In May, our foreign editor Tracy McVeigh wrote extensively about the severe drought facing East Africa and highlighted the ambition of one young Kenyan, Joseph Lomil, to help his community by training to become a water engineer.
Mr Lomil didn't lack determination - just the cash to cover the £2,200 cost of the course.
One of our readers, Carmel Waldron, wrote in, suggesting we start a fund, and enclosed a cheque for £50 to get the ball rolling.
We then invited other donations, which so far have reached nearly £1,000. Two of our donors, David and Sandra Jones of Clearwell, Gloucestershire, wrote to say they were inspired by Joseph Lomil: 'who wants so little - just the ability to help his stricken community. We are so lucky to have so much and this article brought that home to us even more acutely.'
The charity WaterAid has since agreed to come on board and help Joseph and we just need to reach our target to get him started - which, at around £1,000, is well within our sights.
Please send cheques, however small, to Stephen Pritchard, Readers' Editor, The Observer, 3-7, Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EJ. You can make them payable to The Observer and write 'Water fund' on the back. Thank you.
