Borris man leads convoy delivering ambulances and fire engines in Africa

A GROUP of 30 Irish drivers led by Co Carlow man John O’Kelly started the New Year with an extraordinary 2,000km road trip delivering emergency vehicles from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Kampala in Uganda, raising vital funds for Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) at the same time.

The convoy, which included several members of An Garda Síochána, delivered ten ambulances and five fire engines gifted by Japan to the Ugandan government. Along their journey, the group aimed to raise awareness and funds for HAU, a charity with strong Irish ties that has been providing compassionate care to critically ill and impoverished people in Uganda for more than three decades.

Borris native John O’Kelly, a successful steel engineer based in Dubai, is one of those leading the convoy. He previously organised a similar mission delivering emergency vehicles to Uganda five years ago. John’s involvement began through his friend Willy Ngoya, who runs an import-export business in Japan.

So far, the group has raised an impressive €75,000 for HAU, with a goal to reach €100,000 by the time they arrived in Kampala last week.

Founded 31 years ago by Professor Dr Anne Merriman, a Liverpool native of Irish descent who studied medicine at UCD in the 1950s, Hospice Africa Uganda has provided pain relief and palliative care to nearly 40,000 patients, many suffering from undiagnosed cancers. Supported by Hospice Africa Ireland, HAU has become a beacon of hope for patients and a training hub for healthcare workers across Africa through its Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA).

Explaining the mission, John said: “Willy asked me to gather a group of volunteers to deliver vehicles to Uganda just before Covid-19. One of those on that trip was a dear friend, Ambrose Blaine from Co Mayo, who tragically died in a road accident three years ago. This journey is dedicated to his memory. He was a passionate supporter of HAU and Dr Anne Merriman, so we decided to raise funds for this incredible cause.” Fellow organiser Tom Doyle from Tullamore, Co Offaly highlighted the challenges: “Many of our team are first-timers to Africa. It’s an incredible undertaking, uniting people from diverse backgrounds to deliver life-saving vehicles and support a cause that transforms lives.” The group flew into Dar es Salaam on New Year’s Day and set off in convoy with the emergency vehicles on 3 January. They aimed to reach Kampala on 8 January, concluding their extraordinary journey by delivering the vehicles and the funds raised.

Hospice Africa Uganda’s work extends beyond Uganda, spreading palliative care throughout the African continent through its Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care, which trains healthcare workers from across Africa in palliative care, sharing the vision of accessible, compassionate care.

To support this inspiring cause and help the group to reach its €100,000 target, donations can be made at www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/11553102.