A SWANAGE man who is working to save the lives of thousands of Ghana’s forgotten children needs the help of kind Daily Echo readers.

Nick Eastcott worked in local heathcare for quarter-of-a-century before travelling to see his daughter, who was volunteering in Ghana.

While there, he became involved in the purchase and running of a small medical centre. The child rights organisation AfriKids then asked him to apply for a one-year sponsorship on Vodaphone’s World of Difference programme.

His specific project– The GAS Partnership – is now shortlisted to win a £100,000 donation from the telecommunications giant .

All that stands between the project and this essential funding – which will benefit some of the world’s most vulnerable, poverty-stricken youngsters – is your Facebook vote.

The GAS Partnership, launched in May 2010, brings together individuals to share medical equipment and knowledge in a bid to improve life in the Upper Eastern Region of Ghana.

This area suffers shocking child mortality rates – one in nine children die before reaching their fifth birthday.

Nick’s wife, Alison, a former teacher who is also working hard to ease the plight of Ghana’s children, said: “Nick was asked by AfriKids to apply with them for one of the one-year sponsored places on the World of Difference programme.

“To our astonishment, Nick was one of six people chosen out of more than 1,000.

“I went to Ghana and found myself, for eight months, working in a village school built by AfriKids for a community where the only education available was one man teaching under a mango tree.

“I was able to see how vital support for the medical centres in the area was and to watch Nick’s work lead to the initiation of the GAS Partnership.”

The partnership brings together the Ghana Heath Service, AfriKids and the Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/voteafrikids to register your vote.