by Fiona Beevers

Back in the Autumn, the Eco Day raised some unexpected donations that were kindly offered to me to use in Sudan. Subsequent to the event there were a number of additional donations which came to a total of £125.  This was given to me to use in the best way I could in Khartoum, the one request was to have an ‘eco’ theme due to the origin of the initial donations.

After conversations with Archbishop Ezekiel it was agreed that the money would be used to purchase some solar lanterns that could be used by schools / communities out in one of the townships where there is no regular electricity.As so often happens in Sudan the best laid plans failed. Solar lanterns that had been easily available in December were nowhere to be found by January!  So the funding languished waiting for them to become available again.

Then came the Covid-19 and the lockdown in Khartoum State.

With the agreement of the key people, it was agreed to use the money to support some of the most vulnerable people in Khartoum, the day wage workers who have lost their income due to the lockdown.

16,824 Sudanese pounds (SDG)* was donated to Archbishop Ezekiel for him to distribute to the women who run the shay (tea) stalls around the locality of the Cathedral in Khartoum.

Below is his email of thanks from The Most Revd. Ezekiel Kondo. So a huge THANK YOU  and well done to everyone who donated any amount via Jane Tarver before for the benefit of our brothers and sisters in Khartoum.

[The] women were so grateful to received the support and express their gratitude to who ever gave this money to relief them at this time of need. 17 women, heads of families all are tea sellers around the Cathedral during evening times. Because of corona virus, they were not allowed to work and as a result, they had no any income to support their families. This money came at the right time to relief them. 74 family members benefited from this money!

Please convey my special thanks and appreciation to the donor who supported these members at this difficult time of need.

The Most Revd. Ezekiel Kondo, ECS, Khartoum

Fiona Beevers, a member of Bradford Cathedral, has just been repatriated from Khartoum where she has been working as head teacher of an international school. 

Formerly Deputy Director of Education for the Diocese of Leeds, Fiona witnessed a growing crisis affecting daily life of ordinary people, with high inflation and food shortages, and now the coronavirus. 

You can listen in or ask questions as she chats with Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Toby Howarth in a live Zoom webinar on Monday, May 25 at 4pm.

For details on how to register, please email communications@leeds.anglican.org in advance.

For more information on this please visit https://www.leeds.anglican.org/news/zoom-learn-first-hand-about-crisis-hit-khartoum-and-sudan

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