Waltham Forest THUSO in South Africa http://thuso.org Waltham Forest Thuso in South Africa Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:58:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 en Welcome http://thuso.org/?p=33 http://thuso.org/?p=33#comments Sun, 10 Sep 2006 20:13:26 +0000 colin Information http://thuso.org/?p=33 window.document.getElementById('post-33').parentNode.className += ' adhesive_post';

Teachers and supported pupils at the Thuto Lesedi Secondary SchoolWaltham Forest Thuso in South Africa is a registered charity (number 1115066).

Thuso means “helping hand” in Sesotho, one of South Africa’s 11 official languages.

Waltham Forest Thuso in South Africa is a Charitable Trust to help raise funds for supporting the increasing number of orphans and destitute students at Thuto Lesedi High School in South Africa who need

  • School Fees
  • Food
  • Books
  • Uniforms

It was set up by Waltham Forest branch of Action for Southern Africa, WFACTSA, which was the successor to the Anti-Apartheid Organisation.

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=33 Garden Party 2010 http://thuso.org/?p=213 http://thuso.org/?p=213#comments Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:48:04 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=213 dsc_0028.jpg

Waltham Forest THUSO in South Africa committee members with Stella Creasy MP, Cllr Ahsan Khan, Neil Gerrard, Mark Beacon, Gerard and Naima Omasta-Milsom (who kindly hosted the party).
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Mmapula Tladi-Small (Waltham Forest THUSO in South Africa Chair) gives an update on progress.

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Mark Beacon, Campaigns Manager of ACTSA - Action for Southern Africa, provides an update.
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Stella Creasy MP talks to Gerard Omasta-Milsom

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Trustees of Waltham Forest THUSO together with garden party helpers and Elena Utton from sister charity “One Life”.

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=213 New photos of Thuto Lesedi School and Sponsored Children http://thuso.org/?p=207 http://thuso.org/?p=207#comments Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:11:02 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=207 Please click here or the link in the menu on the right (under photo albums)

To get back to the front page, simply click on the THUSO title at the top of any page.

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=207 Garden Party 2010 http://thuso.org/?p=183 http://thuso.org/?p=183#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:02:15 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=183 dsc_0127.jpg

Update - don’t miss the football! The TV in the lounge will be showing England vs Germany.
This year’s fundraising garden party will be on

Sunday, 27th June 2010, from 1 to 5pm at

37 Grosvenor Park Road, Walthamstow, London E17 9PD

(between Hoe Street and Pembroke Road - see map below)

Parking in the area is free on Sundays.
The fundraising garden party is to support young people, many of them AIDS orphans, at Thuto Lesedi Secondary School in South Africa with a much needed feeding programme.

WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP TO DO THIS.

LUNCH: a wide selection of delicious home-cooked dishes including vegetarian

DONATIONS
Adults: £7 includes 1 free glass of wine/beer (add’l glasses £1.00)
Children: £2.50
Under 5’s: Free
All soft drinks free!!!!
UPDATE: Presentation on project progress to date at 2 o’clock

GUMBOOT DANCE WORKSHOP: 3pm - join in and have a go!

RAFFLE: Will be drawn at 4 o’clock

FOR SALE: plants and cards

BOOK and 10p CAMPAIGN: We invite children to each bring one unwanted story book in good condition (and 10p) to be sent to a school library in South Africa.

Parking: free in the area on Sundays

Trains: to Walthamstow Central Station

Buses:48, 20, 97, 257, W15, W12, W19

If you would like to print out a flyer of the garden party to advertise or give to a friend, please click here (PDF)
]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=183 Dates for your diary http://thuso.org/?p=182 http://thuso.org/?p=182#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:32:47 +0000 admin Events Upcoming Events http://thuso.org/?p=182 We will be having fundraising stalls at the following local events:

Saturday
April 24th		 Walthamstow Village
Residents Association
Tabletop Sale		 Asian Centre
Orford Road
 
Sunday May 23rd Friends of Lloyd Park May Festival Lloyd Park
 
Sunday July 4th Walthamstow Village Residents Association
Garden Party		 Vestry House Museum
Garden

On sale will be plants, jams, candles, cards, bric a brac and Jewellery made by a South African Women’s Aids organization. Also Pick a stick game for children.

Editors note: if you need a reminder service, try knottedhandkerchief.com by the sponsors of this website

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=182 Fundraising http://thuso.org/?p=178 http://thuso.org/?p=178#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:33:13 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=178 At weekends in the summer the trustees of Thuso are out and about at local events and fairs fundraising for the feeding programme at the Thuto Lesedi School. We collect bric-a-brac and grow-on plants to sell throughout the year. Many of the plants are donated by one of our student sponsors, Mr Christoforou. Last year we had stalls at Cann Hall Baptist Church, Holy Family School, Hornbeam Environmental Centre, Lloyd Park May Fun Day, Redbridge Green Fair, Thuso Garden Party, Walthamstow Village Ass’n Garden Party, Walthamstow Green Fair, Walthamstow Mela, and the Leyton Day, We turn up in 4 cars packed to the roof with stuff to unload, and set up our stalls in wind, rain or sun! Last year we lost 2 gazebos, which were blown down and damaged beyond repair…
The pictures below show the Thuso stalls and trustees at various of the above events.

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]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=178 Fundraising http://thuso.org/?p=179 http://thuso.org/?p=179#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:33:14 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=179 Trustee Tania Collins fundraises on behalf of our sister charity Community Heart whose aim is to fill up all the empty school library shelves in South Africa with appropriate donated books in good condition. She spends her evenings making various crafts to sell such as jewellery, candles, purses, Xmas and birthday cards, jams and pick-a-stick prizes for children. With the money she makes she buys newchildren’s books, especially featuring black children and African history.Then, together with books donated from local schools, we pack them up and send them to Community Heart for onward transport to South Africa. Over the years she has raised thousands of pounds for the Community Heart charity.
Tania had a stall at all the fairs and events listed above plus specialist craft fairs. She is absolutely tireless and unstoppable in her endeavour to help South African children. The pictures below show Tania with other Thuso trustees on her stall.

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]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=179 Help THUSO for free everytime you use the Internet! http://thuso.org/?p=172 http://thuso.org/?p=172#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:27:50 +0000 admin Information http://thuso.org/?p=172 If you search online, consider using EveryClick. It works just like other search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Ask) but some of advertising revenue is directed to the charity you nominate. For further details, see this link, or “How to Help” on the right.

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=172 Newsletter Summer 2009 http://thuso.org/?p=170 http://thuso.org/?p=170#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:18:30 +0000 admin Newsletters http://thuso.org/?p=170 In 2008 WFTISA celebrated Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday. This year we join ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) in celebrating the 50th year of the organisation. The origion of WFTISA was inspired by ACTSA’s campaign to “Help the people of South Africa Reap the Fruits of Freedom”

Fees

Our objective is to assist young people at Thuto Lesedi Secondary School, in South Africa, to gain education so that they can “reap the fruits of freedom.” We seek sponsors to support orphans and poor children at the school. £30 a year pays school fees and buys essential books. Donations help to provide much needed food.

Since the beginning of the academic year in January 2009 new sponsors have helped to increase the number of pupils whose fees are paid from 30 to 50.

In 2008, 11 sponsored pupils completed Matriculation. One of them, Ntebaleng is currently at university. WFTISA provided a one-off grant to help her pay registration and tuition fees while she was seeking Scholarship support.

In April 2009, I (chair of WFTISA) went to Thuto Lesedi, during my annual visit to South Africa. The sponsored pupils I met asked me to convey their appreciation of the support they receive.

I noticed that some were no longer as sad and lethargic looking as they had been when I first met them some two or three years ago. They were lively and motivated. Freely expressed their vision and goals for a future. For that, WFTISA thanks all those whose support helped to make that possible.

Food

In discussion, the head-teacher told me that benefit from the food program was that pupils were more attentive and engaging in class. There was energy in the school. In November 2008 the school had achieved the best Matriculation results in Gauteng Province. Press reports I read suggested that with 86% pass rate, some achieving grades A in science and mathematics, these were among the best in the country

The school has 1968 pupils. 220 have lunch provided, 140 also have food packs to cover after school meals. They are the most needy. Over the whole year in 2008, lunch cost £30, and a food pack £34.56 for each child. Teachers donate vegetables to be cooked for lunch. The Head Mrs Tlhakanelo told me that without help from WFTISA, the food program would not exist. Concern was that not all who needed help were getting it. Another 300 could benefit.

The recession related un-employment, and the unabated rise in the number of AIDS orphans, means more young people will need help.

Book and 10 pence

Our support for Community H.E.A.R.T’s “Book and 10 pence” appeal continues. In 2008 WFTISA collected 3,849 books for the project. Community H.E.A.R.T sends books to historically deprived schools.

During my visit to South Africa early this year, teachers confirmed my observation that there is still great need for donated books.

]]> http://thuso.org/?feed=rss2&p=170 Garden Party 2009 http://thuso.org/?p=164 http://thuso.org/?p=164#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:04:14 +0000 admin Events http://thuso.org/?p=164
Prepared for the weather, but fortunately the rain held off

This year we were well prepared for the heavy rains forecast - but the sunny weather held out and a wonderful garden party was enjoyed by all.

ACSTA

Tony Dykes, director of ACTSA, speaking about the 50 year celebrations of the Anti Apartheid Movement.

Mmapula Tladi-Small - Waltham Forest THUSO in South Africa Chair

Mmapula Tladi-Small (Waltham Forest THUSO in South Africa Chair) gives an update on progress. THUSO now sponsors over 50 students through the Thuto Lesedi School and the feeding programme that Thuso contributes to “as hungry children can’t learn”.

gumboot dance

Makola and Elijah demonstrating the gumboot dancing they learned on an exchange visit to Vosloorus in 2000 - and people joining in!

As a precaution we put up two gazebos on Sunday June 7th   but the forecast rain stayed away when we held our Annual Fundraising Garden Party at Gerard and Naima Omasta-Milsom’s garden in Walthamstow.  The food that we offered went down a treat – especially Naima’s signature dish – authentic cous-cous – which was a triumph.Tony Dykes, the director of Action for Southern Africa, gave a speech celebrating 50 years of the Anti Apartheid  Movement. He recalled how it was set up in 1959 to demand  an end to apartheid in South Africa by means of sanctions and political isolation and changed the world for the better. In 1994 after the first democratic elections in South Africa the movement regrouped as Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), which by working with the people of Southern Africa to overcome the legacy of apartheid aimed to build a future of rights, justice and democracy for the region.Our Chair Mmapula Tladi-Small then spoke about her recent trip to South Africa during which she visited Thuto Lesedi School where our sponsors now support 50 mostly AIDS orphans through the school by paying their school fees. She was able to report that most of the Matriculation class students had successfully gained their diplomas. She also reported on the feeding programme to which Thuso contributes. In comparison to previous visits when she had found the students lethargic due to hunger they were now much more lively and engaged in classes and positive about their futures. The teachers assured her that without Thuso’s support the feeding programme could not continue. Mmapula ended by thanking all our supporters for their help.

Trustee Tania Collins then introduced Makola and Elijah who demonstrated Gumboot dancing that they had learned on a visit to Vosloorus in South Africa in 2000. He explained that the dance was originated by South African miners. Makola got us all chanting the rhythm and several people joined in the dancing – without the gumboots!

Niles entertained us with a drumming session which was a enjoyed by all and Kwame did his stuff with the raffle which was a great success.

There was a variety of plants on sale as well as beaded jewellery hand-made by a Women with AIDs Co-operative.

The event raised over £1,000 which will help us to continue support for the feeding programme at the school.

Waltham Forest Thuso in South Africa thanks everyone who attended the Garden Party and particularly the children who donated books for the Community Heart Charity to send to South African school libraries.

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