CARING primary school pupils from Stourbridge have joined together to raise much needed medical equipment and funds for poor African communities.

The equipment and money will be put towards Ridgewood High School’s Project Gambia initiative which is supporting children in the West African country.

Pupils and teachers from Hob Green, Rufford, Amblecote, The Ridge, St James’s and Ham Dingle Primary Schools visited the Wollaston secondary school to hand over their donations this week. The cause also received a monetary donation from Quarry Bank Primary School.

Schools raised £1,617.06 through a variety of fundraisers, including the selling of cakes and toys, Christmas carol services, mini fairs and a dress in Gambian colours day.

The money will now be used to employ a nurse to work in the clinic for the next two years.

Since Project Gambia started in 2007, more than 300 students, staff and supporters of Ridgewood have visited the country and the school has raised thousands of pounds to support schools and poor communities.

Later this month another two groups of more than 50 students will be heading out to Africa, with the first trip set to go on March 23 and the other on March 27.

Last year, Ridgewood teamed up with Newlife Children's Centre and the people from Kotusilo, a village built on the edge of a rubbish dump, to set up a clinic to provide free medical care to children.

Bev Hodt, assistant headteacher and Project Gambia leader, said: “Many of the children live in dirty and unhygienic conditions so it is no surprise that many of them become ill.

“Skin diseases, malaria and diarrhoea are common and families cannot afford medical care, so far too often the inevitable happens and these vulnerable children die.

“The brilliant donations from our local primary schools will go a long way to help save the children’s lives.”

The school is also appealing to the public for donations of first aid items such as plasters, bandages, disposable sterile gloves and antiseptic cream that can be used in the clinic.

Donations can be dropped off at the school in Park Road West.

In conjunction with Project Gambia the Stourbridge News has launched our new Well of Life appeal as we aim to raise £10,000 to build a water pump and irrigation system in the Gambian village of Sintet.

To donate to the Stourbridge News Well of Life appeal visit www.justgiving.com/welloflifeappeal/

For more information about our appeal or other ways to donate click here