A CHARITY worker has marked her 22nd year of helping people in Uganda by opening a medical centre live on national television.

Jean Ajin, 68, has been organising trips to the small town of Mityana in southern Uganda since 1995 when a vicar from St. Sebastian’s Church, Wokingham, visited the town.

On his return he showed slides to the staff and children at St. Sebastian’s School, and sparked an interest in care for Jean.

"I just felt that I had to do something for these kids," Jean said.

"I have been organising visits to Mityana every year or two for the last 20 years and would love more people to actually see what Africa is like.

"The people who we take to visit the town get bitten by the bug of helping the Ugandan people who are so welcoming and happy to see us."

Jean explained that she has seen some definite improvements in the town since her first visit back in 1995, most notably in housing standards.

During her most recent trip, Jean's band of charity workers opened the town's new medical centre live on Ugandan television and aided the installation of solar panels and connected lights in places previously reliant on candles.

Jean co-founded the Mityana Charity in 1997 and over the last 20 years the charity has set up a number of projects to support the local community.

Among these projects, the charity has helped to improve water cleanliness and health education, provided better toilets in schools and sponsored education for the children.

Jean is planning more trips to Mityana in the future with anyone who would like to do their bit to help the people of the town and experience the Ugandan way of life for themselves.