At the end of July 1999, after obtaining a degree in Agriculture Economics from Queens University of Belfast, Paul Stewart set off to work for a small charity in Tabora, Tanzania.

In February 2000 Paul visited Tabora Regional Hospital and was shocked by the lack of facilities. He could see that the doctors and nurses were dedicated to their patients but the hospital lacked essential medical equipment and supplies.

Before leaving the hospital Paul pledged to find help from Northern Ireland to provide the hospital with urgently needed medical equipment. Eight months later, a 40 foot container arrived in Tabora filled with hospital beds, cardiograph machines, examination couches, an array of dentist equipment and many other vital pieces of medical equipment and supplies.

When Paul’s parents Jim and Iris visited Tabora in August of that year they could see the vast need in Tabora’s hospitals and together with Paul planned to start a charity to send medical equipment to Tanzania. AMARA Aid was launched in November 2001 and has delivered six containers of medical equipment to hospitals in Tanzania and supported agricultural, water sanitation and education projects in Tanzania and Kenya.

The first container of medical equipment arriving in Tabora, Tanzania (28th October 2000)