CHILDREN thousands of miles away in Africa are being helped by a Bury group to live better lives.

Last November, the Bury African Outreach group became an official charity and now supports 44 orphans in Uganda: the country has a population of 22 million and nearly two million orphans.

The charity pays for the food and school books to help educate the youngsters who are looked after in a family setting. And when they move on to secondary education, it pays for the uniform and equipment they will need, along with their expensive school fees.

Many children have been found, after their parents have died, also caring for younger siblings.

Eight-year-old Oliver was found by the Benedictine Sisters digging in the earth with his bare hands to get a root crop to cook for his two younger brothers.

Oliver was found just in time, as the crop is poisonous if not cooked properly. The three children are now all being looked after by an adoptive "grandmother".

The charity has also paid for a teacher to visit one youngster, 16-year-old Imelda, to help her read and write.

Imelda has "water on the brain" and cannot walk. Her life is limited to crawling around on the bare earth of her mud hut home. But the charity now hopes to take a wheelchair out to her, so that she can attend school with other children in the area.

Derek Roe from the group, said: "The charity has become a success as a result of the generous nature of the people of Bury. But we still need donations, which will be taken directly to the orphans in Uganda."

Bury African Outreach has collected 200 books to be sent to a school near Kampala, in Uganda, but the cost of transport to get them there is very expensive and the charity need ideas of how they can get them there.

People can also join their standing order scheme for as little as £1 a month.

For more information, contact Derek Roe, at Bury African Outreach (charity number 1094502), 33 Byron Road, Greenmount, Bury, BL8 4EN or telephone 01204 883164.