News

Gift of Givers Pilot Microbakery Bakery Project begins!
Our first collaboration with Gift of the Givers in Cape Town begins next week…….watch this space!
Cherry meets Dr Imtiaz Sooliman
It was so refreshing to hear the enlightening, positive voice of Dr Imtiaz Sooliman speak about “Humanity in Unity”. Thank you Cindy Norcott for a great morning!
Prince Buza and Prince Zulu visit 2 of our bakeries
We were super privileged to have Prince Buza and Prince Zulu from The King Goodwill Foundation visit 2 of our bakeries and witness the difference we are making in communities. We are honoured to have your support.
King Goodwill Foundation Opening
It was a special honour to be invited by Prince Buzabazi and his family to the opening of the Goodwill Foundation in Nongoma. What a special occasion! A massive thanks to Mark Taylor from Elan Properties for your continued and unwavering support of Celebrate Life.
International Womans Day
Join us to celebrate women that are shattering glass ceilings and changing the landscape in their professions including paving the way for the next generation. We will be live on Zoom from 5:55pm. This event will take place via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent to you separately. Here is the link for any […]
Merrivale Bongi's Bakery
Bongi Oliphant worked as a carer for a wonderful lady who died last year and wanted to work from home in her little village outside Merrivale as a baker, a passion she has always had. We are mentoring her closely as she embarks on her journey with exuberance and excitement. 
KZN Top Business Woman Awards
Cherry Armstrong is the director and founder of the NPC, ‘Celebrate Life SA’, where the key focus is on the empowerment of women in rural communities locally and nationally.Cherry was born in Nairobi, Kenya and moved to South Africa at the age of three with her family.Her passion for people led her into the field […]
KZN Women of Influence
KZN Top business woman of 2022
Women of the Future Awards finalist
In 2018 I felt incredibly privileged to win an award titled "Serving Community in South Africa" at the SA Chamber of Commerce UK Annual Business & Community Awards, and even more so to attend the dinner at the House of Lords afterward! But the nomination as one of the Women of the Future from Santam Insurance - specifically in the Social Entrepreneur category - means just that much more as it is recognition from the country I love.
Lets make a difference
With the recent devastation of KZN through flooding, we have received dozens of pleas from community leaders for our Ubuntu Microbakery ovens, as they are seeing that their best option for a more stable future is a sustainable business model that has been proven in nearly 200 bakeries around the country. The work we do […]
Mauritius 2022 Wrap!
And that’s a wrap! Congratulations to Team Mauritius 2022! This is the team coming in to Grand Gaube after 11 days and 175 intense kilometres!
Pour la bonne cause
Off to the Islands
Blackburn bakery rises to challenge
Mission Thando South Africa
Blackburn Village and Special Sports
Special Sports, headed up by Shaun Peschl, have begun a big community project in Blackburn Village in Umhlanga.  The Village comprises of an informal and formal settlement. We have been privileged to partner with Special Sports and have placed a bakery in the village. Gcobisa Matshotyana is the head of the bakery and has embraced […]
Collaboration with City Logistics
City Logistics continually stride to the forefront of community engagement in South Africa, collaborating with Celebrate Life South Africa, Peschl Sports and Shap Shap to uplift the people of Quarry Heights. The amount of work that has gone in has been incredible, and we simply want to shout out our gratitude from the rooftops. Thank you for […]
Celebrate Life nominated by the South African Chamber of Commerce UK for an Innovation and Resilience Award
The Awards will be held in London at 7pm tonight, Wednesday 29th. Please hold fingers for us!”We are incredibly proud to be recognised for our innovation and sustainable business model, which helps the poorest communities in South Africa take a chance at running their own business,” says CEO Cherry Armstrong. “We have placed more than […]
Harcourts Dolphin Coast Golf Day
A huge thank you to JP and Harcourts Dolphin Coast for supporting Celebrate Life on their great golf day held at Simbiti Estate. We appreciate your ongoing support to assist in uplifting our women and empowering them in our beautiful country.
DBC PACKAGING AND DBC WOVENS
DBC Packaging and DBC Wovens have supported Celebrate Life SA for the past 2 years with their Enterprise Development. This year we have placed 8 microbakeries in the communities with their generous funding. Microbakeries have been placed in Pinetown, Empangeni x 2, Manyoni, Avoca,Umfolozi,and 2 in Mtwaluma. This equates to 32 women being uplifted and […]
WE JUST HIT R60 000!
After such an incredible response, here is a message from Team Captain Cherry Armstrong.”My first words of thanks go to the team for their incredible dedication and hard work to make this happen. Without the commitment and love from the team, this would not have been possible. A humble and grateful thank you to all […]
WE RAISED R55 000!
WE RAISED R55 000!We are so incredibly proud of these fantastic women! Talk about empowerment – 3 straight days of paddling, racking up 370kms (well over the goal of 300) at Zinkwazi Lagoon Beach Forest Resort this weekend.We are incredibly grateful for the effort made by the ladies, their families, friends, donors, sponsors and teams. […]
Zikulisa Newsletter
Celebrate Life celebrates #Madiba100
The Celebrate Life team celebrated Madiba´s birthday on 19 July 2018  with the incredible Vukazame Centre, working to clean up the community.
Celebrate Life's Cherry Armstrong scoops UK prize
Held on Wednesday, 16 May at the Millenium Gloucester Hotel  in London, the awards featured a range of finalists across different categories.
Celebrate Life Executive Director finalist for top award
Celebrate Life SA Executive Director, Cherry Armstrong, has been nominated and is a finalist for the SA Chamber of Commerce South African Community Support Awards in London. The award recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to their community through their dedication and personal effort. The winners will be announced on Wednesday 16th May […]
Well done ladies, and thank you!
A heartfelt thank you to the Malawi team for completing the 28km paddle across Lake Malawi in plastic kayaks in 6.5 hours. Your tenacity was amazing and your commitment to Celebrate Life inspiring. Such a wonderful achievement to highlight women empowerment in rural communities – A total of R350,000 was raised for the ovens! Thank […]
The next fund-raising initiative
Our next initiative is a women empowerment climb up Mount Kenya to continue with our successful fund raising for our oven projects in the rural communities. A group of 10 ladies from all walks of life will attempt to summit this magnificent mountain, which stands just under 5000 metres high, in October 2018.  Please contact me if […]
Lake Malawi - here we come!
The gorgeous team who have given a year of their lives so generously, supporting our cause, raising funds and paddling like crazy!  We’re nearly there now and the biggest thank you to each and every one of you for your unfailing support in Celebrate Life. Thank you to Jonnson Workwear for all the sponsorship, TMC […]
A Special kind of Person
And the training continues ...
An amazing day spent practising our paddling skills at Hazelmere Dam. The Malawi Challenge is being done in kayaks which makes the crossing much more gruelling!  
Celebrate Life SA on the A-List
  http://thealist.co.za/scaled-mount-kilimanjaro-climbed-mount-meru-ran-lewa-marathon/  
Training hard for the Malawi Challenge
The Malawi team is putting in huge practice for their paddle across Lake Malawi in September. Loading and offloading boats and paddling 10kms twice a week takes much dedication and time. So proud of my team! Cherry Armstrong
"Under the Tuscan Sun" Thank You
  “Under the Tuscan Sun” was a great success for the Malawi Initiative taking place in September. We thank all our sponsors for helping us make this evening the success it was. Special thanks to Charles Liassedes, Diemersfontein Wine Estate, Foothills Winery, Meridian Wines, Bloomingdales, The Bedroom, Miglio, Lemon Wellness, Glrnore Spar, Vivek Bishun, Aramex, […]
Join us for Breakfast!
Celebrate Life SA is having a Women Empowerment breakfast on 24th February and our Guest Speaker is Judy Sandison, an award-winning broadcast journalist and editor. Judy has worked as a reporter, news editor, digital editor and national news editor-in-chief – pioneering new News Services and transformation in the public broadcaster.  She played a role in […]
The Lake Malawi Challenge - Sponsorship
Because Celebrate Life is passionate about women empowerment, we would like to challenge your company to sponsor one lady to paddle 27km across Lake Malawi from the Malawian side to the Mozambican border. The cost of sponsorship is R50,000 and funds will go towards the rural bread-making projects in the communities. This project offers great […]
Lake Malawi Challenge to raise funds
So proud of our team of gals who will be paddling across Lake Malawi in Sept 2017 to raise funds for our breadmaking initiative in rural communities. Women empowerment begins even with the team – taking these wonderful ladies out of their comfort zones, pushing them to the limits and teaching them how great it […]
Celebrate Life SA donates to Earth Organisation
    Celebrate Life have donated R20,000 to the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation for the Thula Thula Rhino Sanctuary from the proceeds of the sale of the rhino sculpture in London. Rhino poaching is at it’s highest and is a national disaster. If we can make a tiny difference in saving orphaned rhinos after their […]
"I don't want to be Extinct"
  This stunning painting “I don’t want to be Extinct” was donated to Celebrate Life by renowned artist, Michelle Benjamin. This limited edition, valued at R110,000, will be auctioned at a black tie event in Cape Town next year. Anyone wishing to enquire about this magnificent piece before it goes on auction, please contact Cherry […]
"Blue Rhino" Painting
“Another of Michelle Benjamin’s beautiful paintings, “Blue Rhino” is earmarked for auction at a black tie event in Cape Town next year. Anyone wishing to put in an offer prior to the event, please email me at cherry@celebratelifesa.org for further information. “ View the painting here
"THE BUMMER" Beach Run and Walk
THE BUMMER – FROM BALLITO, BEACH BUMS AND UMDLOTI TO UMHLANGA BEACH RUN AND WALK ON SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2015        Riverside Trail and Durban Athletic Club are organising THE BUMMER taking place on Sunday 25 October 2015. The long event (approx 23km) starts on Ballito Beach near Gianni’s. The medium event will start […]
Celebrate Life SA girls team to paddle across Lake Malawi
News Flash! Celebrate Life will be taking a team of girls to paddle across Lake Malawi in 2016 – watch this spot. Sponsorships welcome.
"A Spring Affair"
  Thank you to all our guests who attended “A Spring Affair”.  An awesome evening was enjoyed by all.  Proceeds will go to the next bakers oven in the community.   Thank you to A’Tasca for the gorgeous food and service – we are making a difference and it’s getting bigger!           […]
Celebrate Life supports charity in style
The Mount Edgcombe Country Club hosted the Celebrate Life Annual Golf day on the 24th June 2015. “Perfect weather, wonderful support and a fine golf course all contributed to the making the day a great success,” says Cherry Armstrong, Founder of Celebrate Life SA. The prize-giving was preceded by an auction conducted by former Sharks, […]
South Africa’s Rhino Horn Trade Proposal risks rhino extermination
  27 March 2015 This week rhino owners, conservation NGOS and other stakeholders had a chance to address the Rhino Horn Trade Proposal Committee of Inquiry with their support or concerns for re-opening of international trade in rhino horn. WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) voiced strong concerns against trade as it […]
HEROES IN RED - Ike Moriz
Download the new song from Ike Moriz – HEROES IN RED – and help in raising funds for Volunteer Wildfire Services.  
Thula Thula Rhino Sanctuary
“Congratulations to The Earth Organization and all the dedicated members for “living the Lawrence Anthony dream” and making his dream come true. The Thula Thula Rhino sanctuary celebrated it’s roof wetting on 28th November 2014.”
We did it!
“Congratulations to the Celebrate Life team on their achievement  – summiting Mount Meru through the agony and the ecstacy – 4,500 metres with vertical rock climbing in places. The summit night was a gruelling 33km’s up and back down which took 15 hours. The commitment of the girls was unbelievable and I salute each and […]
A Night of Fine Dining for a Good Cause!
Below please see invite. I would appreciate it if you could forward to your family and friends. Booking is essential. Please RSVP as soon as possible and I will send banking details.  Hope to see you all there. Many thanks for all your support. Cherry
Mount Meru
“ An aerial view of Mount Meru that the girls will be climbing on 23rd October. Kilimanjaro is in the background with Mount Meru in the fore. This is taken from an aeroplane, sooo very high!!”
Preparing for Mount Meru Climb
“The team of ladies prepare to climb Mount Meru on the 23rd October and this weekend saw them practising at Over Byrne.   Apart from the hike, they practised their rock climbing skills on a sheer drop cliff face! Please hit the DONATE button on our front page and donate R20 towards this wonderful cause. […]
Cherry's Interview with Umhlanga Times
Cherry Armstrong, the founder of Celebrate Life SA, was recently interviewed by the uMhlanga Times.  Read the interview here
Celebrate Life Golf Day
Click here for Entry Form…
CELEBRATE LIFE Auction at Eden College Festival
Celebrate Life SA will be hosting an auction at the Eden College Eco Fresh Fest in Glenwood on 17th August at 12.00pm to raise awareness of their climb up Mt Meru in October, and to raise more funds for their community projects and the Thula Thula Rhino sanctuary. Please come along and support us! Mags (ex […]
Celebrating Life SA - "Hat Party" Breakfast
As part of a Celebrate Life SA initiative, a team of women will be climbing Mount Meru in Tanzania in October to raise awareness of our heritage on a wildlife and community level.  The team hosted a fundraising ‘Hat Party’ breakfast in Durban North, at which breakfast was cooked by Masterchef SA 2013 Top 16 […]
"Hat Party" Breakfast - Friday, 6 June
As part of a Celebrate Life SA initiative, a new team of ladies will be climbing Mount Meru in Tanzania in October to raise awareness of our heritage on a wildlife and community level. Celebrate Life SA will be supporting various projects in the next couple of years. Our aim is to raise R500,000 towards […]
World TB Day with THINK and Celebrate Life
Celebrate Life SA and THINK (TB and HIV Investigative Network) joined forces to empower children on World TB Day. Dr.  Kristina Wallengren (CEO of THINK) and Cherry Armstrong (Director of Celebrate Life NPC), gave a wonderful presentation by Siyabonga Nzimande, Community Liaison Officer, on the signs of TB and stressed the message that it is […]
World TB Day - 24th March
Celebrate Life SA, in conjunction with THINK (TB and HIV Investigative Network) are  being hosted at the Chesterville Secondary School to empower communities and provide TB Education on World TB Day on Monday 24th March at 11am. We will be doing a presentation on TB in the communities and there will be a mobile clinic […]
Capital Outsourcing "making a difference" for Mt. Meru climb
News from Symposium on Contemporary Conservation Practice.
South Africa conserves ninety-six percent of Africa’s rhino population but is at a tipping point where the number of rhinos being poached exceeds the number being born. Delegates at the Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice have been looking at the latest statistics and rhino conservation methods. A grim picture has been painted for several rhino […]
Poaching Suspect shot dead at Thula Thula
Poacher killed, arrests made The big news in the past week on the anti-poaching front was the suspected poacher who was shot and killed at Thula Thula Private Game Reserve. Four others were arrested. A ranger was wounded during the shootout but he’s doing well. A 303 assault rifle was seized on the scene.    […]
Celebrate Life Team prepare for Mt. Meru Climb
On 26th October, 6 ladies from the Mount Meru team set out on a gruelling 3 day hike through Lesotho, Eastern Cape and the Drakensberg to prepare for their climb up Mount Meru in October 2014 to raise funds for the rhino, elephant, lion and vultures – all endangered species in South Africa at present. […]
Celebrate Life to climb Mt. Meru in Tanzania
Ten brave women from Celebrate Life will be making their way up to Mt. Meru in Tanzania in October 2014 to raise funds.  Durban North News spoke to Cherry Armstrong, founder of Celebrate Life SA, about the climb. “These ladies are from different industries but their personal commitments illustrate that they all have one common […]
Items up for auction at the Gala Dinner
PRINCE HARRY AND RHINO The Prince endorsing the campaign to save a species.  Two kingdoms on a collision course. A royal hero and the seemingly simple minded beast. Which, in its present predicament, represents nature with its complexities and vulnerabilities. Can this engagement end in something magical? Composition is made up of a broken x […]
Autographed Super Rugby Jerseys Charity Auctions
Celebrate Life SA is an organisation aimed at creating awareness and facilitating support across society to alleviate human and environmental suffering , using the energy of committed individuals, social networks and broadcast platforms. The essence of Celebrate Life SA lies in respect for the land and its people. A group of caring people, who have […]
Last supper before the trip to Kenya.
The team from Celebrate Life at “the last supper” before the marathon in Kenya.
Fundraiser before Lewa marathon in Kenya
Celebrate Life held a final fundraiser before the team left to run the Lewa marathon in Kenya to raise funds for the Tusk Trust. The fund raiser was a “Rat Race”, no animal cruelty, and it was a fun filled, relaxing evening before the team flew to Kenya – June 2012.         […]
Lawrence Anthony’s Thula Thula
Lara and I had the privilege of visiting Lawrence Anthony’s precious Thula Thula to take an “up close and personal” look at what we will be assisting with in the form of funds from our London gala evening on 27th September. The experience was breath taking and a moment that we will never forget. What […]
The Sharks rugby team support the rhino initiative.
The Sharks team recently adopted a rhino who they named “Klokkies”, in the Northern Natal Skukuza Game Reserve. The Sharks team will be carrying “Klokkies” the rhino, a plush toy mascot,  around on their Super 15 tour. Their aim is to create awareness of the rhino plight in South Africa and ask the public to […]
Abingdon Wine Draw and Donation
A follow up and a massive thank you for all your generosity and contributions to the Save the Rhino drive – we managed to raise R 3000 from the first raffle, and R 2200 from the second raffle. Gavin Bloy, our winner of raffle one, did the draw for raffle two, and the lucky winner […]
Hope For Horns - Invite.
Tragic Rhino Story
Dying rhino leads calf to safety in final act of motherly love as game reserve poachers go on four-day killing spree in South Africa. The killing spree lasted between three and four days and left maggot-covered carcasses dotted across the landscape at the Finfoot Game Reserve near Sun City, in South Africa’s North West province. […]
Mpuma ex-cop in court for poaching
Johannesburg – A former police officer accused of being a rhino poaching ringleader is due to appear in the Middelburg Regional Court in Mpumalanga on Thursday. Joseph Nyalunga faces charges of illegal hunting of rhino, dealing and possession of rhino horn, racketeering and money-laundering, the office of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) in Pretoria […]
Save The Rhino Draw
Pictured at right is the” Save the Rhino” raffle draw that Abingdon Wine Estate did yesterday… Mrs Patti Perry did the honours for them, and the lucky winner of the signed Abingdon bottles ( an Abingdon Chardonnay 2011 signed by Keegan Daniel and John Plumtree, and an Abingdon Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah 2010 signed by the […]
Abingdon Wine Estate
Abingdon Wines are the first winery to come on board with our wine initiative. Abingdon Wine are donating one Rand a bottle of wine sold and running a raffle for us for 2 bottles of Abingdon Wine signed by Keegan Daniel and John Plumtree from the Sharks. We challenge all other wine estates to do the […]
FundRaisers Extraordinaire
Durban’s Cherry Armstrong, founder of CELEBRATE LIFE SA, has a determination to make a difference in the world. It’s the busy people who CREATE the time to do good, like Cherry, a married lady with a daughter and 2 sons, owning her own Palliative Care business looking after patients at home who have terminal cancer, […]
Rhino Bronze Statue - Bidding is open!
Alan Burke donated this magnificent bronze rhino to raise funds for the anti-poaching Tusk Trust. We are inviting bidders to contact us if they would like to bid on it? Bids close on 30th October 2012. There is a reserve price of R40,000-00. We will take the highest bidder! Don’t miss out on this fantastic work […]
Celebrate Life helps the Tusk Trust Raise $500, 000
Dear Cherry, Sorry for the delay in sending you this letter. On behalf of the entire Tusk team, I would like to extend a huge thank you to you and the Celebrate Life SA team for the invaluable funds you have raised for this year’s marathon. I can now confirm that you have helped us […]
Udate on Rhino poaching statistics
Since the start of the poaching epidemic in 2008 South Africa has lost just under 1400 rhinos – a figure that, despite so much effort, increases daily. Sadly though, the low risk high reward situation seems to be attracting more and more new criminals along the lower poaching levels. MEDIA STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN […]
KZN Newsmaker Of The Year Awards Nominee
DUT Awards, nominee for KZN Newsmaker of the Year in category – Save the Rhino’s  
Cocktails on the Catwalk
See the photos here…..CLICK
Lewa loses another rhino.
Last night, 12th September 2012, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy sadly lost a 17-year-old male rhino to poachers. Nengoitei was brutally killed and his horns removed. This is the 5th poaching incident Lewa has suffered to date. Investigations are on-going. The hefty sum paid for African rhino horn today has attracted criminal groups ready to cash […]
Wine Farms Initiative
Celebrate Life SA has recently begun an initiative with the wine farms to help save the heritage of Africa. Our work so far includes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise a Million Rand for Hospice and running the Lewa Marathon in Kenya to raise a Million for the Tusk Trust.