Zambian eye-opener
Credit:
I apologise in advance for not talking football this week. I could talk about
my first few weeks at Shelbourne and the good start to the season we have
made. I could talk about the National team and how poor a performance they
put in on Saturday last at the hands of a very defensive- minded manager
against very average opposition. However, I have decided this week to write
about something that is very close to my heart.
In November 2009, the day after Sporting Fingal won the FAI Cup final in Tallaght, I led a charity aid mission to Zambia as part of my role as Community Development Manager with the club. I have mentioned before that the community work I did with Fingal was so enjoyable that I would have done it for nothing, because I love the interaction with the local community including sports clubs, schools and businesses. The highlight of all my community work though was the two weeks I spent in Zambia which is the reason I am organising another trip there at the end of next season (2012) with St. Joseph’s school in Rush. I hope to raise a significant amount of money for the charity by the time we travel over. Consequently my article this week hopes to create an awareness of my aid mission planned for November 2012.
I went to secondary school in Ard Scoil Ris, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9. Ard Scoil Ris has a very close relationship with the Presentation Sisters in Mongu, Zambia. When I was in 3rd year in school, we had the opportunity of applying to go to Mongu , to witness a different type of world, a world where there is a constant struggle to survive, a constant effort to obtain life’s basic necessities. Unfortunately, due to football trials and the timing of the trip, I couldn’t guarantee I would be available to make the trip if selected so I did not apply. My ambition ever since then was to undertake a trip there in the future to help the less fortunate people of Mongu.
I realised my ambition in 2009. Early in that year I contacted Ard Scoil Ris to ask for the contact details of the Presentation Sisters in Mongu. I contacted Sr. Cathy Crawford who is based in Mongu and she indicated that she would be delighted to welcome us in November of that year. I had contacted two schools in the local area, Balbriggan Community College and St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush to see if they would be interested in joining me as volunteers on this mission.
We decided to select two pupils from each school to make the trip. The process of selecting the children was a difficult one. I visited all the classrooms and told the pupils about the planned trip and that we were looking for 2 volunteers from each school. Most of the children were very enthusiastic about the project. The Principal’s of both schools and I decided the fairest way to decide which pupils would accompany us on the trip was for them to write an essay on “Why do you want to travel to Zambia?”. After reviewing all of the essays, two students from each school were selected to make the trip with two other representatives – one from each school. From that day on, those students and representatives worked tirelessly to obtain the funds needed to travel to Zambia.
Fundraising started almost straight away in April of that year. Time was against us to raise the necessary funds to meet the cost of our trip plus the financial contribution I wanted to give to the Sisters prior to our return home.
Church Gate Collections proved a very popular fundraiser, as did supermarket bag-packing, music nights, table quizzes, dog nights and many activities. From April to November of 2009, we raised enough funds to cover our flights, hostels and food and to donate €15,000 to Sr. Cathy to help her continue her great work in the poverty stricken area of Mongu.
It is very difficult to describe our time with Sr. Cathy and her care workers who are based in the Cheshire Home. Sr. Cathy is probably the most inspirational person I have ever met. Her strength of character, motivation to the cause and sense of leadership in her society is beyond words. The Cheshire Home is a commune which helps care for the physically disabled children of the area around Mongu. There are in excess of 50 children in Cathy’s care, many of whom suffer from diseases such as dwarfism, ringworm, blindness and Cerebral Palsy. Many of the children in the home are receiving rehabilitation for injuries which include clubbed feet. Physiotherapists are vital in this particular Cheshire Home.
We stayed nine days with Sr. Cathy and I have to say every day was very different. One or two days we went into the classrooms and taught the children basic literacy and numeracy skills. We also assisted the physiotherapist in his work. We helped feed the children 3 times a day and other times we just spent time in their company. Almost 73% of the children had Cerebral Palsy due to complications at birth. Every child just wanted comfort, somebody to hold their hand, maybe just to give them a hug.
Disabled children in Zambia are sometimes sent away from home and even disowned. They are left unattended and uncared for. Many of the children are orphaned and live with extended families. Girls who are disabled are often subjected to physical, mental and sexual abuse in their homes and some of the stories we were told would make you sick to the stomach. We sang songs with the children, we danced with them, we played games, we fed them, we made them feel wanted, made them feel needed, made them feel loved. I was very proud of the students I brought over on the mission for the way they worked and interacted with these children. Indeed one of those students summed the trip up so well on his return: “It is evident that we do not yet live in a fair and non-discriminatory world. The rights of marginalised children need to be better protected. It is the responsibility of adolescents to focus our endeavours towards creating a more equitable society in our lifetime”.
I was very nervous prior to the trip as I had never undertaken anything like this on my own, let alone bringing a group and being responsible for them too. Thankfully, everything went well.
As I said above, I plan to go back to Mongu at the end of the 2012 season but this time, I intend taking 10 students and possibly three representatives out with me. It will be a fantastic opportunity for the students to help children that are not as well off as they are and to give them a small taste for what life is like in these developing countries. Hopefully they will go home with a better understanding of life in the 3rd World and not take things for granted, even a glass of cold water.
Finally, and on a completely separate matter, I received a beautiful welcome gift to Shelbourne FC from Bernadette Frazer last Friday night in Mervue. As I was walking into the dressing room after the warm up but prior to the game, she called me over and gave me a lovely Shelbourne jumper she knitted for my little daughter Kayla. It is these small things that I will remember long after I hang up the boots. Thank you very much Bernadette!
In November 2009, the day after Sporting Fingal won the FAI Cup final in Tallaght, I led a charity aid mission to Zambia as part of my role as Community Development Manager with the club. I have mentioned before that the community work I did with Fingal was so enjoyable that I would have done it for nothing, because I love the interaction with the local community including sports clubs, schools and businesses. The highlight of all my community work though was the two weeks I spent in Zambia which is the reason I am organising another trip there at the end of next season (2012) with St. Joseph’s school in Rush. I hope to raise a significant amount of money for the charity by the time we travel over. Consequently my article this week hopes to create an awareness of my aid mission planned for November 2012.
I went to secondary school in Ard Scoil Ris, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9. Ard Scoil Ris has a very close relationship with the Presentation Sisters in Mongu, Zambia. When I was in 3rd year in school, we had the opportunity of applying to go to Mongu , to witness a different type of world, a world where there is a constant struggle to survive, a constant effort to obtain life’s basic necessities. Unfortunately, due to football trials and the timing of the trip, I couldn’t guarantee I would be available to make the trip if selected so I did not apply. My ambition ever since then was to undertake a trip there in the future to help the less fortunate people of Mongu.
I realised my ambition in 2009. Early in that year I contacted Ard Scoil Ris to ask for the contact details of the Presentation Sisters in Mongu. I contacted Sr. Cathy Crawford who is based in Mongu and she indicated that she would be delighted to welcome us in November of that year. I had contacted two schools in the local area, Balbriggan Community College and St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Rush to see if they would be interested in joining me as volunteers on this mission.
We decided to select two pupils from each school to make the trip. The process of selecting the children was a difficult one. I visited all the classrooms and told the pupils about the planned trip and that we were looking for 2 volunteers from each school. Most of the children were very enthusiastic about the project. The Principal’s of both schools and I decided the fairest way to decide which pupils would accompany us on the trip was for them to write an essay on “Why do you want to travel to Zambia?”. After reviewing all of the essays, two students from each school were selected to make the trip with two other representatives – one from each school. From that day on, those students and representatives worked tirelessly to obtain the funds needed to travel to Zambia.
Fundraising started almost straight away in April of that year. Time was against us to raise the necessary funds to meet the cost of our trip plus the financial contribution I wanted to give to the Sisters prior to our return home.
Church Gate Collections proved a very popular fundraiser, as did supermarket bag-packing, music nights, table quizzes, dog nights and many activities. From April to November of 2009, we raised enough funds to cover our flights, hostels and food and to donate €15,000 to Sr. Cathy to help her continue her great work in the poverty stricken area of Mongu.
It is very difficult to describe our time with Sr. Cathy and her care workers who are based in the Cheshire Home. Sr. Cathy is probably the most inspirational person I have ever met. Her strength of character, motivation to the cause and sense of leadership in her society is beyond words. The Cheshire Home is a commune which helps care for the physically disabled children of the area around Mongu. There are in excess of 50 children in Cathy’s care, many of whom suffer from diseases such as dwarfism, ringworm, blindness and Cerebral Palsy. Many of the children in the home are receiving rehabilitation for injuries which include clubbed feet. Physiotherapists are vital in this particular Cheshire Home.
We stayed nine days with Sr. Cathy and I have to say every day was very different. One or two days we went into the classrooms and taught the children basic literacy and numeracy skills. We also assisted the physiotherapist in his work. We helped feed the children 3 times a day and other times we just spent time in their company. Almost 73% of the children had Cerebral Palsy due to complications at birth. Every child just wanted comfort, somebody to hold their hand, maybe just to give them a hug.
Disabled children in Zambia are sometimes sent away from home and even disowned. They are left unattended and uncared for. Many of the children are orphaned and live with extended families. Girls who are disabled are often subjected to physical, mental and sexual abuse in their homes and some of the stories we were told would make you sick to the stomach. We sang songs with the children, we danced with them, we played games, we fed them, we made them feel wanted, made them feel needed, made them feel loved. I was very proud of the students I brought over on the mission for the way they worked and interacted with these children. Indeed one of those students summed the trip up so well on his return: “It is evident that we do not yet live in a fair and non-discriminatory world. The rights of marginalised children need to be better protected. It is the responsibility of adolescents to focus our endeavours towards creating a more equitable society in our lifetime”.
I was very nervous prior to the trip as I had never undertaken anything like this on my own, let alone bringing a group and being responsible for them too. Thankfully, everything went well.
As I said above, I plan to go back to Mongu at the end of the 2012 season but this time, I intend taking 10 students and possibly three representatives out with me. It will be a fantastic opportunity for the students to help children that are not as well off as they are and to give them a small taste for what life is like in these developing countries. Hopefully they will go home with a better understanding of life in the 3rd World and not take things for granted, even a glass of cold water.
Finally, and on a completely separate matter, I received a beautiful welcome gift to Shelbourne FC from Bernadette Frazer last Friday night in Mervue. As I was walking into the dressing room after the warm up but prior to the game, she called me over and gave me a lovely Shelbourne jumper she knitted for my little daughter Kayla. It is these small things that I will remember long after I hang up the boots. Thank you very much Bernadette!
