Clonkeen College Aids Ethiopian Schools
Published 19/03/2002

A unique and inventive scheme has offered the opportunity for ordinary students and teachers to embark on the trip of a lifetime to Africa. The aim of the programme is to show individuals involved in fund-raising what the money is used for. Schools from all over Ireland ( Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Carlow) took part in the 2002 trip, which saw a team of 15 travel to Ethiopia. Organised by Self help International( SHDI), the scheme is still in it's infancy, but it's fruits are already clear to see.

Clonkeen College sent two students and a teacher on the week long trip, the culmination of months of intensive fund-raising. The efforts included a well established annual Xmas quiz, bag packing, a Christmas Eve feast and a Grafton Street collection. Over 4000 Euros was raised and more is on the way.

Clonkeen College has a unique link with Ethiopia. Ms Agnes Daly, a Clonkeen teacher for 15 years has now settled into a full time position of English teacher in the Garagi region. Ms Daly always kept the school interested in fund-raising, to the extent that in 2000 over £10,000 was raised in a Millennium fund. .

Agnes's enthusiasm for aiding development in Ethiopia knows no bounds. Teacher Emer Gibson says, "Once Agnes stopped a former student in the street and found he was working in computers. By the time their conversation had ended, he found he had donated a lap-top computer. "Agnes had originally spent five years in Ethiopia, and returned to Ireland for two years. She found she had left her heart there, so last July she returned there.

The students, Lúí Smyth, Ciarán Casey Emer Gibson found the trip an eye-opening experience. They visited schools, medical centres, irrigation projects, borehole wells and a women's centre.

African students are highly motivated to gain from education. The Clonkeen students were struck by the fact that African students were doing the same work in science as they were- without the benefit of being able to perform laboratory work. Everything they learn is theoretical, from a textbook. Also pupils of all ages are present in the classes. Before an established school is set up in an area, provision of education can be sketchy. Also students may have plenty of work commitments that prevent them from attending regularly- so it is not unusual to find nineteen year olds in primary school.

Everywhere they went they were greeted with awe inspiring enthusiasm. Lui says," It was really humbling to see how much benefit people were getting from, say a school building that cost 500 Euros. From our point of view that's a night of bagpacking in Tesco. From their point of view that's an education."

SHDI has a exceptional approach to development. The emphasis is on helping people to help themselves. Food has never been given out in it's edible form, as money is more efficiently spent on providing seeds, tools, training and irrigation. Not a single European is employed full -time in Africa by SHDI as it is believed that talent and enthusiasm is best found locally. SHDI believe there's no sense in entering a local community and insisting on building a medical centre if all locals agree that the source of water is causing most sickness. Lui said," It's a step further than consultation, SHDI leave the decision entirely to locals. The system definitely works."

This also makes SHDI much more efficient, as it cuts out the high costs of sending out Irish workers. In it's 14 years of existence this Carlow based agency is believed to have changed the lives of over half a million individuals.

Ciarán says the definitely intends to go back and work for a awhile after leaving school. Lúí says he also hopes to go back for a summer. Clonkeen College will continue with its; programme of fund raising efforts- with one suggestion being to enter a team in the Women's' Mini-Marathon in drag! For more information, visit www.selfhelpintl.ie or www.clonkeencollege.ie where a detailed report is soon to be posted.

 

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