I am running the Wimbledon Common Half Marathon on 2nd April in support of the South African Charity Christel House. Having worked at Christel House for several weeks last summer, I know from personal experience the
extent to which this school’s fantastic teachers and pioneering vision continually transforms the lives of children who would otherwise face little prospects of progressing out of the townships in which they live.
At 52%, South Africa has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. A principal reason behind this is the lack of proper education services in the
country’s poorest neighbourhoods. This makes the achievements and efforts of Christel House even more remarkable, given its 94% student retention rate
compared to less than 50% in the rest of South African schools. By providing children with a free service to pick them up and drop off from their townships, feed them twice a day and offering a range of guidance of guidance and support networks, Christel House facilitates the education of hundreds of children. I witnessed daily the beaming smiles on the children’s faces as they came into school and the
love and dedication the teachers provide to the children.
The school runs entirely on donations so contributions directly influence it’s ability to provide this unique service to South African children.
To put it into perspective, a school uniform, one of the children’s most basic needs, costs only £15.
In case this is not enough of an incentive to donate, I will not cut my hair until the start of the next university year if I reach my target of £500.
Thank you for all your support :)
