NEWS
Tharavadu Fundraising Event is a Great Success
Good food, good friends = good times
Good food, good friends = good times
The second annual Bambisanani Charity Lunch, held at the award winning Tharavadu Restaurant in Leeds, was a tremendous success. The completely sold-out event was organised by Charlotte Wood, David Farmer, Barbara Pounder and Catherine Chattoe and was attended by 80 Bambisanani supporters and young people who will be volunteering in South Africa this summer.
Tharavadu is Michelin recommended and serves the most wonderful Kerala food. Named in a list of Top 100 UK Restaurants it is a particular favourite of Indian cricket captain, Virat Kholi. The owner of the restaurant Mr Sibi Jose, provided all the food and drinks at no cost whatsoever to the charity. The friendly atmosphere, wonderful service and exceptional cuisine were enjoyed by all.
A raffle and auction included some outstanding items provided by The Kaiser Chiefs; Power Gym, Guiseley; Wild Camping Vans, Wakefield; The Edge, University of Leeds; Cloud Nine, Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Joan Wilkinson and Gerry Sayers.
A signed album from the Kaiser Chiefs was auctioned during the event
The event raised a remarkable £3,905 which will go towards funding key sports and education projects in what is one of the most challenging areas of rural South Africa. Somewhat uniquely, the Bambisanani Partnership has no employees or premise so all money raised goes to support front line projects.
David Geldart, Founder and CEO of the charity said. “On every level this event was a great success. So much goes into the organisation; I have nothing but praise for all those involved. The kindness and generosity of Sibi Jose and his wonderful Tharavadu team is quite remarkable. They have a real and genuine connection with our charity and nothing is too much trouble in ensuring that everyone has a great time in this outstanding restaurant. My special thanks to Charlotte, David, Barbara and Cath for making it all happen. Thanks also to all those who volunteered on the day, to those that donated raffle and auction items and of course to all those who bought a ticket to attend. There was a great atmosphere with lots of fun and camaraderie; good food and good friends does indeed equal good times. A good time was had by all and much needed funds were raised to ensure that our work in South Africa continues to make a difference.”
Education Excellence Award for Bambisanani teacher
Mazet Langa, a teacher from Mnyakanya High School, has recently been honoured for her outstanding work by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. At a prestigious ceremony in Nkandla Mazet received a special award for her exceptional results in the mandatory curriculum area of Life Orientation where 100% of her final year students gained Distinctions.
Mazet Langa, a teacher from Mnyakanya High School, has recently been honoured for her outstanding work by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. At a prestigious ceremony in Nkandla Mazet received a special award for her exceptional results in the mandatory curriculum area of Life Orientation where 100% of her final year students gained Distinctions.
Mazet was a key figure in developing the original collaborative work between Mnyakanya School and St. Mary’s, Menston which eventually led to the formation of the Bambisanani Partnership charity. For the past 18 years Mazet has worked tirelessly to develop the partnership in conjunction with her work teaching Life Orientation.
The curriculum area of Life Orientation aims to:
Guide learners to achieve their full physical, intellectual, emotional and social potential
Develop learners’ skills to respond to challenges and play an active part and responsible role in the economy and society
Teach learners to exercise their constitutional rights and responsibilities and to respect the rights of others
Guide learners to make informed and responsible decisions about their health, environment, subject choices, further studies and careers
Provide opportunities for learners to demonstrate an understanding of, and participation in activities that promote movement and physical activity.
Mazet in exchange visit to St.Mary’s, Menston.
This work compliments the work of the Bambisanani Partnership which aims to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership through sport.
A delighted Mazet said, “Being recognised for your dedication and the support given to children is such an amazing experience. We must thank God for giving us the strength to do this even in difficult times and circumstances so that we can change the lives of children, especially in the rural areas. The work of the Bambisanani Partnership contributes massively to the education of young people at Mnyakanya.”
Mazet visiting Ilkley with students and colleagues
David Geldart, from the partnership added, “This is such a well-deserved honour for Mazet. Her dedication to her students and indeed to the partnership is immense. She is passionate about education and has been instrumental in developing the partnership which is impacting the lives of young people in both South Africa and the UK. I met her on my first ever visit to South Africa and I doubt if we would be where we are today without her vision, dedication and positivity”.
Also see related article:
Mnyakanya High School do it again! (07/02/2024)
Bambisanani supporters ‘March through March’ to raise funds
Supporters of the Bambisanani Partnership recently participated in a sponsored 100-mile walking event – Marching through March – in order to raise much needed funds for the charity.
Supporters of the Bambisanani Partnership recently participated in a sponsored 100-mile walking event – Marching through March – in order to raise much needed funds for the charity.
Jenni Tomes-Green
The event was organised by Bambisanani trustee, Barbara Pounder who said:
“Many congratulations to everyone who took part in the Bambisanani Challenge of walking 100 miles in March. Through wind, rain and shine and more rain! the walkers completed the challenge with a smile. So many different routes and some incredible scenery. The Yorkshire Dales, the streets of Guiseley, Menston, Bramhope, Horsforth, Otley and Yeadon Dam. Along the coast of Crosby in Liverpool, Bamburgh in Northumberland and amazingly also in Thailand, Barbados and Italy. A total of 1,300 miles were walked and just over £2,000 was raised. Using the power of sport to change lives, the Partnership is currently involved in five projects in South Africa and every penny raised from ‘Marching through March’ will go towards sustaining and developing them. Once again, many congratulations to all the walkers and a big thank you to everyone that sponsored them.”
Participants included Jenni Tomes-Green, Tracey Weaver, Katherine Sayers, Duncan Baines, Vincent Bulman, Catherine Chattoe, David Geldart, Christine Wallis, Richard Giles, Graham Chennells, Ali Roberts, Martin Waddington, Loris Stringhini and the Pounder family.
‘Marching through March’ will hopefully become an annual fundraiser for the Bambisanani Partnership charity. To register your interest for the 2025 event please contact Barbara Pounder: bmpounder@yahoo.co.uk
March was a wet and windy month!
Team effort from the Pounder family
Kate walks all day long in school from room to room and building to building
Ambitions for 2024 and funding requirements: Can you help?
This year 39 young people from St. Mary’s School, Menston, University of Leeds and Newcastle College will volunteer in South Africa developing existing programmes and introducing new ones. Between them they have raised a remarkable £102,000 to fund their volunteering; many of them have worked incredibly hard for almost two years to raise this amount of money.
This year 39 young people from St. Mary’s School, Menston, University of Leeds and Newcastle College will volunteer in South Africa developing existing programmes and introducing new ones. Between them they have raised a remarkable £102,000 to fund their volunteering; many of them have worked incredibly hard for almost two years to raise this amount of money.
We are not seeking funding for our volunteers; this is their responsibility and we believe that there is much learning to be gained from this process. These are remarkable young people who have a real desire to become global citizens and make a difference in the world, they are a constant inspiration to myself and the rest of the Bambisanani team.
All of our projects are driven by community needs and engage local community members at all stages of planning and delivery. We have a policy of never funding 100% of any project. We always insist on an element of funding or contribution ‘in kind’ from South African sources. The partnership is absolutely committed to building capacity in the communities in which we work and empowering the people that we work with. Bambisanani means ‘working hand in hand’ and we are committed to that principle. All over the world I have seen ‘100% grants’ develop a ‘dependency culture’ within the communities that they are supposed to serve. This approach is frequently accompanied by a lack of real consultation with the local community - at best patronising and ultimately self-defeating; we operate very differently.
Total funding requirement for 2024 = £119,600
Amount already raised by UK student volunteers and their institutions = £102,000 (85% of total)
Remaining funding required for 2024 = £17,600
In the year ahead we would like to develop five community ‘needs led’ projects as identified below. There may be one that you may consider supporting in some way?
1. Cycling to Success
Our cycling project has proved a remarkable success in those remote, rural hills transforming lives as a means of transport, sport and recreation. Working in partnership with KZN Cycling (the Governing Body for Cycling in KZN) we aim to train 5,000 children (a year) how to both ride and maintain bikes. We need to raise £9,000 a year for the next two years which will be matched by KZN Cycling.
2. Bambisanani International Athletics Challenge
This project started during Covid to link primary schools in the UK and in South Africa in a series of athletic challenges. Principals have hailed the programme as a tremendous success - improving academic performance, behaviour, attendance and self-esteem. The majority of the South African schools had no prior experience of athletics. £2,300 is required to provide the basic equipment for the South African schools. £900 is available from South African sources and UK primary schools (fund raising events) so we need to raise £1,400 to make this programme happen for over 500 learners.
3. Leadership programmes
Our ‘leadership through sports programmes’ are our longest running programmes and they have proved an exceptional success in both primary schools and secondary schools. In my first ever meeting with the local Zulu Chief he spoke about the importance of developing young leaders with integrity in his community. The medium of sport has proved a tremendously powerful vehicle for developing generic leadership skills. Many young people who have successfully completed this course have gone to use their skills in the wider community to great effect. We need to purchase £2,200 of sports equipment each year to facilitate these programmes in both the primary and secondary schools. £1,000 is already in place to fund this programme but another £1,200 is required to train 150 young Sports Leaders.
4. Special School Physical Education and Sport
The latest school to join the Bambisanani Partnership is Thembinfundo Special School (a school dedicated to children with special educational needs) where we are introducing Physical Education or Sports programmes for the learners. We made a good start with this in 2023 introducing some basic equipment and training which had a significant impact. We are currently working with a number of agencies in South Africa to expand this programme at the school and we wish to introduce more activities for learners and more training for educators. This next stage of development will cost £4,200 of which £2,000 is already in place. £2,200 is therefore required. The development of Physical Education and Sport will transform the school experience for its 200 learners.
5. University Bursaries
Each year we try and support at least two students, who, against all the odds, gain a university place, but cannot raise all the funding required. We are currently supporting two young ladies who are training to become teachers at the University of South Africa. They have both raised between 70 and 80% of course fees themselves and we will try and make up the shortfall (that will make the difference) i.e. £2,000 (£1,000 each).
Administration
Not the most exciting aspect of our work to fund but nevertheless vitally important. With no staff to pay or premises to look after our administration costs are absolutely minimal but we do have pay some basic but essential costs for insurances, shipping and website use and development. Our costs for the year ahead will be in the region of £1,800
For the future we also have a longer-term plan to build a Football/Sports pitch near Mnyakanya School to serve both the school and the wider community. The land has already been gifted to us and the plans have been drawn up. The total cost of the project will be £85,000 with over half of the funding to come from South African sources. There is no such facility in the area; it has the potential to have a transformational impact on the lives of young people through all the benefits that sport can bring.
I would be more than happy to supply further information if required and indeed to meet with you to discuss our programme and aspirations in more detail.
David Geldart
Founder/CEO The Bambisanani Partnership
Also see related article:
Bambisanani in the news: Small Charity Big Impact (20/02/2024)
Fundraising Event at Michelin standard Indian restaurant
Date: Sunday 12 May 2024
Date: Sunday 12 May 2024
Time: 12.30pm for 1pm lunch
Venue: Tharavadu Indian Restaurant in Leeds
7-8 Mill Hill
Leeds
LS1 5DQ
2 minute walk from Leeds train station
Cost: £25 per adult, £12.50 under 16’s, Under fives free
Food: Two course Kerala Indian lunch
This will be a great afternoon for people to experience Michelin standard Kerala food
There will be the opportunity to take part in an auction and some fundraising games, so could you please bring some cash as well
This will be a fantastic event for the whole family as well as raising money for a great cause
The Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has referred Tharavadu as his favourite restaurant - the reviews are amazing
Tickets are available from Catherine Chattoe at St. Mary’s Menston c.chattoe@stmarysmenston.org
01943 883000
Also see related article:
Teacher runs, swims, cycles and rows his virtual way to Africa to raise funds for Special School
During the St. Mary’s School, Menston visits to South Africa in 2023, as part of the Bambisanani Partnership, the students and staff had their first visit to Thembimfundo School– a school dedicated to children with Special Educational Needs.
During the St. Mary’s School, Menston visits to South Africa in 2023, as part of the Bambisanani Partnership, the students and staff had their first visit to Thembimfundo School– a school dedicated to children with Special Educational Needs.
A very special relationship was immediately created with the children relishing the opportunity to learn through movement and sound. Unfortunately, there was a lack of resources to promote these aspects of learning and a teacher on the visit, Matt Harvey, wanted to make a difference and ensure that additional equipment was provided. Tragically, over the summer Mr Harvey passed away and never had the opportunity to raise the required funds.
Mr David Farmer, Deputy Headteacher from St. Joseph’s Primary School, Pudsey, who was part of the Bambisanani team to visit South Africa took up the mantle and decided to travel virtually from Leeds to Africa to raise funds by running, swimming, cycling and rowing the equivalent distance.
To do this he:
Ran from Leeds to Dover – 274 miles
Swam from Dover to Calais – 31 miles
Cycled from Calais to Gibraltar – 1,442 miles
Rowed across the Gibraltar Straits to Africa – 9 miles
A remarkable total of 1,756 miles!
The journey has taken almost a year of visiting the gym and pool; recording distances meticulously throughout. Mr Farmer has raised approaching £1,000 with the Gift Aid included, which will enable the Bambisanani Partnership charity to purchase items such as a sound system, play parachutes, netball, football and boccia equipment and jingle balls for the blind. The children at Thembimfundo will enjoy using the equipment and no doubt Mr Harvey will be looking down with a smile on his face.
David Geldart from the Bambisanani Partnership said, “This is an absolutely amazing feat of endurance and commitment from David and indicative of his tremendous enthusiasm and commitment for the Bambisanani Partnership. We are now working very closely with the Principal, local community and other agencies in South Africa to develop sport and the creative arts at Thembinfundo Special School. This has become a major focus for the charity and will be a lasting legacy to Matt.”
Published 03/03/2024
Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2024 from all at the Bambisanani Partnership
May the strength of God pilot us,
May the wisdom of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the Salvation, O Lord, be always ours,
this day and for evermore,
Amen.
– St. Patrick
May the strength
of God pilot us,
May the wisdom
of God instruct us,
May the hand
of God protect us,
May the Salvation,
O Lord, be always ours,
this day and for evermore,
Amen.
–St. Patrick
The Bambisanani Partnership says Thank You to The Rotary Club of Aireborough
On 27 February 2024, St. Mary's staff and ex-students joined the members of Aireborough Rotary at Horsforth Golf Club where Rory Southern and Anna Ciesluk, who left St. Mary’s last year gave an enlightening account of their work in South Africa in July 2023.
On 27 February 2024, St. Mary's staff and ex-students joined the members of Aireborough Rotary at Horsforth Golf Club where Rory Southern and Anna Ciesluk, who left St. Mary’s last year gave an enlightening account of their work in South Africa in July 2023.
The evening ended with Mrs Chattoe giving the Rotarians an update on the South African projects they have been involved in. They saw photographs of the final delivery and installation of computers for the Computer Suite at Mnyakanya High School that was funded by an International Rotary Grant.
Mrs Chattoe played a video of the South African teachers giving lessons to the girls on how to use the sanitary kits that the Rotarian members had made and the St. Mary’s team had delivered to the rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
A special guest at the evening was the son of the late Aireborough Rotary President, Heather Read. Mrs Chattoe spoke of the recipient of the first ever Heather Read Award for Outstanding Resilience. The Award was presented to Samkelisiwe Ntuli in June 2023. Tim Read and the guests heard how Samkelisiwe Ntuli has lived on her own since the age of 14 after her mother and sister travelled 500km to try to find work in Johannesburg. Samkelisiwe Ntuli travelled 20km to school every day and managed to successfully pass her matriculation examinations. Samkelisiwe Ntuli has now left school and will try to find her mother and sister and would like to study Law at University. Anna read out a message to Aireborough Rotary from Samkelisiwe Ntuli, thanking them for their recognition of her resilience.
Mrs Chattoe said: “it was a lovely evening as it is always great to meet up with the Aireborough Rotarians as they have been supporters of The Bambisanani Partnership since its inception seventeen years ago. We have had a long and very special relationship with the Rotary Club of Aireborough and indeed with Eshowe Rotary Club in South Africa that has enabled many life changing projects to be introduced.”
Find out more about The Rotary Club of Aireborough
Published: 01/03/2024
Bambisanani in the news: Small Charity Big Impact
Article February 2024
Article February 2024
Small Charity Massive Impact: The remarkable Bambisanani Partnership [SOUTH AFRICA THE GOOD NEWS]
Marching through March!
Join us for the 100 Mile Challenge. Individual Family or Group. Make Every Step Count!
Join us for the 100 Mile Challenge. Individual Family or Group. Make Every Step Count!
The challenge is to walk 100 miles either as an individual, a family or a group of friends in the month of March – you choose when you walk, where you walk, how far you walk at anyone time and how fast you walk – it’s completely up to you how you accumulate your 100 miles.
If you would like to take part and raise some sponsorship for your efforts, please register your interest by emailing Barbara Pounder (who is organising the event) at: bmpounder@yahoo.co.uk.
Our friends in South Africa are also rising to the challenge, so between us all we should be able to have some great exercise, and hopefully some good weather as we 'March through March'. For further information please contact Barbara.
Alternatively, if you are not able to do the walk you can sponsor members of Bambisanani team who will be Marching through March by making a donation on the link below.