Please help us to make a difference and provide care for the many in Kwa-Zulu Natal who will need help as HIV/AIDS takes its relentless toll.
Vusi Masango, from Ingwavuma, South Africa, was sponsored by Oxfam to visit the UK last year, to help set up an art exhibition in London at UCL, to support a self-help group. This was Vusi’s first visit to the western world and he had a lot to take in. After a few days he asked one of us whether anyone lived in a ‘stick house’ in the UK.
It was a simple and innocent question that inspired our group to build a stick house – home to too many in Kwa-Zulu. We want to draw attention to the poverty, and that we, the fortunate, can make a difference. We will be building and then sleeping in a stick house identical to those found where Vusi lives, but this one will be in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace in August 2010 – a huge contrast.
We are working with The Friends of the Children of Southern Africa (UK charity number 1084087) to support Ingwavuma Orphan Care (SA charity number 010-354NPO). This charity is based in an extremely remote part of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Here, the lives of people are blighted by extreme poverty and AIDS; this results in a life expectancy of just 39 years. Orphan Care is a life line for over 3,000 orphans – otherwise left to fend for themselves. The charity also manages the community health programme for the local hospital. Emotional, practical and medical help is given to patients in their own homes (often single rooms of the most rudimentary construction – yes stick houses!). There is a great need for a place of respite for the very sick and dying who cannot look 
after themselves and cannot stay in hospital.
Orphan Care is desperate – please help to raise funds to support their work and build a hospice.
Many of those involved in The HUT Project raised £40,000 for a sister charity in 2007. These funds made a huge difference to the community of Ingwavuma by providing fresh water where none was available – can you imagine living without water on tap! We recently received news that one of the schools which benefitted, Ingwavuma High School, last year had exceptionally good school leaving results, 98% of the students passed. The Department of Education made a special visit to the school to congratulate them on the way the school had been turned around. The headmaster said, “There is water at the school now and proper toilets which has contributed so much to the morale of the kids and their ability to work better in a healthier learning environment.” We were also able to buy vehicles and repair boreholes and install toilets at other junior schools.
At the end of the week, Saturday 21st August, there will be an evening garden party in honour of the HUT Project. Wine, home-made canapés and Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes will be served on the lawn in front of the Sir Christopher Wren’s baroque façade. The garden party will be an exclusive event, only open to about 50 couples, and the Palace Gardens will be closed to the public at this time. Terry Gough, the Head Gardener and his deputy will be leading exclusive tours of the privy garden, the exotics and world’s largest vine. Tickets cost: £35 per person. Please contact Gaynor Coppin at coppin.gaynor@gmail.com or 01628 850142 to obtain tickets.
All money raised from this project will go directly to Orphan Care. If you wish to make a donation please send a cheque made payable to ‘The Friends of the Children of Southern Africa’ to Chris Batterham, Vale Farm House, Hawridge Vale, Chesham, Bucks HP5 2UG or here.
