Christian Aid Week takes place next week - with a host of events planned around the island in support of this year’s project to help those in one of the world’s poorest countries.

This year’s project aims to ensure lifesaving, educational messages of health and well-being get out to the women in remote villages of northern Burundi in East Africa.

Christian Aid is working with a Manx-registered organisation, Thare Machi, which provides specialist medical DVDs in local languages.

Teaming up with its Burundian Christian Aid partners and through the Christian Aid Fairtrade coffee co-operatives, the charity will be training women and equipping them through the provision of bicycles, DVD players and solar panels to enable them to take interactive DVDs in the local language of Kurundi out to schools and villages.

One hundred percent of funds raised in the island will go to the project.

The week of events begins this weekend.

On Saturday (May 12) there will be a coffee morning at Colby Methodist Church hall from 11am.

On Sunday, there will be an afternoon tea at St Peter’s Church, Onchan, starting at 2.30pm. Tickets price £5 are available from Lisa Morris on 494688 or the parish office on 675797.

A Christian Aid lunch will be held on Monday, May 14 at Waterloo Road Methodist Hall from noon to 1.30pm. Price is £5. All are welcome.

On Tuesday, there will be an afternoon tea at 21 Vicarage Park given by Anne Patrick from 1-4pm.

Aline Cannell is hosting a coffee morning on Thursday (May 17) from 10 am to noon at Ballacrebbin Beg, Bernahara Road, Andreas. There will be a raffle and bring and buy. Entry is £2.

The same day there will be a concert by the Manx Children’s Choir and Castletown Metropolitan Silver Band at Castletown Methodist Church at 7.30pm. Entrance is £4.

Braddan Church hall is having a coffee, cake and chat afternoon on Friday (May 18) from 2-4pm. And on Sunday May 20 there is a brunch service at Peel Cathedral.