienta para que puedan seguir disfrutando de muchas más aventuras. Voluntechies is a Spanish non-profit association that has been carrying out corporate volunteering and CSR activities since 2015. Voluntechies offers an innovative immersive experience through virtual reality workshops to those who need it most, such as hospitalized children, the elderly or disabled. The main objective is to offer a moment of joy and fun, so participants can forget about pain, illness or loneliness for a moment and enjoy like never before. At Voluntechies they are convinced that they can use new technologies to improve people's quality of life, especially those who are in a highly vulnerable situation. That is why they have a clear goal, to have helped 1 million people by 2030. Thanks to their fun workshops they manage to transport the people who participate "outside" their reality, taking them to discover the depths of the ocean, take a walk on the beach or go trekking in the Himalayas. Best of all, they also teach them how to assemble their own VR glasses, giving them a tool, so they can continue enjoying many more adventures.

I'm the family person, hard-working woman, a mom of a handsome boy, adventures and a God fearing woman. I worked at the Department of Health as an Administration Clerk for 5 years. We've opened an N.P.O Youth Initiative. We are developing youth in programs such as soccer, reading and our culture. We conduct awareness campaigns about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. We facilitate the formation of support groups. And I have passion in farming. We started poultry farming and rabbits and we are selling the eggs in our community. I've done short course in Financial Management at University of Forte at PFMA.

Genially es una herramienta online, disponible desde 2015, que ofrece una amplia versatilidad para crear todo tipo de contenidos interactivos. La misión del equipo de trabajo es hacer posible que todo el mundo pueda crear contenidos visuales e interactivos de forma rápida y sencilla. Esta es la razón por la que trabajan por convertir al contenido interactivo en un formato de uso diario, tanto como dar los buenos días o mirar antes de cruzar. El acceso a esta plataforma puede ser de individual o por equipo de trabajo, en el cual se pueden realizar presentaciones, infografías, gamificaciones, imágenes interactivas y prácticamente cualquier tipo de material interactivo. Con más de 3000 plantillas realizadas por diseñadores profesionales y muchas otras reutilizables, que han sido creadas y compartidas por usuarios, el editor de Genially es un espacio de trabajo en el que te sientes como pez en el agua. No tienes que descargar nada, es online y muy fácil de usar. Las herramientas avanzadas y los recursos te ayudan a crear contenidos interactivos en poco tiempo. Además, es posible integrar tu trabajo en Genially con otras plataformas digitales, tales como Google Drive, para que utilices todos los recursos que necesites en tu presentación. Para acceder a esta plataforma solo es necesario registrarse en alguno de los planes disponibles, entre los que se encuentra una opción freemium, que permite que cualquier persona pueda utilizar la versión gratuita de la herramienta por tiempo ilimitado, o bien adquirir uno de los planes premium para usar todas las características avanzadas. Los creadores de Genially afirman que el implemento de la tecnología en la creación de contenido mejora la receptividad de la audiencia durante una presentación. Esto se debe a que es posible conseguir que las personas presten más atención gracias un alto componente visual, más participación debido a la interactividad que permite la plataforma, así como conseguir presentaciones memorables que sorprenden y son fáciles de recordar. Además del software de edición, Genially también cuenta con una Academia online para que todos los usuarios aprendan a sacar el mayor provecho de esta herramienta, lo que permite que pueda ser usada por empresas, estudiantes, profesores, e incluso, diseñadores. Genially is an online tool, available since 2015, that offers wide versatility to create all kinds of interactive content. The mission of their team is to make it possible for everyone to create visual and interactive content quickly and easily. This is why they work to make interactive content a format for everyday use, much like saying good morning or looking before crossing. The workspace can be used by individuals or teamworks, in which presentations, infographics, gamification, interactive images and practically any type of interactive material can be made. With over 3000 templates made by professional designers, and many other reusable ones, that have been created and shared by users, the Genially editor is a workspace where you feel at home. You don’t have to download anything; it’s online and easy to use. Advanced tools and resources help you create interactive content quickly. In addition, it is possible to integrate your work in Genially with other digital platforms, such as Google Drive, so that you can use all the resources you need in your presentation. To access this platform, it is only necessary to register into one of the available plans, among which there is a freemium option, which allows anyone to use a free version of the tool for a unlimited time, or purchase one of the premium plans to access the advanced features. The creators of Genially claim that the implementation of technology in content creation improves the receptivity of the audience during a presentation. This is because it allows to get people to pay more attention thanks to a highly visual component, more participation due to the interactivity that the platform allows, as well as to achieve memorable presentations that surprise and are easy to remember. In addition to the editing software, Genially also has an online Academy for all users to learn how to get the most out of this tool, which allows it to be used by companies, students, teachers, and even designers. Design creative presentations with Genially, the free online tool with thousands of templates to fit any theme. The result? The most effective presentations with interactivity and animation that attract better than a magnet.

Born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and I am currently living in South Africa at Cape Town for seven years. I am single from now and busy shaping my programming skills and IT knowledge at Cape Peninsula university of technology (CPUT). I am a software developer, I am always keen to discover and learn about new technology and invention in IT world, I have a good understanding of programming languages, internet cloud services and Desktop support CompTIA A+. I am a self-motivated person, reliable, determined, very skilful in communication, fast learner with an open mind to expose myself into new world and concept. Live is a journey about challenges and discovering that’s why I am always ready to face new challenge in technology and software world. I really like to play guitar and read books about science and others because knowledge for me is one of the keys to open doors, make a difference and discovering new area in live.

My name is Noxolo Femele and I'm 42 years old and I have 2 kids both are girls age 17 and 13 years old. I worked for 43 Air School as a receptionist for 5 year and while I was there I used to help out at the Admin area and at Marketing department and that had lead me on having an interest on becoming 1 of the Managers but unfortunately we got retrenched. Then I worked for Lendcor group as a Sales consultant for 1 year 6 months same we got retrenched. That's where I decided to start my small business just to put food on the table until now but things are not doing well due to Covid-19.

I am a God fearing individual, and I’m also a father to two beautiful kids, a boy and a girl. I worked for Tekkie Town as a Sales Assistant and I was chosen as the best Sales person for the entire Mpumalanga province. I also worked for the Department of agriculture as a Data capture. I have a passion for sports, football is one of my favourites and one day I wish I can own a soccer team. While I was in high school, I always wanted to be a lawyer but due to financial constraints I could not become one. My interest in the justice system came when I realised that the late former president Mr Nelson Mandela was also a lawyer representing his people. I wish one day I could give back to my community and its people because my community gave us the likes of the late Steve Bantu Biko, one of the BCM Members who fought for the people of South Africa. My community is one of the underdeveloped communities of this country, but I know that one day all of this will change because I know that with education anything is possible. When a child is educated communities will change for the better and if one community changes, then our country will change for the better as well and poverty will be no more. Education topped with one’s perseverance is the key to a bright future for all. With this pandemic people have lost their jobs and in some households you find that no one is working and people resort to drugs and alcohol, some get depressed to a point of taking their own lives. If we can start developing jobs for people, our continent would become a better place for us all. Being part of an initiative that supports the empowerment of those less privileged is one of my greatest wishes. I will be glad if all my wishes do come through because nothing is as important as education and hard work, and an educated country means a better world for us all.

I am Elnet Girly Ndlovu. I am 29 years old. I was born and raised in Mpumalanga, South Africa. I graduated from high school in the year 2012 and am currently studying for a higher certificate in economics and management sciences through the university of South Africa. I have also obtained a certificate in business administration and Computer literacy of which I seek to study further to do entrepreneurship. I began my career as a customer service representative in 2014. Naturally, I have a growth mindset that enables me to grow and to help me by learning from mistakes to improve myself continually. I am kind, loving, caring and a person who is full of empathy often. I am a go-getter, positive, bubbly person who loves a positive fun filled environment. I am self-motivated and also enjoy motivating my team members. I work well in a team or individually. I am passionate about education, uplifting others, entrepreneurship and making a better society for the future generation to come while walking the journey of self-discovery I have more than four years experience in customer service and administration combined with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Administrative Assistance, Meeting Scheduling, Executive Support. I have excellent interpersonal skills, I am also a fast learner and adapt quickly to a new environment My hobbies are reading books, listening to music, walking and learning new things.

My name is Glorymar Hernandez, but I prefer to be called “Glory”. I was born in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and grew up amid the crowds of the city, the tranquility of the Andean mountains and the joy of the Caribbean coast. A mixture that has taught me to enjoy wherever I am, that aroused my curiosity to know the world, and that has helped me to adapt, with relative ease, to changes. I have a degree in Philosophy, my research works are in Philosophy of Language. Since 2019 I have been working as a Spanish teacher. I decided to start teaching my mother tongue thanks to my experience learning other languages. I had the opportunity to live for a year in Ireland, where I went to learn English and, currently, I am in Italy, where I have had the opportunity to learn Italian. These experiences allowed me to realize that, although seeking perfection when trying to “speak like a native” is the ideal, what really matters is being able to communicate, make ourselves understood and be open to the experience of knowing other cultures and understand that there are many different points of view. Professionally, I have had the opportunity to work in different contexts such as banking, outsourcing consular procedures, and teaching at university level. The biggest lesson I learned from these experiences is that I am not an office person. I prefer to own my time and have the freedom to work wherever I am. For this reason, I have decided to dedicate myself to teaching Spanish online and to enter the digital world. I consider myself a very curious and versatile person, that is why in my free time I enjoy handcrafting (such as sewing or knitting), volunteering, being in contact with nature, and trying to learn new things, like playing the guitar. Regarding my geographical preferences, the beach and the mountains are my main refuges, because I can escape from the noise of the city and connect with myself. That is why I would like to be able to live with my husband on a mountain, not far from the sea.

La Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències) de Valencia es un conjunto único dedicado a la divulgación científica y cultural, que está integrado por seis grandes elementos: el Hemisfèric, cine IMAX, 3D y proyecciones digitales; el Umbracle, mirador ajardinado y aparcamiento; el Museu de les Ciències, innovador centro de ciencia interactiva; el Oceanogràfic, el mayor acuario de Europa; el Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, dedicado la programación operística, y el Ágora, que dota al complejo de un espacio multifuncional. A lo largo de un eje de casi dos kilómetros, en el antiguo cauce del río Turia, este complejo impulsado por la Generalitat Valenciana sorprende por su arquitectura y por su inmensa capacidad para divertir y estimular las mentes de sus visitantes que, recorriendo sus edificios, conocen diferentes aspectos relacionados con la ciencia, la tecnología, la naturaleza o el arte. El papel relevante de la arquitectura en la Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias de Valencia ha sido posible gracias al trabajo de dos arquitectos españoles de prestigio internacional, que han aportado aquí lo mejor de su obra: Santiago Calatrava, con el Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, el Hemisfèric, el Museu de les Ciències, el Umbracle y el Àgora, y Félix Candela, con las singulares cubiertas de los edificios principales del Oceanogràfic. Un conjunto arquitectónico de excepcional belleza, que armoniza el continente con el contenido. Una ciudad donde conviven el mar y la luz del Mediterráneo de manera sorprendente. Se ha constituido como uno de los mayores focos de difusión cultural. En conjunto, las proyecciones digitales y las películas en gran formato en el Hemisfèric, las exposiciones interactivas en el Museu de les Ciencies Príncip Felipe y las exhibiciones bioeducativas del Oceanogràfic, conforman una gran oferta interrelacionada, que se complementa, con el único objetivo de satisfacer la curiosidad y las ganas de divertirse del visitante. La Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias une además la admirada tradición mediterránea del mar y la luz, de los colores azules y blancos, con una arquitectura vanguardista diseñada por Santiago Calatrava y Félix Candela. Sus audaces líneas identifican a la capital del Turia del siglo XXI; es la estampa futurista que simboliza a la nueva Valencia: una ciudad moderna dentro de la ciudad milenaria, donde millones de visitantes acuden cada año para disfrutar con la cultura, la naturaleza, el arte y la ciencia.

I’m Toni-Leigh, born and bred in the Mother City of Cape Town. My fiancé and I, are parents to a lively 2-year-old girl who arrived 5 years after losing our 3-year-old son to a rare genetic disease. I love learning new things. Growing up, I was a voracious reader, reading anything and everything (even the classifieds and property ads) and with the advancement of technology over the years, I can have information at the tip of my fingers, so I’m always eager to learn new things and I’m a fast learner. I’ve always had an interest in Information Technology and was the go-to person in my office before my colleagues would go to the IT office, and now I’m looking into further studies so that I can develop my knowledge and skills. In 2005, I graduated from Varsity College with a Diploma in Travel and Tourism, with aspirations of travelling worldwide in my profession. Things didn’t quite work out that way, having worked in retail and a company assisting young people to live and work in the UK. In the last decade or so, I’ve been in the tourism industry behind the scenes, working for an online holiday accommodation booking agency and more recently a company that does tours and safaris in Southern Africa. I also do freelance work remotely, such as, captioning for a speech-to-text service and social media evaluation. I am an introvert but enjoy working with and being in the company of others, while also enjoying being on my own. In the past I used to view being an introvert as a weakness because those higher up in the ranks of the companies I worked for were extroverted but in recent times I realised how much of a strength it is being an introvert as I also have a strong sense of empathy, which I believe is key in Customer Service and building interpersonal relationships with colleagues and clients. I’m passionate about customer service and going the extra mile and l love that feeling of knowing that I’ve made a difference in someone’s day, whether big or small. People tend to describe me as hardworking, punctual, efficient, dependable and trustworthy. Covid-19 affected the tourism industry drastically, however, I still want to travel anywhere I can, just soaking up the different cultures and experiences. The last year has been both challenging and rewarding and it has made me see things in a different light and so it has been somewhat of a new beginning for me. I am motivated now more than ever to seek out new passions and adventures and to get out of my comfort zone.

The JOG Trust (Joy Of Giving Trust) is the custodian of Kidz2Kidz Projects and the Santa Shoebox Project. We are one of the leading children’s charity organisations in South Africa. The smallest gesture of kindness can have a profound effect on a child. We see this, every day, in the children we reach through our Projects. Our Cool2BeKind workshops teach children in all communities, the value of kindness and empathy as alternatives to bullying and abuse. Through a structured, term-based program, Love2Learn provides support for teachers and children in under-resourced schools, while encouraging advantaged schools to become involved.

Wamkelekile (‘Welcome’ in isiXhosa) to one and all! My name is Iman Martin – ‘Iman’ having both Arabic and African meanings for ‘faith’. Just like my name, I come from a multicultural background: my mom has Indian and Malaysian origins, while my dad is from the Griqua people/clan in South Africa. In the same vein, I am a Muslim and have Christian relatives, with who I am very close. It is because of my diverse background that I feel I was raised to be both tolerant and respectful towards those that are of a different culture, religion, or ethnicity. Cape Town has been the only home I know, and I’ve never ventured far out of it. I do however envision myself travelling to different parts of the world a few years from now. I am passionate about women’s empowerment and women having the choice to choose for themselves! I have recently graduated from the University of Cape Town, with a Bachelor of Social Work (Psychology Major) and placed on the Dean’s Merit List, awarded for consistent academic achievement. Through hard work and perseverance, I was fortunate to have received a scholarship from the Department of Social Development for three of my four years of study. My mini-thesis explored the experiences and challenges of 1st-year students at UCT adjusting to university. Studying social work has not only allowed me to better understand those around me and their thought processes but also, to better understand myself and the possible reasons why I am the way I am. As part of my course requirements, I had to complete field practicals – by putting the theory that I was learning in class to practice in a real-world environment. My field practice experience ranged along a spectrum: from providing social work services to underprivileged youth in a primary school in Bonteheuwel, to interning in the more affluent area of Upper Wynberg, at an international school. This experience further fostered my innate empathy and non-judgemental outlook for those around me. I am someone who is not afraid to get my hands dirty, work hard and help out where I can: currently job hunting, I have occasionally been helping my father with renovations to his property that include painting, plastering, applying putty, etc. This has taught me many practical things that I hope to apply when I own my own house one day. A few months before now, I worked as a Personal Assistant to a therapist and social worker. This was a remote job that taught me valuable organisation and time-management skills. In my early years of study, I found myself working a sales assistant job at the Robben Island Museum Gateway store, and found that my favourite part of the job was interacting with the different tourists that happened upon our humble store and hearing their stories – where they were from and why they decided to visit SA, etc. I love reading, and since a young age, I’ve been considered a bookworm. I mainly enjoy supernatural and sci-fi novels and webcomics, as well as other forms of content such as newspaper and magazine articles (need to know what’s happening in the world around me). English was also my favourite subject at school, and I think this was also encouraged by my English-teacher mother, who was quick to correct any incorrect grammar and pronunciation when my siblings and I spoke incorrectly. I often assisted her in marking her learners’ English examination scripts and as a result, am quick to pick up on spelling or grammatical errors. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, long walks with my dog Ninja, and photography. This has led me to submit a piece that is currently being exhibited at the Zeits Mocca Art Museum, in their long-running ‘Home is Where The Art Is’ exhibition. Furthermore, my faith has given me strength through the darkest times and taught me to be tolerant and understanding of those around me. I am still very much figuring life and myself out as I go along and am always open to learning from those around me.

“Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” A Japanese proverb close to my heart. It has helped me persevere in so many situations in life and those situations have molded me into the woman I am today. Here’s a brief introduction to who I am. I am a new mommy to an adorable baby boy. A jack of all trades. I’m an artist at heart, fitness enthusiast, avid reader, and quite academic. I was born on the 9th of August in the year 1996 in Elim, a small village in the Limpopo Province. I grew up in Johannesburg and later moved to Pretoria in 2006 when I was in Grade 4, where I completed the rest of my school career. I have always been one to participate in almost every extra-mural activity since my primary school years, I played softball, hockey, and cricket. I took part in cross-country and district athletics to name a few. My love for sports made me gravitate towards what I currently do part-time, I train on a regular basis, and I am a wellness coach and a distributor for a prominent nutrition brand. A large part of what I do involves helping people correct their nutrition and learn more about the benefits of healthy eating so that they can lead a healthier lifestyle and feel great while they are at it. I have been involved in various projects that involved giving back to those in need. I have been involved with an initiative called Feed a Homeless Homie, where we made food for the homeless and distributed it at least one weekend a month, I also helped a friend of mine with a pads drive for less fortunate girls, I also give clothes to homeless shelters for women and children whenever I can and I worked with an NGO known as Keep That Gold Shining (KTG) where we tutored young kids in high schools in the townships. I am a philanthropist at heart and believe that even the smallest contribution goes a long way. As mentioned, I am also an artist, mostly self-taught. I do painting on commission as well as pencil sketching. I do not have a specific style as yet, but most of my work features women from different walks of life. I would like to collaborate with more artists in the future and have exhibitions. I try to read at least one book a month. My favorite writers have always been James Patterson and Dan Brown however I recently branched out to other genres besides suspense and thrillers. Some of my latest reads are: • Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki • Atomic Habits by James Clear • The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho • Half of a yellow sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie • No Longer At Ease by Chinua Achebe I can speak at least 6 of the 11 official languages, I am fairly tech-savvy. I am a quick learner, always willing to pick up a new skill. Life has thrown several curveballs at me and I never backed down. I strongly believe in working hard and not giving up on anything I do. My name means ‘Be Strong’, that is who I am!

Rome wasn't built in a day. I’m of a very friendly nature and love to be with people who aren’t selfish. I am ambitious and will do anything to achieve my aim - "The Universe applauds action not thought"  I’m of a very adventurous nature and love to find good in everything I see. There are many things that make us depressed or upset, but that doesn’t mean that we stop living. You dust yourself off, honor the difficult times for the lesson it taught you, and walk away stronger and wiser. Independence and confidence were key in my life from a young age with venturing to the UK straight after school, and eventually ending up in Cape Town as my dream destination to live a happy balanced life where beautiful sunsets are part of your everyday life, and reminds you that dreams do come true. My professional life started as a labourer painting parks in the dire UK winter weather to Insurance consultant for a huge corporate company. Getting to know me over time, it became clear that I adapt quickly and take pride in everything I do, as I strive to leave everything and everyone better than you found them. Covid-19 and the drastic changes that came with it has been the most challenging and rewarding time of my life. With a system that failed us all in so many ways, living a financially stable life is nearly impossible but forced me to get grounded with nature and realize that the best things in life are truly free. My senses for nature, animals, and my overall humility enhanced drastically. We are all just reminded once again that nothing ever goes as planned and that losing everything including your mind might be necessary to make you realize what a strong, resilient, and galactic species we truly are. Realizing this, I am now more than ever ready to spread love and kindness whilst challenging myself with new adventures that push me out of my comfort zone. There is no other time than the present that truly matters. And in this moment, I am excited to change my reality and the lives of those around me.

I was born in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), South Africa. I’m an outgoing person who is both introverted and extroverted depending on who I’m with. I enjoy meeting and interacting with new people because I believe this is how you learn and grow as a person. I’m forever looking for new adventures or challenges. I’m a go-getter, never afraid to fail because we learn more from our failures and build character from them. I believe one is never too old to learn something new things. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t apply in my life. I enjoy the outdoors, especially hiking, which has exposed me to some of the most beautiful hiking trails in South Africa. I also love taking game drives and explore our nature, especially the animals in their natural habitats. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel beyond the borders of my country. Hopefully one day I’ll travel the world, meet different people and get to experience diverse cultures and cuisines. I had dreams of becoming a medical doctor but due to financial difficulties I settled for a National Diploma in Biomedical Technology. At least I got to work in the medical environment with doctors and other medical personnel for about 5 years. I realised that working in a laboratory was not suitable for my personality because I love people, I enjoy interacting with different people. I enrolled for a Diploma in Marketing and that led me to the pharmaceutical industry where I combined both my medical background and the marketing qualification. I worked in Sales and Marketing departments. I also had the opportunity to turn my passion for fashion into a business adventure and started my online clothing store, which was a very exciting and challenging adventure. I learned a lot about importing and e-commerce. When motherhood happened and I took a break to become a stay home mom. I got involved in fitness and nutrition business. I realised that the entrepreneurship bug has got me and needed to empower myself to avoid mistakes I made in my previous business adventures, that is when I decided to register for a BCom degree in entrepreneurship via Unisa, which what I’m currently busy with. I am also teaching English as a foreign language online on a freelance basis. I plan to also learn one or two foreign languages as I plan to travel the world in the not-so-distant future. I’m excited about the future and learning more in this university of life.

Let's get to know Wandisile Mboxela was born in Cape Town, I’m the last born of four siblings parents background from the beautiful province of the Eastern Cape in Alice, My background was very poor parents had to move to Cape Town where all four siblings born. All my primary education, higher education done here in Cape Town, while was at school developed love for Sport, now I’m applying that love for sport to the young kids in my community keep them out of trouble, we grow up with a lot of trouble in my community now trying to chase that away, to build bright future to the young people by involving them in sport education activities, sport and education goes together if you want to build better future for others. Coming from where I came from, hard work pays, I was offered a Learnership qualification which introduced me to corporate world quite extensively. Good written and verbal communication skills in at least two of three official languages of the Western Cape, problem-solving and conflict management with good planning and organizational skills, ability to handle information as confidential and good interpersonal skills, to contribute and become part of a successful organization that motivate its employees to utilize their skill and talent effectively and efficiently, the knowledge and skills which I acquired over that period of time equipped me for future positions. I am a hard-working individual, and eager to learn, I was recently employed due to Covid-19 company layoff some staff. I was employed as Accounts Controller at Tourvest Travel Service and this involves extensive client interaction. Deliver an effective admin support service to staff and clients, communicate with suppliers regarding outstandings, verbally, via mail and telephonically. I have highly knowledge of Tourism and Hospitality which I achieved through Theta, Tourism Hospitality and Sport Education Training Authority. Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change, and I’m looking forward to be part and the future of ZaGenie. Thank you…

I am Alonzo Van Aarde, born on 9th July 2002. I was raised in Cape Town, South Africa, I am the oldest son out of 6 children, Recently (last year 2020) I have matriculated in my hometown, Mitchell’s plain. I never quite had a fixed job but I have had my fair share of holiday jobs in a shoe store it was called first stop shoes in a shopping complex close to home. In my free time, I would work private jobs with my father and doing shop fitting and house renovations all over Cape Town. I loved helping my father out. It was also a way for me to have extra pocket money. I also worked at a Taylor blinds company, whereby the production of blinds called Taylor blinds in Montague gardens. I took part in various programs whilst at school, namely, in leadership development skills with a NPO called M.O.V.E and another called J.A.M, where I was taught to run my own business. This was done during my schooling, I have obtained certificates for these courses. These two courses were done over a period of 12 months, I was also an RCL members as well as a Prefect at my school. I am also part of a group called M.O.C (mission of Christ), where I furthered my leadership skills but in a more spiritual sense in doing so we take part in outreach programs and preach the gospel. I speak fluently English and Afrikaans. I am currently studying Japanese, because I am intrigued by it. I am computer literate, Microsoft enabled as well as Linux. I am also a musician. In my spare time, I teach people to play an instrument and also to read music. I also write my own music as well as produce music. I use this skill to help many young and upcoming artists I work with an Organization called My Child Is Your Child, Creating a platform where young people can showcase their talents and make something out of themselves. I live in a rough community where children are killing children and I’ve joined this organization to make a change in a community through various forms of art. My hobbies are, playing different sporting activities, going to the gym, writing music and drawing portraits.

I would consider myself a mix of both introverted and extroverted. I love being around and working with people, but I also enjoy my own company. I’m also very family orientated. Family is everything to me! My passions are a mix between working with/building fruitful relationships with people whether it be in the workplace or day to day life, I love helping people and bringing out the best of those around me. Outside of that, I also love doing anything to do with being outdoors. I’m always up for an adventure such as hiking, camping or even just a walk along the beach. I’m also passionate about and absolutely love animals. I’ve done horse-riding practically my entire life and it’s so therapeutic for me, to just get out into the country and get my mind off everything going on. I was born in Johannesburg, but lived the majority of my life in the beautiful mother city known as Cape Town. I’ve never got the chance to travel outside of South Africa, however it is something I have always wanted to do and I know I will accomplish in the future. In the meantime, there’s actually so many parts of my own country that I haven’t even experienced yet, so I’d love to start there. My work life has involved various industries, starting off with retail and moving on to the sales environment, both internal and external. I could say I had a certain plan for my life and career, but that all changed when I unexpectedly fell pregnant with my son. I then went from being an independent, carefree person to spending the last few months staying at home with my child. Which has honestly been life changing and I wouldn’t change a thing! However, it’s now time to get back into the working world and do everything in my power to give my son the life he deserves and one I wish I had growing up.

My Bio will tell you about my past and present. The past is important but nothing is more important as the present ME! The Beautiful and strong ME! The ME that makes the people who know and love me happy to be in my presence, the present me is what matters. My values and morals and my way of thinking are what is important, the past was just the "making of", the preview one see's of movies and series, the past is an ancient scroll where most of my life is narrated by my parents, teachers, siblings and the other significant people who come and go from one's life, My present is the true picture of what I am and who I am so let me give you insight into who I am: I am a straight talker, yet I am loving and a helpful person who is always willing to learn new things, I follow rules only when it makes sense and is fair. I was born to a mixed-race couple in the "old South Africa (during apartheid)" while the political climate was unstable and in its rebirth stage, my mixed-race background has made me culturally rich. Ancestrally I come from a diverse lineage, I have a Scottish and Irish father, a mother with little french a little Indian (Afghan and Pakistani), I have a little of everything, which has made me the odd one out as I look different from the rest of my family, I do not fit in with the brown people, I do not fit in with the white people and there is nothing wrong with that I do not need to be labeled to feel like I belong, I am one of the reasons why our country is known as the rainbow nation a mix and mashed beautiful product of all that is good. My personality and likes have made me the odd one out and the weird one, luckily my husband is just as weird as I am, I always tell him my weird matches his weird, it makes us a perfect match, we were made for each other destined to be together almost as if it was written in the stars, a destiny fulfilled with a happy future in the ahead of us. Happy and together forever and always, I still find it hard to believe that there is someone out there who not only gets me, who understands me, my way of thinking, and the way I view the world but most importantly who LOVE'S ME for ME! I consider myself spiritual and not religious, although I was raised catholic and attended a convent, where a lot of who I am today was made. The making of ME! The Sisters of Mercy and catholicism had the opposite of the intended effect on me, I am not deeply rooted in the catholic faith, even though I had many lovable and amazing teachers and friends who made my school days worthwhile. Religion does not make sense to me and I consider much of it to be untrue, designed and shaped to manipulate and to rule the masses or one could say those who prefer not to think for themselves who would rather be sheep and led to the slaughterhouse willingly. My philosophy is this: as long as I love myself and my neighbor, I believe I'm living the right way and try to instill those principles and values in my two sons. I believe that knowing and giving Love encompasses all the values needed to live a healthy life, Love naturally breeds, respect, forgiveness, and mindfulness. Love means living from the heart when one lives from the heart it naturally voids the ego, the ego destroys the manically malevolent whereas the heart creates and builds, Love is a tool with which one can build a life rich in emotional health, enlightenment, and mental stability. Love is my church, love is my essence and if ever I am in doubt I read up on the writings left to us by all the great masters, Jesus, Muhammed, Buddha the Dalai Lama and so many more masters, some of whom are more modern and still living and basically all their writings convey the message of Love. So this me and there is more to me than what is written here, but what is written here is more than enough to get to know me better.

I grew up in a small farm community in the Eastern Cape. The world I knew then was only what was surrounding me; the farm, farm lands, livestock, bushes and forest and two or three other farm dweller families. That was my reality, no big cities or big townships. I never knew anything about big rivers, oceans, lots of animals, no idea of big mountains etc. When I grew up my parents moved to the city, things changed, it was a total new world. My world got so complex and vast. It was when I started visiting beaches, zoo, animal sanctuaries, visit nature reserves and botanical gardens and travelling by boats, ships and fly in aeroplanes. I am now an avid traveller, I also go for walks in the natural environments, listen to birds singing and so on. The world has so much to offer for those who grab these opportunities. As a family man, I often visit with my family to city parks, nature reserves, and lots of community projects that take care of animals and the environment. I am both an environmental and social activist, and I have spent most of my life either being involved directly in the protection of fauna and flora or training those who are involved in the same. When I travel or visit other countries, I visit mostly destinations that would offer natural and aesthetic beauty to tourists. I also have a huge interest in climate change as it is, among others, influenced by human behaviour, more especially air pollution. I am also interested in religion, more especially African Traditional religion. The reason for my interest in this branch of religion is because it is mostly nature based. In other words, it is religion that does not separate between humans and nature. For the adherents of this religion life is one and God manifests himself through nature and therefore taking care of nature is a religious duty. As an environmental and social activist, I am involved either through making financial contribution or contributing my time in community projects of different kinds. These projects would include contributing shoes to primary school learners who have no shoes, contributing money to soup kitchens for crèches and unemployed job seekers and many other projects. I am hoping to sustain these initiatives to a level where they can help more people.