Vhutshilo Mountain School

Like most NPOs in South Africa, the school relies entirely on international charitable donations to survive and to grow. We are therefore appealing to overseas individuals and organisations to sponsor the schooling of our most vulnerable and destitute children.

A monthly donation of ZAR 400 (equivalent to USD 70) covers for tuition, transport and food.

The sponsors are initially sent photographs and a brief history of the child; and at the end of each year they receive a school progress report and a few examples of the child’s work.

ADDRESS: PO Box 737, Sibasa 0970, South Africa

TEL:  +27 (0) 72 456 8929

EMAIL:

 vhutshiloschool@gmail.com

 

Appeal for Donations

We desperately need all the help we can get to provide these children with the chance of a future.

A. J. Quinnell the author of the book "Man on Fire", which was recently released as a movie, starring Denzel Washington, has written a short story which you can download in acrobat .pdf format by clicking HERE

You may download it and read for free without obligation. However the author asks that if you enjoy the story, please make a donation large or small to the Vhananyana Mountain School.

Standard Bank (South Africa)

Account Name: Vhananyana Mountain School
Account no.: 230780458
Branch code: 052849
SWIFT Code: SBZAZAJJ

 

The Vhutshilo Mountain School targets severely underprivileged children, in particular orphans, who would not normally have the advantage of pre-school education. The aim is to provide these children with the highest possible standard of personalised care, stimulation and education during their formative years, and thus equip them with a solid grounding on which to base their lives. The maximum size of group per educator will therefore be 20; life skills, swimming, ball sports are to be included and English will be the only medium of instruction. Pride in their own culture and language will, however, be encouraged at all times, to ensure that the children have a positive sense of their own identity.

The Vhutshilo Mountain School is a non-profit organisation based near Sibasa, in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is situated in the heart of the former Venda homeland, one of the poorest regions of the country. Here, a huge proportion of the population is unemployed, homeless or illiterate, and HIV/AIDS is rife.

Of all the children in need of special care in Africa today, those affected by HIV/AIDS are undoubtedly the most at risk.  These children face a future without hope from the onset, usually being raised in extreme poverty by a grandparent or elder sibling and frequently ostracised by the rural communities in which they live. It is against this background that the Vhutshilo Mountain School was established, and we seek to address this situation for the children within our reach.

Ms Sue Anne Cook, the Founder and Principal of Vhuthsilo Mountain School has lived in Venda for 18 years and is extremely committed to the upliftment of the VhaVenda people. In 1993 she co-founded the Centre for Positive Care, which is the longest-standing HIV/AIDS-related NGO in our region. She spearheaded the Vhutshilo Mountain School project in 2002, which was started at her mobile home. In April 2005, the school moved to a new building, generously sponsored by the Greenock Presbytery of the Church of Scotland (UK). The new school has the capacity to accommodate 40 children. Today the organisation is run by 4 full-time volunteers and a Management Committee.

School policy:

·         A minimum of 60% of learners are orphans, or children from dysfunctional and/or poverty-stricken families.

·        We encourage children from a diversity of social and economic backgrounds - regardless of HIV status - to create bonds of friendship at the pre-school age.  In doing so we hope to offer a small, but positive contribution to a community in which being affected with HIV often carries an oppressive stigma.

The medium of instruction is English.

Non-Profit Organisation # 021-664-NPO