Tuesday
13th April 2004
Karnagie
Sharp's diary: Day 6 |
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| Some
of the pupils at Nonhlevu Secondary, rehearsing their zulu dance
for the 15th of April. |
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On
Tuesday April 27 South Africa celebrates 10 years of democracy.
BBC Radio Berkshire and six local schools have launched a project
to help provide a congratulatory meal to a deprived school in South
Africa.
Our
reporter Karnagie Sharp is in South Africa to help get the project
off the ground.
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Karnagie
Sharp's diary
Day
6
The
15th of April is when the children at Nonhlevu Secondary will receive
their meal from BBC Berkshire and six Berkshire schools to celebrate
ten years of Democracy, which is on the 27th of April.
The day
is drawing nearer and pupils now have something to look forward to
when they return to school after the Easter holiday.
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| Karnie
with some of the members of the South African group Ladysmith
Black Mombazo, who are performing at Nonhlevu School on the
15th of April. |
The areas
within close proximity to the school are all quite impressed with
what's going on. Local and national papers have reported that six
Berkshire schools, together with the BBC have been involved with this
project.
The national
television station SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) will
be there on the day to cover the event too.
We have
to understand when someone speaks of England, everybody automatically
thinks of London. Most people here haven't heard of BERKSHIRE so the
pupils at this South African school will be more than willing to learn
more about the royal county.
It so
happens that Kwa Zulu Natal is in its own right royal too. This is
the kingdom of the Zulu people, with King Zweletini reigning as the
Zulu King.
It's no
surprise then that Zulu dancing in these parts is very popular. This
is a vibrant dance with an incredible energy and a deluge of rhythmical
movement.
The pupils
at Nonhlevu will be performing this dance to celebrate the event on
the 15th.
Another
surprise event is… the internationally acclaimed group Ladysmith Black
Mombazo are from the Kwa Zulu Natal region and they have agreed to
donate some time to perform for these children on the day they receive
their meal.
This local
group, who have in the past performed for president Nelson Mandela
and have preformed with artists like Paul Simon and Michael Jackson
were only too happy to be a part of this project.
Support
here has been overwhelming, but even more overwhelming than that has
been gestures of gratitude from the local community.
This is
what makes my journey to my homeland all the more pleasurable: seeing
fellow South Africans fight against harsh conditions, especially poverty
is a painful sight, but now with this project and the involvement
of these six Berkshire Schools, "children at Nonhlevu Secondary will
now be given the chance to dream…".
A
special thank you goes to Westgate School who have raised a whopping
£1,000 by holding a sponsored fast/mufti day on Friday 2nd April.
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