Students sweat it out in Eden’s Rainforest for journey to Swaziland

April 18, 2011

A group of students from Truro College have chosen to test their stamina, endure high temperatures and humidity and conquer fears of creepy crawlies by staying in the Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome for two nights.

The students have taken on the challenge to raise awareness of the issues faced by orphans in a community in Swaziland in Southern Africa. The group will be heading out to Shewula, in the north of the country, in June to see how the community cope with the harshest of challenges including AIDS and extreme poverty.

While there, the group will help to improve the orphanage and school buildings and see that the money gained through fundraising goes towards essential items such as stationary and school books. So far the group have raised more than £250 with the generosity of fellow Truro College students.

Jake Stewart , A Level student at the college, said: I know that it will be hard staying in the jungle at Eden over the two nights, but it’s nothing compared to what young people in Swaziland face every day.

“In staying in a place that shares a similar type of climate and conditions, we hope that we will be able to raise people’s awareness of the problems that face this community.”

Truro College has supported the Shewula community for over ten years and has raised funds through a group called Boom Shewuka Wula that has provided much needed education and facilities to the region.

Shewula is a one of the poorest areas in Swaziland and has a high proportion of AIDS casualties each year.  Many of the children are left raising younger siblings looking after the household with no running water or electricity.

To find out more about Truro College’s work in Swaziland, visit http://www.trurocollege.ac.uk/page.php?pageID=1147