Ha Fusi is a village to the west of Teyateyaneng.  Like the other villages in the area, it has a primary school and primary education is free in Lesotho.  But you have to pay for a secondary education and the nearest school is an expensive journey away at St Agnes.  That puts secondary education out of reach for almost all the of village children in the area.

Use the map for yourself to see how far it is to St Agnes!  (Start by zooming out.)
(Use the arrows to move, +/- to zoom, and point at a box to find out what it is.)

Andy Uglow spent his gap year at Ha Fusi in 2003 and resolved to work with the local community and St Agnes Church - Ha Fusi is an Anglican school - to establish a secondary school in the village.  Since then he has raised the money to build a three classroom school on the outskirts of the village.

But good teachers are expensive and the villagers are not willing to pay fees for a poor education.  So, after opening in 2006 with unqualified teachers, it had to close in 2007.

It is now open again with qualified and enthusiastic teachers - but with only 15 students as the villagers' confidence had been undermined by their initial experience.  The school is funded by fees from the students and by Andy's small charity - The Rafiki Thabo Foundation.  When student numbers reach 150 - and the local community is convinced that the school can reach that number - the school can apply to be registered and the Lesotho Government will pay the teachers' salaries.

Elizabeth's task, as well as teaching Mathematics, is to raise the standing of the school to build up the student numbers.  Following her visit to the school with Andy and his students from Cokethorpe School, the word is already going around about their new teacher for the next school year that starts in January 2009.

Before then, Andy's charity will be paying for a bore hole to be sunk to bring water to the site and for a staffroom to be built.  The school will also need desks (the current ones are borrowed from the Junior School), books and other resources.  If you would like to help the school financially, please click here.  It is a registered charity and your donation can be gift aided.  But let them know that you want your donation to go to Ha Fusi school.  Remember, Elizabeth and David are funding their stay in Lesotho themselves, so none of the charity's funds go to them.

Visit the Recce to Lesotho album on our Photo Gallery or see our Video Gallery to see more of the school.