Past Projects

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Bursaries

Since John Tibbs and Jack Dobson started to support Swazi children and their schools in 1999, many projects have been delivered. The main priority since 2004 has been the funding of bursaries, which has enabled many hundreds of children from poor families who otherwise would not have attended school.

teachershouse

 

In the years to 2008 when the Charity was registered with the Charity Commission, a wide range of building projects were delivered at six schools, including:

  • Building classrooms, kitchens and safe food stores, toilet blocks and teachers’ houses
  • Providing electricity and water supplies
  • Sending computers, sewing machines, books and other resources

From 2008 when the Swaziland Schools Projects Charity was founded, the work continued at pace and the following has been achieved:

2008

  • Bursaries fund supported with £4000
  • Two teachers’ houses completed and computers and sewing machines sent to Forbes Reef Primary School
  • Life Skills Unit built at St Andrew’s Primary School in the Malkerns valley – this unit teaches children practical skills such as cooking, nutrition, sewing and washing clothes so that, even if children cannot afford to attend school for very long, they will learn useful skills

2009

  • Bursaries fund supported with £4000watertanks1
  • Computer room and Life Skills Unit completed at St Andrew’s Primary School in the Malkerns valley
  • Agriculture Unit built at St Andrew’s Primary School in the Malkerns valley – this unit is equipped with various tools and children learn how to grow and harvest food such as maize. They are allowed to take some food home and the rest goes to the school kitchen and the Life Skills Unit where children learn cooking skills. Chickens are also kept in the building
  • Work started on Life Skills Unit at Nkhaba Primary School
  • Work started on school/community playing field at Forbes Reef

2010

  • Bursaries fund supported with £5000
  • Life skills Unit completed at Nkhaba Primary School
  • Work started on renovation of teacher’s house at Forbes Reef Primary School
  • A variety of resources, equipment and emergency supplies such as food provided

agricultural unit st andrewsVolunteers
The Charity encourages volunteers to stay on one of the school sites in one of the houses built for them. However, with the government making school attendance compulsory, many more children are arriving at schools and volunteers’ houses are likely to be used as teachers’ houses in the near future. Volunteers with connections to:

  • All Saints Church, Bedford
  • Bedford High School
  • St John’s School, Leatherhead
  • Hurstpierpoint College
  • St Paul’s Church, Bedford
  • St Andrew’s Church, Bedford
  • Charity Trustees

have visited Swaziland and assisted the charity and its sponsored schools in 2001, 2002 and every year since 2004. The Charity is grateful for the work of all volunteers.  Please contact us if you are interested in visiting Swaziland to support our work.

st andrews computer roomst andrews life skills unit 2

Raising Money For

Currently we are raising money for the following:

Bursaries

So that over 200 children from the poorest communities can attend school. Only if these children receive an education will they have any chance of escaping poverty. Fees have to be paid for all children attending school (except orphans) and the bursaries help the poorest. The Swazi government pays all the teachers' salaries, so the fees are for things such as books, administration, electricity and school meals. The fees are the equivalent of about £45 a year (primary) and £300 a year (secondary). If the fees are not paid the children are not allowed to attend school. There are signs that the government is starting to put more money into the education system but the Charity will need to continue to raise money for bursaries for many more years.

Projects