Registered Charity No: 1055483

 

Tools For Self Reliance Cymru

Working with African Artisans

TOOLS FOR SELF RELIANCE groups collect old and unwanted hand tools from all over the UK. We clean repair and sharpen them, and send tool kits to grass roots community groups in 8 African countries.

   See How You Can Help Us Below ...

The latest team in the Mwanza workshop - minus Viviana

                 

See Our Urgently Wanted Tools at the bottom of this page

TFSR CYMRU is one of around 70 TFSR groups in the U.K.  We are based in Crickhowell in South Wales. We are a registered charity, and work towards a more equitable sharing of the world's resources.

There are currently 6 TFSR groups in Wales and on the borders: Clun, Bridgend, Llanelli, Ystradgynlais, Pembrokeshire and TFSR Cymru.

"Contact TFSR Cymru "

Contact: Llanelli - Ystradgynlais - Clun - Bridgend  -  Pembroke

If you want information about TFSR UK visit their web page

TFSR Cymru are a bunch of about 70 volunteers, men and women aged 14 to 85.  We meet at one of several sessions a week in our workshop, where we repair and renovate hand tools by the thousand.  The tools are donated by individuals or collected by a wide variety of other organisations from across Wales - Rotary Clubs, Schools, WI groups, Church groups.  We have been very successful at collecting but we still have a shortage of certain items, especially tools for blacksmiths - see bottom of page . . .

 

Dr Shija and family visit our workshop in Crickhowell - July 2009

Could you work without Tools?

In the past 26 years we have sent more than 500 tool kits (each valued at over £1,500) to craftsmen and women in rural communities of Africa.   Tools mean work, and the chance to shape their future, just as important to a young person in Tanzania or Ghana today as it is in Britain.

Volunteers are always needed  . . .

to join us in Crickhowell, or at one of the other TFSR groups in Wales.  Men or women of any age - bring along your skills, or come and learn how to handle a hammer.  There's always plenty to do. From cleaning and sharpening tools, to making and packing crates.  There is always somebody around to show you what needs doing.

Money   . . .

The Tools pour in and are being continually shipped overseas, so we also need cash to operate.  It still costs us £20 to buy 4 new quality saw files which we include in every carpentry kit for a group of 5 or 6 workers.  We are also always on the look-out for anvils which cost us around £100 each to send with every blacksmiths kit we send. 

We are also funding our joint workshop in Mwanza for another 3 years, so we need money as well as tools. This is employing 4 people and producing more than 200 kits per year for local artisan groups.

.

"You can't address poverty without addressing the poor.

You have to deal with them, and people in the villages want tools. 

They'll need millions of hammers"

.

The late Julius Nyerere  - former President of Tanzania and TFSR patronn

How to Help TFSR Cymru

Your help can really make a difference to our partners in Africa
Volunteers are always made welcome
in our workshop

Simply contact us by clicking here

or ring us on 01874 730 155

Opening Times for refurbishing:


Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings 10.am - 2pm

Tuesday & Thursday evenings, 7.30 - 9.30 pm

Open For Sale of Tools:

Wednesday, Thursdays, Fridays 10am - 2pm

Saturdays 10.30am - 12.30pm

TFSR Cymru, The Tools Workshop
Upper House Farm, Standard Street

Crickhowell, Powys, NP8 1BZ

Urgently Wanted Tools

Tools Wanted for our SIDO/TFSR Cymru Tools Workshop in Mwanza

We happily accept all hand tools but the following are urgently wanted

Carpentry Kit

Blacksmiths Kit

Bicycle Repair Kit

Builders Kit

Carpentry chisel

Anvil

Mole-grips

Chalk line

Mortice chisel

Bolt cutter

Foot pump

Pins and line

Sliding bevel

Flat file

Bicycle track pump

Plumb bob

Corner clamp

Half round file

Slip joint pliers

Builders tape measure

Hand drill

Round file

Adjustable spanner

Builders square

Needle file

Hand grinder

Stillsons wrench

Lump hammer

G Cramp

Sledge hammer

Engineering pliers

Breast drill

Gouge

Pipe bender

 

 

Claw hammer

Pipe cutter

 

 

Mortice gauge

Pipe vice

 

 

Oilstone

Tap and die sets

 

 

Block plane

Swage block

 

 

Jack plane metal

Engineers vice

 

 

Smoothing plane

Hand vice

 

 

Plane blade

Leg vice

 

 

Rebate plane

 

 

 

Plough plane

 

 

 

Hand router

Tinsmiths Kit

Mechanics Kit

Leatherwork Kit

Carpenters rasp

Paraffin blow lamp

Electric drill

Awl

Saw file

Riveting punch

Electric grinder

Leather hammer

Sash Cramp

Soldering iron

Screw jack

Lasting pliers

Sash cramp ends

 

Rivet gun

Rotary hole punch

Saw set

 

Valve lifter

Wad punch

Spoke shave metal

 

Chain wrench 

Tailors shears

Tape measure

 

Wheel brace

Steel rule

Carpenters vice

 

 

Skiving knife

   

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"People cannot be developed: they can only develop themselves"

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Julius Nyerere  -  Father of the Nation  -  Tanzania

 

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Site Last Updated -20th May 2010