матрациThis issue we are delighted to feature a wonderfully insightful article written by Sierra Ferguson, one of our Kulyaaba volunteers who visited SAPEP in September 2009. Wanting to pursue a new direction as a doctor, the 27 year old investment banker from the USA went out to Zambia to gain some experience of life and healthcare in the developing world. In her honest and touching account of her experiences, hope shines through! Tapping into this hope and working together to see hope become reality is what PEPAIDS is all about!

My images of Zambia are of struggle and poverty, but also of great hope. In Mazabuka I observed an ingenuity and entrepreneurialism I had never before witnessed. …
SAPEP has experienced serious funding cuts this past year and I witnessed the profound impact this has had on its programming…… This saddens me as I think SAPEP’s work is fundamental to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in Mazabuka. Despite funding cuts, the SAPEP staff continues to work tirelessly to inspire hope in Zambia’s younger generations.
I will forever be grateful to SAPEP and its staff for opening my eyes and allowing me to be part of a process of social change. I will return to Zambia as a doctor, one day, so that I may hopefully give back to a community that taught me so much.

Click here for full article

…But playing music of a different kind!
Massive thanks to the residents of Eakring in Nottinghamshire, who once again, rallied round to put on a wonderful concert for PEPAIDS. Their hard work and generosity raised £850,38 which was then even raised to a an astounding £1000! Special thanks to Sheila, John and Lucy White who organised the concert and everybody who helped them make the evening such a big succes.

Sheila, John and Lucy like to thank, in particulair, Mr. Mellors (Milton Butchers) who so generously provided the excellent food for the evening, Laithwaites for providing the wine, Mr Grant Campion for his comparing skills and perhaps most of all to all the performers who so generously gave their time.

Special thanks also to Alamootie, Dr Nick Barnes (Video) and Gillian Roddis.

The evening could not have been so succesfull without the support of EARTH (Newark) who supplied the 1st prize for the raffle, a Health and Beauty treatment.

And finally thank you to all who attended and gave so generously.

This month, PEPAIDS founder and chair, Helen Allen, will go out to Zambia, accompanied by PEPAIDS volunteer, Sasha Kasthuriarachchi.

Helen says; “Sending volunteers out to visit SAPEP and having regular face to face contact is one of PEPAIDS’ most important forms of support. Although I haven’t managed to go out myself for 6 years, never has there been a more significant time for me to do so! No matter what’s happening in the global economy, real people and real lives carry on and I’m determined that we should not give up, just because times are hard! I’m really excited about going back to Zambia and seeing it all for myself again. Most of all, I’m excited about getting alongside SAPEP and seeing what we can do from here”!