Extreme poverty and extreme affluence. Diverse cultures and different races.

1. South Africa is a land of many contrasts Extreme poverty and extreme affluence. Diverse cultures and different races. Mainstream and marginalised society. Material poverty and cultural riches. Ubuntu, compassion, humanity and unspeakable crime and violence. Development and underdevelopment. Primordial rural existence and contemporary urban living. A melting pot of African, European and Asian traditions.

2. www.zadifference.org On the surface, ZA Difference appears to be just another magazine. It is not. It is a practical, how-to catalogue about sidestepping poverty that fosters entrepreneurship, dialogue on social issues and societal learning on many levels. It is also a national job-creation scheme that involves marginalised South Africans in the production and distribution of this unusual product.

3. ZA Differenceis a bridge between a world in which privilege is taken for granted, and a world in which every last ounce is fought for … or stolen.

4. ZA Difference has 6 objectives: 1.To create jobs, self-employment and income-generating opportunities for fellow South Africans. “It is the first time I come across a magazine like this where you get paid for articles ... where you can become an entrepreneur by selling the magazine. Where I come from I know what is hunger, what it feels like not having any source of income. Thank God for this opportunity.” — Puseletso, Orange Farm. We pay R2 per published word & R150 per published photo. Sellers earn 50% of the cover price of the magazine. “I’ve just paid my rent. What a relief! Thank you for publishing my article & paying me for it. ... I’ve been unable to do any typing ... Imagine my relief when you accepted my hand-written article.” — From a 75-year-old professional writer whose hand-written articles have been rejected by editors for the past 12 years. Our payment prevented her eviction from a flat in the Jo’burg CBD.

5. makes it possible for charities, educational institutions, stokvels, places of worship, businesses, shopping centers, concerned individuals and more, to help create jobs for unemployed, vulnerable people, while generating a small income for themselves. Sellers get R10 per copy sold. Facilitating organisations and enterprising individuals get R1.50 per copy sold. No risk. We buy back what’s not sold. (Corporates are asked to sponsor the free distribution of unsold copies after the “sell-by date” to their communities.) “What a brilliant idea: to create a product that not only makes a difference in its own right, but that also provides a means of generating income to potentially thousands of unemployed South Africans!”— Albert Sivils

6. With your help, we can createmore than a thousand new jobs for mostly unskilled, unemployed people across the country. Here’s what’s possible: uStreet sellers. Johannesburg alone could accommodate 300 street sellers. Conservatively, we could have 300 street sellers across the country, each selling one box of 90 magazines, earning R900 per month. Their combined earnings per annum would be R3.24M. (Perspective: Newspaper sellers in Johannesburg sell an average of 100 papers a day.) uSheltered self-employment spaces for women, the elderly and people with disabilities. There are between 500 and 600 towns and cities across South Africa. Each of them has at least one place of worship, one shopping center, one public building. Conservatively, 300 of these buildings with a high level of foot traffic could make at least one sheltered space available to a vulnerable, unemployed person from which to sell. Income potential is as for the street sellers. uCar guards. It is possible to engage 400 guards across the country to each sell 90 magazines and earn R900 per month. Their combined annual earnings would be R4.32M. (Co-branded bib sponsorships possible.) The combined potential income for sellers is R10.8M annually – comprised of small payments willingly and compassionately spent by fellow South Africans for an excellent product. It’s a win-win. And YOU can help make it happen. Think about it!

7. 2.To make PRINTED information available about resources and solutions to the issues of marginalization and poverty. ZA Differenceis themes-based and solutions-oriented. In addition, the magazine carries the ONLY printed directory of resources in South Africa. “Awesome mag, every page is power-packed with stories of real people and real solutions ...” — Ntswaki E Mzilikazi

8. 3.To promote the efforts of all who work towards the common good. Most non-profit organisations cannot afford to advertise anywhere but online, where 90% of the people who need what’s on offer never venture. Listing in the ZA Difference Resource Directory is free to subscribing NPOs. “Besides having quality content and being attractively designed, it provides the sort of information resources that can be used genuinely to make a positive contribution … ZA Difference offers a wellspring of ideas and contacts to … help with the alleviation of some of the great needs in South Africa … ” — Anthea Buys

9. 4.To give voice to the voiceless … creating opportunities for diverse representation. R52 500 is budgeted per issue to pay for external editorial contributions. Each issue has an average of 32 contributors, each earning an average of R1 640. “It is a good initiative that you have started because very few platforms are available for writers in this country. — Sizwe Vilakazi

10. 5.To bridge the divide between marginalised and mainstream society. “Your magazine has helped me realise what a narrow view I have of the world — of my own world. You have given me hope and a more positive perspective on what life in South Africa can be.”— A. Pretorius

11. 6.To create opportunities for students, unemployed graduates and interested community members to develop new skills. “There is a huge gap between our education and the work place..I really learnt a lot … like being punctual … how to work as part of a team, being accountable, coping with many different tasks, researching, writing and submitting things on time. This experience allowed me to apply for a job with confidence. I have been working in a full-time job ever since.”— Moshe Lecheko, former 30-odd year-old intern with two years post-matric education, who had never held a full-time job before.

12. Who reads ZA Difference? The housekeeper and the house-owner, the driver and the manager. Feedback from Afrikaners to Zulus from all over South Africa confirms that we have struck a chord that cuts across social strata and lifestyle segments. ZA Difference is a true demography-breaker, an LSM-defier. Our youngest contributor is a 13-year old girl from Thabong, near Welkom! We know from sales stats that our primary buying audience is affluent. The rest of South Africa gets the magazine through sponsored subscriptions and distribution to libraries, schools, clinics, hospitals, community centers, churches, etc. in disadvantaged communities. “Your magazine … really facilitates an essential conversation that we have to have, as South Africans. And it does so in a way that everyone can relate to. I mean, poor and probably poorly educated people can relate to it. And so can affluent, well-educated people. This is really quite an achievement.” — Susan Beukes

13. What makes ZA Difference unique? • It shares the cover-price 50/50 with sellers, informal, one-person vendors and small, independent retailers throughout South Africa. • It creates income-generating opportunities for those who help and those who need help. • It gives voice to marginalised people in a way that can be ‘heard’ by mainstream society. • It contains the ONLY printed directory of resources and basic services in South Africa. • It practices solution-based journalism. • It is not about what our government is or is not doing. It is about what each of us can do to create the kind of world in which we want to live. • It actively invites community participation. • It doesn’tdate and it doesn’tget pulped. Every copy gets distributed. • It provides virtually free advertising exposure to non-profit organisations. • It provides targeted exposure to products and services that serve the poor. • It gives national advertisers exposure to a broad cross-section of South Africans.

14. Even though ZA Difference is a registered non-profit organisation, awaiting public benefit organisation status, it is designed to be self-sustaining through advertising and magazine sales. If you believe that ZA Differencerepresents something of value, then engage with us to bring the full benefit of this project to all of South Africa.

15. Here’s how YOU can help make a difference. • Subscribe! • Advertise! • Showcase your Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives! • List your offerings in the ZA Difference Resource Directory. • Make “sheltered self-employment space” available to an unemployed mother or to an elderly or disabled person if your building has a lot of foot traffic. • Become a depot where street sellers can collect magazines. • Sell ZA Difference in your shop. • Sponsor 1 000 magazines with your logo on the cover! • Distribute old copies to a disadvantaged community. • Sponsor a page. • Sponsor contributor payments. • Volunteer your time and skills. • Tweet about it. Post a link on FB!

16. Here’s what’s in it for businesses Enterprise Development points: As a certified ED contributor focused on the creation of a product that, while making a difference in its own right, is also the means of creating self-employment opportunities for hundreds of unskilled people across South Africa, any monetary, non-monetary, recoverable or non-recoverable contributions to ZA Difference count 100% towards ED scorecard targets. Preferential Procurement points: As a certified level 4 B-BBEE contributor, purchases from ZA Difference count 100% towards Preferential Procurement scorecard targets. The best of two worlds: Gain national advertising and brand exposure while using your marketing or CSI budget to earn B-BBEE Scorecard points!

17. ZA Difference facts: • Tel: 0860 92 0000 or 011 463 8367 • Email: info@zadifference.org • Postnet Suite 84, Private Bag X 75, Bryanston, 2021 • NPC registration no: 2012/062434/08 • NPO no: 103/825 • Awaiting PBO application outcome • Website: www.zadifference.org • Board: Dennis Baloyi | Prof Jonathan Jansen | Dr. Modiehi Mosime| Theresa Muller | Eduard Scholtz | Motlatjo Serumula | • Here’s to a South Africa that works! For all of us. • Photos: Andrew Austin | Melina Huet | Keitu Reid | Thandee Mangwana |Tshikululu Social Investments | Will van Engen