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So far I have raised: This fundraising page is now completed and it is no longer possible to sponsor this fundraiser via this fundraising page. |
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My Personal Message In June ’10 I return , for two weeks, to Zambia, Africa to help build houses.I did the same last year, and am looking forward to doing so again. The project which I have signed up for is part of a world wide charity called “Habitat for Humanity Ireland” and it involves me travelling with a group of volunteers to Kawama, Ndola, Zambia to help build a few houses. Building a few houses is very much like the Niall Mellon project which has got a lot more publicity in recent years, but this one has a few differences. The main difference is that Niall Mellon’s scheme is run with proper professional builders doing a staggering amount of work in a staggeringly short period of time. This project involves much fewer people (who, like myself, have limited building skills) building fewer houses over a longer period of time. Building houses however is not the main point. Apart from just building houses, there is a significant emphasis in this charity on a slower and much longer term relationship with the communities which they help, and a closer personal relationship between the volunteers and the locals. We sleep on the floor of the local houses like everyone else. We will live in the village and live, dine and sleep with the local people who are our hosts. There is no running water or electricity in the village. The village itself is a refuge for Aids widows and orphans who have nowhere else to go. Many of them are households headed by children themselves who are the only guidance and protection to younger siblings. They are vulnerable to all sorts of horrible exploitation quite aside from the fact that many of them have Aids themselves and will die young. Dreadful disease and poverty are the norm. Overall a significant aim of this particular charity, Habitat for Humanity Ireland, is to raise the consciousness of people in our part of the world about people in other parts of the world, to perhaps increase our humility and of course to raise funds. The trip is financed by the participants. About €3,500 has to be raised by each to pay for travel, upkeep and a contribution to building supplies. On Saturday 29th May 2010 at 7.30pm, my team are having a fundraising race night at the Goat Grill in Goatstown, Dublin 14. To buy a horse or sponsor a race (or place an advert or message on the race night brochure) send me an email to johnfoyle@gmail.com OR you can buy a horse or sponsor a race etc by making a donation on line to this page and specify your name and phone number and the name which you wish to give to your horse. To buy a horse is €20.00 and to name a race is €50.00. We are carrying adverts and messages in the race night brochure for €50.00 for a half page and €100.00 for a full page. Even if you have not bought a horse in advance, remember to come along on the night for the fun, the betting, music, prizes etc. From my own personal point of view, what I hope to get out of this venture is to continue the work I did last year. After a initial period of anxiety about whether I would be capable of making a worthwhile contribution I found the task to be manageable and the team (of six) I was in built two houses. This year we expect to be at least ten strong and expect to build four structures. I don’t expect to change the world but would welcome the opportunity to do something as opposed to nothing. I will be giving this effort the commitment I give anything with which I’m involved. What with tougher times we are all in now I don’t expect that it will be possible for people to be as generous as last year. All donations are welcome. |
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About my charity Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide non-profit housing organisation that works in partnership with people in need of decent housing to build and renovate simple, affordable homes. Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to achieving the vision of a world without poverty housing and homelessness, and to make decent housing a matter of conscience and action. Habitat for Humanity is building houses in Ireland and nearly 100 other countries around the world. Since 1976 Habitat has served more than 500,000 families. For more information, visit www.habitatireland.ie or join us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Click here for more information |
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My Online Sponsors to Date
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