A BASINGSTOKE woman is holding a virtual fundraising event to help a school in Africa where she has supported a young man for 25 years.

Maxine Stevens, 59, from Britton Road, Brighton Hill, lives with her husband Paul Stevens and they are the founders of Priderock Trust School. 

She has organised a sponsored 7,200-mile virtual walk - the equivalent distance from Hampshire to the school in Livingstone, Zambia.

Self-employed Maxine who runs an holistic therapy business visited Zambia in the early 2000s and ended up sponsoring a five-year-old boy called Paul Kamwi.

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(Image: Priderock School) Maxine has sponsored Paul, now aged 30, for 25 years, helping fund his school, college and university education, leading him to become a teacher.

She founded and funded the Priderock Trust School which opened in 2019, opening up opportunities for children in the town, as well as for Paul, who was struggling to find a job.

Maxine said: “I've got 33 children that are having an opportunity to not only learn to read and write, which is the fundamental basics of life, because over there, you can't get a school place like here, but also to give them nourishment, to make sure they're eating one good meal a day.

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“I feel giving back to this world in some way, and now it's got bigger and bigger and I've got more people helping me. I feel really positive about it, and it can only get bigger and better.

“I think and the more fundraising we do, the more we can create for the children and their education and their needs.”

The sponsored virtual event, which starts in July and finishes in September, is being held to raise money for the school, with a target of £2,000 to fund a reliable water source and create a safe play area for the schoolchildren.

Everyone is invited to take part in the virtual challenge by walking, running, swimming or cycling the distance throughout the two months.

So far 26 people have signed up for the event but there is still time for others to join.

Walks in the Basingstoke area are to be organised to get people together for the challenge.

To donate or take part in the fundraising events email priderockschoolzambia@gmail.com.

For more information visit the Go Fund Me page.