HELLO!!  I recently came across an extraordinary place and story that I would kindly ask your help to support! It's about SUPERHEROES and ROBOTS and SCIENCE and CIVIL RIGHTS  and I made a film about it for the GUARDIAN.  It's a great story and I'm about to run a painful 22KM to support it....please read on! 

When I was working as a journalist covering the citizen protests against the recent military coup in Khartoum Sudan, I encountered an incredible character dressed as Spider-Man. He leaps from buildings, fearlessly protests the coup and thrills the crowds. I discovered that this mysterious lycra clad Sudanese citizen, is actually a young science teacher who, when not in his red suit, runs the most amazing voluntary science initiative  in the slums outside Khartoum. 

The  'Science and Superheroes club', set in a small makeshift warehouse in one of Sudan's biggest slums, is where disadvantaged boys and girls freely have an open door to come and build stuff like solar panels, electrical dynamos and the most incredible robots! In this safe space, girls and boys, many of whom cannot read or write, get introductory lessons from 'Spidey' their science teacher. They learn robot building, electrical and design knowledge and then they are encouraged to let their creative imaginations fly and just go invent and build cool stuff. A twelve year old girl putting together a dynamo and making her own solar power unit? A ten year old boy building an automated robot bigger than himself? This is where it happens. The club is amazing - girls and boys of all ages from 8 to 15 line up to attend and once in, often try and stay through the night - so excited are they to get the opportunity to invent and collaborate. The icing on top is that Spidey invites the kids to name their robots after African kings and queens and then learn about them - like the great Nubian queen Amanirenas and others of the Kush empire. The kids even went to visit recently the ultimate African tech of the Sudanese pyramids (older than the Egyptian!) and saw with pride what their ancestors created. Original African pyramid tech & design which still boggles engineering minds today.  

Teacher Spidey grew up selling water as a boy and reading discarded maths and physics books to fuel his love of science. Now, aged 27, he runs this wonderful club out of his own pocket and pulls favors for resources from around the sprawling slum. I want to support this amazing space that inspires girls and boys, letting their curiosity soar - alongside gaining pride in their own history and and knowledge of African role models. UK registered charity REACT (Refugee Education Across Conflict Trust) is preparing to support Spidey and all the kids in their science & superheroes club with small monthly grants.  The grants will facilitate a proper learning space, quality resources, an electrical supply, snacks and water for the kids and a fair monthly salary for a teacher. REACT wants to make this unique club and space sustainable. I'm committing to raising 1000 UK pounds to help make this happen - so come on! If you have read this far, help me now support Spidey, some superhero kids and this special place! love Phil

ps Spidey film on The Guardian @theguardian.com/spider-man-of-sudan