Alan Wolstencroft – Banbury Rotarian

In 2005 I attended a Rotary presentation about a Charity in Sierra Leone but little did I know then that a 10 minute presentation would change my life!! Rotarians were given the opportunity to volunteer as part of “Rotary Mission Challenge” to Freetown and “spend 11 days in Sierra Leone and make a real difference”.

I went believing it would be a “one off” life experience but didn’t realise that it would be life changing for me. I had never been anywhere in the third world and although we constantly see images of poverty, it was only when I went and spent time amongst it that I REALLY understood the TRUE situation.

During my third visit, in 2007, I saw the opportunity to work directly with a school community  in Freetown and decided I could “make a real difference” personally.

I have now visited the country 14 times and have supported TEN school communities, a community football Club in an impoverished rural community and several orphans.

• the building and equipping of 44 classrooms (21 with water harvesting systems)
• building 9 toilet blocks (6 with water harvesting and handwash stations)
• installation of mains electricity into 9 classrooms and some ancillary areas at one of the schools
• installation of a 3 water wells at three schools and the refurbishment of a further 4 at other schools
• the building of a 2 bedroomed home for Momoh ( a disabled teenager & his carer)
• part funding a gravity fed water system providing running water & flushing toilets at a church/school for 1,500 people
• total refurbishment of a further 15 classrooms

Other general work includes:

• The “Sunny Girl” project – supporting 300+ secondary age girls with the provision of sanitary pads
• the supply of educational materials and furniture from the UK
• the supply of school uniform to hundreds of children
• the paying of school fees for impoverished families, especially in the aftermath of the e-bola and Covid crisis
• the provision of football kit to literally hundreds of children, youths and adults
• setting up a small micro credit scheme for several ladies

What has been achieved in Sierra Leone has only been possible with the fantastic support of literally hundreds of individuals, organisations and companies who have “bought into” my projects.

Since January 2007, when I started working directly with communities, I have raised £401,000+

EVERY £ raised goes directly to the projects so ALL donations help to “Make A Real Difference”.

I hope the website gives you an insight into “my story”. For more information e-mail : alanwooly@msn.com

For “HOW TO DONATE” go to the CONTACT page of the website