Girls from Queenswood School are selling homemade Botswanan jewellery to raise money for an inspiring new women’s charity. Since 2016, 20 pupils from the Hertfordshire girls’ school have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in Botswana as guests of Maru-a-Pula independent school in Gabarone.

The trips have had a key focus on community service and how a relatively affluent school like Maru-a-Pula is reaching out into the local community. Both visits to Botswana involved spending time with a charity called Ray of Hope, which was formed four years ago by a group of Maru-a-Pula Sixth Form students. Since 2016 the partnership has raised around £400 for a day care centre for orphans and vulnerable children in the village of Gamodubu that is supported by Ray of Hope.

Queenswood girls are now looking forward to establishing a charity link with another initiative of the Ray of Hope team, entitled ‘Hope for Her Botswana’. This is a women’s empowerment enterprise, which aims to tap into the artistry and industriousness of destitute women at Gamodubu village. All proceeds from the sale of jewellery produced by these women are ploughed back into the local community.

On 7 November the school was pleased to welcome former Maru-a-Pula student Thato Mauco and member of Ray of Hope to Queenswood, who came to chat with girls about Hope for Her Botswana. The Queenswood girls now plan to raise funds for this new initiative through sales of jewellery produced by the women of Gamodubu and the occasional bake sale. The photograph shows Thato with the girls who will be supporting Hope for Her Botswana.

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