These children stand the very great risk of becoming “lost” and I found that I could not just come back to England saying someone should do something about this. Too many TV appeals has in part made us immune to the reality, and I just couldn't sit and do nothing.

I made a promise to a little boy of 6 years that I would return and find him again. We had just spent 4 hours playing catch with an old deflated football, his one and only possession, but because his mother had “sickness” no other kids would play with him.

We shared a mango, which, once he understood was for him, curled up like a hedgehog around the fruit. I was told it was probably the first time in his whole life he had anything to himself.

I was ashamed that we as Europeans are partly to blame for this. Our governments have plundered Africa for decades, and when we left the people in charge knew no better than to copy the behaviour that they had learned from us.

Thankfully now the truth is getting out, education and information is getting in and there can be no excuses, we cannot say "I didn’t know".

I realise that all the ailments of Africa cannot be solved overnight or by me but YOU and I can at least make a start.

The major aid organisations OXFAM, RED CROSS etc are working on long term and major incidents, and have a large and proven track record with which I cannot compare.

But at the same time there are lots of right now smaller cases that can be addressed by a smaller group.

With this in mind I am asking for help to raise funds. NO admin fees, no bribes, no airfares etc every penny will and is used at ground level. Various smaller ever changing projects, once completed the next started as and when required, without all the months of delay.

Whether it is a village funday for all the children in a village, transport for orphans either to a grandparent or a place of safety, school uniforms to allow a child to partake of the education system, or to transport donated food from some of the better off to the outlying regions along with HIV education packs and medication. No tribal, religious or other discrimination!

Please look into your hearts and make a positive life changing decision.

Thank you - Trev