Monday, December 10, 2012

Exam time

Nhlanhla tells me that he is currently taking his exams for his Batchelor of Commerce degree.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Friday, September 07, 2012

Swaziland: Police Trick, Ambush, Beat Students


Swaziland police tricked students into believing they were being escorted to deliver a petition to the government, but instead took them to a road with no exits and ambushed them, firing shots and beating them up.
Media in Swaziland are reporting that about 100 students were forced to flee across the streets of the Swazi capital, Mbabane.
The Swazi Observer reported today (5 September 2012) that the students were part of the on-going Global Week of Action for Swaziland and wanted to demonstrate under the banner 'Relevance of the Education System to the Current Situation'. They wanted to deliver petitions to the Ministries of Labour and Social Security and Education and Training Students and the South African High Commission.

Swaziland: Armed Police Block Students Protest


Heavily-armed state forces stopped students in Swaziland from marching on government to protest about the non-payment of tuition fees and scholarships.
More than 100 students today (16 August 2012) gathered at the University of Swaziland campus in the kingdom's capital Mbabane, but they were blocked from leaving for about four hours by police and prison wardens. Eventually the students gave up and went home.
The students hoped to march on the Labour and Social Security to deliver a petition concerning a continuing scholarship crisis.

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Picture of Nhlanhla in 2007

Here he is aged 15, when he was in high school. The seated lady used to work for me when I lived in Swaziland. I was a teacher there.


Nhlanhla struggling to make ends meet.

I can no longer afford to support him. I moved to Denmark a year ago mainly for my son's benefit and the cost of living is too high. My mother supported him with a one off donation but that money has now run out.

The cost of food has risen so high now in Swaziland. This small country is in a financial mess and even the IMF has walked out. Neighbouring South Africa pulls all the strings. The government is supposed to give students a student grant but this money, like teachers' salaries, don't get paid.

My motivation in sponsoring nhlanhla, is to make some difference in the long term to the country. I prefer to do this than donating money to a faceless charity. I can see the results. It' s fantastic.