It must be a human right to be free to walk on your own land and provide food for your family. It must be a birth right to be able to use and keep your limbs. These perfectly fundamental freedoms are denied to many. We must give them back.

The thought that, at any moment, any one of the people we love most in the world could be killed or maimed on the land we like to call home is unimaginable. This is why my father-in-law Lord Attenborough has agreed to become a Patron of the Mineseeker Foundation and Sole of Africa Project and why I am honoured to be one of its Ambassadors.

The detection of mines, their clearance, the release of land back to agriculture and the empowerment of affected people is a desperately needed initiative. Along with the important work being done in victim assistance, feeding programmes, micro-loans and medical projects, it is easy to see how much can be achieved.

I have been hugely impressed with the work the Foundation is doing and am grateful for the opportunity to 'put my foot down' and help to affect a change.

DIANE FARR

Multi-talented Diane stars in CBS's NUMB3RS crime series, which is the most watched television program on Friday nights in the US, averaging 14 million viewers a week and is showing on DSTV in South Africa.

Diane is also a successful published author, world traveller, maximum security men's prison teacher and owner of a greeting card company, OtherAnnouncements.Com which has since been featured in numerous magazines and talk shows including Oprah.

"I've covered the globe over the past decade and each continent has shocked me by the adversities so many are forced to face. Nothing is as bone chilling as the obstacles put upon humans by other humans - particularly those intended to hurt for generations. With all the authority and education available to so many today, don't we also have a responsibility to undo the intended destruction of our predecessors?"

OSCAR PISTORIUS

Oscar was born without shinbones, in effect leading to a double amputation of his legs at a very early age. He has never really been held back by this, playing rugby centre at his high school and then qualifying for the Paralympics in 2004. There he destroyed his opposition and obliterated the world record with a time of 21.97 seconds, beating the pevious time of 22.71.

He is becoming known as' The Fastest Thing on No Legs' and grins with delight at this label.

Oscar has an incredible attitude to his disability

"When people ask me what it is like having artificial legs, I reply, "I don't know. What's it like having real legs""

CANDICE HILEBRAND

"I was very moved by the website the Sole of Africa showed me. I love how this cause will change lives now and for future generations.In the past my involvement has been with The Nelson Mandela Children's fund poster campaign and print ads for AIDS awareness (Red Ribbon)."

Candice also performed at a Students for Students benefit in New York to support Health education and HIV prevention for the Children of South Africa.

"So I have put my foot down.....have you ?"

LUCIE DIAMOND

“It is just appalling and beyond belief to think that literally every 19 minutes, someone is maimed or killed by a landmine on our planet, planted deliberately by another human being to do exactly that, in cold blood. I am told there are an estimated 100 million landmines in Africa, and Mozambique is the worst area affected."

“This is not just another cause to take people’s money, it is much more than that. That is why I am humbled and honoured be asked to become an Ambassador, and I gladly accept. I will do everything I possibly can in my own small way, to help raise awareness, and that is why I am going to see for myself the misery and suffering caused to innocent victims, and the good that can be done after we rid the land of these evil things.”

Lucie Diamond shot to fame in the country music world with her debut single - featuring guitar legend Albert Lee - in January 2005.In July last year, she won 3 of her 4 nominations in the annual European country music awards, including European Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year (beating superstars Dolly Parton and Faith Hill to the award.) The only British artist to win, and taking home more awards than any other artist.

PENNY STREETER OBE

Penny Streeter (OBE) CEO of Ambition 24hours is appointed SA Ambassador to Mineseeker

Entrepreneur Penny Streeter – listed this week in the UK Daily Telegraph’s top 40 UK entrepreneurs aged under 40 in the UK.

"I regard it as a great honour to be involved in this campaign. I grew up in Zimbabwe during the Bush War there and I am well aware of the pernicious danger of landmines. In fact several family friends and acquaintances, both black and white, died in landmine explosions.

My father, British born South African author Peter Stiff, is renowned worldwide for his work in the landmine field. His book Taming the Landmine can be found in the offices of virtually every de-mining camp throughout the world where it is widely used as a text book"

RAMIRO MENDES

"I am honored to be part of The Sole of Africa team. I will passionately devote my time and give my very best to its mission to rid Africa of landmines, and return the land back to her people! I thank the organization for this wonderful opportunity to serve on such a humane cause, one that will have tremendous impact on the lives of our people for generations to come."

Ramiro Mendes is a multi-Grammy Ballot Nominated music producer, composer and artist with an exemplary music career that spans over 25 years of music production and composition.

ROBERTA FLACK

Internationally hailed as one of the greatest songstresses of our time,Roberta Flack remains unparalleled in her ability to tell a story through her music. 
Her songs deal insight into our lives, loves, culture and politics, while effortlessly traversing a broad musical landscape from pop to soul to folk to jazz. Classically trained on the piano from an early age, Ms. Flack received a music scholarship at age 15 to attend Howard University.

After several years as a high school English teacher, Ms. Flack was discovered while singing at a Washington, DC club by jazz musician Les McCann. She was signed to Atlantic Records.  In 1972, a re-release of her song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," from her first LP, zoomed to number one and remained there for six weeks, becoming that year's biggest hit. 

Ms. Flack continues to perform to adoring audiences around the world and is currently involved with two very exciting recording projects -- an album of Beatles songs due out later this year, and an album for a talented group of musicians she is developing called The Real Artists Symposium.

Very active as a humanitarian, she recently opened the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Charter School in the Bronx, which will provide music education to underprivileged students free of charge

TIFFANY PERSONS

is a multifaceted woman. She is one of the advertising industries top casting directors; a documentary filmmaker; the founder and Executive Director of a successful human service foundation and a mother to a wonderful nine year old daughter. Though in her early thirties, Ms. Persons has made a significant mark and has been incredibly successful in all that she has set out to do.

In 2006 Ms. Persons started Tiffany Company Casting and in just 2 years has turned the company into one of the industries most prominent casting agencies.  With clients like Levi's, Hertz, Dodge, Jeep and Apple and Adidas, Ms. Persons and her associates work can be seen on televisions throughout the world.

After working in the entertainment industry with high profile music video and film directors (1992-1998), Ms. Persons had redirected her creative talents for the benefits of the citizens of Sierra Leone, Africa. Almost immediately after her first visit to Sierra Leone, Ms. Persons formed Shine on Sierra Leone (SOSL), a human service foundation that provides education, mentoring, nutritional support and a uniquely creative curriculum to schools. In addition, SOSL has raised funds to pay teacher salaries and school fees for the students. Since its inception in 2006, SOSL has partnered with the World Food Program, 6 Degrees Global, and A Place Called Home (APCH).  These combined organizations has made it possible for SOSL’s first school, Muddy Lotus Primary, to add additional classrooms, desks, soccer field and garden,  The efforts were greatly rewarded when these partnerships forged to bring seven (7) American students from SOSL also sponsors special education programs focused on early child mothers, pregnant girls and child miners. 

In 2008, Bambai Bling and Shine On Sierra Leone have joined forces to work in tandem for the rehabilitation of Sierra Leone.  This fruitful partnership has yielded funds to launch four (4) nationwide digital literacy centers that will provide free computer training to students and community members. Land reclamation projects for agriculture and microcredit programs for women are also in development.

Ms. Persons a native of Detroit, Michigan, attended Georgia State University where she studied Journalism and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film in 1998. One month after graduation she journeyed west to Los Angeles, CA.

Mr Kendrick’s initial business was in the field of public relations, having founded Good Relations, which became one of the two largest communications firms in the UK. It was here the he was introduced to the merits of airships. He went on to establish a company that became the worlds largest airship and balloon enterprise and this activity made him one of the most travelled people on the planet.

Mr. Kendrick was joined in partnership with Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, to develop the lighter than air business. He went on to organize the entire projects for the Atlantic, Pacific and ‘round the world’ attempts.

The death of Princess Diana marked a turning point for Mr. Kendrick. The tragic event spurred the inspiration of a vision that formulated into Minseekers. Armed with the knowledge of airship abilities and the Ministry of Defenses X-Ray technology, Mr. Kendrick realized the solution to one aspect of war’s most deadly inheritance. This idea has now captured patrons and partners to forge a means to continue The Princess’s legacy for the eradication of land mines from the face of the planet.

Kim Keeley - CEO (USA)

With more than 20 years of practical international experience in the private and not-for-profit sectors, Kim is established in both the local and international networks in which she operates. She has worked with variety of multinational corporations and represented organisations at various levels of community, governmental and corporate structures. She has lived and worked
extensively in Europe, the Middle East, India and the United States of America.

Kim's career expertise focuses on high revenue growth, organizational performance and sustainable corporate and governmental citizenship. In addition she has dedicated herself to multiple causes ranging from helping reduce gun and gang violence on the streets of Los Angeles and London, implementing innovative programs within LA Jails to aid the transition of offenders back into communities as productive members of society, to de- mining, health and educational issues in Mozambique as well as mentoring female entrepreneurs in Seoul Korea and London England.

Kim serves on the board of several non profits in the US and the UK in both
active and advisory positions.

Kai Von Pannier - Managing Director (SA)

Kai comes from 20 year career with blue chip IT companies in Business Development and Marketing sectors, before starting his own Entertainment Production company in 2003.With an ability to manage large project teams, he inspires his teams to often follow him down his sometimes quirky and off-the-wall schemes, with ensuing success.

He has been involved with the Mineseeker Foundation for the past three years and is now committed to the Sole Of Africa project in Southern Africa. Born in Germany, he has lived in South Africa for 25 years. He is passionate about Africa, it's people and their future.

Gail Mortimer - Director (SA)

Gail has 27 years experience in the banking, education, local government and skills development. She has recently started a 100% BEE family owned Women's Construction Company where the core focus will be in developing eco-friendly homes and the transfer of skills to the construction teams. She has always been passionate about empowerment and fully supports Governments initiatives to uplift the people of Africa. The Sole of Africa program is one which she is wholly supportive and committed too. Her quest for its success is best voiced in the words of George Bernard Shaw:

"It is courage, courage, courage that raises the blood of life to crimson splendour"