June 16 is etched in the collective memory of anyone involved in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. On that day in 1976 thousands of black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium, Soweto for a rally to protest against schools' exclusive use of Afrikaans for lessons. The protests were a spontaneous, sustained challenge to the government from an unlikely source, the country’s children and youth. For more details read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Pieterson

The Soweto uprising marked a key moment in South Africa’s struggle for liberation.

The University of San Franciso’s (USF) motto is ‘educating minds and hearts to change the world’. The USF Umthombo Club reflects this ideal and has just been awarded the ‘Student Club of the Year’ award. Street Action is proud to work in partnership with the USF Umthombo Club, which played a significant part in the recent launch and development of Street Action USA.

Former England footballer, Gary Lineker kicked off a game with a difference on Thursday 19 March at the launch of the Street Child World Cup at the Cinemon Club, London. Street Action is part of a global partnership of organisations with the Amos Trust, Consortium for Street Children, Momentum Arts, Global Goals, Child Rights Information Network and Umthombo Street Children, who are providing key expertise and support to the campaign.

Street Action USA will be formally launched on the 6th April in San Francisco, California. This will be an exciting development for Street Action as we focus our attentions on expanding and growing the support to our existing partners in South Africa and Burundi. Working in collaboration with the UK, Street Action USA will be building a wider network of links through relationships with government bodies, civil society, the business and corporate sector and an active contributing community of supporters.

Last year Street Action was involved in a research project focusing on the physical and psychosocial health of street children in Durban, including a focus on the HIV prevalence rate amongst the existing children living on the streets. Funded by the British Government's Department for International Development (DFID), it was conducted in partnership with the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal and Umthombo Street Children. The aim of the project was to provide objective data to describe children's experiences on the street and to describe the range of services (or lack of) directed at them.

The new London Metropolitan (Met) police chief Sir Paul Stephenson, who visited South Africa last week to study security measures for next year's Football World Cup, took some time out of his schedule to visit Street Action’s partner Umthombo Street Children. The visit was organised through the British High Commission. Sir Paul was shown around the Umthombo’s new Safe Space centre and met with many of the street children taking part in programmes being run by the staff.

Street Action’s co-director Joe Walker has returned to Durban,  South Africa this month.  Working alongside our partner Umthombo Street Children, Street Action is involved in a youth development programme being facilitated and funded by the British High Commission (BHC) in South Africa.  This programme is further supported by British Airways, Charlton Athletic Football Club and the London Metropolitan Police and has previously taken place in townships in Johannesburg and Cape Town.