Since its inception in 2020 the charity has raised more than £160,000 and has funded projects addressing basic needs such as health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene in nine of the least developed nations of the world.
Guernsey Aid was set up during the Covid pandemic in 2020 by retired financial services officer Peter Keeling, who was already running a charity supporting a mission hospital and community centre in Zambia, and also by Dr Nick Paluch, who had served for 10 years on the Guernsey Overseas Aid & Development Commission.
‘Since 2020 the Guernsey Aid team has grown and it now has eight committee members,’ said Dr Paluch.
‘But we still have no overheads and no running costs because everyone gives freely of their time.
‘In that way, 100% of the funds we raise go directly into the projects they support in the developing world.’
During his time on the commission Dr Paluch visited numerous GOADC-sponsored grant aid projects, at his own expense, including health clinics and hospitals, where he and his wife Claudine, a trained midwife, put their medical skills and experience to good use.
‘Through Guernsey Aid we have been able to carry on working with the extensive network of in-country charity partners and colleagues with whom we forged close links over the years,’ said Dr Paluch.
‘The work is varied but vital – we have equipped a new maternity unit at a rural health clinic, purchased a new ultrasound scanner for a remote mountain health post, funded ten new school and village boreholes, built several new community latrine blocks and provided a community centre with a new solar energy power supply.’
Having celebrated five years, the charity shows no sign of stopping and is already looking towards the next projects.
‘We have already helped to build two brand-new primary schools and are currently fundraising to build a third,’ said Dr Paluch.
‘We want to carry on fundraising and working on projects for communities, that can make a real difference in people’s lives.’
Find out more at www.guernseyaid.org
The 17 locations where Guernsey Aid has worked
St Francis Mission Hospital in Eastern Zambia – regular contributions to the Children’s Ward and Special Care Baby Unit.
Chak Chap School in Ratanikiri Province, Cambodia – a brand-new primary school for 80 ethnic minority children who previously had no access to education at all.
Sitima Rural Health Clinic in Zomba, Malawi – funds to fully equip a new maternity unit with a view to improving outcomes for mothers and babies.
St Paul’s Secondary School, Chinhenga, Zimbabwe – a new solar-powered borehole, sanitation block and girls' hygiene room.
Manbu Healthpost, Gorkha District, Nepal – new medical equipment including an ultrasound scanner to improve the care of pregnant women.
Jibon Tari Floating Hospital in Bangladesh – funding to sponsor life-changing cataract and orthopaedic operations.
Chato District, NW Tanzania – a new shallow well in Nyampende village and medical equipment for the rural health centre in Mwekako village.
Streetwise school and vocational training centre, Lilongwe, Malawi – funding to help build a new school for orphans and street children in Kanengo Township.
The Lake Clinic, Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia – bio-sand water filters and outreach medical support for isolated floating villages out on the lake.
Lailenpi Town, Chin State, Myanmar – sewing machines and start-up equipment for a women’s development tailoring project.
Bani Bilas School, Kathmandu, Nepal – books and IT resources for a secondary school that was completely rebuilt after the earthquake.
The Rohingya refugee camp, Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh – Equipment and medical supplies for the healthpost in Camp No.15.
School for Deaf Children, Unguja Island, Tanzania – support for this school and for the other community work done by the Zanzibar Outreach Programme.
Ntenefor village, Bamenda, Cameroon – help to build two nursery classrooms and a new latrine block at St Felix School.
Tikondane School and Community Centre, Katete, Zambia – 2 new boreholes and a new solar energy power supply.
Chembe village, Cape Maclear, Malawi – Four community latrine blocks to help fight cholera and dysentery in a densely populated fishing community.
Mondulkiri Province, NE Cambodia – a water, sanitation and hygiene upgrade (including six new boreholes) at 15 village primary schools benefitting 1,320 children.
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