THE parents of a medical student who died in Namibia have visited projects set up by their charity.

The Catherine Bullen Foundation was set up in memory of its namesake, a medical student at Bristol University who previously studied at Colchester County High School for Girls.

In August 2002, aged 22, she fell ill with severe gastroenteritis, which proved fatal.

Her parents Linda and Roger Bullen, of West Mersea, who are trustees of the foundation, recently returned from an eight-week visit to Namibia following a two-year absence due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Catching up on projects which had been put on hold, Roger and Linda pushed for a borehole to be drilled at a school and hostel at Donkerbos.

Children at the school were rationed to two glasses of water a day and bathed in the rainwater which ran off the hostel roof before being stored in tanks.

The nearest borehole was six kilometres away and the children had to walk there to fetch water.

Within a few days of the foundation’s intervention, a Government hydrologist sited two potential locations where water could be found.

To the relief of everyone, drilling at the first site hit water at a depth of 219 metres, with a flow of 800 litres per hour.

Roger said: “Although this was sufficient for the school needs, it could have been better.

“The rig then moved to drill at the site of borehole two, which at a depth of 255 metres yielded a phenomenal amount of 15,000 litres of water per hour.

“This was more than enough for the school and will in the future support horticultural and agricultural projects.

“This was a project that really touched our hearts."

Linda, who is a registered nurse in Namibia, also volunteered in two of the clinics supported by the foundation.

On returning to the capital, Windhoek, Roger and Linda placed an order for an ambulance to be based at a clinic built by the foundation, hoping to cut waiting times.

The foundation’s current project is the construction of a multi-purpose hall for Omuhaturua Primary School and Hostel. Due to Covid delays, costs have increased, and a fundraising appeal has been launched.

To support the charity, visit namibia-aid.org.uk.