Philantropic award is music to her ears - SENTINEL NEWS 25 Nov 2011
The founder of the Kronendal Music Academy of Hout Bay, Dwyn Griesel, received the 2011 Inyathelo Award for Philanthropy in the Arts at a prestigious ceremony at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. She was one of 10 people to be honoured for their philanthropic efforts and contributions to social change in South Africa at the fifth annual Inyathelo Awards. At the presentation on Tuesday November 15, it was stated that "using her inheritance from her father, Dwyne started the music centre four years ago in an effort to bring together the divided community of Hout Bay.
Starting from scratch, she initiated individual music tuition, group activities, ensembles, workshops and community events, as well as a youth choir. All of the activities are aimed at integrating and uniting, through music, the three diverse Hout Bay communities." Dwyn was typically upbeat when she a was interviewed by the Sentinel at the time of the launching of the Kronendal Music Academy in February, 2007. "When you include. mizamo Yethu and Hangberg, there's a treasure trove a of musical talent just waiting to be dis- fi covered in Hout Bay," she said. "As an NPO we will be run solely on s funding money, so any interest, help or sponsorship would be greatly appreciated, including the donation of instruments. Our teachers will be paid, however, the lesson fees going directly to them."
Other people honoured at the Inyathelo Awards including PEP stores founder, Renier van Rooyen and international writer Bronwen Jones who started Children of Fire. The Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards were established by the South African Institute for Advancement in 2007 to "acknowledge, celebrate and profile those who have committed their personal resources towards broader social development in South Africa". Philanthropists are nominated by their peers and members of the coinmunities in which they work or by the non-profit organisations that they support. Dwyn Griesel accepts the 2011 lnyathelo Award for Philanthropy in the Arts at a ceremony in Cape Town this month.
