Teachers who help pupils in Zambia are now working closer to home
THE Cyncoed-based charity, MAD4Kids, has begun to help children in Cardiff alongside its usual work for Zambia.
Sharon Vaughan, 64, has been supporting children in Zambia for 15 years as well as setting up her own charity with her husband, MAD4Kids (Making a Difference for Kids), three years ago.
The charity’s sole focus was on aiding the Good Samaritans Ministry School which is near Luska, the capital city of Zambia.
This changed in June when the couple, alongside their two best friends and two children, decided to help Cardiff’s children too.
Mrs Vaughan, who taught at Llanishen High School, said: “We realised there’s a lot of need within Cardiff so we wanted to see what we could do to help.
“The people that we’ve helped so far have all been in such financial trouble and need and for those people it’s just not viable to go out and buy what they need.”
The Cardiff focused initiative, called MAD4Kids Cardiff +, fulfilled its first request just a few days after its launch and has gone on to help with a further 10 cases.
The charity has sourced several items in the six months including a dual buggy and a bike.
“Usually within an hour or so after sending out the message of what item is needed, we’ve got it sorted so it’s a real community effort. We’ve gone as far as Penarth as well as Sully to get a bike,” said Mrs Vaughan.
The recipient of the bike, a young Cardiff boy, said: “I never thought I would ever have a bike of my own. My brothers are going to be so surprised when they see the bike.”
Ellen Forrester, of Penarth, who nominated the boy, said: “You have made one young boy very happy!”
Five of the charity’s six trustees have been, or currently are, teachers. “We’ve always been very keen to help children in whatever way we can, ” said Mrs Vaughan.
She aims to fulfil a wish every fortnight.
“One of the best parts of the process is that it’s recycling. Most of the time, people have got these things, but they don’t know what to do with them. They’re not particularly keen to sell them. It truly goes both ways.
“People can donate and feel good about donating and for the people that receive, it makes a massive difference,” she said.
- If you would like to find out more about MAD4Kids and how to help, you can visit its website.
