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Alan’s Africa Update Talk – May 2021

Alan gave a Powerpoint presentation to the Club on Friday 7th May, updating us about the progress at the various projects in Sierra Leonne during this Rotary year.

 He began, by reminding us about his involvement with Mahera Wharf Football Club, based in a very poor community within a mile of the International airport that he had first visited in 2018. On this first trip the 3 teams that they run were only able to play friendly games as they did not have a team strip so were not allowed to enter a league. Oxford United kits for all 3 teams were donated. 8 of the boys are orphans who live in a house with the team manager but were sharing a communal toilet with a number of other houses. Funding for the re-roofing of some of the building and connection running water, giving a supply to 2 sinks, a shower and 2 toilets. Support was provided to the guys through the Covid crisis with PPE, sanitation products and food provisions.

During the Covid situation, when schools were closed, 90 teachers were supported with a “one-off donation/subsistence allowance.

Alan continues to run the Sunny Girl project, supplying sanitary pads to over 300 girls each month enabling them to attend classes during their menstrual cycle.

The Micro Credit scheme that was set up in 2019 has 5 members, including Patrick an 18 year old who runs the Oxford United kit stall at a local market.

At the Banbury International School re-named in 2017 in recognition of all the support) a compound wall was built to enclose all the buildings and playing area to secure the long term future of the School.

At the current time completion is taking place of projects at 2 schools. The building and equipping of 2 classrooms at one school and the sinking of a well at another.

At the start of April Alan was informed that Momoh (a disabled boy he has supported since 2015) and his carer had been given notice on their house. They were offered a “hovel (you had to see the pictures to believe it) and Alan told Pastor Mark this was not acceptable. After discussions the Pastor managed to secure a plot and currently the focus is on building a 2 bedroom dwelling for the two.

GENERAL NOTES

Since January 2007 – AlansAfrica projects have raised of £295K

Rotary year 2020 – 2021 so far £30,500

  •  Supported 7 schools – 4 ongoing
  • Built & equipped 34 Classrooms (Electricity in 9 rooms) and refurbished 23
  • Built 9 Toilet blocks and refurbished 1   
  • Installed 2 wells,   refurbished 1 and installed a gravity fed water system     
  • Water harvesting 21 classroom + 7 toilet blocks
  •  Provision of thousands of pounds worth of assorted humanitarian aid items for

On the basis “a picture paints a thousand words – see below.

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