There are few French-speaking countries in Africa that offer palliative care services, according to James Bennett, President of Hospice Africa (Soins Palliatifs) France, HA(SP)F.
With the aim of establishing a model of palliative care delivery similar to that of Hospice Africa Uganda, HA(SP)F’s goal is to fund one Francophone country in Africa that will in turn become a model for other French-speaking countries on the continent.
One of the ways HA(SP)F supports this initiative is through a charity shop in Jugon-le-Lacs Brittan. The idea of setting up the shop was initiated by Bennett and his wife after they came across similar shops in Liverpool run by Hospice Africa UK.
The shop, located in Jugon-le-Lacs Brittan and run by a team of volunteers, sells merchandise such as clothing, books, and furniture to members of the community. Some of their customers even give an extra donation to support the work of HA(SP)F, in addition to purchasing items at the shop.
Leaflets that include photos of hospice work in Uganda are made available to patrons both in English and in French.
“A charity shop is fairly unique in France, so at first we had to rely on British expats and visitors. Now, the locals understand the concept and we are very popular throughout the year,” explains Bennett.
Support from the local community has been substantial; from local newspapers reporting on HA(SP)F’s fundraising activities to senior students from the local school helping with the translation of the HA(SP)F website. HA(SP)F even received rental space for the charity shop at a lower cost from the local town council.
Hospice Africa’s aim has always been to ensure the availability of affordable and culturally acceptable palliative care services throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It seems the charity shop is one innovative way to realise this goal.
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