Jane quits to help children in Malawi

A 41-YEAR-OLD council worker has quit her job of 20 years to help educate children in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Burton Mail - Jane Hunt Jane Hunt is swapping Branston for Malawi, an African country blighted by AIDS, to set up a children’s centre similar to Burton’s.

While working as business manager at the Waterloo Street centre, she was inspired by a presentation from third-world charity the Krizevac Project.

Now the mother-of-one is to sell all her "worldly possessions" and embark on "the adventure of a lifetime".

She said: "This opportunity has presented itself and I’ve reached a point in my life when I feel I need a change of direction.

"I’m living in rented accommodation, my 19-year-old son has grown up, my parents are in good health and I have no partner, so I feel the time is right.

"But I don’t want to be thought of as some kind of crusader trying to save the world.

"I’m doing it as much for my own life experience as I am to help the children over there."

The project hopes to halt the "vicious circle" of youngsters missing out on an education due to family deaths.

One in eight Malawian mothers die during childbirth, meaning older siblings have to quit school to support their little brothers and sisters.

The Krizevac Project is combating this problem in the town of Chilomoni, near Blantyre — a city twinned with East Staffordshire Borough Council.

Ms Hunt said: "The project thinks my experience in setting up the children’s centre in Burton and one in Tamworth will be useful to them.

"I’ll be dealing with architects and builders, then with all the local bureaucrats in the town I’m staying in to get the project off the ground.

"The team thinks my experience might help them pre-empt any problems before they encounter them."

Ms Hunt, who starts work for the voluntary project in February, needs to raise £1,500 to cover her flights, accommodation and living expenses.

She is appealing for donors or fund-raisers to get in touch by e-mailing janehunt5@hotmail.com.

Ms Hunt said: "I’d like to thank the colleagues and friends who raised almost £200 with a sponsored haircut and shoe sale and MW Cripwell and Applied Inspection, both of which have sponsored me.

"I would dearly love more corporate sponsorship. I’d rather that than individuals giving away their hard-earned cash.

"But, even if I can’t raise the money through sponsorship, I’ll find a way to fund the trip myself."

More information about the Krizevac Project is available online at www.krizevac.org.