TWO former Gwent teachers were so moved by what they saw in Africa they decided to set up their own charity to help toungsters in the country.

Steve Cocks, who was headteacher at Fairwater High School in Cwmbran between 2001 and 2008, set up The Pula Children’s Trust last year, together with his wife Susan.

The couple, of Oakfield Road, Newport, wanted to raise money to help the people of Bostwana.

Mr and Mrs Cocks, who have retired from teaching, spent two weeks in Botswana in October 2008 to see what the lives of local people were like.

A nun and the local congregational church took them on a tour of the local township which included visits to orphanages and local schools.

Mr Cocks, 59, said: “We were incredibly moved by what we saw.”

He said many houses were made of tin and plastic sheeting and had up to eight people living there without any electricity.

He added: “It was just incredible, people had no shoes and struggled from day to day.

“The whole place is cursed by aids.”

The former teacher said: “We were so moved by what these people were trying to do, we set up our own charity to try and do something to improve these children’s lives.”

The charity refers to Pula which means water and is a symbol of all things good in the area.

Mr and Mrs Cocks, who have three children and one grandchild between them, spent a lot of last year carrying out presentations in local schools about the project and what they saw.

Mr Cocks explained how every single penny raised by the charity goes towards projects in Botswana.

This included helping to buy uniforms for several hundred children in Old Naledi just before Christmas.

It is now helping to build an orphanage in Serowe and is supporting an orphanage in Gaborone.

The couple are returning to Botswana in October this year at their own expense.

They are also holding a fundraising concert at Newport Cathedral on April 24 which will feature the Tongwynlais Temperance Band.

This will be the charity’s first big fundraising event and it hopes to raise several thousand pounds a year.

For tickets or to make a donation, call 01633 266300.