Galway volunteers get in step for Ethiopian mission

A Galway couple are aiming to raise €25,000 to help fund a primary school in Ethiopia – continuing a seven-year commitment that has seen them already pay for classrooms and teacher training at the facility.

Patrick and Mary Clarke – now retired but who previously worked as an engineer and school teacher – have fundraised and volunteered in Sebeta over those past seven years.

Sebeta is a town in central Ethiopia, and a suburb of Addis Ababa – and the Haro Jila primary school outside Sebeta caters for over 350 pupils, some of whom have disabilities.

The Clarkes, from Newcastle in Galway city, will head back to Ethiopia in October but they’ve set a target of €25,000 to raise before they go.

And part of that effort will see the couple hosting a dancing fundraiser on Shop Street, beginning at 11am this Friday.

The money raised by the couple will be used to build and furnish an infant’s classroom, to purchase early childhood development materials and to further support adults and children with special needs in the area.

Currently, the Ethiopan School receives little state funding apart from teachers’ salaries – without extra funding, the school cannot make any progress.

“We were shocked and appalled by the lack of basic facilities and by the poor standard of education in the primary schools in the Sebeta area of Ethiopia,” said Patrick.

“These children, some with severe disabilities, will receive inclusive early childhood education thanks to the generous donations from members of the public in Ireland.

“We are going back to Ethiopia in October so before we go, we are determined to raise €25,000 to build, furnish and equip at least one classroom  and start building another one in the school,” he added.

Students from Mary’s local Galway school, Scoláirí Scoil Iognáid, as well as members of Patricia and Sean Casey’s Ballroom and Line Dancing Group, Tony Ryan’s Set Dancing Group and traditional Irish musicians from Carroll’s pub on Dominick Street will all take part in the charity event.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.