Thatu

Inspired by the volunteer efforts being made in SA Thatu was launched in the UK late in 2004 by a small group of enthusiastic and multi-skilled volunteers.

Thatu was a young man who lived in a village in South Africa where paid work was scarce. He supported himself and his family with casual gardening or labouring jobs. He died of AIDS - just four months earlier he had been fit enough to do heavy manual work.

Thatu is a charitable initiative that grew out of the needs highlighted by the lives and deaths of people like Thatu.

Thatu will support community self-help schemes that:
- grow food to improve nutrition
- encourage initiatives by women and children
- support those affected by HIV/AIDS
- make sustainable improvements to the environment
- generate income in their communities.

We will promote:
- projects targeting needs identified and articulated by the community
- long term and sustainable programmes
- effective communication within communities
- partnerships with like-minded organisations in South Africa
- good communication between Thatu's Friends and supporters, and the
projects they support to ensure that we learn from our experiences.

Founded 2004