The SOS Africa Charity provides disadvantaged South African township children, from grades 1 to 12, with a personal education programme or learning support scheme tailored specifically to their needs. This holistic approach enables children to break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential.
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SOS Africa is a UK based grass roots child sponsorship organisation which funds the education and care of underprivileged African children. Since 2003 we have provided disadvantaged children, from grades 1 to 12, with a personal education programme or learning support scheme tailored specifically to their needs. This holistic approach enables children to break the poverty cycle and reach their potential.
Our African education charity was founded in January 2003 by 18-year-old UK student Matt Crowcombe, and South African school teacher Henry Matthews. Matt and Henry were dismayed by the poor standard of free schooling available to South African township children. One night, over a bowl of jelly and ice-cream, they developed a plan to establish a holistic education programme to empower South Africa’s future generations through education.
To achieve this, SOS Africa aims to enhance, rather than replace, the South African education system by working in partnership with government schools and providing the following:
- Child Sponsorship Scheme: Advanced tuition fees, transportation, school uniform and school stationery for children from economically challenged backgrounds.
- Learning Support: Each morning, SOS Africa Education Centres open on campus to provide learning support to students with specific learning difficulties.
- Aftercare Support: After-school care for SOS Africa sponsored children each afternoon, consisting of lunch, extra tuition, recreational activities and student mentoring.
This comprehensive approach enables each SOS Africa Education Centre to support both the most economically challenged children and students with specific learning difficulties. Only by providing South Africa’s future generations with holistic educational support, both in and out of the classroom, can you ensure that they will break the poverty cycle.
To make this possible, since 2003 SOS Africa has provided Personalised Sponsorship Programmes, School Sponsorship Schemes and Corporate Sponsorship Packages tailored to the needs of both child and sponsor, guaranteeing the following:
- A Personal Approach – The charity is run by a close group of family and friends.
- Regular Child Progress Reports - Maintaining strong lines of communication between child, organisation and sponsor.
- Minimal Charity Expenses – 100% of your donation will be invested in the education & care of the SOS Africa children - All UK Expenses are covered by Gift Aid.
This personal and transparent ethos has attracted sponsors from around the world enabling SOS Africa to expand to support hundreds of children across 4 different regions. In January 2016, the first SOS Africa child graduated from High School and was awarded a varsity scholarship, with many other children now following closely in her footsteps. What began as a family project has evolved into thriving organisation, with the potential to grow and provide invaluable support to underprivileged children and struggling schools across Southern Africa.