GIVING back to stop the spread of malaria in Africa, the Durban chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation has shelled out R10 000 for a teddy bear called Nobomi.

Backed by adventurer Kingsley Holgate, Goodbye Malaria was the brainchild of the international fast food whizz Robbie Brozin.

Brozin said the initiative was aimed at eliminating malaria in Africa in a way that showed the continent could solve its own problems without a “begging bowl mentality”.

Brad Porter, spokesman for the elite Entrepreneurs Organisation in Durban, said when Brozin addressed the chapter on the project they decided to collect R700 from each member to buy the bear.

“We called her Nobomi. She is now the EO Durban chapter mascot and safely housed at our offices,” he said.

Nobomi is a Xhosa girl’s name meaning Life.

Launched recently in the city, the super-entrepreneur organisation was originally founded in the US in the 1980s. It has 150 chapters in 48 countries. Members are invited to join with a global initiation fee of about R20 000 ($1 500), and an international annual membership fee of about R25 000 ($1 900), a South African joining fee of R3 000 topped by an annual fee of R12 500. Criteria include about R13 million ($1 million) turnover a year. Those who are invited must be the founder, co-founder or majority shareholder of their enterprise.

Kim Lazarus, a co-founder of the Goodbye Malaria project, said initially a designer range of pyjamas made from Shwe Shwe fabric were used to raise funds for the organisation.

“The thinking behind the funky pyjamas was that the wearer could then sleep well knowing that a mother and her child also slept safe from the threat of mosquitoes somewhere in Africa. We used the scraps to make the bears,” she said.

The bear was made by Taunina, an upliftment initiative based in Cape Town.

For further information on the Goodbye Malaria programme or to purchase a bear contact Kim Lazarus at kim.lazarus@sonhosso cialcapital.com or visit www .taunina.com.