Former Crawley Irishperson of the Year, Lenny Nugent, is planning a mammoth trek from Big Ben to Brighton Pier to support the Kasisi Children’s Home in Zambia. The walkers hope to raise around £15,000 to make a real difference to children living with HIV/AIDS.

Staff and friends of the Sussex based contractors and developers, Nugent Group, will spend the Easter weekend in a bid to help fund new projects at the Kasisi Children’s Home. The orphanage deals with a large number of children affected with HIV/AIDS in the African country.

The orphanage was established by a group of Irish Dominican Nuns in 1926 and became staffed by the Little Sisters of the Mary Immaculate, a Polish order, two years later. Polish and Zambian nuns continue to run the home 37 km from Lusaka.

The Home provides its children with basic needs such as care, love and protection. All the children go to school and the Home supports them in finding further education and employment as they reach adulthood.

In 2006, Nugent Group paid for the development of new toilet and shower blocks to be constructed. It was around the same time that BBC News visited the orphanage to see the impact of the G8 Summit. One year on from the Gleneagles meeting, there had been little change - the support of individuals is needed more than ever.

In 2007, with the aid of the public they want to directly impact the lives of the children. Lenny Nugent commented:

“The sisters are a great group of people but they need lots of help. They have priorities about feeding and clothing and you can see that that are shy to ask for any help.”

HIV/AIDS has had a marked impact on the Kasisi Children’s Home. Many of the children are infected with the disease and in many cases the very worst happens.

Lenny continues:

“The sisters want to build a Chapel of Rest and mortuary. It will make a real difference to the children living with the disease as they will know that their friends are being looked after. At the moment, the children see their former friends in open sheds before burial. It’s just not right. We need to look after the children in this life and on to the next.”

Lenny is apprehensive about talking about the project because it is not a subject that is openly spoken of but he feels that it is important to be very active and involved.

“I’m prepared to send a group of workers out to Zambia if they need to. When I was there last year, I could see so much needed to be done and we take so much for granted here. The sponsored walk will be big test. I would encourage anyone willing to take part to do so.”

The sponsored walk will take place over the Easter Weekend starting on Good Friday and will finish when the participants conclude the 50-mile trek.

The Kasisi Children’s Home is a registered charity (1114313). People wishing to support the walk can donate direct, download the sponsorship forms or send cheques payable to the charity. Tax relief (through Gift Aid) is available for UK tax payers.

Cheques, payable to “Kasisi Children’s Home”, can be sent to:

Kasisi Appeal
Nugent Group
Antrim House,
High Street,
Handcross,
West Sussex.
RH17 6BN

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