She’s flown in a two person plane over the sea, went down a Breë River rapid eyes closed and occasionally she catches a tuna. One of these days a hot air balloon ride, jumping out of a plane and riding on an elephant’s back, will be added to that list. To imply Nita de Lange loves a challenge and likes to keep busy would be somewhat of an understatement.
When her feet are planted firmly on the ground, she’s responsible for project coordination, administration and financing of KKW requests and NIMs (repairing and fixing network points, etc.) During these processes she works closely with Facilities Management, external contractors and the network infrastructure team at IT.
“Project management is already part of my personal life, that’s why I try and do so many things. It’s also my passion to help other people, tackle projects and be able to make a success of it.” She also completed USB’s Project management course in October.
Thirteen years of experience in banking comes in handy when managing two properties in Gordon’s Bay. This, and the financial experience she gained during the two years she worked for a Home owners Association, led to her position as chairman of their Body Corporate. Even renting and managing property has its challenges, but for Nita this means exposure to a whole different area and she sees it as a positive experience.
“Do something for someone who can’t do anything for you.”
Last year Nita became involved with Die Ark in Faure, a charity organisation looking after approximately 1000 needy people, the homeless, the jobless, drug addicts and prostitutes. Even though it’s existed for 20 years, it’s always in need of help.
Initially she helped collecting Christmas presents for the 200 children living here. However, she soon realised she’d like to become involved on a more long term basis. she also realised it would be more than she can handle on her own and got 6 other people, Cheryl Cornelissen, Gareth Cornelissen, Terence Pietersen, At van Hout, Marijhan Hendriks, Elma Titus, Michelle Pietersen and Petro Uys involved. Together they would like to try and improve Ark residents’ conditions and future and make a difference in the community. The project is a registered Matie Community Service Project and Nita’s also currently doing a course in Community Interaction – something which inspires her even more.
During a 4 year stay in New Zealand she learnt to stay humble. Whether you sweep streets or have your own business, over there, everyone’s the same and your treat each other with respect. “Never think you’re better than anyone else.”
During this time in Auckland, also known as the City of Sails, she gained valuable experience in banking, but also learnt a lot about herself and how to be independent. But she also developed a love for the ocean. It was here, in a city with beautiful beaches and a culture of sailing and fishing, where she got hooked.
“You don’t mess with the ocean.”
The ocean teaches you a lot and you have to respect it. She’s been in many dangerous situations, among others, one where they struggled to find their way back to land due to a GPS that hasn’t been programmed yet. But she’s also been at sea for 13 hours straight. It’s a good thing she doesn’t get seasick.
Tuna and galjoen are quite common, but nowadays fish is becoming scarcer and a Fish Finder is necessary so you don’t aimlessly float around on the ocean. Turtles, sharks and even dolphins sometime accompany the boats – an experience far from her upbringing in Alberton. .
“I love living close to nature.”
And since South Africa has so many beautiful places, camping is the ideal hobby. “By traveling and seeing other places and cultures, one can learn so much about people and their habits.” The Breë River white-water rafting was a different and scarier learning experience – probably because she can’t swim.
At the safer end of the hobby spectrum, you’ll find dancing, tropical fish, bonsais and herbs. Bruno, a strong and clever border-collie and husky cross is a full time training project. One can safely say, she has more than enough to keep her busy.
If you’d like to know more about DIE ARK project, contact Nita at nita@sun.ac.za. More information will also be available soon on IT’s Community Interaction website.
Sy’t al in `n tweeman-vliegtuig oor die see gevlieg, is toe oë met die Breërivier af in `n rubberboot en vang af en toe `n tuna. Een van die dae sal `n warmlugballon-rit, spring uit `n vliegtuig en ry op `n olifant tot die lysie gevoeg word. Om te sê Nita de Lange geniet `n uitdaging en hou van besigbly, is dalk ietwat eufemisties.
Wanneer haar voete op vaste grond is, is sy verantwoordelik vir projekkoordineering, administrasie en finansies van KKW-versoeke en NIMs (die onderhoud en regstel van netwerkpunte, ens. ) by IT. Gedurende hierdie prosesse werk sy ook nou saam met Fasiliteitsbestuur, buitekontrakteurs en die netwerkinfrastruktuur-span by IT.
“Ek pak soveel goed aan, want projekbestuur is reeds deel van my persoonlike lewe en dis my passie om ander te help, projekte aan te pak en ‘n sukses daarvan te kan maak.” Sy het ook in Oktober die Projekbestuurkursus by USB voltooi.
Haar 13 jaar ondervinding in die bankwese kom handig te pas met die bestuur van twee eiendomme in Gordonsbaai. Hierdie, en haar finansiële ondervinding in die twee jaar waartydens sy vir `n Huiseienaarsvereniging gewerk het, het haar die verantwoordelikheid as voorsitter ook losgeslaan. Ook met verhuring en bestuur van eiendom is daar uitdagings, maar vir Nita is die blootstelling aan `n heel ander gebied en sy sien dit as `n positiewe ondervinding.
“Doen vir ander iets wat niks vir jou kan doen nie.”
Nita het verlede jaar betrokke geraak by Die Ark in Faure, `n welsynsorganisasie wat omsien na ongeveer `n 1000 behoeftige mense, onder meer haweloses, werkloses, prostitute en dwelmverslaafdes. Dit bestaan reeds vir 20 jaar, maar het toenemend meer hulp nodig.
Aanvanklik het sy gehelp met die insamel van Kersgeskenke vir die 200 kinders wat daar woon, maar het gou besef dat sy hulle op die langtermyn wil bystaan. Sy het besef die projek is te groot om alleen aan te pak, en het 6 ander mense, Cheryl Cornelissen, Gareth Cornelissen, Terence Pietersen, At van Hout, Marijhan Hendriks, Elma Titus, Michelle Pietersen en Petro Uys, gekry om uit te help. Saam wil hulle probeer omDie Ark se inwoners se omstandighede en toekoms te verbeter en `n verskil te maak in die samelewing. Omdat dit ook `n Matie Gemeenskapsdiensprojek is, doen sy tans `n kursus in Community Interaction en sy is vol lof vir die inspirasie wat dit bied.
Tydens `n 4-jaar verblyf in Nieu-Zeeland het sy geleer om altyd nederig te bly. Of jy nou strate vee of jou eie besigheid het in Nieu-Zeeland, jy is maar dieselfde en almal behandel mekaar met respek.”Moet nooit dink jy is beter as iemand anders nie.”
Gedurende die tydperk in Auckland, of te wel, die City of Sails, het sy goeie ondervinding in die bankwese opgedoen, baie van haarself geleer – ook hoe om onafhanklik te kan wees. Maar sy het ook `n liefde vir die see ontwikkel. Dit was hier, in `n stad met heerlike strande en `n kultuur van seil en visvang, waar die gogga haar ook gebyt het.
“`n Mens speel nie met die see nie.”
Die see leer jou baie en jy moet respek daarvoor hê. Sy was self al in gevaarlike situasies waar hulle byna nie die hawe kon opspoor nie, omdat die GPS nog nie ingestel was op daardie stadium nie. Maar sy was ook al vir 13 ure aaneen op die see. Gelukkig is seesiek nie `n probleem vir haar nie.
Tuna en galjoen word gereeld gevang, maar deesdae word die vis minder en `n Fish Finder is nodig as jy nie vir ure doelloos op die water wil ronddobber nie. Selfs skilpaaie, haaie en dolfyne vergesel soms die bote – `n ondervinding ver verwyderd van haar grootword in Alberton.
“Ek geniet dit om na aan die natuur te lewe.”
Aangesien ons land soveel mooi plekke het, is kamp die ideale tydverdryf vir haar. “Deur te reis, ander plekke en ander kulture te leer ken, kan `n mens soveel leer van mense en hul dinge.” Die “whitewater rafting”-ondervinding was `n ander les en meer skrikwekkend – waarskynlik omdat sy nie kan swem nie.
Aan die meer veilige spektrum van tydverdrywe is daar darem dans, perdry, haar tropiese visse, bonsai-boompies en kruie. Bruno, `n slim en sterk border-collie en husky kruis is ook `n deurlopende opleidingsprojek. Maar vir nou is dit eers genoeg hooi op haar vurk.
Indien enige iemand meer inligting wil bekom oor DIE ARK projek, kontak haar by nita@sun.ac.za. Meer inligting sal ook binnekort verkrygbaar wees op IT se Gemeenskapsinteraksie webwerf.
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