Tetbury children raise money for Africa (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Tetbury children raise money for Africa

REFUGEE camps in Africa's war-torn Darfur are being given a helping hand by Tetbury children.

Pupils from St Mary's Primary School held an art exhibition at the weekend to raise funds for medical dispensaries.

The event featured drawings and paintings for sale by the pupils, plus a model of a rural Sudanese village and an array of makeshift shelters.

The exhibition was inspired by school workshops about the wonder and difficulties of Africa.

Pupils had been working with leaders from the Primary Colours Project who compared life in Dafur to life in Tetbury.

Children had the chance to join in role-play activities, look at photographs of Sudan, dance to Sudanese music, design shelters and undertake other related artwork.

Deputy headteacher Tina Wilkes said: "The workshops have been a resounding success in terms of learning outcomes, but just as importantly, the project has been a huge success and very enjoyable for both the staff and the pupils."

Darfur is in the western region of Sudan. Conflict began in 2003 when a rebel group began attacking members of the government, claiming it was oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

But the militia was then accused of ethnic cleansing and even genocide against the region's black African population.

Around 1.6 million have left their homes since the conflict began and 70,000 are estimated to have been killed.

Many people are now living in refugee camps in Darfur's main towns and are at risk of starvation due to lack of food, water and medicine.