CECILIA wants to give children in need a chance to live their dreams

I have been the wine maker at Seidelberg Wine Estate in Paarl, since 2003. One winter evening in 2006, I found myself trying to help a couple of street kids to make music. Impressed by their talent but concerned about it going to waste, I wondered what I could do to help. This incident, together with the support of a generous employer, is how Cecilia came into being. R20 of each bottle of Cecilia 2006 is donated to StreetSmartSA. From the 2007 vintage onwards however, the complete profit will be used to help children in need. I was fortunate to grow up in a home with two parents who did everything they could to give me the opportunities I needed to have a good upbringing.

In April 2008 Cecilia 2006 was one of eight gold medal winners at Women and Wines of the World Competition in Monaco. It was the first competition Cecilia entered and we were delighted with the results, confirming our commitment to produce a wine of international standards.

Later in 2008 we transferred R30 000 into StreetSmartSA's fund which supports three charities in Cape Town.

In April 2009, 2 bottles of Cecilia 2006 were auctioned for R2 000 on a wine auction held in Williston in the Karoo!

A pivotal event soon followed:  "Brand Cecilia" separated from Seidelberg Wine Estate to form a stand-alone business from the next vintage on, with sole purpose to generate funds for children in need. This move enlarges the potential for growth in many ways and will enable us to generate even more funds eventually. Cecilia will remain closely linked to Seidelberg. We are sincerely grateful for the opportunities created by especially Seidelberg's proprietor, Roland Seidel.

Someone once said that one of the secrets to life is to ask the right questions. I agree with that but I also think it's important to keep things in perspective. This is why I would like to explain what Cecilia's Blog is about:

The IT age has changed how we communicate in a radical and exciting way. It has also, ironically, made personal contact across the globe easy and real. It makes it possible for me to give you a glimpse of what life is like for the kids Cecilia aims to help. I will also be focusing on the people doing the work. I admire their perseverance and courage because it is not an easy road, and at times just heartbreaking. There are however inspiring stories of children who's lives have been changed through the effort of others and I will be chatting so some of them also.  Visit our blog at www.ceciliawines.wordpress.com