WHAT IS THE AFRICAN PULSE?

The African Pulse is a UK charity working in South Africa providing schools with innovative educational resources to enhance life skills and HIV/AIDS education amongst 8-14 year olds. Growth International, a local charitable organisation, works with Richmond borough businesses to support this charity.

The Pulse charity's teaching package is locally developed and includes tools such as a CD-ROM, comic book, video, activity books and facilitator's guides. Through animated stories, games and interactive classroom work, the charity's educational programme addresses issues around growing up, relationships, healthy living, sex and HIV/AIDS, with a focus on promoting positive values and attitudes.

The Pulse charity aims to improve the implementation of the outcomes-based approach to the national curriculum with teacher training as the key to sustainability.The charity works with local organisations and government to enable teachers to respond more efficiently to the HIV/AIDS crisis by talking openly with their students about these important issues. It creates a non-threatening environment within which experience, values and opinions can be shared, leading to a shift in attitudes to bring about behaviour change.

OUR CHARITY'S MISSION

The Richmond borough-based charitable organisation aims to provide schools and communities in Africa with innovative, relevant teaching tools and skills to promote healthy living. This will be achieved in partnership with stakeholders to ensure an inclusive, far-reaching and sustainable approach.

SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT HIV/AIDS

• Over 39 million people are living with HIV worldwide 12 million children in Africa have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
• 7 million people died of AIDS related diseases in 2004. 5 million of them were in Africa.
• By 2006 deaths in Africa are expected to double to 10 million.
• 10% of all infections worldwide occur in South Africa.
• 11% of teachers in South Africa are HIV positive.

These staggering statistics should not deter us here in Richmond upon Thames from standing up and making a difference. These are not numbers - they are women, men and children in our lives today.

HOW CAN YOU HELP OUR CHARITY?

There are several ways that individuals and businesses in Richmond upon Thames can help this charitable organisation:

• You can buy an African Pulse Charity Gift Voucher for friends and relatives. For instance:
  • A £5 donation will buy an HIV/AIDS educational Comic & Activity Book for a child in South Africa.
  • A £10 donation will help produce the educational CD-Rom for a class in South Africa.
  • A £15 donation will contribute towards training a teacher in using "The Pulse" multimedia materials.
• Add The Pulse charity to your list of gifts for a special celebration or birthday.
• Donate your time and talents in: Printing / Design / PR / Marketing / Admin.

Richmond borough businesses wanting to support this charitable organisation should contact Peter Desmond on 020 8893 4482.

Mention The Best of Richmond
when contacting The African Pulse
charity organisation in
Richmond upon Thames.

[RICHMOND - CHARITY ORGANISATION]

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