{"id":55205,"date":"2019-05-30T06:00:48","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T04:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/burcu-works-to-uplift-community-20190529-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T10:28:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T08:28:54","slug":"burcu-works-to-uplift-community-20190529-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/burcu-works-to-uplift-community-20190529-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Burcu works to uplift community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n S<\/span>HE is loud, vibrant and bold . . . with a passion to make a lasting difference in the lives of those less-fortunate \u2013 young and old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motivated by the extreme poverty and hunger she sees around her every day in China Town, an informal settlement in St Francis Bay, Burcu Cunneen (41) has dreamed up a solution \u2013 bringing hope to hundreds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Turkish-born artist, teacher, writer and founder of Turkish Wave Ocean Smile \u2013 a non-profit organisation -wants to fight hunger and unemployment in the over-populated informal settlement through skills development and job creation, ensuring self-sustainability and economic independence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burcu relocated to Cape St Francis in 2017 \u2013 a year after spending a two-week holiday in St Francis Bay with her family. This was also the first time she saw an informal settlement \u2013 something that does not exist in her home country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe instantly fell in love with the beautiful town and its people \u2013 they are all so friendly. And, of course, the magnificent waves at Cape St Francis \u2013 especially for my husband who is an avid surfer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from working at a government school for 20 years and writing for one of the oldest newspapers in Turkey, Burcu is a professional and ardent artist \u2013 doing commission work worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving it all up, apart from her art, she now uses her knowledge and skills to help create a better future for local residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n Turkish Wave Ocean Smile<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, how will the project, that started with only a few unemployed women at the beginning of the year, work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burcu smiles enthusiastically, \u201cThe aim of the project is to first develop five disadvantaged residents through training and basic skills development: sewing, mosaic, arts and crafts and toy-making. Then production, followed by the selling of products for profit \u2013 generating a much-needed income. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce trained and fully equip-ped, they will take the baton of responsibility for the project\u2019s continuity and ongoing success \u2013 training and educating other community members. The notion of sharing and working cooperatively is central to the idea of the Turkish Waves Ocean Smile. Supporting and learning from each other not only strengthen your self-esteem as an entrepreneur, but also contribute to growing individual businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter one year, they must be able to work and function on their own. The project will help our mothers and fathers to put food on the table, as well as keep our children safe and of the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n Painting of wall<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project kicked-off with the cleaning of the dirty, smelly and unhygienic area \u2013 riddled with garbage, raw sewage, and building rubble \u2013 in front of the wall separating the informal settlement from the road leading to Cape St Francis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once cleaned, it was decided to paint the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burcu laughs, \u201cNot to make it look pretty and colourful, but to get rid of the unbearable smell. However, it turned into a local piece of art reflecting the soul of local residents and artists Emmanuel Ntaisi and Jonathan Xayimpi \u2013 all while breaking down the negative stereotypes about South Africa and, especially, informal settlements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n Sewing project<\/b>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not stopping there, Burcu recently introduced a sewing project, with the assistance of volunteer sewing teacher Ren\u00e9 Bornman, to teach local women the necessary skills to transform bits and pieces of unwanted material, into beautiful products that they can sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These products include hair accessories, key rings and bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the sewing workshop is nothing more than a room in an informal house, it is a beacon of home to those learning \u2013 the dream of a better life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from the sewing project, Burcu also introduced the finer skills of mosaic work and arts and crafts to residents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n Future projects<\/b>\n<\/b>\n<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is, furthermore, dreaming about the establishment of a toy factory for children in the area.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

The idea? To use recyclable material to create innovative toys. And in doing so, encourage creative thinking, design and manual dexterity.<\/p>\n

Looking at the rubble next to the road, Burcu frowns, \u201cSince production will be done by using recycled materials as raw material, it will solve the biggest problem of society and turn garbage into unique, new and saleable products.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will, futhermore, keep young and vulnerable children off the street and equip them with new skills \u2013 all in a fun and creative way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n The end goal?<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

To expand Turkish Wave Ocean View as a fully-fledged and well-ope-rated business \u2013 establishing several income-generating employment opportunities for local residents.<\/p>\n

However, she needs a building in a safe and central area, to realise this dream.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are in need of a building, approximately 100m\u00b2, that will serve as a skills training centre, factory, business and a market where residents and visitors can buy our unique and quality products,\u201d says Burcu.<\/p>\n

It is hoped that the building will be up-and-running by next year \u2013 but first, the residents need to acquire the necessary skills and build up their inventory.<\/p>\n

\n More information<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

For more information, contact Cunneen at 064 909 4497 or send an email to burcunneen@gmail.com.<\/p>\n

Visit the Ocean Smile Facebook Page at https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/burcucunneen<\/span>.<\/a><\/p><\/b>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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works to uplift community | Kouga Express<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/burcu-works-to-uplift-community-20190529-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Burcu works to uplift community\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"SHE is loud, vibrant and bold . . . with a passion to make a lasting difference in the lives of those less-fortunate - young and old.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/burcu-works-to-uplift-community-20190529-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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