AMWAY SOUTH AFRICA: Tutudesk Campaign Aims to Deliver 20 Million Desks by 2020
Portable desks are called Tutudesks in honor of Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Travel with Amway to South Africa
Late last year, Amway introduced you to the Tutudesk Foundation, which provides innovative desk solutions for schools in South Africa.
We just released a video that takes you on a journey to a small school in Queenstown, where children are learning about their value through a simple – but effective - gift.
Also, below is a blog post that was completed on November 7, 2013, just days after the delivery of 1,500 portable lap desks to students. Their spirts, happiness and joy were undeniable!
What’s a Tutudesk?
Last week we participated in the delivery of 1,500 portable lap desks to students in Queenstown, South Africa. Amway Business Owner leader Anja Schwarz joined us, on behalf of ABOs across Europe and Africa who have been raising funds and awareness about this program for the last couple of years.
These portable desks are called Tutudesks in honor of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who lent his name and his story to help meet the needs of the crowded classrooms and homes of children in South Africa, and across the continent.
The Tutudesk Campaign aims to deliver 20 million desks by 2020, and has already distributed 2 million through partnerships with Amway and others.
The desks are given to each student. They include a list of Child’s Rights, a child hotline telephone number, the alphabet and times table.
When you join a Tutudesk delivery, it’s an entire experience. Jacob Ramaru, who grew up in Soweto and knows the challenges learners face, turned the event into an empowerment session for children and the entire community. He works for the Tutudesk campaign, and travels from school to school, spreading hope and setting high expectations for the dreams of the students.
We were joined by local mothers, government and school officials, and even a police escort. Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe spoke to learners on behalf of Archbishop Tutu, her father, emphasizing the value in each student, challenging them to “Reach for the moon. If you fall, you fall among the stars.”
It’s a special initiative to be part of, where you can truly see change happening, one by one.
Thanks to Karin Schmid, Sharon Apollis and all of our many partners who have made this program successful.
