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
Facebook Feed
We provide 50,000 meals per year to schoolchildren who would otherwise go hungry - we need some really big pans for that!
We've just bought 600 chickens! The aim is to produce enough eggs for sale to cover the costs of teaching the students how to manage livestock.
Our 22 Tailoring students are busy learning the skills required to make shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses to enable them to go on to work in the garment industry.
Great !
The village of Kiblo in northern Burkina Faso had no clean water resulting in water borne diseases and higher infant mortality rates.
With the help of UK Aid we have now provided them with their very first well.
On the 2nd July, we're aiming to repeat the success of our coast to coast running and cycling challenge.
The participants depart from the east coast at sunrise and aim to arrive at the west coast before the sun sets.
Runners run as a relay, cyclists cycle the whole thing.
All proceeds go towards our education projects in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world. The photos show how last years money was used and some photos of last years event.
If you're interested in this sort of challenge then get in touch!
Great work Jonny!
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