International


	The Road to Africa


	See The Results Kamalakhe School Receive Computers Here




	Above: Tony Ormond, spearheading a worthy cause on the 14 peaks trail.

During the early part of 2005 Tony, our fund raising executive, rekindled his desire to partake in the 14 peaks event, staged in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. Tony mused and began to think on a broader scale. Tony’s thoughts resulted in setting up an international fund raising project to include service users and the Conwy Channel service user forum. The event was focused on raising money to refurbish and dispatch a number of computers to enhance the educational prospects of some young African people attending a school in Kwazulu/Natal, South Africa.

A considerable amount of money was raised as result of the hard work from all those parting in the 14 peaks event. The money raised was used to refurbish a number of out dated computers. As a part of a therapeutic project Touchstones12 was able to engage some clients in the restoration process. Pictured right and below, a number of monitors and desktop units were refurbished and passed to be usable. Touchstones12 Project Director, Danie Strydom, said that he was “proud to be involved with such a worthy project, one that engaged service users in a productive, worthwhile activity”. Danie went on to say, “we find that service users are intelligent people who are often suppressed and void of having any avenue to vent their ideas. Here at Touchstones we aim to provide avenues for individuals to realize their potential, hence the reason why we are helping service users and Channel to operationalize their ideas.”




	Above: Project Director Danie Strydom, right, and Fund Raising Executive, Tony Ormond, left, pictured with some refurbished computers.




		Above: Computers ready for packing


	The refurbished computers were boxed and prepared for transit by a number of volunteer service users, here at Touchstones12. Tony, pictured right, said “I am proud to have been a part of something worthwhile and in the process to have been able to turn my ideas into a reality. I had a desire to achieve a personal goal - but fortunately I have been able to help others in the process.”




		Above: Tony helping with packing


	When all of the computers had been securely packed and labeled, we arranged to hire a van from Stapeley Self Drive, our local car and van hire merchant. Early one Saturday morning we collected the van from Stapeley Self Drive and returned to our main centre were we loaded the boxed computer equipment, before setting of on the journey to Heathrow Airport.




				Above: Stapeley Self Drive



	Above: Un-loading at Heathrow Airport


	A F R I C A


	Above: Bound for South Africa, last call...




			Above: Loading boxes bound for South Africa



				Above: Addressed to...

On a final note, Danie Strydom said- “here at Touchstones we are enabling service users in productive ways like no other organisation. This particular project was at the heart of my sole, as I am from South African origin, but aside from this Touchstones12 was able to help service users to complete an extensive project of their choice. Touchstones have made it possible but importantly service users have done the legwork and the organizing. One might ask if we have made a difference? But I would argue that we have helped our own service users to achieve a goal, which in turn has helped some other people from a poorer part of the world.”


		Stapeley Self Drive - Touchstones12 Supporting Local Business

	See The Outcome - Kamalakhe School Say Thanks And Service Users Present A Further Cheque


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