Long-term SOS Africa supporter and newly appointed Trustee Richard Long, visits two of our education programmes in the Western Cape and shares his experiences.
“I love going to South Africa, I love the people, I love the weather, I love the food! I especially love visiting the SOS Africa staff and children!
If you are lucky enough to meet SOS Africa staff members Des and Abi, you will soon be astonished by all the love and effort they give the children. This was the idea on which the charity was founded; educate, empower and make a difference. This happens every day at school and after school with these wonderful children. The youngsters are a delight to be with when you visit, they reflect Des and Abi’s enthusiasm; they are polite, generous and heart-warming. The newly built Dudley Rotary Education Centre is beautiful; it is safe and a superb learning space.
We also visited the St Michael’s Farm school, SOS Africa’s latest Education Programme, where Abi is already teaching. This is where SOS Africa’s second building project will shortly begin. It is so easy to imagine the impact it will have; another place for safe, happy learning, a place to support and nurture the new generation. Matt and Claudia and everyone involved with SOS Africa, in whatever capacity, are helping to change ideas and improve the future for these deserving children and their families.
We first met SOS Africa founders Matt and Claudia when they came to us for a First Aid course. We talked about their fundraising venture, the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage Abseil; Heather and I instantly became involved and never looked back.
Over the years I have helped quite a few different charities with a lot of fundraising activities, but you hardly ever get to meet the beneficiaries. With the SOS Africa website, blog and social media pages, you can be involved almost every day; watching how well the children are learning and playing, sending birthday wishes and encouragement for tasks they might be doing, or sports they might be entering.
I believe SOS Africa is a family, if you help, in whatever way, you become part of the family. If you can, keep helping; everything you do can change these children’s lives for the better.”
Rich Long (Reflex First Aid Training Ltd and Proud SOS Africa Trustee)
