Direct to Dominica

My name is Ava Vidal. I work as a comedian and journalist. By now everyone is aware that Dominica was devastated by Hurricane Maria. 97% of the island's infrastructure was damaged and most of the houses were left without roofs. There have been concerns about the uneven distribution of aid and a lot of people are not able to get the help they need. Dominicans are pleading with the diaspora to come and help them so I am going there to do so. I will leave London on October 24th and head to St. Lucia carrying lighter items such as painkillers, herbs and spices and sanitary products. From there I shall load up as much as I can and take it into Dominica. I have arranged to leave my young daughter with family members, then I shall go back to St Lucia and also Guadeloupe with a specific list of what people need. If I raise enough money I can do 8 trips for the duration of my stay. The help I give will be given to anyone. There will be no personal, political or familial preference given to anyone.

I shall also visit the families of those that are in the UK that are unable to make the trip. I shall take pictures and videos for you. I will also check on property if I have time but checking on people is the main priority.

If you can't donate money, and want to donate light items for me to take on my journey that would be appreciated. If you have any old phones that I could take over that would be very helpful as a lot of people's phones got water damaged.

My ticket is bought and paid for. You will NOT be funding my trip. Every penny will go directly to the people of Dominica. If I raise more than the fundraising target, I will be able to have someone accompany me on the boat trips to allow me to carry more items.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.