Friends of The Peace Train - friendsofthepeacetrain

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Saving Lives in South Africa

Friends of The Peace Train is a non-profit organization
established in 2004 by South African musician and humanitarian, Sharon Katz, to raise awareness and funds for children who lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS and to help young adults become self-sufficient. We provide meals for the hungry, homes for the homeless, training and jobs for the unemployed, and music therapy to give hope and aid in the healing process.

Mama Mary's Home for Children - Mabopane, South Africa

2008 Tour Group Finishes Home for Homeless Children Mama Mary & new floors

In July 2008

A group of 20, Ameri-

cans & Canadians traveled to South Africa, with Friends of The Peace Train, to see the country and learn more about our work. After meeting Mama Mary who has been housing over 200 orphans in her own small home, they dug into their pockets and helped us complete the floors on the new "Good Hope Home For Children".

The Home is located in Mabopane, several hours outside of Johannesburg.

Friends Of The Peace Train Assist Young Adults

Youth that have grown up with Mama Mary Lwate since they were babies have now completed their High School Diplomas. In 2011 seven of these young people were being assisted by Friends of The Peace Train to further their studies and education.

Thanks to Friends of The Peace Train 3 young men now have their Driver's Licenses and are working as drivers; 1 young man is studying Business Management; 1 young woman is in her second year studying Hospitality at Tshwane College Odi Campus.

Friends of the Peace Train

Become a Friend of the Peace Train. The projects described on our website are supported through your contributions. All contributions are tax deductible

Please make your check payable to:

Friends of The Peace Train

7207 Bryan Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19119

2010 South Africa Tour Children's Photos by Terry Colliton

Phenomenal Photos of Children from 2010 Tour of South Africa with Sharon Katz

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Marilyn Cohen with Mpume

Marilyn and Mpume at Mama Mary's

Arrival at Mama Mary's

2010 Peace Train Tour Group arrives at Mama Mary's

Elie with children at Mama Mary's

Lauren with children at Mama Mary's

Children pose with Lauren at Mama Mary's

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Terry with a child at KwaNgcolosi Peace Train school building

Terry and young friend at KwaNgcolosi Peace Train School building

Marilyn distributes gifts of clothing to children

Clothes distribution

Young KwaNgcolosi Peace Train Children

Fun with Bubbles

KwaNgcolosi Peace Train Quilt Unveiling

Wendy with children viewing quilt

Engrossed in checking out the Quilt

Checking out the Ngcolosi Peace Train Quilt

KwaNgcolosi Peace Train Children

KwaNgcolosi Peace Train children applauding during presentations

Checking out the KwaNgcolosi Peace Train Quilt

More KwaNgcolosi Peace Train Children

More Quilt viewing

Khayamandi young residents

Children met during Khayamandi walk

Girls pose outside Khayamandi Library in Capetown

Videos

Sharon Katz & The Peace Train

http://www.sharonkatz.com/ South African Sharon Katz has been advocating for the children of Africa her whole life. She raises money for kids orphaned by AIDS and for all children in poverty in South Africa. Video Produced by Sutton Bay Media Company http://www.edithomevideo.com http://www.suttonbaymedia.com

We Are The Children of South Africa by Sharon Katz

A music video of Sharon's song showing the beginning of the project, as Sharon mounted the huge grassroots project that later became known as The Peace Train. Starting with a 500 voice multicultural choir and band, Sharon then traveled across South Africa performing with 150 singers, dancers and musicians and in 1995 toured across America. Most of the footage shows the American 1995 tour.

Building For The Future

Changing Lives – forever

We broke ground literally in July 2008! In one of the previously war-torn areas of KwaZulu-Natal, we began an empowerment project with rural women who are determined to give their children a better chance in life.

Since the 1990’s, more than 1000 children have walked 1½ hours over steep hills to attend school – most of them on near-empty stomachs. Thanks to contributions from Friends of The Peace Train, land was cleared for the building of a new school in Ngcolosi (pronounced like naw-law-see, with a Zulu click) and construction ended in July 2011.

This project was very exciting and far-reaching, because a small business was started to make the cinder blocks used in building the school. It was also an ideal community development project that combined local initiative with job creation for young adults and a quality education for children.

In October 2008, Friends of The Peace Train provided the start-up grant to clear the land and buy the cinder block-making supplies. By June, our Friends had contributed enough money to complete the building up to the roof level. Peace Train volunteer "Friends" Wendy Quick and Jane Konrad joined Sharon Katz in supervising the construction - and running a summer enrichment program for the children while they were there!

Fundraising concerts and individual Brick-Buying projects enabled Friends Of The Peace Train to raise enough money to purchase supplies for the building of a state of the art roof. With the help of the Hillcrest Rotary Club the roof was built in time for our tour group to see it in August 2010. And in May 2011 our Friends of The Peace Train Fun-Raiser in addition to Helping Hands Fundraiser raised enough money to build the bathrooms necessary to declare the school built!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED TO BUILD KWAMANDLOVU COMMUNITY HALL AND SCHOOL IN KWANGOLOSI SOUTH AFRICA!

FUNDRAISING CONCERT APRIL 29th 2012

Friends Of The Peace Train is proud to present another concert extravaganza to raise funds for children in South Africa and to develop The Peace Train Youth Corps here in America. The new Peace Train Youth Corps will be involved in raising consciousness and helping to improve their own communities as well as helping communities in South Africa. JOIN US for an incredibly exciting event at Philadelphia's premier venue WORLD CAFE LIVE on April 29th, 2012 at NOON.

Send your check for $50 to Friends Of The Peace Train, 7207 Bryan Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119

This incredible concert will showcase special performances by Sharon Katz & The Peace Train band; legendary musicians, surprise guests and MORE!

Peace Train School Building Project News

In August, our 2010 group that toured to South Africa were treated to 2 fantastic weeks of sights and sounds - including a visit to the school in KwaNgcolosi that you've helped us build. By now, the roof has been completed.

Favorite links

Sharon Katz and The Peace Train
Wendy Loves Africa

The Double Take USA Tour Fall 2011

Sharon Katz & The Peace Train "Double Take" Tour with Abigail Kubeka

October-November 2011

Abigail and Sharon 2010

October 21, 7:30 PM

Echo Lake Coffeehouse Series

Leverett, MA

Oct. 22, 8 PM

MaMA's Marbletown Concerts Stone Ridge, NY

Oct. 25 - Wheaton College -Norton, MA

Oct. 28, 7:30 PM

Croton Library Series - Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Croton Free Library

Oct. 29, 7:30 PM

Double Take Concert

Brooklyn, NY

November 3, 11am

University of the Arts,

Philadelphia, PA

Nov. 5, 7:30 PM

Musical Lairs

Villanova, PA

Nov. 9, 8 PM

Corner Store Arts Concert Series

Washington, DC

Nov. 11 - The Power of One -Bethlehem, PA (private event)

Nov. 12, 7:30 PM

Walkabout Clearwater Concerts

White Plains, NY

Nov. 13, 1PM

Concert at "Mandela House" Philadelphia

Nov. 14, 10AM

Whealock College International Week Festival

For ticket information and about booking the band, visit:

www.sharonkatz.com

2011 Fan-tastic Tour in South Africa

Another Fan-tastic Tour in South Africa

The 22 people who just returned from South Africa with us all agreed - it was life-changing! From the unique cultural experiences, to tracking lions and cheetah, to fun-filled interactions with the children at the orphanage and schools we support, the group was treated to the sights and sounds that make South Africa such an extraordinary place to visit.

The Peace Train KwaNgcolosi Summer 2009 Children's Program

Summer Arts Enrichment Program

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Comments

3/20/2009 7:42:16 PM - 002061742029
Great show at Woodstock Academy today!!!

9/22/2008 12:00:12 PM - 001065324949

Thank you for visiting the Friends Of The Peace Train website. This is where you can make a difference in the lives of many children and families whose lives are enriched by your support and friendship. The hope that you offer with small acts of kindness stretches a long way in the lives of people who have not benefitted from simple necessities of life. Thank you for visiting and thank you for helping. You are special because you are a Friend Of The Peace Train and we hope to meet each and every one of you at one of our performances or better still, on one of our trips to visit our projects at home in South Africa.

Yours truly,

Sharon Katz

Founder & Director

Friends of The Peace Train 2011 Tour

This was a MOST phenomenal tour covering ground as always from Johannesburg, Soweto and visits to the Apartheid Museum, Mandela's House, Mama Mary and the children at Lotus Childrens Home, to seeing the big five wild game at the gorgeous Entabeni Game Reserve,visiting schools and enjoying Zulu culture in Durban and visiting community arts projects and Robben Island in Cape Town. South Africa's captivating landscapes and exquisite cultural opportunities led by Sharon Katz and her team make this the holiday and immersion experience of a lifetime.

TO JOIN THE 2012 PEACE TRAIN FAN-TASTIC TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA

E mail: SharonKatz2000@aol.com; phone 215-495-9562 or
Visit the website www.SharonKatz.com

DON"T DELAY! THE TIME IS NOW! ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT!

friendsofthepeacetrain
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5/22/2013 7:39:11 AM