On Call Africa becomes a Radio 4 Appeal charity

Louise Minchin will be presenting our upcoming BBC #R4appeal – on Sunday 27th August. 

Tune in and listen to Louise tell us why she is supporting On Call Africa, and why she would love for you to support our appeal. In the meantime, here is a preview of the appeal:  

Broadcaster, Louise Minchin makes the BBC Radio 4 Appeal for our vital work to help improve rural health clinics in Zambia. Ensuring women can give birth in clean, safe and comfortable spaces, with the support of skilled health professionals. 

She shares the story of Esther, who walked 21 miles in her final weeks of pregnancy to the Kanyanga clinic just so she could have a health worker! On arrival her bed consisted of an empty sack on the floor of a mud hut with no running water or power.  

Thankfully, Esther safely delivered a healthy baby girl who is now two years old and is thriving.  

In those two years since her birth, Kanyanga clinic has been much improved, thanks to the work of On Call Africa. It’s now  

• Powered by solar energy, so there’s lighting and better medical equipment 
• A brick shelter has been built to replace a mud hut. 
• There are proper beds, and – because of new funding – it will soon have clean running water so women can drink and shower safely. 

Word has travelled that the clinic is a clean, safe and comfortable space and because of this, there’s been a big increase in the number of women choosing to give birth at the clinic.  

How you can help

Just £35 could pay for a bed so expectant mothers can rest comfortably in the weeks leading to their due date. A trustee of the charity will match-fund your donation, so every donation you make will be doubled, to the value of £20,000.

Donations can be made via the BBC Radio 4 appeal website from Sunday 27th August to Saturday 2nd September.

You could also help us by sharing our emails, social media posts and dedicated webpage: https://oncallafrica.org/bbc-radio-4/ with friends, family and colleagues who might be interested in supporting our appeal and having their donation doubled!