A CHARITY that sinks water wells in beleaguered Sierra Leone has suspended normal operations to help prevent Ebola breaking out in the area where it operates.

Staffed by a small band of volunteers, Alive & Well, based at Luckington near Malmesbury, is now focusing solely on the battle against the onslaught of the deadly disease.

For the past two months it has been sending information leaflets and posters to help with hygiene education, and it recently dispatched a shipping container of hygiene products including soaps, sanitising sprays, buckets and dispensers.

Alive & Well managing director Kim Findlay said: “Obviously, this is a matter of urgency. Because of uncertainty in the area where we work we are now concentrating on Ebola relief.”

The charity operates in the Pujehun District of Sierra Leone where cases of Ebola are now beginning to be reported.

Mr Findlay said: “Fortunately the chiefdom where we actually work has so far remained clear of the disease. However, we all know that it is only a matter of time before things will get worse.”

He said Alive & Well’s manager in Sierra Leone, Senesi Fawundu who is also an MP and tribal chief, was co-ordinating with the local authorities and had set up checkpoints on all the roads to the area.

He said: “People are sprayed with disinfectant and asked if their journey is absolutely necessary.”

However, as villagers were finding it difficult to move around, they were not tending and harvesting crops and, as a result, food had become a major issue.

“The only way we can help is by sending money so that Senesi can organise the purchase and distribution of basic foodstuffs.”

Mr Findlay said all donations would go “directly and immediately” to Sierra Leone.

“At Alive & Well we are doing what we can but it is a matter of co-ordination in an area where there is no infrastructure whatsoever. It’s a super human effort. The challenge is enormous.”

Alive & Well was formed five years ago to provide clean water to the isolated areas of the planet.

As part of the Ebola campaign, Mr Findlay will be selling Christmas trees at Malmesbury School on Saturday and Sunday, December 13/14.

The trees have been donated by one of the charity’s trustees who is a major UK Christmas tree grower and importer.

Further information about the charity, its work and the Ebola fundraising effort can be found at alivewell.org.uk Mr Findlay can be contacted at k.findlay@ alivewell. org.uk