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helping hand from the uk

FOR THE CHILDREN: Rudi Page, back right, and his team with some of the children who are under Raffa's wing. Pic. Katlego Moeng. 30/10/2008. © Sowetan
FOR THE CHILDREN: Rudi Page, back right, and his team with some of the children who are under Raffa's wing. Pic. Katlego Moeng. 30/10/2008. © Sowetan

Katlego Moeng

Disadvantaged Soweto children are getting a helping hand from an international charity.

The Renewal Advancement Financial Freedom Autonomy (Raffa) International Development Agency concluded a six-day skills exchange programme in Soweto yesterday.

The UK-based charity has launched what it coined "Quality Youth Development".

Raffa has linked the Nkanyezi Stimulation Centre for mentally and physically challenged children in Orlando West, Soweto, with a school in Birmingham, England.

Five teachers from Mayfield School in Birmingham accompanied Raffa to exchange knowledge and help with stimulation tools for handicapped children at Nkanyezi. The English school will mentor Nkanyezi.

Scholarship programmes were also put in place for pupils at Mbuyiswa School (previously known as Belen School) and Tlhoreng Junior Primary School.

Rudi Page, chief executive of the charity, announced that a "Community Enterprise and Skills Fest" will be held in May 2010, but will be officially launched in the latter part of May next year.

On Saturday Raffa held a debate on xenophobia between pupils on the film The Volcano Generation from Montserrat at the Hector Petersen Museum.

Page said: "Another local community development agency, 'One in One Out', has partnered with Raffa to build houses for informal settlement dwellers and improve learning structures in Tembisa."

Raffa has established an office at Tlhoreng Junior Primary School in Vilakazi Street, where Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and former president Nelson Mandela's houses are located. - Sowetan Online

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