The organisation was started by Calabash Tours, a tourism company whose aim it is to bridge the gap between the affluent side of South African life that most visitors are exposed to, and the underprivileged, black African majority. Calabash Trust thus came into existence as a way of ensuring that tourism benefits disadvantaged communities within and around Port Elizabeth.

Calabash Trust currently focuses on ECD and Primary Schools, as it is our belief that if a strong literacy and numeracy foundation is laid, children have a better chance of navigating a challenged education system and eventually find their way out of poverty.

Our key focus areas include:
Facilitating feeding schemes, food gardens and environmental awareness, furniture provision, setting up and improving libraries and skills development. A breakdown of all our past and present projects can be viewed on our website.

Achievements:
Calabash Trust and Calabash Tours won the 2004 London Times Responsible Tourism Awards at the World Travel Market in London. We won the category ‘Poverty Relief’, and were declared overall winners – beating 700 other organisations from around the world. In 2009 our first formal evaluation was conducted, helping us to streamline our focus and set up a more formal monitoring and evaluation system.

Operates in: Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
Established in: June 2001

Non-Profit Organisation Number: 033-175
Public Benefit Organisation Number: 930004268
Section 21 Company Number:
Trust Number:

Contact person: Noluthando Khunjuzwa
Phone: 041 585 9255
Fax: 041 582 1165
Email:

Website: www.calabashtrust.co.za

Physical address: 31 Cuyler Street, Central
Postal address: P O Box 40015, Walmer, 6065