Our colleagues consistently go above and beyond, and Julie Saidy from the Central Manchester Case Management Team is a brilliant example of this. Julie has been making a huge difference through her volunteer work with Generation Gambia, a charity she founded in 2012 to support rural health clinics in The Gambia, where access to healthcare is limited.

One of the charity’s key initiatives involves creating and distributing maternity and period packs to women and girls, each filled with essential items like reusable sanitary pads, underwear, soap, flannels, and even handmade baby blankets. Reusable pads also reduces waste and helps the environment. The pads can be used for up to 3 years if cared for properly. There is also information in the packs about caring for the pads and some empowerment and encouragement information leaflets.

Thanks to the generosity of colleagues (special mention to Gifty for her amazing crocheting skills!), 84 packs have already been funded and delivered. Julie personally distributed 44 of them on a recent trip, and with another clinic day coming up, an additional 40 packs are ready to go.

Each pack costs just £8.70 to make and deliver, and they include a personal message from the donor. Julie is continuing to raise funds and awareness, with her new website now live at generationgambia.org.

If you’d like to get involved, donate, or even knit a blanket, Julie would love to hear from you! If you visit the website and are wondering who Binta is, this is Julie’s African name.

Contact via the website here.