A WOMAN who runs her own charity helping suffering children in Africa recently visited the people benefiting from its work.

"One life saved is a success story" is the motto of One Life, the charity created and run by Elena Utton, 61, of Alpha Road, Chingford.

The charity helps to feed, accommodate and educate children in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which suffers high rates of malnutrition, HIV and AIDS. Adults are also taught about AIDS and learn simple craft skills, helping them regain a sense of dignity and self worth.

Set up in 2003, the organisation received charitable status a year ago, and is run almost single-handedly by Mrs Utton, with a little help from husband Roy and neighbour Debbie Pipe, who acts as a trustee.

She has just returned from a one month trip to the province, meeting children and communities the charity helps and seeing first hand the positive impact of their work on the area.

Mrs Utton said: "Many of the children we help in KwaZulu-Natal are orphans because their parents have died of AIDS. These poor children live in shacks in the mountains and walk miles each day for the one meal provided at the feeding centres. They have no blankets and no-one to take care of them. We have raised sponsorship for 100 children so far and it was great to see a difference in those the charity has been helping. Many of the children who were starving have filled out and even some of those with HIV looked a little brighter." Mrs Utton's connection with the country and its people began 30 years ago when she lived there. She returned to the UK in the 1970s but stayed in touch with events through a friend.

After a return visit in 2000 and another 16 months ago, Mrs Utton felt compelled to help ease the suffering she witnessed, and formed the charity.

During her latest trip she adopted a 102-year-old blind woman called Goggo as her mother and found the visit inspirational. She said: "When I came back I felt emotionally exhausted. Seeing children whose parents have just died and are inconsolable meant constantly fighting back the tears, which help no-one." Mrs Utton, who plans another trip in two years and plans to devote the time in between to fundraising, has appealed for people to help sponsor a child.

Sponsorship can be as little as £15 for a child's school fees and an extra donation of £35 buys their clothing and uniform, though any donations, no matter how small, are always welcome. For more information on the charity call Mrs Utton on 8926 2431 or e-mail elena@onelife-online.org.uk.