A Wangaratta-based mental health support service has launched a fundraising campaign to provide clean water for a rural village in Africa.

Trinity Community Support Services - a program run by Mind, one of Australia’s largest mental health service providers - aims to raise $6,000 in the next 12 months to build a well for a community in Northern Ethiopia.

Program manager, Ruth Davenport, said six local people who have a mental illness and who are part of Mind’s Trinity Community Support Service, are driving the campaign with the assistance of staff member, Jo Coles.

“It’s very inspiring to see a group of people with mental illness, who others might view as being disadvantaged, working together to help others in need. The group is really dedicated to and passionate about this cause,” said Ms Davenport.

The fundraising campaign launch coincides with Mental Health Week, which runs from 5 to 11 October.

“To raise funds, the group is producing poetry and recipe books, as well as artwork for a series of gift cards, which will be for sale in time for Christmas. We are also hosting a Pump water bottle drive, with the aim of making deliveries on 1 December,” Ms Davenport said.

“We will be contacting local businesses and health agencies to register their orders for our Pump water drive with all of the proceeds going directly towards helping to ensure that a local African community has access to clean water,” she said.

Ms Davenport said the fundraising campaign is for an organisation called ‘WellWishers.’

“The WellWishers programme aims to help eliminate water-borne diseases that cause health problems in the northern province of Tigray in Ethiopia.”

To support Mind’s Trinity Community Support Services ‘African Affair’ fundraising campaign, please call Jo Coles on (03) 5721 7973 or email: rdavenport@mindaustralia.org.au

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