Families in Thulumtwana, Orange Farm say Thank You!

Families in Thulumtwana, Orange Farm expressed their gratitute to Soweto Connection in letters received over the Christmas period.

Orphans outside their homes in Thulumtwana Thulumtwana, Orange Farm, is 30 Km south of Johannesburg. It has no infrastructure and no place where young people can get a decent job. Many 20 year olds have spent the last 4 or 5 years caring for AIDS patients for just a stipend. Sr Dolores of the Inkanyezi HIV/AIDS project ensures that regular donations from Soweto Connection gets to the right families. As a result, money has been provided to pay school fees, buy books and school uniforms for orphans, and improve the quality of life for caregivers by enabling them to get extra training in one field or another. One of the recipients, France, wrote: "I like to thank you for helping me to sustain my family, before you come to our life it was very difficult". In many cases children would not get an education without the money from Soweto Connection. If their fees - sometimes as low as 10 Euro a year - had not been paid they would not be able to pass on to the next grade in school. Francis, the caregiver for one such boy wrote: "I would like to say thank you for the support that you give us. My son is growing and doing fine because of your help". Francis went on to say "And what you doing to us please do even to other people". This is what Sr. Dolores and Soweto Connection hope to do in 2010 with the help of generous donors in Ireland and elsewhere. Added: 07.01.2010 11:39