Resource Centre

Registered Charity: 1103909

Tyume Valley Schools

An Educational Project in South Africa

Changing South African Children’s Lives through Education

The Resource Centre

One of our many helpers

Our main priority for 2005 was to set up the Resource Centre for the Tyume Valley schools. This will enable all the schools to have equal access to computers, books and other resources.

We have converted an empty classroom block in one of the villages to provide a library, resource centre, meetings room / audio visuals room and arts and crafts centre.

The Meetings Room

Green Standards agreed to source our Resource Centre project by filling a 40’ container with computers, printers, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, bookcases, TVs, overhead projectors and stationery.

This, of course, is only part of the story!

Money

£4000 was needed to ship the container so a big effort was made by many people. Money was raised by Canadian and Geordie supporters and friends as well as events such as ‘The Jam on The Lock’ in Camden. Hope for Children also gave us £2000

Helping Hands

At all stages we were in need of more than a little help from our friends.

Packing the container in the UK was the first task and TVS volunteers, partners and children were shown how to pack by the professionals Colin and Chris from Pat Jones and associates.

Shipping—more professional help from Kris Shaha (Amba Trading) was needed to arrange the shipping and in South Africa from Charlie Panday (Aqualink Freight ) to cope with the paperwork in East London SA

Unpacking It was another case of ‘all hands on deck’ as teachers, children and members of the Ikhwezi and TVS associations all helped to unpack. A fork lift truck and flatbed lorry were loaned by John Schenk.

Our special thanks to Maggie Kiloh and Stephanie and Andy Kumaria who were involved in both packing and unpacking

Maggie and Andy putting finishing touches to the meetings room

Maggie Stephanie and helpers in the new library

There were plenty of willing helpers

The Computers

It was decided to put most of the computers at nearby Fort Hare University

where a new training centre has been set up.

This provides greater security for the computers and the university is providing computer training for the Ikwhezi teachers. A number of teachers have completed the basic course and have received their certificates.

A further course on Computers for teachers is also being run.