At the start of May a lady whose son is part of the Oxford United Academy contacted me as she had heard about my work with the Mahera Wharf football community. After explaining about the living conditions where a number of the boys, some of who are orphans, live she told me she was going to do some fund raising to help them.

In the house, several of the boys sleep on mats (similar to a raffia beach mat) on the floor and in one room 3 boys were sharing a bed with a mattress that was totally unsuitable, but it was all they had. Three of the rooms were not being used as the roof (very old & rusty corrugated tin) was leaking badly making them uninhabitable. Replacing the roof was the priority but they also need funds for providing post match refreshments, transport costs, football boots and to pay school fees for some of the orphaned team players.

Mary has set an initial target of £500 and has currently raised £462. On the strength of this I have sent some funding and am pleased to report that the roofing was completed earlier this week.This is a great step forward for the boys as all the rooms will now be able to be used, so they will not have to live in such cramped conditions and we have initially purchased 2 mattresses and more will follow.

Abu, team coach/co-ordinator of  Mahera Wharf FC, proudly wearing his OUFC shirt, overseeing the work 

If we exceed the £500 target any surplus will be used to support the ongoing needs of the Mahera Wharf lads