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Bury African Outreach (BAO) began in 1992 after Betsy Keating was invited by a Ugandan priest, Father Kakuba Kappia, to visit his village project in Mpigi. Betsy was so impressed with the people’s zeal to become self-sufficient that she encouraged her friends to join her in sending medical, educational and craft equipment to Uganda. Within a decade £35,000 of equipment was sent mainly from Bury (Lancashire) in the UK.
However, it became apparent that the HIV/AIDS pandemic had had a devastating effect on many children. Previously the Ugandan extended family could incorporate an orphaned relative into their midst, but now with nearly 2 million orphans a new type of support was urgently needed.
In the year 2000 the Benedictine Sisters in Tororo, Uganda requested urgent help for the many orphaned children knocking on their door. We responded by setting up our Standing Order Scheme which has helped us to provide regular funds that has enabled 45 children to go to school.
October 2007 An exciting presentation on BAO was given at St. Gabriel’s RC High School in Bury by the head of year 11, John Keating, who had recently taught in Ugandan schools providing an education for the many orphans. Pupils were deeply touched by John's vivid presentation about life for the Ugandan children. They saw pictures of the happy and hopeful faces of Ugandan children who could now go to school as a result of our charity’s sponsorship. One pupil said, “It made me realise how much we have and take for granted, and how privileged we are”.
December 2007 -
May 2008 “Casino Royale” - Yes, 007's been back and helping raise funds - click 'more' for the details!
If you would like to support Bury African Outreach financially please visit our Donations section on this website, where you will find various ways of helping.
UK Tax Payers can increase the value of their donations by nearly a third by donating under UK Gift Aid.
You can support us in other ways too, for example, with our fundraising or administration (please note that all our staff are entirely voluntary). Many companies have helped with transport, goods, medicines etc. See the Newsletters in our Contact section for further information.
Please feel free to contact us by post or email using the details given in our Contact section. We have also listed there, for free download, some back issues of our newsletters.
'Photo Courtesy of “The Bury Times”
