An African Adventure

Hi Guys,

I am off to Sierra Leone to help build a new orphanage. The orphanage is being built on a 63 acre site which is being developed into a self sustaining community. In addition to the orphanage the site encompasses a brick making facility, micro-agriculture, skills training centre and a school. The project is being led by Christian charities, A Call to Business (http://www.acalltobusiness.co.uk/) and Emmaus Centre (http://www.emmauscentre.com/), in conjunction with the local community.

I plan to fly out to Freetown (the capital) either at the end of January or the beginning of February 2010 (funds permitting!). I will be staying out on site, just north east of Freetown (about 2 hrs drive), near a village called Rogbere. The site is led by a American couple called Elmer and Joann Reifel. I will be one of two volunteers from the UK helping with the project, working in conjunction with a local building contractor.

During my stay accommodation will be provided along with a small monthly wage ($150), however, all other costs need to be covered by me, for which I will be seeking the support of my loving friends and family! I have calculated that the total cost will be £2,450 of which £1,100 will be used to get me there (and back!), including vaccinations, visa, flights etc; and £1,350 will be used to sustain me while I am there (being £225 per month, for six months). This can be illustrated as a cost of £0.36 per mile to fly me to Freetown from London (3,060 miles), plus £7.50 per day thereafter (based on 30 days per month).

If anyone is considering supporting me financially in this project (for which I would of course be extremely grateful!), you may want to consider either sponsoring me per mile to get out there (if you prefer to give a one off amount), or per day per month, if you preferred to pledge a monthly commitment. For example, someone sponsoring me one day per month would be committing to £45 over six months (£7.50 x 6), (assuming I am not rushed back early with Malaria!).

I am hoping to arrange for any gifts or pledges to be channelled through my local church (Creech St Michael Baptist Church, nr Taunton). Creech are supporting me in this project and will hopefully be happy for gifts to be made via them (making them eligible for gift aid, charitable tax relief etc). If this is likely to be of interest do please let me know and I will update you on the options.

Anyway, I will be very grateful for the support, prayers and emails of any well-wishes on this adventure, and I will endeavour to keep you all updated with regular postings as I embark on this exciting new project.

Kind wishes,

Ben