A CHANCE meeting of two complete strangers has resulted in a permanent water supply for the village of Makamba in the Republic of Burundi, Central Africa.
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Goulburn man Neville Burrows only met Martin Shamuel from Dapto while having coffee, but he didn't think twice about handing over a cheque.
The story of how men, women and children alike spent their days walking more than eight kilometres for fresh water touched Mr Burrows' heart.
When he learnt of Mr Shamuel's mission to provide aid to some of the world's poorest, he decided to take part.
Mr Shamuel runs Hearts For Makamba, an aid group providing education and infrastructure to residents of Makamba.
In a short few years of operation, they have built water stations, established classes for sewing and IT, built a school and have assisted in food production for the area.
"After learning he had an inoperable tumour, the Illawarra's Marty Shamuel decided to devote his life to helping those people from the poorest place on earth," Mr Burrows said.
"I gave him the money on the spot."
He has now helped fund seven water stations, impacting the quality of life of more than 12,000 people daily, and is urging others to pitch in.
To donate, make a deposit into the following account: Hearts For Makamba, BSB: 062 644, A/C: 1036 3495.
For more information, visit facebook.com/HeartsForMakamba
