Deacon Blue star boxes clever in appeal
THE lead singer of Deacon Blue has made an emotional appeal for people to generously donate money to starving families in Africa.
When Ricky Ross visited Zambia earlier this year he was surprised by the struggle many went through to get basic necessities such as water, shelter and food.
He visited isolated villages near the town of Sesheke and Kazungula and met farming families who struggled to grow crops.
The songwriter was speaking at the launch of the annual Wee Box Appeal by the Scottish Catholic Church’s international aid arm, SCIAF.
The Wee Box appeal raised £3.4 million last year, the highest in the 51 years of the charity.
Ricky said the difference the appeal can make to lives should not be underestimated. He said: “It was heartbreaking to see how many families in Zambia really struggle to grow the food they need or get the necessities of life we take for granted such as water, a dry home or some money.
“I found it really shocking that in 2017 families still have to spend hours every day walking miles to get water. However, it was fantastic to meet families being supported by SCIAF and see how money from Scotland is helping them to change the way they farm so they can grow the food they need and earn an income.
“Many are now able to send their children to school, pay for medicine, put iron sheeting on the roofs of their homes so they can stay dry, and even buy a solar panel to power a light bulb.”