A Galloway home carer will fly out on a one-woman mercy mission to Kenya at the end of the month.
Ann Todd will travel from Glasgow to Nakuru via Amsterdam and the Kenyan capital Nairobi on January 30-31.
Ann, from Wigtown, will share the journey with Creetown man Dr Scott Jones, who has separate humanitarian business in the country.
She has been knitting, crafting and selling African-themed goods for two years to raise funds to help three Kenyan folk in need.
And during her two week stay she will meet locals Wilson, Morraa and Hope for the first time to see how their lives have been transformed.
Ann, 61, told the News: “Morraa lives in the bush outside Nakura and her house was falling down.
“The money has helped build her a complete new house, get her a new bed, utensils and latrine.
“Wilson, who’s 39, contracted measles when he was a baby and was left paralysed from the waist down.
“He’s spent all his life using his upper body to drag himself along the ground.
“We bought him a hand-powered wheelchair for him and physiotherapy visits to the clinic as well.
“Then there’s seven-year-old Hope, who was brought to our attention by our contact person in Nakura, Alice Sasati, last week.
“Hope has cerebral palsy and her father has abandoned the family.
“Her mum did not have the money to look after her and sent her to stay with her sister.
“Our money has paid for splints to be fitted to both Hope’s legs and she’s now undergoing three months of physiotherapy.
“She’s gained admission to a normal school and the money will cover hospital and education fees for the rest of this year – and she’s been brought from Nairobi to Nakuru to be reunited with her mother.”
Ann gradually built up her humanitarian kitty through sales at the Barholm Arts and Crafts Co-operative in Creetown.
Car boot sales across Galloway and southern Ayrshire, combined with generous private donations, also helped swell the coffers.
The trip had been twice delayed by Covid restrictions but barring any last-minute hitches looks certain to go ahead.
Meanwhile, Ann has no qualms about spending two weeks on her own in Kenya – but getting there is a different matter.
She said: “I’m really looking forward to it and I’ll be visiting Wilson, Morraa and Hope to see how they’re getting on.
“I’ll also be making sure the funding has been spent where it should be.
“I have no worries whatsoever about being in Nakuru on my own.
“But I’m quite nervous too – I detest going through airports and dealing with all the officialdom.
“And I have to get a PCR test within 72 hours of flying out and one before I fly back.”
