Making a difference in Africa

She has invited Jessica Wilkes-Reading, corporate responsibility and charity co-ordinator at the Wesleyan, to see for herself the work Jane has done and to find out how Wesleyan and its customers can get involved, especially in donating old dental text books

Jessica said: “The news reports of the Ethiopian famine are one of the defining images of the 1980s. While conditions have improved immeasurably since then, there is still so much more work that needs to be done to provide children with even basic facilities to improve their health and education.

“Jane has done an incredible job to use her expertise and contacts in the UK to improve the dental service at the Mekelle University Hospital and as soon as we heard her story we knew Wesleyan would be able to help.”

Jessica will visit the university hospital to meet dental and medical staff and students, hear about the challenges they face and find out how second hand equipment and text books from the UK can be repurposed for their use. She will also be working with the management team of an orphanage, giving them the benefit of her own charity experience to provide practical advice on governance, bid writing and other income generation.