Pupils pay for South Africa party

Most children in Kwa-Zulu Natal live in poverty

Pupils from six Berkshire schools are joining a BBC appeal to raise money for a party to help South African children celebrate 10 years of democracy.

The fundraising campaign will pay for 1,200 pupils at a school in Kwa-Zulu Natal to enjoy a special lunch.

Young people at three secondary schools from Slough and Windsor and three from Reading are to raise £100 each, in the campaign by BBC Radio Berkshire.

Their African counterparts, who are also of secondary age, live in poverty.

The fact we're raising money for a school environment is something we can really relate to Chrissy, 17

The children in Kwa-Zulu Natal are holding their celebration meal on 15 April, a day after the country's third election since black people were given the vote in 1994.

Next their school hopes to be twinned with one or more in Berkshire.

Sixth-formers Amy Clowder and Chrissy Manicom, of Kendrick School, a girls grammar in Reading, are helping to organise events - including a sponsored non-uniform day.

Amy, 17, told BBC News Online: "We want to stress to the other girls that it is important to help good causes abroad as well as at home and that we have to think about how fortunate we are, especially at the kind of school we go to."

Chrissy, also 17, said: "The fact we're raising money for a school environment is something we can really relate to.

"We studied South Africa in our Year 10 history GCSE course, we really liked it a lot and a lot of us know about it now, which makes this really interesting."

South Africans celebrate 10 years of equal status for all races on 27 April.