As most of our friends will know we spend much of our off time in South Africa. The country like so many is not in a great way at the moment. Unlike here there’s no real support from their government. So, I want to tell you all about a lovely man and someone I’m proud to call my friend. Over the years we’ve been supporting a creche in a little town called Alicedale in the Eastern Cape. Ricardo’s children used to go to the creche and when we first met him around 20 years ago, he was seriously involved in keeping the crèche going and helping wherever he could. Even though his little one’s are grown with children of their own, he still gives up his time freely to help whenever asked.

I’m a true believer that what goes around come around. This lovely man needs help. For us, in the first world, the shacks in the townships appear the most awful places to live but they are homes to many families like Ricardo’s. And when his shack was burned down and he lost all his worldly possession, the thankful thing was that his family were not in it at the time. The area where Alicedale is, is a huge tourist area, with game lodges being the main employers. Ricardo is a hardworking man and has thankfully kept his job but he is now supporting his three grown up daughters and their partners, and his two wonderful grandchildren. These people would love to have a job but Covid 19 has decimated the employment locally as Africa closed it’s doors to tourists.

The photo is the house as it stands at the moment. Sadly Ricardo has run out of funds to finish his home, and furnish it. So this is a last attempt to raise the money needed. Could you spare £5, just a bottle of supermarket wine to help this poor man have a home for himself and his family before the African winter sets in.

Thank you for reading his story, please stay safe and well at this dreadful time.