Ever meet anyone so inspiring you just have to bring them home to meet the family?
Though he is basically immobile and suffers from cerebral palsy, Christopher has managed to meet world leaders and movie stars: he surprised and amazed the Prime Minister of Lesotho, and put Jacob Zuma on the spot about his proposed nuclear energy program. From his position in a wheelchair in rural Lesotho, Chris also convinced (via iPhone) Chinese Kung Fu movie star Jackie Chan to contribute $20,000 to the primary school where he lives, and $6000 towards a trip to Canada. He wants his country to become famous not for its high rate of HIV or its impoverishment but as a leader in the deployment of renewable energy.
Positive that Christopher will continue to astonish, ambush, and inspire the people he meets here, we are reaching out to lenders, donors, and providers of in-kind contributions to help bring him to Salt Spring, Vancouver, and Victoria B.C. He'll be coming along with the director of the Phelisanong project, Mamello Lehlotha. Mamello is a force of nature in her own right, whose conviction and tenacity has built a community centre that cares for 80 disabled children, educates hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children, and provides HIV services for thousands of villagers. Mamello raises the bar on what people think they are capable of. This trip will raise much needed funds to continue the work of Phelisanong, and provide a forum for practical exchanges of skills and ideas.