Tim and Kathleen Maher, Annegrove Roscrea, have just returned from a trip to visit Sr. Eileen and Sr. Mona, in Uganda, particularly to visit the “Roscrea Classroom” which is currently under-construction.
The photograph shows the sparse interior of the room without furniture. The Uganda Mission Fund team are holding a raffle in Roscrea Credit Union on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th of December to raise funds for the purchase of the furniture. The furniture is costing €1136 and this will provide desks, chairs, teachers desk and chair, a cupboard, a book shelf and three notice boards. This is will completely furnish the classroom for this amount of money.
The school will open on February 1st 2010 and we hope to have the classroom fully equipped for the children’s first day of school. If anyone is unable to support the raffle they may otherwise make a donation to the fund, they can lodge directly to the Uganda Mission Fund account in Roscrea Credit Union or they can contact Tim and Kathleen Maher directly on (0505) 21681/087 2767280.
Greetings from Uganda
On behalf of Sr Eileen Maher and myself we want to wish our friends in Roscrea a very happy Christmas. Thank you for all the support you have given to our children over many years. Your help has made such a difference to many. Yearly we see young men and women who started out with very little becoming leaders and holding their heads high in the society. It all began when someone took an interest and provided funding to get them into school. Thank you very much for giving such children an opportunity in life.
Uganda has many orphans – the latest figure being over 2 million as a result of HIV/AIDS epidemic. These are a highly vulnerable group and in order to respond to this pressing need the Sisters have started to build a primary school to accommodate these orphans. The school is situated in a rural isolated area about 45 miles from where I live presently. There is no good school in the area and as it will mainly be for orphans it has to be boarding although there will also be day students.
Eileen and myself have been asked to be part of the administration in order to help get the school up and running. We intend to open for 1st and 2nd class when the new school year begins on February 1st 2010. This offers us a big challenge as the school is not yet fully built and is still without furniture. We have heard that Roscrea wishes to have a “Roscrea Room” and we are very grateful for this offer to furnish a classroom. My brother Tim and Kathleen have been visiting us and have photos of the empty classroom awaiting chairs and desks. We promise that you will be proud of your Roscrea Classroom.
Many of you have sponsored and continue to sponsor children in day schools in Uganda and we thank you very much for this. If anyone would like to sponsor or part sponsor an orphan in this new school we would be very happy. Being boarding it will cost Euro 200 per year for full board, education and uniform etc for a child. I can promise that your child will keep in touch with you, even from 1st class.
We would also like to thank Roscrea Comhaltas who have kindly agreed to sell tickets for a raffle in the Credit Union on the 18th and 19th of December. The prizes are excellent and all the money raised will be used to furnish the Roscrea Classroom which is estimated to cost €1136.00 and will include desks, chairs, teacher's desk and chair, a cupboard, a book shelf and three notice boards
May Christmas be a season of peace joy and blessings for each of you and your families.
Sr Mona Maher
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