| | | | Burkina Faso | | Ethiopia | | Eritrea | | Ghana | | Kenya | | Malawi | | Togo | | Uganda | | Zambia | | | | Events Calendar | | | | | 20 Year Highlights | | | What Your Money is Doing | | Regular Giving | | Fund-Raising Suggestions | | One Click Donation | | Corporate Seed Fund | | Farmers Grow Fund | | Volunteering | | Tax Relief on Donations | | | 2007 Kenya | | 2006 Eritrea | | 2005 -Kenya-Uganda-Malawi | | 2001-2004 From the Archives | | › | Africa Alive Schools Programme |
| | Recent School News | | School Visits | | Curriculum Publications | | Student & Teacher Impressions | | Pictures Download | | Young Scientists Exhibition | | School Profiles (coming soon) | | | Africa Framed | | Value of Rubbish | | | | Press Releases | | Articles on Self Help Activities | | Related Topics | | | | | | |  |  |
|
|
|  | | Experiencing Africa | | | | Dessie Harrington, Killeshandra, Co. Cavan | | The first thing that struck us in Chiradzulu was the tremendous welcome from the people. They surrounded us as we got off the bus and escorted us to their villages with song and dance. With great pride, they showed us their crops and vegetables. | | | | | | Dr. Tom Higgins, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford | | The trek in Malawi was an unbelievable experience. We all have an idea of Africa in our heads, but you have to see it to truly believe it. We all noticed similarities between Malawi and Ireland of 100 years ago. Their housing, their little plots of land for crops, their lack of running water and electricity all reminded us of our country. We saw villages with over 2,000 people all eking out a living on tiny amounts of land. Education made the difference to our living standards and that is why it is so important for them. | | | | | | Ronan Collins, RTE Presenter | | It was something I have never experienced before. I just keep seeing faces. They are ingrained in my mind. I’m not usually like this. I usually put things behind me quickly and get back to reality. But I would go back to Ethiopia on Monday. | | |
| |
| | | | Aoife Donnelly, Rahara, Co. Roscommon | My first impression was pure shock. The poverty was so striking. I found it very, very difficult. But then the people were so happy on the other hand and so willing to please us and put on a show for us that by the end of the first day, I did not know what to think.
I found it amazing but I was crying too. I felt pity, gratitude, sadness - a whole mix of emotions. I was feeling particularly fragile when I was walking through an irrigation scheme in Koro, Dodota, when a little girl took my hand and another one took hers and we all walked together. I knew by them that what had been achieved here was something special. | | | | | | Marie O’Halloran, Dublin | | However, a singular image that for this visitor summed up the trip, was the literally breathtaking hillwalking at Wando Genet. As we crossed a stream at a village a child of about three or four, stood with his hand raised in welcome. He remained in one spot, tall and straight as 40 trekkers, guides and Self Help staff passed, either shaking his hand or giving him a `high five'. Dressed just in a scruffy long-sleeved shirt that came down almost to his knees, he was like a miniature mayor for the village. | | | | | | Mary Kennedy, Open House, RTE | | You can watch all the tv programmes and people can talk to you and tell you what it is like, but until you actually go out to the projects and see the reality, you can’t appreciate it. It is the human contact, meeting people and seeing their lives and how they have changed through the projects. | | | | | | Kieran Crowe, Ennistymon, Co. Clare | | We could learn a lot from the way the people welcomed us to their community – it was real hospitality and friendliness. | | | | | | Anne Loftus, Crossmolina, Co. Mayo | | Co-operation, partnership, bottom- up approach - that's what we talk about in Ireland but they are actually practising in Eritrea, what we're talking about at home. The people in the villages are deciding what is needed. | | | | | | | | School Trip - Ethiopia | | Aoife Treacy (17), St. Brigids College, Callan, Co. Kilkenny | | I had seen photos and videos but it’s different when feel the atmosphere – the smell, tastes and sounds and look at the children’s reaction to us. It was just fantastic. Obviously they had very poor facilities. A lot of the resources were very basic things we take for granted. Stuff we might throw in a press in our school was carefully minded and cared for. When you see how much we have and how little they have, you feel so much guilt because we take so much for granted. | | | | | | Colm Crowley (17), Colaiste Chriost Ri, Cork | | I could not believe the welcome put on by the Ethiopian schools, you could be a little overwhelmed. The happiness of the children showed that money isn’t everything. It’s the quality of life rather than the quantity that matters. | | | | | | Colm Crowley (17), Colaiste Chriost Ri, Cork | | All of the people were really friendly but I was a little scared. It’s a totally different culture. I wasn’t sure how to act – the classroom was totally different to at home. I thought at least they’d have slate boards for the kids to write on. The kids didn’t even have pens. At home we have everything, even computers. | | | | | | Kathleen Buckley, Teacher, Loreto College, Cavan | | I didn't think going into schools would be as emotional as it was. It was overwhelming. Students at the schools lined the entrance, clapping and singing to welcome the Irish visitors. I was amazed at the resourcefulness in the schools. In Koshe schools, there was a room full of posters, which had been hand made on canvas. The pupil-teacher ratio is 120:1. I don't know how the teachers cope except that everyone is so anxious to learn. | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | Self Help Africa is a limited liability company. Company number: 105601 Charity No. 6663 (Ireland)
The organisation has offices in Ireland at: Annefield House, Dublin Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois Tel: 00 353 (0)57 8694034 - Fax: 00 353 (0)57 8694038, and in the United Kingdom at : Second Floor Suite, Westgate House, Dickens Court, Off Hills Lane, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1QU. Tel : 0044-(0)1743 277170
| | | | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
