Alternative Gifts!

There are some definite highlights to this job and one of them is getting to visit Zambia and see everybody we are working with out there and all the amazing things that are happening at the schools we partner with!

On our recent trip we got to be part of a really special day - the day when Greater Joy School gave out their alternative gifts to people in the community. The gifts included mosquito nets, food parcels, braziers & charcoal, flip flops, blankets and bicycles!

The atmosphere in the church was one of celebration as everyone cheered as others went up to collect their gifts; gifts that were going to make a big difference to these widows and families in the community.

If you have been so generous to buy a gift over the past year, thank you so much, please know that you made this day happen and put the smiles on these faces...

(And thank you for making my job so fantastic!)

Beyond the Bike gets heavy!

Stuart is almost out of Africa but before he left the continent there was time for one last challenge, namely having Ben Collins, founder of Beyond Ourselves and MD of Stephen James Group, on the back of Thandie! Read Stuart's blog to find out how it went! 

Running Man!

We are continually amazed at the lengths some people go to raise money for Beyond Ourselves. And one man is going to go exactly 26.2 miles!


Peter Baker, Head Teacher at Mount Grace School in Potters Bar, will be running the London Marathon on April 22nd to raise money for both Beyond Ourselves and the Mount Grace School PTFA. 


If, like me, there's no way you would ever run a marathon but you'd like to support and encourage Peter as he does, then please go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com


On top of that effort, to get in to the stride of things and to get the pupils running too, Mount Grace School organised a fundraising Marathon Relay on February 26th from Tottenham Marshes to Hartham Common, Hertford. 


As one of our link schools here in the UK we are so thankful for all of their support of Beyond Ourselves and in particular Greater Joy School in Zambia.


The Marathon Relay involved various students running a mile (or more!) alongside Peter as he did a training run for the Marathon. 

Well done everyone - and keep running Peter! 

What's been happening this month...?

We have been working hard with the staff at Beautiful Gate School to develop their Feeding Programme. The school now have new staff and system in place which means that the children are getting a good meal everyday.

One of the great things that we get to do is distribute the Alternative Gifts that you purchase through the Beyond Ourselves website. This month all the classroom gifts that had been purchased over Christmas 2011 were bought locally and delivered to Greater Joy School. It’s just so great to see the joy on the Students' faces as they are given these gifts. THANK YOU if you were a part of this!

One of the hardest things to contend with at the schools is the lack of resources, for a lot of the parents and guardians of these children even 3,000 Kwacha (40 Pence) for a term's exercise books is not achievable in terms of disposable income so for these students to receive exercise books and a pen was just so brilliant to watch, a bit of a tear jerker moment if I’m honest.