Bishop of Norwich canoes for African irrigation
 The Bishop of Norwich left his comfort zone far behind as he took to the water in a canoe for the very first time in a sponsored event to raise money to pay for irrigation and new crops in Africa.
Bishop Graham James, who had never paddled before, was among 18 who headed off from Horstead on June 6 to raise money for Burkina Faso, the second poorest country in the world.
The project he is supporting will help 88,000 villagers in the arid northern part of the country. It will enable them to put in treadle pumps and irrigation channels, and develop crops which are resistant to drought. It will also provide a solar drying plant so that they can market mangoes.
Following negotiations with Christian Aid, the European Union is offering a grant of £60,000 for the project, provided that people in East Anglia raise £20,000 to match it.
The Bishop shared his boat with Melissa Ilboudo, a student from Burkina Faso who is studying International Development at the University of East Anglia. Melissa has been fundraising for the project, and will be returning home this summer so that she can see how it is developing.
They were joined on the water by Dr Natasha Grist, from the Overseas Development Institute in London, who has been working with Christian Aid on climate change in Burkina Faso, and also been advising Melissa.
Guided by the excellent instructors of the Horstead Centre, the canoeists headed down the River Bure towards Wroxham. A couple of the younger members of the convoy capsized, but Bishop Graham remained confidently in control of his boat and finished dry.
Anyone wishing to support this project can send cheques (payable to Christian Aid) to Eldred Willey at Christian Aid, the Kings Centre, King Street, Norwich NR1 1PH. All donations will be earmarked, and quadrupled by the European Union. | 