Books for Africa

We at Storefair support and will continue to support the excellent and vital work that Fr Gerald and colleagues are undertaking in South Africa in the Sasolia school, please see below excerpts from those we support in South Africa as well as Kenya.

Fr Gerald advises that “this school would be delighted to receive books, and it is very timely as they have just started their own school library.  The school is located in Kinross, and is in an area where up to recently there was no electricity and all the people lived in shacks.  Improvements have been made but there is still a long way to go.”

We also add our thanks to you for your kindness and generosity in donating and sending these books.  As I know you are aware, the schools in most of South Africa are extremely poorly equipped so any help we can give them is so worthwhile.  Education really is the key to raising people out of poverty so anything we can do to achieve that goal has to be good.

Can you please pass this on to all at Storefair.

As suggested I have attached a few photographs of the SASOLIA SCHOOL.  It is a very well run school with an excellent Principle and good dedicated staff, and a well run Governing body. With no corruption.
Because of this it can attract very needed and well deserved sponsorship. Some schools, unfortunately, will get little support because resources are not well used, corruption is rife, and many staff are not dedicated. One's heart goes out to the learners of such schools.
The two wooden buildings were as a result of sponsorship. One a classroom and the other the great vision of a school library.  Appeals have gone out to the community for the donation of books. As you would appreciate some books donated will be useful and others will have to be binned!!

The school themselves can give you a picture of the pupils - they come from roundabout, some from good supportive families, and many many from families that are very poor. One can guarantee the death of several children throughout the year due to AIDS (the school may not even mention this as it's so much part of life), many are on ART's, and in the year we mourn the death of many parents, again due to HIV/AIDS. Some children are late for school or do not turn up because they are caring for a sick parent, or their orphaned siblings.

The school gets the usual Government grants, but this in no way covers the good running of the school - without support the schools struggle, and some deliver an extremely poor - often desperate - service. In our area we have several Locations (Townships), eMbalenhle being the largest with over 500,000 people. Some of the Extensions (it's divided into areas, and these have local African 'leaders') still do not have electricity laid on, and only standpipes for water. So in these conditions even if you go to a 'good' school the children have to do homework by candle light or oil lamp (our community helps to supply these where needed). If the parent(s) are sick the children have to tend to them when they get home. If an orphan child-headed family then feeding and caring for each other comes before home-work. The orphans and poor usually have a meal at school, but in the holidays they go hungry. Some we have to 'rescue' off the rubbish tips where they look for food, and get help for them.

I'm only giving you a real picture.....this is how it is! And how it really is, is only appreciated when you live here and are willing to open our eyes to it.

So BOOKS, yes, if they are the suitable type (which we will have to look at) they will be welcomed, appreciated, and well used. The other encouragement is not only the gift, but to know that someone (out there!) actually cares for us, and loves us.

Is there anything else I can let you know, or make clearer?

With God blessings to you.

Fr. Gerald (Gostling)   Evander / Secunca"

Photograph of Bongi with some of the children at St Anthony's Orphanage, Blauubosch.

Growing for home based Care

Fruits for the orphans

Oil lamps for the pupils

Sasolia School setting on the edge of extesion

Sasolia School Library

Sasolia School pupils