Urgently required: Qualified mechanic and carpenter

The Chainda community, just outside Lusaka, are in need of a mechanic and carpenter willing to work over there for a period of six months. This would involve working alongside and training the selected locals in these trade skills. If you feel you would be interested in helping, are fully qualified as either a mechanic or in carpentry and would be prepared to commit to this project please get in touch with us for more information.

Barney Curley reports from April/May Zambia Visit

28th April and onboard the British Airways Lusaka bound flight with a real sense of purpose about my visit, that this is the work I should be doing, my destiny. Missing the Guineas meeting at Newmarket, fancy two, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Very rarely does anything come before racing but this is much more important. Arrive Lusaka 6am and immediately out to a number of projects around the capital. Visit the great new community hall complex in Chainda. Already serving the local community with classes in literacy and trade skills. Those who have already been taught building skills through the construction of the project are now passing these skills on to the young people who are eager to learn. Plumbing, complete electrics and ventilation systems are installed, a facility unlike any other in the country in the heart of one of its very poorest areas.

Very tired off to bed. Up at 5am heading up to the north early to beat the heat from the sun, arrive in Kitwe. Examine the numerous projects in the region. Have had problems obtaining permission to build a housing complex for the Twafwane community. Thirty houses will be constructed but progress has been slowed by the local governing bodies. Frustrating for those involved on the ground but great news that the final go ahead has recently been given with the second house nearly finished and the third half built. These houses will be primarily for families without any proper dwellings and are managed by a very well organised program based in Kitwe. The community spirit in this program is strong, after building their own house they go on in turn to help their neighbours build theirs. They are basic buildings but importantly they are well planned and constructed. Each house costs €7,000 to build. After looking at more local projects head for Ndola.

Visit Kavu clinic, serves 15-20,000 patients, making a real difference. Promise to continue the supply of medicines they require to function. They are having problems with the mosquitoes, the mesh across the windows and doors is no longer substantial to combat the ever present risk. Agree to finance the installation of new preventative measures to the entire complex of buildings which make up the hospital.

Down the road to Yengwe School. Always progressing well, now with 1400 pupils. They are on phases 2 & 3 of their secondary school buildings. Have had hold ups with a very limited supply of cement. There is a national shortage mainly due to the upcoming world cup in South Africa. The secondary school upgrade should be complete in September. Some of the kids walk 12km to school every day, they now get their lunch at 12pm every day and every child now has their own school books for the first time. This would be an extremely rare opportunity for a child in Zambia but it is greatly appreciated and the kids are working hard.

After spending a few more days in Ndola I head back to Lusaka. The compound in Kalingalinga, everything is going great. Since I was last here at the end of last year, the number of orphans in the school there has increased from 50 to 96. All are aged between four and six. They get their breakfast at 7.30 and their lunch at 12.30 before they go home. Their families and guardians would have very little or nothing so this nutrition they receive on a daily basis is vital for them. The teachers are doing a great job here.

Visit Sister Ruby and her home of orphan girls. After my last visit we arranged the purchase of a decent trampoline for the girls to play on in their garden. Strictly only one on at a time, it has been a great source of entertainment. I doubt if ever a single trampoline created so many smiles. The girls are all doing well in school, they know the importance of their education to their future and it is showing in their results.

Fly home absolutely knackered but safe in the knowledge that every penny we have sent over there has been well spent and is accounted for. I couldn’t be more pleased in any way with what I have to report back to you. We will keep working with those people on the ground in Zambia to make sure the charity funds are put to the best possible use. Continued thanks to all DAFA’s supporters your funds are making a difference that is without measure.

Clare Twemlow wins John Smith's People's Race for DAFA in style.

Always travelling well in behind the leaders, just off the pace, Clare tracked wide across to the stands rail turning for home. With a quick glance round for dangers at the furlong pole she readily pulled clear to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

SPONSOR CLARE CLICK HERE: www.justgiving.com/claretwemlow

Clare Reports 6th April:

I'm delighted to be able to report that I did it! Zabeel Palace was an absolute star and we won by 3 lengths to secure £55,000 for DAFA. I am absolutely over the moon to have won the money and I know how far it will go in Zambia, and how well managed it will be. I had the best day of my life on Saturday and I will never forget the feeling of pulling up in front of those stands, and coming back into the winners enclosure. I'm so lucky to have had this amazing opportunity and will forever be grateful to Mr Curley for providing such a lovely horse, Andrew Stringer for preparing the horse(and me!) so well, and everyone else who has helped me in my preparations for the race. I hope you won some money on the race - and click on the link above if you would like to donate some of your winnings to DAFA!

2nd April:

Its now just a couple of days before the race and the nerves are beginning to set in. The final preparations have gone well and I've ridden my horse, Zabeel Palace, a few times. I've very grateful to Mr Curley for providing me with the horse and he seems a lovely ride. He certainly felt fresh and well this morning on the gallops.

Trainers Andrew Stringer and Neil King have both been very helpful in preparing me for the big day. They have both ridden round the National fences several times so they have plenty of Aintree experience and words of wisdom to share. I'm just grateful I don't have those fences to contend with as well.

So I very much hope the next news bulletin with be reporting success in the race! I will certainly be trying my hardest and am looking forward to the experience of a lifetime.

21st March:

A couple of weeks before the race and I'm busy making sure I'm as prepared as I can be. I was one of thousands who applied for the Peoples Race right back in October and its been the most amazing experience so far, if not rather tense at times. As part of the group of potential 'jockeys', we have been through several training and assessment weekends, culminating in the final assessment at Southwell Racecourse last Sunday. That was fairly nerve wracking experience, added to by the fact there were BBC cameras on us all day, but great to ride on a racecourse for the first time! I was absolutely delighted to make the final 10 who will line up at Aintree and for the final couple of weeks I'm concentrating on riding out as much as I can and building up my fitness. I've been using the mechanical and electrical horses at The British Racing School to practice pushing out should I get into a tight finish. You need incredibly strong legs and I have a whole new appreciation of jockeys who have to push for a circuit!

I'm really determined to try to win this race for DAFA as I am told how far £50,000 would go to help people in Zambia. Its been a real motivating factor when I've been pushing myself at the gym, or when I can hear the rain against the window at 6am and I have to get up to ride out! I feel so lucky to have the chance to fulfil a lifetime ambition, while helping an amazingly good cause. Lets hope I can do it!


Progress from Zambia in 2007.

Chainda Community Centre. From the ten acre site of untouched wasteland in August 2006, a facility unlike any in Zambia before, in one of its most poverty stricken regions.
The centre will act as a much-needed base for medical facilities, a school for orphans, computer and tailoring classes, sports facilities and parish administration.

Yengwe School, Fatama, now with 1300 pupils. Work has begun on a further three classroom blocks. Some of the children walk 20km to the school in the morning and the same home again every single day leaving their homes at 4.30am to arrive for classes at 7.30am. Previously going without food all day, concentration in class was a problem. Many pupils are orphans looked after by relatives or neighbours of their deceased parents, who consequently take on large families on very minimal or no incomes. For some a meal would not be an option when they returned home from school either. The later part of this year the school has been able to feed every child every day. Attendance and results have soared. DAFA has committed to ensure this food is available for the future.

DAFA feeds one child in this school everyday for a whole year for £13.

Eugene Nixon celebrates 70th birthday with donation

Eugene Nixon from Omagh is photographed presenting a cheque for £1,865.00 to Michael Donnelly, representative of DAFA.
The money was raised at Eugene's 70th birthday where donations to the charity were requested instead of presents.
DAFA sends best wishes and thanks to Eugene, his family and friends, for their generosity.

DAFA Committee Members present project funding

Left: Whenchi Methodist Hospital Ghana Maternity Funding £28,300
Also pictured left: Miss I. Mutale & Miss H. Mutale, receive third level scholarship funding.
Right: Camphill South Africa Community School Hermanus £10,000

Sale of The Racing Post leads to £2.5 million donation to DAFA

Following the sale of The Racing Post in October 2007, Trinity Mirror Group were requested by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to give £10 million to four charities for transferring the licence to use the Racing Post trademark, which the Sheikh owns. As one of the four selected charities, DAFA subsequently received a £2.5 million donation as a condition of the sale which took place. Barney Curley was quoted as: "floating on air since hearing the news. I'm never stuck for words, but this time I am. What this will do for people is unbelievable." DAFA cannot express its deepest appreciation enough for the generousity of this gesture by Sheikh Mohammed.

Jamie Spencer & The Racing Post in Zambia with DAFA