Meet the Team
Jonny Wooldridge: Executive Officer
I joined the Transform Burkina team in April 2020 and am looking forward to continuing the good work carried our by my predecessors. Originally I was a Geography teacher, but in recent years have moved onto various roles with charities and in business.
Robert (Bob) McCullagh: Trustee (Chair)
I have been involved with Burkina Faso since 2003. I first visited the country in 2005 and since then I have worked with teams on water well drilling projects and supported school building and local health centre development projects. Other projects have included the annual importation of a consignment of mangoes –some of the best in the world – direct from local Burkinabé farmers. I am the Chair of Transform Burkina.Stephen Buwert: Trustee
I first went to Burkina Faso in 2009 as part of a team from my school, and returned in 2010 leading a small team from my university Christian Union. The trips had a big impact on me, and I have retained an active interest in the area ever since. Since completing my degree in Ecology in 2013 I went on to become a primary school teacher, and the areas of sustainable agriculture and education are areas of personal interest to me.
Colin Richards: Trustee
I first visited Burkina Faso in 2008 and have been each year since then. I have seen, first hand, the importance and the difference that education can make in the lives of African children. Since my first visit I have focused on exploring opportunities to create school links for the benefit of students both in Burkina Faso and in the UK. I am a trustee of Transform Burkina.David Smith: Trustee (Treasurer)
My involvement with Burkina Faso began in the late 1990s when our local church helped finance some church and school buildings in Ouagadougou. Subsequently we sourced and financed a number of vehicles for export to Burkina along with medical and computer equipment. More recently it all became personal when my daughter married a Burkinabé. I am the Treasurer of Transform Burkina.Jenny Stephens: Trustee
I went to Burkina Faso in August 2007 with the youth group from my local church, and have retained a strong interest in the country and its people every since. At the time I knew very little about Burkina Faso but from previous visits to African countries I knew it was somewhere I would be interested in going. However I wasn’t prepared for how touched I would be by the people we met. I am a trustee of Transform Burkina.Judith Walker: Trustee
I have visited Burkina Faso on three occasions since 2008, each time with a group of sixth year pupils from the school where I worked. The visits had a big impact on each team, as we recognised the importance of education ,which is something we have taken for granted.
Since then I have been supporting the work of Transform Burkina, and am now looking forward to being more involved in supporting education projects and seeing lives transformed. I am a Trustee of Transform Burkina.
Help to change lives
Latest News
Every year we support several girls through their Baccalaureate - here are this years graduates.
This year, 22 students graduated from our tailoring course, meaning each one is now able to seek employment in the garment industry.
The course costs £3,000 per year to run, so if you're intersted in helping support this type of project then please get in touch:
jonny@transformburkina.org.uk
We managed to get our agricultural starter kits to students in Burkina Faso just in time for them to sow seeds before the rainy season started, resulting in a great yield of crops for this year.
We haven't got any more funding for this project for future years, so please get in touch if you would like to help to fund this. Each kit costs £200 and pays for one more young person to be able to start their own farming business.
jonny@transformburkina.org.uk
Carolle is being sponsored to attend nursing college for the next 3 years, thanks to a kind donation from supporters in the UK.
In the UK there is one nurse for every 120 people. In Burkina Faso there is one nurse for every 2,000 people.
The cost of training is £75 per month for 3 years ( or £60 per month plus Gift Aid ). If you're interested in helping to support young people like Carolle to become nurses then please get in touch.
jonny@transformburkina.org.uk
News from Twitter
The team did it!! They chased the sun from Bridlighton to Morecambe and beat it! Thanks to all those who took part, donated and supported the event. It was a magnificent achievement. The money raised will make a huge difference to the people of #BurkinaFaso. THANK YOU! pic.twitter.com/uzIWGySClc