Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA) was founded in 1996 with the sole purpose of supporting the underprivileged people of Zambia. We are a non-political, non-sectarian organisation and are different from other charities in that nothing comes off the top, every penny of every donation goes straight to Zambia.
Support community-based economic development projects, focusing on education, healthcare and self-help
Give underprivileged children the opportunity of obtaining an education and access to shelter and daily feeding programmes
Give communities access to healthcare and medication
How do we do this? With all our volunteers giving their time for free, every penny donated to DAFA helps us achieve our vision of a brighter future for all children across Zambia. We also operate a unique NGO - Public Partnership with the charity funding the projects and the Zambian government running them.
We’re so grateful for your support at our two fundraising events last month, and delighted that the events raised enough money for vital equipment for St Luke’s Hospital in Zambia to be fully operational.
The new X-ray and ultrasound department at St Luke’s
A new X-ray machine, diagnostic ultrasound, haematology analyser, and computers and printers are now on their way to the hospital in the rural area of Chipata and will be operational in November.
This equipment was a missing link in the hospital facilities and will be vital for saving lives in a severely impoverished area.
Two years of incredibly generous donations from jockeys, donors, owners, trainers, Bellewstown Races, and Baltray Golf in 2021-2022 saw DAFA raise a magnificent €200,000 to support our projects in Zambia.
It’s been a busy year with St Luke’s Hospital in Chipata opening in April 2023, teachers’ accommodation under construction at Yengwe Combined School, and an intensive care ward opening at St Dominic’s Hospital in Ndola.
We’re also well on the way to opening new teachers’ housing at St Edmund’s Secondary School, and are funding placements 80 students on a community-based skills training programme in plumbing, electrics, and welding in Ndola.
Thanks to your donations, thousands of the most needy people in Zambia now have access to healthcare, children are in school, being fed and learning skills that will set them up for a more prosperous future.
Two days of incredibly generous donations in September 2022 saw DAFA raise vital funds to support our projects in Zambia
These funds are a crucial part of our work in Zambia and support a variety of educational and medical projects already underway. Every penny of every donation goes directly to Africa, without anything being taken off the top, which means we can offer everything from the construction of new hospitals or hospital wards to new schools, teachers’ accommodation, feeding programmes for the poorest children, and the equipment needed to make these facilities run as they should.
Learn where your donations go and how money is used to help those most in need in Zambia.
Together, we are DAFA
“Barney Curley, the architect of several of the turf’s greatest betting coups and the founder of a charity that transformed the lives of thousands of children in Africa, died on May 23rd, 2021 at the age of 81.
In an extraordinary life both on and off the turf, Curley won millions of pounds from the bookies over many decades and raised millions more to fund his work in Zambia with the charity Direct Aid For Africa (Dafa), which he set up following the death of his 18-year-old son, Charlie, in 1995,” The Guardian, 23 May, 2021.
Before Barney died, he spoke about how happy he was in the “twilight” of his life. He had, he said, “been granted a great privilege by God” because he was able to help people “less well off than ourselves”.
His wish, above all, was that the work of DAFA would live on and secure opportunities for school and health outcomes for children less well off.
Barney Curley 1939-2021
Interview with DAFA founder, Barney Curley, with Nick Luck in the Luck On Sunday studio to talk about his life in racing and the work of his charity Direct Aid For Africa.
We want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary value created by all the contributions of philanthropists & volunteers. Giving their valauble time and funding.
