Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating condition affecting 252 million worldwide and leads to death of 4,000 to 400,000 annually. It causes kidney damage, liver failure, abdominal swelling and in children it can cause poor growth and learning difficulties.

In 2012, 249 million people were in need of treatment to prevent the disease.  This makes it the most common parasitic infection with malaria second and causing about 207 million cases in 2013. It effects mainly children as the parasite carrying the infection is a freshwater snail that breeds on river banks where barefoot children play.
(It gains access through the child’s foot, typically.)

Facts and figures from Wikipedia.

The good news is it is relatively easily treated. 50 cents a
year is all that is required to control symptoms.

So the long cycle trip is to raise funds for the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) run from Imperial College, London. To support me and contribute to the fighting fund click the JustGiving  link.on this page and donate. All the expenses connected with my trip are either already paid by me, or will be by the time I arrive back in my Aberdeen home. 100% of your contribution goes to the charity and, even more  good news, SCI consistently figures very prominently in league tables that rank charities in order of cost effectiveness.

How SCI figures in Charity efficiency stakes

(from CivilSociety Newsletter Dec2011

A British initiative has come second in a league table of international aid schemes which aims to find the best opportunities for donors to accomplish good with their donation.

Give Well’s 2011 international aid process review assessed charities from a wide variety of sources including recommendations, other lists of highlighted charities, past applicants and grantees of impact-focused foundations.

Some 223 organisations were flagged before a final 98 were contacted for further assessment. Imperial College London’s  Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) made the final cut, coming second in the table of top-rated charities, missing out on the top spot to the international Against Malaria Foundation.

GiveWell co-founder, Holden Karnofsky, said: “Our top two
charities are outstanding on all fronts… They execute proven, cost-effective programs for helping people. They have strong track records. They have concrete future plans and room for more funding. They are transparent and accountable to donors.”

In 2018 tables SCI figure in the top eight charities.

See more at:
https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/international-aid-league-table-finds-best-giving-opportunities.html#sthash.O9awMSAi.dpuf

So, a worthy cause, a highly effective organisation for
implementing treatment and I get to tour the length of the UK on a bike and if all goes well, from the 18th April 2020 ( see latest update below) and for the following 25 days, send updates to this blogg.

Donate by clicking the link to JustGiving.

or follow this link

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chrisplane

or 

If you have a QR reader on your phone just open up the camera on your smart phone and point it at this screen and it’ll take you directly to the page.

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