Our Link with the Franschhoek Valley

Dear Friends of The Kusasa Project,
 
We wish you all a happy and prosperous to 2012.
 
This year starts in full swing as we open the doors of our Early Learning Centre on January 18th to twenty Xhosa and twenty Coloured children.
 
At Franschhoek High School the number of children on Bursaries and supported by The Kusasa Project, jumps significantly to almost 40 and we aim to push and encourage them to even greater success.
 
All of our other programs continue and our intention is to ratchet up the levels of literacy throughout the schools in the valley, as well as implementing the array of after school clubs.
 
This year will also see us surpass the 500,000 mark in the number of breakfasts provided since 2007.
 
Our work is only achieved because of the network of volunteers and donors from all over the globe and we offer huge and sincere thanks for the wonderful generous spirit within each and every one of you.
 
Very best wishes
Doug, Dave, Jacquie, Sally, Sintu and The Kusasa Project Team

Kusasa Music Festival a Great Success!

More than 120 boys and girls from Years 7, 8 and 9 (so we were joined by lots of ex-Somerhill pupils) came together in aid of Kusasa for our first ever benefit concert on Monday 27th June 2011. We were entertained by two outstanding up and coming Kent bands (watch this space!), The Good Ship Band and Tin Soldiers. We owe them a massive debt of gratitude for providing us with two amazingly professional sets. All proceeds will go to Kusasa and we will keep you posted as to how the money raised will have eventually been deployed to benefit the children in the Franshhoek Valley.

Thank you children – it’s YOUR generosity and goodwill that made this possible and will help our project.

Thank you parents for letting them come!

Thank you Mrs Jennings and Mr Sumner for organising this event.

Thank you all the other helpers who turned up on the night in various capacities.

Here are some pictures.

Hamba Kahle!

Our dear Madame Jacquie Berard-Spiers is enjoying life with our link schools; here is her latest message to us!

Here are pictures from the Kusasa Stall at the recent Somerhill Summer Fair!

See here for the latest Kusasa Newsletter and also the newsletter with information about the proposed Early Learning Centre.

Our links with Bridge House and a group of schools in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa continue to strengthen. The schools are Dalubuhle Primary, Wes-Eind Primary, Wemmershoek Primary, Groendal Primary and Franschhoek High School and also Mrs Ndaba’s Créche. Bridge House, a thriving independent school, has links already with the other schools whose pupil body is almost entirely made of underprivileged children. Heavily involved in those schools is the Kusasa Project with whom we work closely going forward. Our Year 8 boys enjoyed a super cricket triangular tournament with Bridge House and Feltonfleet when the former were in town on their 2009 Tour of England.

The structure of the links is unique and will, we hope, maxmize the chances of the scheme being successful to its aims, which are:

•    To foster awareness and understanding of the differences and similarities of lives of children in another part of the world, both privileged and under-privileged, through:.
•    establishing and maintaining communication between the children of varying backgrounds in South Africa and England, form friendships etc.
•    For teachers to share ideas and resources across the curriculum.
•    To further certain charitable aims for the underprivileged children in the Franschhoek Valley.

We live in an increasingly global community and are aware that it is becoming ever more important for us to help our children grow with an understanding of peoples of other nations and backgrounds. This is and essential part of today’s educational experience, we feel. It will provide good grounding for them in learning the importance of dealing with others in different parts of the world sympathetically and respectfully will foster skills which will help in the doubtless many future dealings many of them will have as adults with people of other countries.

Keep an eye out for progress, updates and news in relation to this project which will be posted on these pages or as newsflashes on our website.