This year, the Isle of Man Christian Aid Week Project was asking residents of the Island to support an innovative Cookstoves for Mali Campaign.

Christian Aid Week took place between Sunday 10 and Saturday 16 May this year. The Island community pulled together to stand in unity with the people of Mali with the traditional House to House Collections, a walk for wood, coffee mornings, concerts and quiz nights to name but a few events.

Christian Aid’s regional coordinator, Louise Whitelegg, said: “This amazing sum could not be raised without the community of our small Island pulling together : from the hard-work and dedication of our collectors to the determined effort of all those who were involved with our events. Their support is invaluable – each donation, no matter how small gives real hope to the world’s poor and transforms lives, giving real hope to those living in extreme poverty. In walking alongside them, we are helping to lessen their load.  An individual’s small donation grows and makes a large difference……….”.

100% of the funds raised during CAW on the Island go directly to the Mali Cookstove project allowing our partners in Mali to buy equipment to make the stoves efficiently and effectively from local sustainable sources to increase supply of these items, therefore keeping the cost down. It also includes provision for training, marketing and business development as well as the provision of micro loans to ensure that even the poorest are able to afford the technology.

Thanks to the people of the Island the cookstoves will transform thousands of lives, it will:

* Reduce the amount of wood that is cut down, helping to stabilise the environment
* Reduce the time spent and the dangers associated with collecting wood
* Enable the women of the household to have more time for work, education or family
* Reduce the incidence of respiratory illness from the breathing in of smoke from traditional cooking fires
* Reduce the number of accidents and uncontrolled fires

We are hoping that, as in previous years, the Isle of Man’s International Development Committee will generously match this amount reflecting the support already given by the Manx people.

If you, or your church, would like to find out more about the work of Christian Aid on the Island please contact Christian Aid’s regional coordinator for Isle of Man, Louise Whitelegg at lwhitelegg@christian-aid.org or 474275 or Visit our facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ChristianAidIsleofMan.