Beauty’s mercy mission to help South African orphans

Beauty Begum (25), of Borrowdale Drive, Reedley, has funded the trip herself, but aims to raise £1,000 to improve the lives of children in the country’s shanty towns.

The healthcare assistant, who works at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, is hosting a fund-raising bonanza to help her dream mission become a reality.

She said: “Nursing is a big thing in my life. I have been nursing for seven years and have always wanted to do something extra. These children don’t have parents and most of them do not have homes. The main thing is to provide care for them.

“I am looking forward to doing it. I think I will come back a different person.”

She will fly to Cape Town in April where thousands of people live in makeshift houses. “We will meet the orphans and assess their needs. The money I raise will go towards helping them. If they don’t have water we could put some of the money towards providing a water machine or, if they have no shelter, we can build them houses.

“We will be looking at education too and visiting schools. We can help them by buying school equipment like books, or pens and pencils. These are things we take for granted. They live each day without anything. We are very fortunate to have everything we have.”

To fund her work in South Africa, Beauty is hosting a charity event at Daneshouse and Stoneyholme Community Centre on Thursday, December 2nd, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be face painting, henna art, food and refreshments, a raffle and entertainment from breakdancers and Bollywood and Bhangra performers. Entrance is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children.