Thirteen years ago, in January 2011, a group of children started in Pre-School in Sables Nua.
These children, like all of our children, were drawn from the streets and compounds (slums) of Kabwe and for thirteen years we educated, clothed, fed and medically took care of them.
In November last those children, now very grown up indeed, did their Grade 12 Examinations, (think Irish Leaving Certificate) – the first group to travel the whole journey from pre-school to G12 with us.
The results were released in February and we were delighted with the success of the students.
Now we have a problem – a good problem, let it be said.
We have students now, who have been with us for all those years and whose marks qualify them for places in university and others who can take up options for vocational training.
We have ear-marked the best seven students and are preparing them for college, (three to medical school, one for physiotherapy, one for aviation studies, one for law, one for engineering), – students from the most deprived backgrounds you can imagine heading to University in Lusaka, Mulungushi and the Copperbelt, an incredible success story. “From Makululu to Medical School” has a bit of a ring about it!
We have other students, not as academically able but nonetheless deserving of following their career paths into tailoring, motor mechanics and other trades.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
In the past we have asked individuals to sponsor students to boarding school and to college and a huge ‘thank you’ is due to those donors who have done that, and who continue to do that.
We are also extremely grateful to all the donors who continually help out, to those who donate monthly, to those who sent us a ‘Christmas bonus’, to those who are always there for us.
Now, rather than asking those donors to sponsor students, we are asking ALL our supporters, the hundreds of you who have visited us in Kabwe over the last twenty years, and those who support us without ever having been to Sables Nua, to make a donation to our Further Education Fund.
Third Level education in Zambia is relatively cheap by Irish standards but we don’t have the spare funds to send all these students to college so we’re asking for your help.
anything you can give, and I mean ANYTHING, will be appreciated, ring-fenced and set aside to fund these students, and future students, for their chance of a life-changing opportunity.
We’ve taken the entrants of 2011 so far; now we want to send them that bit farther.
Donations, with your name and reference FEF to
Bank: PTSB
Branch: Drumcondra
Account name: ZAMDA
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 87613490
BIC: IPBSIE2D
IBAN: IE31 IPBS 9906 0787 613 490
Over to you.
Pádraig Ó Fainín
