Make It Count Africa

My name is Blue Thorpe, I am a 17-year-old student at Francis Holland School in London. I grew up in Cape Town, but following a dream to study at a UK university, I managed to win a bursary for a school in London to study A-levels. I have always wanted to set up some kind of charity to give back to the community in which was I raised. At my first week of school, we were encouraged to think of ideas for an Extended Project (EPQ) which could cover any topic outside of our A-level subjects. Bingo! Here was the perfect platform to start a charity. I discussed my idea with my teachers and although they felt it was ambitious, they supported the idea and gave me the go-ahead.

Make it Count Africa aims to raise money to buy scientific calculators for underprivileged high schools in Cape Town. We will start by raising enough money for scientific calculators for the entire student body of Ocean View Secondary School in Ocean View, Cape Town. This area is close to where I grew up and is a strong community but is sadly facing many challenges: poverty, gangsterism, violence to name but a few. My desire to give calculators stems from my love of Maths, but there is also a distinct need for them. In South Africa, to gain your National Senior Certificate (final school exam), Maths is obligatory and scientific calculators are essential to success in these final exams. Currently, less than 30% of the students at Ocean View have calculators, which puts those without at a great disadvantage. Calculators are expensive and many parents simply cannot afford to spend that kind of money when they are struggling to put food on the table. By donating to this cause, you will be providing a student in need with an instrument that could mean the difference between joining a gang or getting into university. Every penny counts. Make It Count Africa.

If we raise more than £10 000, I will shave my considerable head of hair off, video it and donate it to cancer! Thank you in advance for your kind contribution.