insideKENT Magazine Issue 60 - March 2017 | Page 147

CHARITY
Kent Charity Profile :

FIELDS OF LIFE

INTERVIEW BY LISAMARIE LAMB
FIELDS OF LIFE IS AN INSPIRATIONAL CHARITY THAT DOES INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK IN EAST AFRICA . THIS MONTH , insideKENT SPOKE TO HEAD OF FUNDRAISING , DEBBIE CAMERON .
What is it that Fields of Life does , and why is it needed ?
Fields of Life is an international development charity dedicated to bringing about positive change for people living in extreme poverty in East Africa through the provision of quality education , clean water , health promotion and other community based projects . Based at the Kent Science Park , our work reaches across Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Democratic Republic of Congo , Kenya and South Sudan .
At Fields of Life we strive to bring about positive change . Given the opportunity to go to school , children develop skills to enable them to break out of the poverty cycle . And access to clean safe drinking water , we believe is a basic human right . Helping others to help themselves , changing lives and building hope .
What is the charity ’ s history ?
Fields of Life was founded almost 24 years ago by the Reverend Trevor Stevenson and his wife Ruth who spent several years living in Luwero , Uganda in the early 1990s . This area was known as the ‘ killing fields ’. Trevor and Ruth both realised that to bring about real change in a country which had experienced genocide and economic devastation was to provide the next generation with an education , so that future generations of Ugandans would be the positive catalysts for change and the former killing fields of Luwero would become Fields of Life .
How do you raise money ?
We run a child sponsorship programme and for just £ 17 per month a child will receive a quality education , a school uniform , a meal every day and more importantly the opportunity of a future , one where they have choice and can grow to become change makers within their communities . Water is vital for life and our water for life programme at £ 4 per month will provide a child with clean safe drinking water . These regular donations are a vital source of income generation .
A couple of exciting joint ventures include Brymec who are looking to fund three boreholes .
Peter Vardy has just launched the One Child campaign with the goal of providing 5,000 children with an education , Parenta are hosting a rally to fund their fifth nursery school , and the WellGood campaign have helped fund 21 wells .
Are there any upcoming events that our readers can get involved with ?
We have a few truly exciting events coming up this year and everyone is welcome to join us . We ’ ll be heading off from Maidstone to Monaco on 21st June 2017 on the Parenta Trust Banger Rally : Five Days , 2,000 miles , eight countries – navigating through some of Europe ’ s most exhilarating roads in a car worth £ 350 . If you are looking for a more physical challenge then the Sahara Desert Trek in November 2017 is a must !
What are your ultimate aims ?
East Africa is a very special place , a place where love , laughter , friendship and compassion are in abundance . In all of my trips to Uganda I have never been asked anything more than ‘ what is your name ?’ The opportunity to be able to share a little of the passion that I have for this incredible charity and to inspire individuals , families , churches and businesses to become engaged with and support our projects has to be on top of my agenda .
www . fieldsoflife . org
147