A FORMER pupil of Berry Hill School has launched an appeal to raise funds for provision for Ugandan orphans, with the support of her old school.

Anna Heuston left Berry Hill School in 1999 and, after going to Lakers, she now works as an intensive care nurse in Bristol.

Anna told the Review how she became involved with the Tries of Campbell Children’s Centre, based seven miles outside of Kampala: “I’d been travelling in Africa anyway with a volunteer organisation called Work Away and I wanted to go north and work with children.

“I’d worked in Malalwi, but these children were much more in need. I stayed with Kenneth, the centre’s director and with five very small orphaned children. I was there for two weeks and it was hard work. Kenneth is helped by five local mothers but there is no running water or electricity and no basic provisions.

“The children sleep in bunk beds, often having to share because there are too many children for the space available. They each have just a few belongings to their name, and have to share any clothes that are available to them.

“There are occasions when a child becomes sick, and the centre cannot afford a doctor, let alone the medication needed to make them better. Because of this the kids end up suffering for long periods of time, sometimes developing longer term illnesses which affects their capacity to work and earn in the future.

“One of the biggest problems was the high rent paid for the dormitories for the other 50 children. In the last few weeks the orphanage has managed to buy a piece of land further out of the city.

“With the money they save on rent, they will be able to buy the children more clothes, medicines, school stationary, and basic supplies such as bedding, mattresses and personal care items. It may even be possible to send some of the older ones to secondary school.

“My goal now is to help them by raising £7,000 to help them to build two new dormitories.

“With the new land, they will be able to grow crops and raise livestock helping them to become more self-sufficient.”

Anna has so far raised £3,000 and says that West Dean parish has also been keen to help. “Berry Hill School want to send regular donations and they raised £169 before Christmas, by paying £1 each to wear their Christmas jumpers to school.

“The money raised was used to fund a trip to a local park and a swimming lesson, donkey rides, face painting and bouncy castle.”

To support Anna, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/triesofcampbell or email her on [email protected] to find out how else you can help.