I was introduced to the Third World back in the 80s by my then Parish Priest. I was naive to think that the resolve was easy – just raise a load of money and send it to the needy. It was only from joining a Third World Group that I began to understand the complexities of the world’s economics – all be it at a very basic level of understanding. It was from then on that I have supported initiatives that enable self-help. The first in Zambia – providing much needed medical supplies to a Hospital in Monze, run by the Sisters of the Holy Rosery. I was privileged to visit for 6 weeks and saw first-hand the wonderful work that was being done by the exceptionally talented surgeon sisters. Also, the outreach programmes to help to eradicate Measles and the support provided to the disabled. Disability was in those days difficult to comprehend and many were outcast. A successful programme had resulted on a village being totally independent and flourishing with 100% of villages being disabled in some way, many blind as a result of untreated Measles. A highlight of my visit was to witness Primary Healthcare in action. A young child was lying in the shade, lifeless. Sister Rita, who I was accompanying and also leading on the Measles vaccination programme, suggested that the child was suffering from de-hydration due to diarrhoea. Rita immediately spoke to the Chief and summoned all the village to the central open area. Most were being supported by others and many arrived on all fours. She improvised with a empty can of beans and a teaspoon to demonstrate the powerful mixture of water, sugar and salt to create a re-hydration solution. Within 20 minutes the child was back with us smiling. A life lesson for me which in fact I have used for my own son when he was very young. I lost my heart to Africa! Several years later, one Sunday afternoon with a friend from Ecuador, the conversation led to her homeland and how she tries to support them. Speaking with her lit a fire in my belly and before I knew where I was I had agreed to help. To be honest, even speaking confidently I didn’t really know where Ecuador was let alone anything about it. After even a little research I was fascinated with the country and again with its complicated economics.  South America also intrigued me. I decided there and then to start up my own charity. I convinced a friend of mine to provide me with some start-up funds (£1000) and a close friend and colleague and his wife to help, I definitely needed a “detail” person and Douglas was unquestionably my “foil”. The both of us set off to Ecuador – I insist on seeing the country’s infrastructure, experiencing the culture and making safe contacts to work with us. Surfing the net, we connected with 3 possible contacts. We visited all 3. The experience is another story but suffice to say arriving for number 1 in Guayaquil and seeing a Celtic Shirt was a real comfort , only to be short lived as it is difficult to prepare for the traffic and living in a police-less Shanty town with over 70,000 people. But it is in that Shanty town I experienced life! Hanging together were the bamboo homes and school that clung to a mountain side when most years the school was simply washed away.  Imagine – hot bamboo classrooms with no windows, just holes to let a little light in. It was a no-brainer to raise funds to build an 8-classroom brick block with toilets and a shower facility. I am a firm believer that benefit should also be felt by the contributor. So with this in mind I worked with a local UK school who had agreed to adopt a programme in the same Shanty town. Having corporate knowledge and skills myself, I worked with the school’s council to help them develop 3 potential initiatives. This required them to interview me, gather material from me, develop a presentation package and deliver the descriptions of the initiatives to the whole school who would vote on their preferred option.  They chose to build a Medical Centre. They fundraised £15,000 by various little projects. I don’t think I was too popular with the Teachers when the Head decided to have an Ecuador 3 weeks when all subjects needed to have an Ecuadorian connection. Innovation won out though as it was incredible what the teachers did, for example in Maths they analysed the Ecuadorian climate data and were able to see the climate change…. So, with the help of a local school we built a lovely medical centre. I should also say that a significant contribution came from my local church congregations, and friends and of course that valuable regular income from Standing Orders. My contact in Guayaquil returned home to Scotland to take up a new Parish so following our two significant projects it was time to move on. When I was in Zambia, all those years ago, I visited Victoria Falls and crossed over the bridge to Zimbabwe. It wasn’t too many years after Northern and Southern Rhodesia had become independent and it was obvious that Southern Rhodesia – now Zimbabwe had done better than Northern – Zambia. I was delighted to visit the Victoria Falls Hotel on top of the mountain and see wealth. In the shops the shelves were full of food and the economy seemed vibrant – a contrast to Zambia. It was this differential that caught my attention. I couldn’t help concluding that it must be harder to have something and loose it than not have it at all. The economy had crashed overnight, and a teacher’s salary was not enough to buy a loaf of bread. The currency became worthless and the US$ was introduced.  I had a dear friend in Zimbabwe so naturally our focus turned to Zimbabwe. During a turning point in Bill’s career he, on behalf of 2Hands lived with my friend. He spent two lots of 3 months renovating a school and establishing new projects for us to support. Out of the blue I received an email from a couple in Dorset who wanted to help a Zimbabwean community a a legacy for their late son. They wanted to support the sinking of two bore wells, fondly known as “Dominic’s Gift”. Susan and John have since joined the Board of Trustees and now play an active part in the charity. Whilst working in Zimbabwe and in addition to the work that Bill did on behalf of “2Hands” and the bore wells, we are supporting a school in the Burma Valley and an Orphanage in Rusape. The school has received all new classroom furniture, hand made by Zimbabwean tradesman and we continue to provide stationery. In January 2018 all the trustees visited the school and the orphanage, we agreed to provide materials for the building of a new block for the school and with the parents and community labour work is underway. The Orphanage continues to see difficult times so we continue to provide life provisions for the children. We are a small charity and rely on help from those who know us. But a little goes a long way, so we continue to support the poor to grow out of poverty where we can.