Widgetrade would like to thank the following partners for their
continued support

Bosfontein Primary School History

Located between Lydenburg and Roossenekal, Mpumalanga South Africa, Bosfontein Primary School is an extremely poor rural school. Most of the now 240 learners are farm labourer's children, many of them from single parent homes. The majority of the families have difficulty paying the R60.00 annual school fees. Most of the children are older than normal primary school kids due to interrupted schooling.

When we first responded to a newspaper article this school was in a desperate situation. Teachers were under the impression that the learners were lazy when in fact the were unable to respond due to hunger. The government food subsidy was not for the duration of the school year, so learners could not even look forward to the one meal they received at school. Many of the children were taking turns to eat at home and going for days without food. Some of the learners were having to walk a 28km's round trip to school and back on an empty stomach. They had no hope and nothing to look forward to. Many of the learners were dependant on the one meal they would receive at school.

We as parents and ex-parents of Leicester Road Primary School in Kensington, informally adopted them in 1999. We have collected clothing, shoes, blankets, toys, stationery, books, and anything else that could possibly enrich their lives. It is also thanks to many kind sponsors that we have been able to enrich their lives.

In 2001 they came to Johannesburg to meet fellow learners. We were able to take them to the Johannesburg Zoo, and to see the movie 'Shriek' the cinema. Wild Animals, pop corn, coldrink, chocolate, escalators were a first time experience for these kids. In 2002 we were able to organise a trip in conjunction with 'The Star Seaside Fund', 40 kids had five adventure filled days away from home. Ten children had the opportunity to fly with British Airways to Durban after winning a colouring-in competition. These kids had never seen an airplane before let alone flown in one.



We have impacted on their lives in a positive way:

Many of the children now want to be doctors, lawyers, nurses etc., whereas before they had no dreams.

They now have transport to school and home
They get fed at school
They have clothes, stationery and toys
They have a library
They have extra classrooms
But most of all they have ambition, love, care, hope and faith.

Through ongoing support we can, as a team, reach out!
Thanking you,

Michelle Basson

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