What Is Choko All About?

Choko is all about one community helping another. Even though they are far apart culturally and geographically, it is people in Cholsey, South Oxfordshire helping people in Kodumela, South Africa to help themselves.

After the tsunami disaster, some residents felt that Cholsey village could support a community in need in the disaster area. A group of interested people was set up to explore the possibilities but found that the support they wanted to give, an ongoing link with a community in another part of the world, was not suitable for the tsunami affected area. However, they were advised by a major charity that communities in other areas, such as Africa, could benefit from additional help.

James and Bev Butler had been sponsoring a child, Lucy, in Kodumela, South Africa through World Vision for several years and had been fundraising for the village following a visit there. After discussions within the Cholsey group, it seemed a natural progression to make a link between the communities of Cholsey and Kodumela. Following contact from the group, World Vision agreed to set up a pilot project where the two communities could link together under the organisation's management.

Although money is important, it is only a part of the support Choko offers. The group wanted to be able to show the community of Kodumela that people in another part of the world are concerned for them and care enough to do something about it so they set about linking schools and churches, writing to individual people, sponsoring children and planning a visit.

Reaching out around the world

Lucy ~ ready for school