Funds raised so far: £163

How It All Began

One of the founders of Xanadu-du is a teacher at Maghull High School in Liverpool, UK. In June 2003 his school was researching material for a Citizenship Day: the theme was Global Citizenship. The inspiration was Michael Palin's TV series ‘Sahara' and the focus was Timbuktu, supposedly the most remote town on Earth.

The Africa Afternoon was staged in the Autumn term and included African dance, poetry, music, history, environmental issues, the consumption of Western Countries in comparison to Africa and relative and absolute poverty.

Following the event the school tried to establish links with a school in Timbuktu, but due to its remoteness this proved difficult. Fortunately one of the teachers at Maghull High, Sue Redgrave, agreed to travel to Timbuktu. Three schools had been located, but no direct contact made. During the Easter holiday of 2004, Sue and her partner set off on a three-week trip to Mali. The journey would take one week in each direction.

They failed to reach Timbuktu, but made contact with Mr Ba Moktar, a Government Tourism official for the Mopti region of Mali. He suggested a school in Borko that draws children from the town and the surrounding Dogon villages.

The following Easter Sue and her partner repeated their trip, this time bearing gifts. The children of Borko School had requested pens and football shirts. Maghull High School had raised £1200, some of which was spent on buying 450 pens and dozens of shirts. Sue also delivered letters written in French from the students at Maghull.

Borko

Borko is a desperately poor town. It is two hours cross-country in a Jeep to the nearest paved road. The town is close to a crocodile-infested river. Residents believe that the spirits of their ancestors inhabit the crocodiles, and so they cannot be killed and they are fed meat every day to stop them attacking people!

The top priority for Borko School is the construction of a well. At the moment the river is the only source of drinking water and washing facilities.

Constructing a well will cost £3000. By the end of 2006 Maghull School had raised £2000.

Where We Are Now

As of February 2007, we have updated estimates for the cost of the well, medical essentials for the village and equipment for the school. Maghull and Aughton Rotary Club and the Rotary Organisation are adding £12000 to the £2000 already raised by Maghull High School students, and it is hoped that this first project will begin and be completed during 2007.

Xanadu-du Films is at present setting up a Registered Charity to further the work in Borko and the Dogon Region. Until that Charity exists all donations to www.xanadu-du.com will be given by cheque fortnightly to the Maghull and Aughton Rotary Club for this project.

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