3rd July, 2007
Michael Buerk, well-known former BBC newsreader and foreign correspondent, will present a BBC Radio 4 Appeal for AMREF on Thursday July 19th. The appeal focuses on AMREF’s work in Ethiopia, the country which first linked Michael Buerk to AMREF.
Michael Buerk’s award-winning reports on the famine in 1984/5 led to a massive international relief effort, saving thousands of lives. He returned there in 1991 and following an explosion in an ammunitions dump, was evacuated to safety by AMREF. He has been a loyal supporter of AMREF ever since.
For the appeal, Michael Buerk tells the story of Hasena Humed, who, like him, also brought up twins. He tells Hasena’s story in her own words:
“My twin daughters died when they were only two years old. I didn’t know what was wrong with them, they were both very ill and I was weak with a fever. So I carried them for two days to the nearest health centre, walking as fast as I could…. When I arrived, the nurse told me it was too late to treat their malaria.” He adds: ”I also have twins and can just imagine her pain.”
Michael Buerk then describes how AMREF is helping to stop these needless deaths by bringing health care closer to those who need it most: “Just because people live in remote rural areas of Africa doesn’t mean they should struggle to find basic health care."
He explains how AMREF has been saving and transforming people’s lives in Africa for the last 50 years and asks people to help AMREF to save thousands more.
AMREF is delighted to be awarded a BBC Radio 4 Appeal, to raise more funds for its vital life-saving work in Africa. Craig Pollard, AMREF’s fundraising manager said: “This gives us an amazing opportunity to promote our work to a large and diverse audience.”
AMREF was awarded a BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2003, also read by Michael Buerk, which raised more than £33,000. Craig adds: “We hope that this appeal will equal or even surpass the previous one, allowing us to save and transform thousands more lives in Africa.”
The appeal will be broadcast on:
Thursday 19th July at 3.27pm
BBC Radio 4: 92-94 FM, 198 Long Wave , or listen again online.