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Hannah set for African adventure

13/ 9/2007

OPENSHAW resident Hannah Reeves is setting off for Kenya next week for a life-changing month of community work.

Hannah Reeves, 27, an Operations manager at Great Places Housing Group in Didsbury is aiming to enrich the lives of street children in Nakuru, one of the world's poorest places.

She will take on the tasks of being an English teacher, entertainer, dinner lady, first aider, friend, role model, sports coach and event organiser for a month - half of which will be taken from her own holiday allocation.

The visit has been arranged through a link with the Walk Centre, set up three years ago in memory of Manchester Methodist Housing Association's late founder the Rev John Banks. MMHA is one of three associations that make up Great Places.

The challenge should be life-changing and gruelling in equal measure and living and working conditions will be extremely basic.
Most twenty-somethings spend their Friday nights out on the tiles, but Hannah is more likely to be found whizzing up bananas and strawberries to make fruit smoothies with teenagers.

Spreading the healthy eating message is just one of the activities she's involved in organising for the 11 to 16-year-olds of the Old Moat estate in Withington at 'Moativate', a youth group run by King's Church in Manchester city centre.

Hannah, also helps to run DJing sessions and rock climbing trips with the kids and is looking forward to entertaining and engaging the Kenyan children, too.

She says: "The kids who come to the youth club are from all sorts of backgrounds and nationalities, they see the youth leaders as friends and it's great to have that kind of relationship with them.

"I can't wait to meet the African children and set to work on fun activities with them.

"In my job, I see all sorts of difficult situations but I know nothing can prepare me for the poverty I'll witness in Kenya.

"As a Christian I strongly identify with the values of the founders of the Walk Centre and of John Banks himself and I am really passionate about social justice and taking a stand against inequality.

"I know that I'll want to do everything I can to support people there, and make things better for them."
Anyone who wants to donate to the Kenya fund should email Kenya@greatplaces.org.uk