In September this year we received a very generous $10,000 grant from LUSH Cosmetics to purchase a mini-van to use in Moshi. The vehicle arrived a couple of weeks ago and it is already being put to good use to transport students to and from school and medical appointments, as well as to collect supplies for the school and children’s home. Prior to receiving this grant, our staff in Moshi relied upon taxis for transport, which was very costly, and there was a real need for our own means of transport. Ndiko, the Team Vista Tanzania Coordinator and Chairman said he keeps looking out of his window every hour at the car and it feels like a dream to see it there. 

The grant from LUSH Cosmetics is made possible by their Charity Pot initiative. Team Vista has their own Charity Pot, a hand and body butter, which is available to purchase in LUSH stores around Australia. The proceeds from these sales go towards grant projects. Lola Figuero, who manages the Charity Pot initiative said “LUSH Cosmetics has always been an active campaigning company that supports small grassroots groups in the areas of environmental protection, human rights and animal welfare. The Charity Pot funding program is a key way for us to support projects that create long-term change and make a real difference”.

We are so grateful for LUSH Cosmetics’ generous support of Team Vista, which has enabled us to purchase our mini-van. A comment in a recent email from LUSH highlights just what a wonderful support they have been to us: “We are very proud to support the work Team Vista is doing to support the community of Moshi, Tanzania. We hope that through the purchase of this mini-van Team Vista staff will be able to continue their work in the region and with the help of the community make positive and long lasting change”.

The mini-van will change the lives of our staff and students in Moshi and make our work even more sustainable. We would like to thank LUSH Cosmetics again for their incredible generosity. Our director, Caroline received a lovely comment from a LUSH employee, which we think epitomises the company’s caring and supportive ethos – “welcome to the family” – and we are so happy to be a part of it.

Last Thursday 11th December saw the collaboration of internationally acclaimed artist, Emma Hack and Team Vista to help paint a positive future for children in Tanzania. Emma’s art takes the unique form of body paint installation, captured in a photograph. As part of her 25 Days of Christmas exhibition at her North Adelaide Gallery, Emma generously hosted an event exclusively for Team Vista’s supporters.

With drinks and nibbles a plenty, the Team Vista team, along with a number of Team Vista’s nearest and dearest supporters, “ooooh’d” and “ahhh’d” as they feasted their eyes on Emma’s incredible works of art that adorned her gallery’s walls.

Emma generously donated a copy of her limited edition Wallpaper Collection Book for our raffle on the night, as well as donating 20% of all sales to Team Vista. We were all treated to a special artist talk from Emma, during which she recounted the journey of her artistic career and the creative process she goes through to make her pieces a reality (and may we say, it involves a remarkable amount of passion, dedication, and a stroke of genius!).

Guests also had the opportunity to purchase our brand new Team Vista gift cards, as well as our Team Vista wine, which has been specially bottled for us by Lengs and Cooter of McLaren Vale, South Australia.

This unique event proved to be a great success and all who were in attendance have remarked at what a wonderful night it was. We would like to say a special thank you to Emma Hack for hosting us in her beautiful gallery, her generosity, and incredible support of Team Vista.

You can see the magic of Emma’s 25 Days of Christmas exhibition for yourself at 67 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide.