St Mary with St Alban

The Street Child Africa charity was founded in 1998 and is based in Thames Ditton, Middlesex. It is the only UK charity entirely devoted to helping street children across Africa. Street Child Africa works in partnership with African organisations who adopt a street-based approach to seek out and befriend street children.  The partners provide basic social health care on the streets and advice from a safe adult in whom the children can trust.  They provide drop-in centres, medical care, education, skills training, vocational sponsorship, a place in the community and a chance to choose a different path in life. The baby-care programme looks after the next generation of babies born on the streets.  They are also running training programmes for young African social workers to enable them to work within their own communities.   

On Sunday, 23rd November, Chris Bourne from Street Child Africa came to St Mary with St Alban to tell us more about the important work of Street Child Africa. He talked about a visit he had made to Zambia and meeting the children who were living on the streets.  Some of them were there due to family breakdown, poverty, domestic abuse or natural disaster but many are victims of the HIV and AIDS pandemic.  In sub-Saharan Africa there are an estimated 12 million children aged between 0-17 years who have lost one or both parents as a result of the pandemic. 

As well as a retiring collection taken on 23rd November, St Mary with St Alban also raises money for Street Child Africa through the contributions made for refreshments in the parish hall after the main service each Sunday and a cheque for £100 was given to Chris Bourne.  

For more information or to make a donation please visit http://www.streetchildafrica.org.uk/

You can also donate to Street Child Africa while you search the web or shop online - at no extra cost to yourself.

When searching online visit the Everyclick website, log in and choose Street Child Africa as your charity. Then start to search the web, and for every click you do on this website, money is donated to Street Child Africa. Follow this link: www.everyclick.co.uk/streetchildafrica

When shopping, visit the Hungry Elephant website, add the code StreetChildAfrica and use their links to shop online - for everything from home comforts to clothes, from train and plane tickets to food and drink! All commission usually charged by the websites will then be sent to Street Child Africa. Follow this link: www.hungryelephant.co.uk