Irish music at Artmosphere in Waipawa to raise funds for Tanzania

Helmut Hirler photographed the children who are being helped by the charity.

On Monday, October 28, Artmosphere Gallery in Waipawa is having an Irish Music Day with music by The Orange Book Band.

The event is to raise money for a charity set up by the gallery's owners, Sally Maguire and Helmut Hirler, for The Tanzania Fire Children.

In June 2016 Helmut was part of a volunteer team at Ifunda Mission in Tanzania, a tiny hospital set up 18 years ago by Horst and Monica Blaser from Germany, with funds they raised themselves.

Helmut, a photographer, took photos of children at the hospital who had surgery for many things, from cleft palates to horrific burns.

While Helmut and Sally were there they saw the magnitude of the horror and suffering of the children.

"Although we understand we can't help it all, we could help in a small way," Sally says.

"We set up The Tanzania Fire Children Trust to build concrete fires in each hut, to prevent children falling into existing open fires, as the fires are in the centre of huts no bigger than the average New Zealand bedroom.

"These people live on cardboard boxes flattened to make beds and live mainly on boiled ogali which is boiled maize.

"Each fire costs $95 to build, plus we help support the child burns victims with transport and schooling, as some villages are a five-hour walk from any help.

"The Orange Book Band has been very supportive, so once again we would love you to come along and enjoy our garden, bring a picnic, your dogs and children, from 1pm till 4pm on October 28, for a small donation of $5, all of which goes to the Ifunda Mission."

Where and when:
Irish Music Day with The Orange Book Band.
Monday, October 28, Artmosphere Gallery
1307 State Highway 2, Waipawa