Cyclists have raised hundreds of pounds for a charity supplying solar lamps to students in South Africa to enable them to study at night.

Waltham Forest Thuso in South Africa (WFTISA) held its fourth annual fundraising ride last weekend which took cyclists on a 40 mile tour of Epping Forest, Walthamstow, Theydon Bois and North Weald.

The charity is known locally as ‘Thuso’ which means ‘helping hand’ in Sesotho, one of South Africa’s 11 official languages.

The cash raised will support the charity’s projects helping orphans and destitute students with education programmes.

Former mayor of the borough Cllr Saima Mahmud was on hand to send the group off on their cycle in Walthamstow on Sunday September 24.

Gerard Omasta-Milsom, coordinator of the fundraising cycle, said: “We have set ourselves a target of £2,000 this year, which we hope to achieve. Last year over £1,000 was raised by the cycleride.

“These funds will have a tremendous impact on the poor communities we support in South Africa, by providing them with much-needed solar lights.”

A solar study lamp can be bought for £7.50 pays while it costs £15 for a family lantern and £35 for a lantern and mobile charger.

Thuso was set up in 2006 by members of the north-east London branch of ACTSA, a successor to the anti-apartheid movement.

The group share Nelson Mandela’s belief that supporting the children of the “rainbow nation” is supporting the country’s future.

The former President of South Africa known as Madiba once said: “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest asset as a nation.”

Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1991.

To donate to Thuso’s fundraising cycle click here.

For more information on the charity click here.