News Release

June 2009

Easy Peasy, Grab A Squeezy!!

Children’s charity Feed The Children (UK), wants local schools, colleges and organisations to help them raise funds by holding a Fundraising Charity Car Wash Day before the end of the summer term. The funds are desperately needed so the charity can keep on track over the summer with its major offensive to eradicate ‘Jiggers’ in some of the poorest areas in Africa.

Jiggers are female sand fleas that burrow into the skin of children’s feet and hands and feed off the flesh and blood. This not only causes terrible pain but can lead to serious infections.

Says regional fundraising manager Joy Cartwright, ‘We’re asking people to get mobilised with their Squeezy sponges, buckets and bowls and help us raise valuable funds to help us eradicate ‘Jiggers’.

“We chose to ask people to do charity car washes because they are quick and easy to organise and we need the funds soon,” adds Joy. “Just pick a day and mobilise your team/class to make posters to advertise your car wash to parents and teachers. Make sure you use soft sponges and use proper car wash (not washing up liquid) to clean your cars or bikes and choose a price that you would like to charge for each car you clean, i.e. £3 or £4 or ask for a donation.”

Jiggers live in dry dusty conditions and as children in rural Africa cannot afford shoes they spend a great deal of their time coming into contact with dusty classroom floors and roads. For instance, sitting in class for lessons, and sitting on the floor at home, they are always at risk of being infected by ‘jiggers’.  If left untreated this infestation can cause terrible pain and can prevent them from attending school and so their education suffers and the longer term prospect of getting a job.

Treatment for infected areas is by soaking in a strong disinfectant for twenty minutes a day for two weeks.  Concreting classroom floors and keeping the school and home floors clean and dust free helps to prevent further infection. They need to buy lots of disinfectant, bowls, buckets and cleaning materials to wash and clean village schools and to help people do the same in their homes. 

As the treatment involves buckets and bowls, just like a car wash, any new buckets and bowls purchased for an event can also be donated via Feed The Children’s collection points. To find out more about holding a charity car wash, contact Feed The Children on 0118 932 0095.

Remember PICK UP A SQUEEZY!!  AND YOU CAN MAKE FUNDRAISING FOR FEED THE CHILDREN EASY PEASY!!