by Emma Wood, Katherine Burnett and Linda McFarlane
In memory of Flo McEwan
On 1st March 2021, we embarked on a virtual expedition, with all three of us running and walking the entire 1744 km (1084 miles) from Land’s End to John O’Groats (by doing local runs and walks and tracking our miles), to raise money to set up a new pharmacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We hope that you will sponsor us to support this fantastic cause.
We were all part of a group who visited DRC in the summer of 2019, and were inspired by the amazing work being done at Comfort Congo’s projects in North Kivu Province, including their rural maternity and general hospital in Rusayu (Central Hospital Rusayu), which supports and treats many poor and displaced people, including victims of rape and violence. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of rape has increased, as women who have lost income due to lockdown go into the bush or forest to look for wood and charcoal to try and sell, in order to buy food, and they are very vulnerable doing this.
A pressing need for the Central Hospital Rusayu is to establish their own pharmacy, as currently they have to buy all medicines from “high street” pharmacies in Goma (the closest large town) which is very expensive. By establishing their own pharmacy, they would be able to purchase medicines wholesale, and supply not only the hospital, but also the new outreach health post which Comfort Congo have set up during the pandemic to treat people who (due to lockdown restrictions) cannot travel to the hospital. This includes many school children and their families who benefit from Comfort Congo’s school programmes, and also the Children of Liberty project for ex-child soldiers.
The estimate for setting up the new pharmacy is only £6,300. Please help us towards this goal, which will help so many poor and vulnerable people in DRC.
We are doing this in memory of Flo McEwan, a committed supporter of the charity, fellow traveller to DR Congo in 2019, and an incredibly positive and inspirational woman we are proud to call our friend. Flo sadly passed away last year, but we know she would be encouraging us all the way.
A little can change a life!
Thank you so much,
Emma, Katherine & Linda
Our Totalgiving page is: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/lejog_for_pharmacy