Yellowknife (Jan 05/07) - Thirty-three orphans in Africa will have shoes to play in this year thanks to fundraising done at Ecole St. Joseph.

Students Tanner Dolynny and Brittany Hagerman presented a cheque for $1,100 to Jennifer Stroeder, a former St. Joe's student who worked for six months at an orphanage in Swaziland, Africa.

"It's amazing that those kids did this," said Stroeder.

She worked at MacCorkindale Orphanage as part of a volunteer program organized through the United Kingdom. Upon her return to Yellowknife in May 2006, a teacher asked her to come and speak with the students about her experience.

"It's amazing that at the Grade 5 and 6 level they can recognize how fortunate we are in Canada," said Stroeder.

"I can get what I want for Christmas," said student Joisa Mayordo. "For them, it's hard to get what they want."

Raising money for the orphanage was an idea put forward by leadership teacher Sue Franklin.

Franklin, a former neighbour of Stroeder's, thought the orphanage would be a cause the children would appreciate.

"I though it could be a good project the whole school could get involved in," said Franklin.

She said the students were sold on the idea when they heard that the school the orphans attended shared the same name as theirs.

The students then went to other classrooms, giving presentations on the orphanage to generate awareness about their fundraising.

The students shared what they had learned from Stroeder about the orphans living conditions.

The 33 orphans, ranging from ages four to 18, have only five toys to share among them. The majority of them have only school shoes which they are not allowed to wear while playing, so they often go barefoot.

With the money the students raised, they will be able to buy shoes for the orphans, Stroeder said.

Swaziland is one of the smallest countries in Africa, between South Africa and Mozambique.

The country has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, and an average life expectancy of 32.62 years.

This isn't the first time the school has helped the orphanage.

Last summer, Stroeder's parents, friends and school staff had a large garage sale in St. Joe's parking lot, raising $3,000. The money was used to clear a road in Swaziland for the students at the orphanage to get to their school.

To raise money this time, the students held a bake sale, which brought in more than $100, and a loonie/toonie day, which raised more than $600. The rest was raised through a recycling program.