AN OCEAN OF MANY DROPS Chris Helyer’s South African project
Mayenziwe Project founder, Chris Helyer, with pupils from the Ntaba Kandoda High School in South Africa where he is helping to build a new toilet block.
ANY drops make an ocean” is the inspirational motto behind Dartmouth man, Chris Helyer, whose aim is to make a difference, however small, to hundreds of disadvantaged South African children.
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I met up with Chris at his house overlooking the sparkling River Dart on a sun-drenched morning, a million miles away from South Africa’s Eastern Cape where five years ago he founded the Mayenziwe Project. Retired Exeter Cathedral School headmaster, Chris, 67, set up the charity following a stint as a temporary teacher at a preparatory school, which operated without electricity, near Port Elizabeth. To his puzzlement, the pupils drank ‘gallons’ of water before taking part in Chris’ weekly cricket lessons. When he found out it was because they were trying to fill their empty stomachs as the school could not provide lunch every day, Chris decided he had to help.
As he flicked through his laptop photo album showing me pictures of the latest South African school his project has helped, Chris, a staunch Christian, explained: ‘There are nine provinces in South Africa and the Eastern Cape is the poorest.
‘Education there is so bad the government came in to take it over. A study showed literacy standards had not risen in 15 years, which is awful.
‘While I was teaching out there a Christian friend said to me “You can’t turn your back on this, can you?” He was right.’
Chris wrote to Archbishop Desmond Tutu outlining his ideas to help local schools. Mr Tutu was so impressed he agreed to become the charity’s patron.
Since then, the Mayenziwe Project has helped to improve education and facilities at 14 schools through recruiting volunteer teaching assistants from a pool of South Hams gap-year students. Chris and his team of South African builders carry out a range of improvements from fixing leaky roofs to revamping school kitchens. He said: ‘There is no standard provision for the maintenance of school buildings, that just doesn’t happen in the Eastern Cape’
Chris travels out to his cottage at Indawao Yethemba camp, a base for activities that support the local community, twice a year for six weeks at a time to carry out physical improvements to a variety of schools. He said: ‘I was offered a base at the camp last year. There were a row of six derelict cottages to choose from and the last one was called Hellyer Cottage – like my name. OK it had two L’s but it was a sign from the boss above.’
In March Chris revisited the Ntaba Kandoda High School to help build new toilet cubicles for its 130 pupils and five teachers who previously had use of just two toilets, one of which was without a door.
Chris raises money for improvements like this back home in Dartmouth and the surrounding area.
Site managing projects such as these, as well as sourcing materials for the job, is Chris’ role. For the past four years he has worked mainly with a team of skilled men, paying them for their expertise. He said: ‘I’m constantly going around with my eyes open thinking “Where can I get this and that” and trying to do things on a shoestring.
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