What’s small here is great there
Once again, the generosity of the people of Nenagh and surrounding area has allowed Nenagh World Aid Society to contribute to a number of worthy causes in distressed parts of the world, through their support for our street and church-gate collections.
Cheques are allotted to lay and religious people emanating from Nenagh and its hinterland who are living and working in developing countries. We were very fortunate to receive positive support in 2022 on the resumption of collections, after their absence due to the pandemic. Pre-existing funds allowed us to continue distributing much-needed monies to many beneficiaries during the Covid period also.
Nenagh World Aid Society is a small voluntary group, founded 60 years ago by John Darmody. There will be an opportunity once again to support the society’s valuable work on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, at our street and church-gate collections. Contributions can also be made to our Bank of Ireland account - number: 21322682. Be assured that all contributions are gratefully appreciated because amounts that seem small here in Ireland are huge in poorer countries.
There follows a report on the work of some of our beneficiaries:
‘LIVING PEARL’ FAMILY HOME, UKRAINE
Liam reports that this orphanage caters for 28 boys aged from 9 to 12. The home is situated in the west of Ukraine, not too near the fighting. However, continued air alerts leave them aware of the war. Nenagh World Aid Society’s recent donations will be used for the children’s basic needs, such as food, medicine, utilities, schooling and recreation.
ZAMBIA APPEAL GROUP
Nenagh World Aid Society’s donation will help Twaasuka Community Organisation, a small community providing basic education, health and other social services to orphans and vulnerable children in an impoverished compound in Lusaka, Zambia. The Society is helping to fund steel-framed school desks and benches for 108 children as well as school materials such as pens and paper in their open school. The ZAG was founded in 2004 and has received aid from the society for many years.
SR VERONICA AND THE MERCY KENYA MISSION
Sr Veronica, a Nenagh woman, having spent many fruitful years in Kenya, where she was deeply involved in setting up and developing technical schools, may return home later this year. Her initial assignment was to teach women cookery, but later she helped to organise extra courses. Currently her school provides classes in dressmaking/ tailoring, machine-knitting, hairdressing, beauty therapy and computer studies.
The aim is to help students to become self-reliant and with the skill in which they have been trained, they will be able to earn some money and respect themselves and their children. The students are charged small fees but very few are able to pay them. Some will bring goats or firewood as payment. Nenagh World Aid donations assist in paying a reasonable salary to staff members.
INDIA
Fr Rexon facilitates our work in Cochin in India. Nenagh World Aid Society has sponsored the installation of an X-ray machine at the local Fatima Hospital and has financed the hospital’s painting recently. During the past five years, the hospital has provided 11,000 needy renal patients with free dialysis analyses.
EDMUND RICE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (AFRICA, INDIA, LATIN AMERICA AND OCEANIA)
The Foundation supports more than 20 projects in 13 countries. These projects tackle poverty and injustice through education, community engagement and advocacy organisations.
The Foundation members are very active in Peru where the pandemic has been devastating, despite a very strict and long lockdown. Peru had one of the highest death rates in the world. In-person schools were closed for two years and education was delivered remotely. During this time, the Foundation provided food baskets, second-hand phones and computers so pupils could access virtual learning.
In-person classes resumed in March 2022 but the Foundation faces more problems, including bullying, aggressive behaviour, stress and nutrition problems.
The Foundation operates in three community areas in Zambia, educating farmers in agricultural techniques. Many of the farm households that are female-headed report increased agricultural yields, leading to improved nutrition and food security. The Foundation is also currently active in Bolivia.
THE BURREN CHERNOBYL PROJECT
Nenagh World Aid Society continues to support the BCP, which works in adult and children’s orphanages in Belarus and was founded in 1993. Despite the war in neighbouring Ukraine and the sanctions that negatively affect the supply of goods and volunteers, work in renovating and running other institutions continues also. The Project helps needy families, through Social Services Centres, organising events such as the provision of summer camps, where the orphans share with children who do not live in an orphanage, and all have a great time. Other services provided to the orphanages include lathes for wood workshops, TV sets, clothes, kitchen equipment, incontinence wear, etc.
The project helps families who foster children from the orphanages as many of these families are poor. People are encouraged to visit their relations in the orphanages and open days are held in June.
EAST AFRICA – BROTHER BRIAN AND THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS
The Franciscan Friars continue to be active in East Africa. They are involved in a myriad of activities, particularly in establishing agricultural training centres, where malnutrition affects many families. They have set up a university in Baraka in Kenya, in partnership with the Jesuits. The Brothers also contribute to peace-building, for example, by inviting representatives from different ethnic groups, where there are hot spots of violence, to talk and listen to each other.
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
Catherine informs us about her close friend and neighbour Margot, originally from St Patrick’s Terrace in Nenagh. Margot left Ireland at 19 years of age to work abroad. She trained as a nurse in Africa and currently lives in Lusaka, working mainly with expectant mothers helping before and after the births of their children. Catherine and Margot have remained friends throughout through letters and emails.
Margot eventually made Catherine aware of a young, intelligent Zambian girl, Rhoda Sakata, who wished to become a nurse but could not afford the college fees, as she only earned €10 a week from her job cleaning houses. The fees amounted to €1,000 per year and the course extended for four years.
Undaunted, Catherine decided to raise the amount of the four years’ tuition fees. With the aid of donations from Nenagh World Aid Society and her many local and other friends, she succeeded in sending €1,000 for Rhoda’s fees to Margot each year, for the duration of Rhoda’s training. Rhoda qualified as a nurse in 2012 and Catherine visited her in 2016. Catherine was touched by the gratitude and joy expressed by Rhoda and her mother when she met them. She described their meeting as being ‘better than winning the Lotto. Rhoda continued with her studies and was awarded a degree in Opthalmology in 2020, and she continues to help so many people.
KITALE, KENYA
Timothy, a young Nenagh man, works with street-connected boys through the WOW programme (World of Work). The programme works with the youths, teaching them skills such as crafts, catering and small business management and saving. As many of the youths have been living on the streets for a number of years, they are encouraged to reconnect with their families. During the pandemic a curfew operated from 7pm to 5.30am and the boys were regularly chased from their sleeping places by the police. The Nenagh World Aid Society has had contact with Timothy for many years and has been supplying food including soup, vegetables, fruit, plates of rice, etc, to the boys.
MALAWI, AFRICA – THE LIKULEZI PROJECT
Gemma, from Cloughjordan, is a founder member of the Project, which was originally formed to mitigate the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic but over the years has expanded into poverty alleviation and community development. The Likulezi Library is now the centre of a Community Development Programme and has become the hub of the project, as it caters for all, from the “cradle to the grave”. Educational activities include workshops, teacher meetings, children’s storytelling, a chess club, etc.
As always, we the members of Nenagh World Aid Society are happy to be able, through the generosity of the people of Nenagh, to continue helping many deserving causes.
Remember, what’ s small here is great there!