Inselelo November 2012 - Diakonia Council of Churches

New opportunities in uncertain timesTo survive in these uncertain times, Non-ProfitOrganisations (NPOs) should establishrelationships with the business community.This is according to Andrew Layman, CEO of theDurban Chamber of Commerce and Industries.Layman was delivering the annual Diakonia Lectureon 24 August.He said traditional foreign donors are withdrawingtheir aid to the country because they are under theillusion that there is now in place a government of and forthe people, and so social organisations are no longernecessary.Prior to 1994, Layman said, the South African Councilof Churches (SACC) was one of the few civil societyorganisations in existence. But post 1994, numerousNPOs mushroomed, making the terrain verycompetitive.Business people want to donate, he said, adding thatthey seek credible organisations, and not fly-by-nightbriefcase organisations that are meant to enrich thefounders. The challenge then is for NPOs to align theiractivities in such a way as to be attractive to businessfunding.Layman encouraged NPOs to be creative inmarketing themselves. “One of the ubiquitous problemsof non-profits is that they do not know how to marketthemselves. A lot of effort needs to be put on marketing,”he said.INSELELO NOVEMBER 2012 - PG 6T-shirts for saleLayman urges NPOs to be creative in marketing themselves.Layman also spoke out against the business communityaccusing it of being greedy. “The challenge of the businesscommunity is to 'ungreed' itself. The country has too manyproblems for anybody to be greedy,” he said.The Lecture is an opportunity to listen to and learn fromleaders from a variety of backgrounds, and the theme andspeaker are mostly dictated by current circumstances.This richly- illustratedcoffee-table book chartsthe background andhistory ofDiakonia’s annual GoodFriday services inDurban, South Africa“This is a very fine volume“This with is its a very combination fine volume of textwith and its many combination memorable of textand many memorablephotographs”photographs”BishopBishopMichaelMichael&&DorrieDorrieNuttallNuttallAvailable from Diakonia Council of Churches@R20 each*Support the work of our oganisationDiscount on bulk ordersContact Busi: 031 310 3500Email: reception@diakonia.org.zaAvailable from Diakonia Council of ChurchesONLY R100 (+R50 packaging and postage)USD 80 (includes bank charges, p&p)Euro56 (includes bank charges, p&p)Contact Busi:+27 31 310 3500Email: reception@diakonia.org.za“It belongs on the shelves ofbooks that will never leave us.”Gert van Maanen, Neatherlands