Latest news with #Challis
IOL News
4 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
MANZI Water joins hands in debuting SA's first fully automated refill store
MANZI Water announced news of its participation in the groundbreaking SKUBU Project, a first-of-its-kind refill store aimed at reshaping how South Africans access essential goods while advancing the circular economy, officially launched this week in Diepsloot, Gauteng. Located at Chuma Mall, this innovative initiative represents a significant step forward in affordable, sustainable consumption and access to everyday essentials in underserved communities. With a focus on sustainability and community engagement, MANZI Water is committed to creating a lasting, positive impact on health, wellness, and the environment. The SKUBU Project is led by Sonke Retail in partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), made possible through the Circular Economy Demonstration Fund. The initiative is also supported by TRANSFORM, a global partnership involving Unilever, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and Ernst & Young (EY). Described as the first store of its kind globally, SKUBU enables consumers to purchase only what they need through smart, automated refill machines, offering essential items at fixed rand-per-litre prices while eliminating single-use plastic packaging. The model provides up to 50% savings compared to conventional retail, delivering measurable impact in both affordability and sustainability. MANZI Water said it's honoured to be featured among the trusted brands selected for this visionary platform, offering safe, clean, and affordable drinking water to the Diepsloot community at a price of just R1.00 per litre. "We are incredibly proud that MANZI Water is part of this groundbreaking development. Our inclusion in the SKUBU Project underscores our commitment to making safe, clean drinking water accessible to all, and we are excited to see the positive impact this will have in Diepsloot,' said Alfred Challis, CEO of MANZI Water Challis also expressed his appreciation to Ebenhaezer De Jongh, CEO of Sonke Retail, for the opportunity to contribute to this pioneering model for inclusive and sustainable retail. 'Eben's vision and leadership made this possible,' Challis said. 'We are grateful to play a part in something that meaningfully improves access to essentials and supports circular innovation in local communities.' Challis further thanked internal stakeholders Pasquale and Belinda Frese, owners of multiple MANZI Water outlets in Johannesburg, whose belief in the vision and willingness to join the bold initiative were instrumental in positioning MANZI Water alongside such influential partners. Their initiative not only credits them as Licensees but also significantly strengthens MANZI Water's presence in meaningful spaces that align with its core mission. MANZI Water said it looks forward to contributing to the success of this pilot initiative and anticipates that SKUBU will serve as a scalable model for sustainable development across South Africa, opening future possibilities for all Licensees across the network. MANZI Water outlets provide safe, clean, and accessible drinking water to communities across South Africa. With a focus on sustainability and community engagement, MANZI Water is committed to creating a lasting, positive impact on health, wellness, and the environment.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alabama nonprofit art studio that celebrates the autism community hit by Trump cuts to NEA
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A nonprofit group dedicated to offering a space for autistic people to make and display their art is looking to the community for help after losing thousands of dollars in funding due to significant cuts the Trump administration has made to the National Endowment for the Arts. Studio by the Tracks, located in Irondale, has operated as a free studio and gallery for both children and adult on the autism spectrum, offering classes and giving artists a chance to display their work. In fact, the studio even sells different pieces done by these artists, giving 60% of the sales back to them. On Tuesday, the studio announced that with through cuts at the NEA, the ArtsHERE grant program had been eliminated, resulting in over $50,000 that had previously been awarded to them being gone. In his new fiscal budget, the Trump administration is seeking to do away with the NEA entirely, which would cause many arts groups across the country to losing significant chunks of their funding. 'The termination of the grant is a blow to our organization, our staff, our artists and caregivers,' the group wrote in a social media post Tuesday. ArtsHERE was first established last fall as a way to increase artistic and creative projects in underserved communities. Merrilee Challis, executive director of Studio by the Tracks, said that with the loss in funding, she and her staff will have to make difficult choices, including the possibility of cutting back on summer art programs they had been planning, as well as letting go of staff. 'I don't know what's going to happen with the youth program,' Challis said. 'It remains to be seen if the community will step up and shore up these losses.' Challis said that the studio, which was started in 1989, typically operates on a tight budget on a cycle-by-cycle basis, a third of their funding being from federal grants while the rest comes from philanthropic support and community donations. Challis said that with cuts to NEA, Studio by the Tracks has had trouble seeking funding other places. Two other grants that they had previously applied for through the Challenge America program and the Alabama Humanities Alliance have already been cancelled. Challis said having a program that serves the autism community should be one that people can get behind, one that allows autistic individuals, both verbal and nonverbal, the opportunity to speak through their art with every color, brush stroke and line they use. 'It's the power of art that is communicating what is inside these people and it's beautiful,' she said. 'It should not be political. It's about expression.' Currently, Studio by the Tracks is hosting a membership drive for $15 a month. Challis also encourages the community to buy some of their art for sale online, the majority of the proceeds going to the artists. For more information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Khaleej Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
AdVision Connect launches next generation advertising and service platform for smart TVs, displays
AdVision Connect, a breakthrough digital signage and guest experience platform, has officially launched its freemium software designed to transform ordinary smart TVs and Android-powered devices into powerful, interactive information and revenue hubs without requiring any additional hardware. Operating seamlessly on existing televisions and Android devices, AdVision Connect gives property managers full control over the content displayed in their vacation rentals, hotels, retail stores, and transit hubs. From personalised welcome messages and local recommendations to instant Wi-Fi access via QR codes and dynamic advertising, the system redefines guest engagement and monetisation in the digital age. "AdVision Connect evolved from a simple need to display advertisements into a comprehensive solution for a multi-billion dollar industry," says Trent Challis, the platform's developer. "Property owners can now monetise the guest experience without technical expertise or additional hardware investments." By offering interactive, real-time content such as service bookings, stay extensions, food delivery, local tours, and more, AdVision Connect helps businesses create personalised experiences that drive action and spending. With full 4K video support across all major smart TV brands and a web-based dashboard for real-time updates, the platform puts control directly in the hands of property managers, regardless of their technical skill level. AdVision Connect removes traditional barriers to digital signage. Businesses can deploy the software instantly on Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Hisense, TCL, and other Android-capable devices. The platform's freemium model means zero upfront cost, with monetisation opportunities scaling through ad impressions and additional content integrations. "In rental properties, the system can display Wi-Fi details with QR codes for instant connection," Challis explains. "Its complete customisability makes anything possible from selling retail items to booking local tours or ordering food delivery." Content can be changed remotely from any browser, eliminating reliance on technical support or third-party vendors. This real-time control also allows businesses to respond quickly to guest needs, maximise upselling opportunities, and maintain a dynamic digital presence. Initially developed for holiday rentals, AdVision Connect is rapidly gaining interest across industries. A major Canadian train company is evaluating the software for onboard entertainment, while a London-based taxi operator is preparing to adopt the platform to replace its legacy advertising displays. "We're seeing applications in areas we hadn't initially considered, which demonstrates the platform's versatility and broad appeal," says Challis. As digital interaction becomes a standard expectation in modern hospitality and retail, AdVision Connect positions itself at the forefront of this transformation bridging guest experience and business growth through a single, easy-to-use system.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Blood scandal victims demand faster action on compensation
Victims of the infected blood scandal are demanding faster action on compensation as the body set up to handle claims admits it has "started small".More than 30,000 people contracted HIV and hepatitis from contaminated blood products between 1970 and the early 1990s, but just 14 of those eligible to receive a final pay out have had Challis, 68, said: "Everything is happening so, so slowly. We feel as though we are shouting into the void."The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was set up in May following a public inquiry. Its CEO, David Foley, said they are "starting small to be able to go fast", adding they are "building and improving the claim service as we go". Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in October that £11.8bn had been set aside to compensate victims in what is thought will be the largest payment of its kind in NHS history. So far, £13.3m has been paid Challis, from Hartland, in North Devon, said: "We are all getting much older, we are all quite sick, the trauma and the stress of having to keep fighting is impacting people greatly."We need closure so we are able to make plans and get on with what we have left of our lives."As many as 140,000 bereaved parents, children and siblings of infected blood scandal victims may also claim compensation under new laws laid before Parliament on Wednesday. A public inquiry found authorities covered up the scandal - with the risk of viral infections in blood products known since 1948 - adding victims had been failed "not once, but repeatedly".About 3,000 people have since died and it is accepted more deaths will follow as a result of what Challis was diagnosed with cancer in 1992 and received several blood transfusions over 12 months. In 1993, she was diagnosed with hepatitis C before undergoing a stem cell NHS trust where she was treated confirmed the virus came from blood she received during her cancer treatment, she said."Hepatitis C is extremely debilitating and it impacts every aspect of your life," she added."I couldn't be a good enough mum or do the things I wanted to do - everything was a struggle."It was impossible to work and it cost me my career." While Ms Challis will be eligible to apply for compensation from the IBCA, she has not been able to access support from other established schemes - which provide regular payments to people who received infected Infected Blood Support Schemes impose a cut-off date, meaning that applicants can only claim payments if they were infected before September also means she has been ineligible for an interim payment and has been put into a category by the IBCA that means she could be one of the last groups to receive blood scandal: What is it and who gets compensation?Latest figures from the IBCA show 113 people have been invited to start their claim, 23 of those have received offers and 14 have been paid an amount totalling £ first victims to receive final payments were given them in December. About 4,000 survivors or their bereaved families have also received interim payments worth up to £310,000 each since many have received nothing. Kevin Roberts was 12-years-old when he had two wisdom teeth removed in has a type of blood disorder called von Willebrand's Disease and was given a blood product called Factor VIII during the Roberts said it was this that infected him with hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer.A few weeks after the operation he began to feel seriously ill."The symptoms were like having the flu and my bones felt like they had glass in every joint. I was in absolute agony," Mr Roberts said. Mr Roberts, from Hayle, in Cornwall, did not find out he had hepatitis C until he was 18 and he was told he could die by the age of 25."My life changed that day. I didn't care about myself or others," he said."I went to work just to earn enough money to get drunk so I could sleep at night."Now 53-years-old he has recovered from the virus but the trauma of his childhood continues to affect has been rejected from Infected Blood Support Schemes because he has struggled to obtain medical records showing how he was infected as a young child."I was infected 40 years ago and I still haven't had a penny," Mr Roberts said."We need this to speed up - I want to be acknowledged as do many victims." The government recognises that not all people impacted by the infected blood scandal have been eligible for interim payments and the IBCA was set up to provide final compensation.A charity helpline that provides advice and support to victims has said it has taken more than 8,700 calls in the past Hepatitis C Trust helpline manager, Samantha May, said: "Pretty much all of those are victims and bereaved families with anxiety around compensation - they are distressed, angry and frustrated. People can't move on and draw a line."A number of MPs have also raised concerns, with Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, adding the scheme is "disgracefully slow". In a BBC interview, Mr Foley said while the IBCA is "starting small" it aims to expand quickly, widening the service to groups of people in stages."The individual circumstances of each person due compensation is complex and unique to them," he added."It is really important that we have a system that fits them - rather than asking them to fit a system."So the approach we are taking is to learn from real cases so we can understand the complexities - that means once we have a system that works - it can accelerate much faster."New draft laws laid in Parliament on Wednesday will allow the relatives of those infected to claim full compensation in their own right for the impact on their lives. They must be debated and approved before being passed, which is expected to happen by the end of March. Brian Smith, from Bristol, was infected with HIV through contaminated blood products in the 1980s. He died aged 61 in November family has not yet received any daughter, Sue Maggs, said while she welcomes the new proposed laws "it doesn't change the fact that things are going too slow"."I do feel angry about how long it's taking. It just feels as if they [the IBCA] don't really care," she said. Mrs Maggs said they had been happy after the inquiry, which "left no stone unturned and did give justice to everybody that was infected".But she said they are now "in limbo" again."Its awful because it's brought back all the feelings of dad dying all over again."
