‘Abbey Students To Work With Poverty & Deprivation In Zambia’

In March 2009, a group of ten senior students David Digney, Andrew Fitzsimons, Jack Gilsenan, Oliver Hearty, David Heatley, Jarlath McAteer, Niall McCartan, James Morgan, Feargal Murphy, Keith Sloan and four teachers: Mr. Mark Grogan, Mr Eddie McGivern, Mrs Tess McKernan and Mr David Evans will travel to Zambia.

This presents the students with a first hand experience of the poverty and deprivation of Zambia - a developing country. Whilst there they will network with the Christian Brothers’ Community and Outreach programmes, including working in local community schools, orphanages and hospitals

In the short term the aim is two fold: • One to provide some immediate help and support for those who are much poorer than ourselves, • Offering our Students an opportunity to get first hand experience of Zambia, its culture, problems and challenges.

The Headmaster, Mr Dermot McGovern, expressed his delight that students and staff choose to develop such a venture, pointing out the long term investment for our students. There is no doubt that this experience will have a major impact on them.

“We would hope that even if one of these boys continues to assist the developing world, by returning or raising awareness and funds in his own community in the future, then the people of Zambia will continue to reap the benefits for many years to come”.

The Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School was twinned with Libuyu Community School, Livingstone Zambia in August 2007. Libuyu Community School is one of three schools under the Livingstone Street Children’s Association (LISCA). It is located deep within the Libuyu Compound, in north Livingstone. Libuyu Community School was badly run down. When the Abbey worked in the school in March 2005 the roof was full of holes. The facilities were non existent, toilets where unsanitary and not fit for use. A sewer ran through the school yard and rats were a common site. Classrooms were empty shells of rooms. This was not an environment where teaching and learning could succeed. The children had no facilities for a feeding programme, there was no kitchen and many were hungry during lessons.

However, with Abbey donations this has all changed. There are now bright modern classrooms with facilities including proper blackboards, desks and chairs. A new kitchen along with a store, will provide the children with food each day. A perimeter wall will provide the community school extra security and will mean the children can play without any danger from the surrounding compound. The Abbey have totally renovated this school and invest not only in its upkeep but more importantly have employed a schools inspector to keep a eye on the education side. This inspector reports back to the Abbey on a monthly basis and gets a monthly wage.

The group work closely with the Christian Brothers’ and with the Sisters from Mount Oliver who are based in Livingstone.

The group encourage and welcome any donations which can be made directly to the Abbey Grammar School Zambian Project, this money will be donated directly to those groups which the team determine are most in need. Further details can be found at www.abbeycbs.co.uk/zambia