News & Events
Here are just a few of our recent highlights and achievements. There's lots more news and photos on our Supporters' stories page, so be inspired!
And for up to date News & Events, check our new
facebook page: www.facebook.com/StandUpForAfrica
Hair today and gone tomorrow for SUFA
SUFA would like to say a massive THANK YOU to Jennifer Parker, for
going the extra mile to raise money to support our work. Her sponsored
head shave caught people imagination and showed their generosity for
the cause.
“A small part of me had always bestowed a flickering desire to
depart completely with my long hair. Well, since the age of about 14
anyway. However, it still seemed like a huge step to take and therefore
took me a long time to muster up what little courage I had to take the
plunge and shave my head. Now 25, I decided it was time. The first task
was to set a date and with the approach of summer, May seemed like the
ideal time. I soon realised however that I needed something more; something
that would stop me bailing out. And thus I decided to raise funds for
Stand Up for Africa, a charity my partner had made me aware of. I was
wonderfully shocked by just how generous everyone seemed to be, and
how my public shearing was capturing their imagination.
The big day finally arrived. A few of my close friends had decided
to come and support (or jeer at) me, which in reality only made me more
nervous. My friend had set up a make-shift salon in his front room,
which consisted of a chair, an old pair of curtains, and what looked
like a dog blanket. First my hair was raked up into a ponytail and then
ceremoniously hacked off. Everyone joined in, cutting bits off here
and there while 2 of the party filmed and took photos. After a short
while I could hear the impending sound of the electric clippers behind
my right ear. There was no going back now. Hair fell left, right and
centre. The sensation was not too unpleasant; rather like having a strange
head massage. Once it was all gone however, I noticed just how chilly
the air was that day. I checked the mirror and was pleasantly surprised
by what I saw (though for a split second had thought I was looking through
a window rather than into a mirror). With my bald head held high, I
marched off on the direction of the pub for a well-deserved beer."
SUFA would like to thank Jennifer for this amazing feat but we would
also like to mention all of her supporters who so generously donated
to this cause. Your kind donations have contributed to SUFA’s
continual work in supporting those who are less fortunate in Africa,
providing independence and security to many.
Has Jennifer inspired you? Or have you got a great idea to raise money
for our work? Please get in touch today and talk through your ideas
with us.
Thank you Du Services CIC
Great thanks to Du Services CIC for their fundraising work for Stand Up
for Africa. They held an event last November in Gateshead entitled 'Addressing
Health Inequalities the Third Sector Way.' The event was sponsored by
The Department of Health, The Improvement and Development Agency, VONNE,
North East Social Enterprise Partnership, Unity trust, County Durham NHS
and others including local Councils and businesses. A simple and tasty
'peasant' menu was served to highlight international health inequalities
and the money saved from substituting a more lavish spread was donated
to their chosen development project – SUFA.
100 computers on their way to Uganda
SUFA has teamed up with the USA’s One
Laptop Per Child initiative to provide 100 laptops to Kampala schools
and community outreach centres that we support through our partner,
SAFY. In July, a group of American
university students fly out to Uganda to set up computer classrooms
and IT programmes in each of the SAFY schools and in two SAFY outreach
centres. SAFY Director, Rita Namakiika, described the news as “a miracle”.
Now, hundreds of Kampala’s disadvantaged young people will have the
opportunity to learn valuable IT skills.
Thanks Arsenal!
Once again, SUFA extends our sincerest thanks to Arsenal Football Club. Over the years, Arsenal has generously donated football kit and equipment through SUFA to our partners in Benin and Uganda. Thanks to Arsenal, the children and young people at ESAM’s Maison de l’Enfance and SAFY’s youth groups have been able to swap their old t-shirts and bare feet for football boots and shirts.
Cycling for SUFA
 Recently, SUFA supporters Hayley Bishop and James White cycled 240 miles from Bristol to Land's End to raise money for SUFA. They survived lots of rain, sun, hills and random suntan lines(!) – but thankfully had no punctures. They raised more than £500 for SUFA through their sponsorship page on www.justgiving.com. Thank you James and Hayley.
Express yourself
 Twice a year, SUFA invites you to join us at Archangel in London, UK, for an exciting evening of live music, spoken word, African dancing and drumming, competitions, prizes and more.
More about Expressions
Change for Children
Third grade students at Gibbs Elementary School, Ohio, USA have raised US$2,072 to support our Maison de l'Enfance Project (Children's Centre Project) in Benin, West Africa. Their fundraising project, called 'Change for Children', ran for a two-week period. Their teacher Mary Imhoff explains, “I am very proud of our children for all they did to help the children in Africa. Many of our children don't have a lot but they realized they could still make a difference in the life of a child”.
Creating Chances
 SUFA has received a £2,000 donation from Barclays Premier League and Chelsea FC as part of the Creating Chances community programme. SUFA was one of 20 organisations selected by the Premier League in the Places for Players initiative. Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive of the Premier League, says, “Creating Chances highlights the Premier League's and our clubs' continued and increasing commitment to local communities.”
Our friends at Arsenal
Arsenal FC has donated another 10 football kits to our Youth Drop-in Centre Project in Uganda. The Centre's sports and games encourage deprived young people to come to the Project and have fun in a safe, supportive environment.
Partner's Human Rights award
Congratulations to ESAM, our partner organisation in Benin, for being awarded the French Republic's 2007 Human Rights award in recognition of 20 years' hard work and dedication. Rama Yade, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, presented the human rights prize, “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité,” in a ceremony at the Palais des Affaires Etrangères in Paris, France. Founded in 1988, the prize is awarded every year in complete independence by National Advisory Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH).
Children's Centre Project progress
Thanks to the hard work of our supporters, particularly Burgate School Support Group, we have begun building our dedicated Maison de l'Enfance (Children's Centre) in Benin, West Africa.
 In August 2007, the foundation stone was laid during a special ceremony attended by community representatives. Norbert Fanou-Ako, Director of our Benin partner ESAM reports: “People were hugely motivated in the lead up to the ceremony, and many local men and women were involved in preparing the ground for the work. The community is desperate to see the area develop with national and international support, and is very keen to see this Maison become a reality.”
Ghana Project visit
During September 2007, Neil Howard, SUFA Trustee and Africa Program Coordinator, visited Ghana to meet our new partner, The ARK Foundation and evaluate our new Crisis Response Centre Project.
Partner visit
In July 2007, SUFA organised a reception in London for Angela Dwamena, Director of our Ghana partner The ARK Foundation, who was visiting the UK. Angela took part in a Q&A session, which provided a learning opportunity for SUFA staff, volunteers and supporters to hear directly from the partner about their work to promote and protect the rights of young people and women.
2007 SUFA Volunteer of the Year
Student Phil Rushworth, leader of Burgate School Support Group, is SUFA's 2007 Volunteer of the Year. Phil visited Ghana as part of SUFA's Skills Exchange Project, spending four weeks volunteering with our partner The ARK Foundation.
Read more about Phil's experiences…
Fundraiser's Big Bike Trip
 In March 2007, SUFA supporter Sandi Langton arrived home after a very special trip of a lifetime. She and her husband Paul rode their BMW F650GS motorbikes from Dover in the UK, all the way to Cape Town, South Africa - raising money for SUFA along the way.
During the gruelling journey of more than 20,000 miles, Sandi, who is South African, became one of the few women ever to cross the Sahara desert on a motorbike. She also visited SUFA's Youth Drop-in Centre Project in Uganda, meeting young people, community leaders and our partner Safe Alternatives for Youth Association (SAFY). Sandi helped raised the £5,000 needed to build SUFA's new Youth Drop-in Centre, which will provide essential youth services including HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention programmes. Read Sandi's story.
Benin partner visit
SUFA held a reception in London for Norbert Fanou-Ako, Director of ESAM, SUFA's partner in Benin. Norbert met SUFA volunteers and supporters, and talked about what is being done to address child slavery and trafficking in West Africa. He also attended the 16th International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) in York.
New corporate relationships
SUFA has developed two exciting new corporate relationships. RoadHogs (www.roadhogs-shoes.com) is producing a shoe featuring the SUFA logo and a quote from Nelson Mandela. A share of the sales profits will be donated to support our work. JFS2000 (www.jfs2000.co.uk) is Standing Up For Africa by donating 10% of the purchase price of its children's games and educational products. Thanks very much to all our corporate partners - we really do appreciate your donations, awareness raising and support.
SUFA's first Patron
We are honoured that our long-standing supporter and friend Nick Marple has agreed to become Stand Up For Africa's first Patron. Nick lives in London, UK, with his wife Sophie. Nick explains why he supports SUFA: “SUFA supports projects that are led by Africans and already show potential. Through SUFA projects, Africans are empowered and can show that they are fully able to play a role in their own development, rather than having an outsider tell them how to do it.”
Read an interview with Nick
Three years of achievements
SUFA Founder/Director Elsie Nemlin presents the cake at our third anniversary party, held on 30 September at L' Experience Restaurant in London, UK. This was a wonderful opportunity for SUFA volunteers and supporters to socialise and celebrate our achievements.
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