Mike and Dee Bellière are the founders and driving force behind the charity, MEAK. Formed in 1994 and registered with the Charity Commission and the Kenyan Government in 2001, the charity now takes up most of the Bellieres’ time and energy.

Originally the main thrust was the collection, transportation and distribution of medical and educational aid provided, free of charge, by UK donors to needy organisations in Kenya. Even though this work is still regarded as important, nowadays, they prioritise the funding and organisation of medical and surgical missions in the fields of paediatric cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery, ophthalmology and orthopaedics. At the end of 2009, MEAK will have completed over 45 of these missions throughout Kenya.

22 years ago Mike & Dee’s passion for Kenya and its people was firmly cemented when Dee decided that the fisherman of the beach needed her husband’s favourite T-shirt far more than he did! This led to the pair taking ever increasing quantities of clothes and other supplies for distribution on their bi-annual family holidays.

Fifteen years later the Charity is now widely recognised and respected in Kenya as a serious ‘player’ in its chosen medical fields, providing much needed medical care to the disadvantaged in the population. It has also provided many millions of pounds of medical equipment to organisations throughout that country. During 2009 MEAK carried out 2 paediatric cardiac missions giving the chance of a positive future to 45 young children with heart disease, 2 orthopaedic missions performing over 70 surgical procedures and 6 eye missions returning sight to over 700 people. The programme for future years is equally ambitious.

MEAK still remains a family run charity under a Board of Trustees. No-one in the UK receives any payment for their services meaning that all monies donated are spent on the projects in Kenya. Mike, who initially funded the charity personally, now states that the fundraising aspect is the most difficult and time-consuming part of his work. Donors, who find the prospect off a small but extremely efficient charity with no UK overheads, attractive, would be very welcome. They would be kept regularly informed on the charity’s activities and, hopefully, share in our pleasure and satisfaction at being able to provide help and comfort to those who are desperately in need.