BCT BIRTHDAY – Celebrating 15 years!
This month we celebrate 15 years of Building, Changing and Transforming lives with Beta Charitable Trust.
That’s 15 years of emancipation and steady improvements in quality of life across the world!
Continue reading to see what we’ve been up to recently;
Pamoja Leo Food Programme – BCT has extended its funding into 2019. As well as continuing support with the funding of nutritious meals for school children, BCT will also be supporting the salaries of two staff, including the cook.
Kolkatta - Following from its inception last spring, BCT is proud to announce the opening this January of a dedicated housing block for impoverished, homeless families, especially those who have been widowed and find themselves and their families in desperate need of support.
Eye camps – BCT’s commitment to eye care in impoverished areas of the world continues;
We have supported 24 Camps between January and April alone. One which took place just recently in Tanga Mjini; a free eye camp and dental camp in one, which screened over 5000 patients and delivered 238 cataract surgeries and 25 other minor eye related surgeries. In total, between January and April, over 10,000 patients have been screened and over 1500 cataract surgeries performed; giving hope of a brighter future to those who were otherwise blind due to severe cataracts damage. Any amount donated towards this cause, however small, makes an enormous difference to the lives of those living in remote areas where medical attention is expensive and unattainable.
Yemen Crisis - BCT continues to support Yemen and has contributed $10,000 per month for BCT’s Beta Baby Milk Appeal and Cholera Vaccine Appeal as well as providing extra medical aid where required. During Yemen’s severe winter temperatures can drop from 23°C degrees to as low as 1°C. BCT’s War on Winter Appeal has supplied much needed thick, life-saving blankets over this period.
Solar Water Well – We are so excited to have recently provided funding towards a solar powered waterpump in Vitongoji, in Tanzania. Soon to be providing a massive 15,000 litres of water, the residents of the surrounding areas will have access to a much more sustainable solution whilst significantly reducing the otherwise unaffordable electricity costs of running a normal pump. We are delighted that from January to April this year, we have had the opportunity to commission a further 15 wells in the driest parts of India, Kenya & Tanzania.
Homelessness in the UK – In an update to a recent story, BCT’s support for Jacob’s Backpack Campaign has reached the Maldon and Burnham Standard who have published an article based on our blog post of Jacob and his inspiring story! Jacob’s aim to fill 1000 backpacks with essentials for the Essex homeless within two years continues. We continue our support of UK Food Banks, soup kitchens and Community Kitchen’s with the aim of supporting UK citizens through times of crisis and desperation and are proud to support SUFRA in the essential work they undertake.
Looking ahead..
We have just launched BCT’s annual Food Parcel Programme, Striving Against Starvation (SAS2019) which runs from May to July, and aims to provide aid to the poorest and most deprived in the United Kingdom as well as in hard-to-reach areas of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, India, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Yemen. It’s a big project, and it’s one we can’t carry out without your help.
£6 provides a family of 4 with a food parcel for one whole week - that's just 86p for a daily meal! We hope to surpass last year’s total of £50,000 of food with your continued support.
We are excited to share with you the first of the food parcels, pictured on the right, which have reached Chakama in Kenya, thanks to our partners at CHEPs who have already started their distribution!