ASPIRING businesswomen in Africa have been given a helping hand, thanks to the efforts of a York bargain hunter.

Duncan Hill, of Strensall, has donated 15 sewing machines he bought and restored, to charity.

The machines will now help women in Uganda to set up their own businesses so they can generate income to support their families.

Mr Hill said: “I kept coming across neglected sewing machines at car-boot-sales and on the internet that had been sitting gathering dust. I thought I would buy them and refurbish them. It wasn’t until my house was filling up with machines that I thought of giving them to a charity and put them to good use.”

He was put in touch with Hope For Life Katanga, which works in the Katanga slum in Kampala, Uganda’s capital.

The charity run by Mark and Megan Walters is based in Bristol, and Mr Hill drove down to deliver the machines and spent a day teaching staff how to use and maintain them.

They will be used in the charity’s Livelihoods programme. This involves women identifying a market area and writing a business plan. They then receive a loan and support from Hope For Life as they run their own businesses.

With the charity’s help, women are being supported in weaving bowls, cooking, hairdressing and selling produce.

Megan said: “Now we have sewing machines we will really be able to expand our program, offering a new sector of work to the women in Katanga slum.”

Ellie Jones, Beth Wilkinson and trustee Laura Harris from the charity are now planning a trip to Uganda to run workshops in Katanga teaching the Ugandan team and women how to use the machines.