September 2011
 

Volunteers
Most of our 17 'summer volunteers' are now home - they did great work in eight different projects across Ethiopia. Roles included teaching, administration, project planning and youth work. Every year our volunteers bring their own unique energy and skills to the projects and this year was no exception.   

Ambo Deaf Centre
Great news! The VLM application for €94,000 to Irish Aid/Misean Cara for the building of a Deaf Centre in Ambo has been successful. We look forward to supporting this centre in the future as it meets the specialised education and training needs of children and young people who are deaf in the Ambo region. We will report on on the building and development of this centre in the coming months. 
 

July 2011

 

Schools Immersion Programme
Now in its third year, the Schools Immersion Progamme is going from strenght to strenght. Well done to the twenty students and teachers from St. Pau'ls College Rahney and St. Vincent's College Castleknock who travelled to Ethiopia to learn and teach with thier peers in Ambo. Both groups did a hug amount of fundraising and awareness raising in the months preceeding their departure. VLM values this school partnership and the positive impact that such an experience can have on secondary school students both here and in Ethiopia.


Volunteers
Most of our summer volunteers have arrived safely in their projects. So far, all reports home are positive as volunteers get on with their work and settle in to the Ethiopian way of life.


VLM Gala Ball
The second annual VLM Gala Ball was a big success! Held in Clontarf Castle, style and fun was the order of the evening. An excellent raffle and auction was followed by an engaging and informative video outlining the work of VLM and our project partners in Ethiopia. A suberb meal and dancing brought us into the wee hours. It was great to have so many friends and supports of VLM celebrating together.  

May 2011
 

VLM Pre-departure training for our volunteers heading out to Ethiopia will take place this Saturday & Sunday the 14th & 15th of May.
 

FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR VLM
 

If you are part of a Tag Rugby group and would like an opportunity to participate in a really exciting event, then please check out the following:

Castleknock Charity Tag Rugby Tournement
Sat May 14th 2011
(CASH PRIZES!)
Entry €150 Max 14 players
Mixed teams of 4 Men & 3 Women on Field
Guaranteed a minimum of 4 Games
Velcro Tag Shorts Must Be Worn.
To Register email Team Name, contact Name & Number to
castleknockrugby@gmail.com

March 2011

 

VLM GALA BALL
 

Following the tremendous success of this event last year we are happy to announce the 2nd Annual Gala Ball in aid of VLM. The Ball will take place at Clontarf Castle on Saturday the 11th June 2011. This is an opportunity to celebrate the work of VLM, its Volunteers and of course raise much needed funds to sustain the organisation into the future.

Tickets are priced at €100 each and its a Black Tie Affair. Please contact the office if you are interested in attending. (01) 8102 570
(More details to follow)


 

FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR ATSE SCHOOL
(Thursday 31st March 2011)

Past Volunteers might be interested in an upcoming fundraising event in aid of ATSE school in Addis Ababa. Eoin Hegarty who worked at Atse is hosting a concert at Hedigans Pub, (The Brian Boru) Cross Guns Bridge, Dublin 7. All funds go to the Shoe and Uniform fund at Atse. It promises to be a great night with an eclectic mix of music. Tickets are €10 and the night kicks off at 8.00pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door. If your coming, why not bring a friend too!

 

December 2010

 

New Chairperson of VLM.

Emma Rorke, a current member of the Board of VLM, has been appointed Chairperson of VLM. Our sincere thanks to Fr. Brian Moore CM who retired from the Chair, for his dedication and commitment to steering VLM over the past 4 years. Fr. Moore said “the appointment of Emma was very significant, besides all the many personal skills she brings to the organisation, she also brings her experience of being a Volunteer who worked on the ground to bear and this will be an enormous benefit to the organisation”. We wish here well in her new role. Among her many commitments, Emma also runs a charity shop in Carlow called Chic and Cheerful.
 

November 2010
 

Deaf Project Ambo.

In October a group of 4 Deaf people and two interpreters travelled to Ethiopia with Fr. Stephen to facilitate a series of Workshops for the Deaf community in Ambo. It is hoped that we can assist the Deaf in that area to establish a Deaf Centre in the Ambo. We achieved a great deal, forged friendships and hopefully paved the way for a facility and service that will radically change the lives of the Deaf in that area.
 

August 2010

 

Partnership with Three New Projects.

1. In Mekele: We began working with the Vincentian Fathers. Two volunteers spent 5 weeks working in the Vincentian Library where up to 350 children turned up each day looking to participate in the classes.
2. Dembidolo: A volunteer worked with the Vincentian Fathers on a youth project. Dembidolo is quite a remote area and we were delighted that things went so well.
3. Bulbula: Three volunteers went to work with the Daughters of Charity in the primary school in Bulbulla. Again this is considered a difficult placement and a lonely enough location. However the volunteers loved the experience and appreciated the hospitality of the Daughters.

 

May/June 2010
 

Travellers Ethiopian Project.

A group of 5 Traveller women from a development project in Ballyfermot have returned home after a very successful and educational visit to Jimma. They spent some time meeting with the women from the Toluma Leprosy project in Jimma, sharing their experiences of life, education, exclusion and marginalisation. Now that they have returned to Ireland they hope to use their experience to deliver workshops to local schools and Traveller organisations, highlighting the issues that face people in the Global South. A short documentary of the trip to Jimma can be heard on ‘The Curious Ear” called “Don’t bring Sweets” it was made by Ronan Kelly from RTE. http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/curious-ear-doconone-travellers-ethiopia.html
 

In Country Workshops.

In June Mary Hanlon and Stephen Monaghan spent two weeks in Ethiopia organising a series of workshops with all our partners. We wanted to ensure that the Daughters and Vincentians had as much say in the development of VLM as possible. We covered many topics, includng Child Protection. We certainly felt at the end of the visit that we had a much closer working relationship with both our partners and we feel that our Volunteers will benefit from this.

April 2010
 

Well done to all those involved in the VLM table quiz held on April 15th. Over €2000 was raised to support St. Louises' Women's Development Project in Mekele, which sadly was burnt down in a fire late last year. This money will help to get the project underway again, providing skills and employment to the many women in Mekele.
 

January 2010
 

We are looking forward to a busy year working with our partners in Ethiopia & Nigeria. In order to better meet the needs of our partners and volunteers, VLM is a signatory to the Comhlamh Code Of Good Practice for Volunteer Sending Organisations.

Invitation to Become a Member.
On November 21st we invited people to become Members of VLM. Membership is open to anyone who has completed a volunteering placement with VLM. Application forms are available from the VLM office.

Travellers Ethiopian Project.
In April, 5 Traveller Women from Ballyfermot Travellers Women’s Development Group, will visit a project supporting people with leprosy in Jima, Ethiopia. This is a great opportunity for the sharing of skills and life experiences of both groups.

Dates for your diary...
Gala Ball
A Gala Ball is planned for Saurday 22nd May at Castleknock College. This is being organised to raise funds for VLM. More details about this exciting event will be posted soon! 

Table Quiz.
After the great success of last year’s table quiz, plans are under way for another. Last year this event raised €3600 which funded a water pump in a rural primary school in Bulbula, Ethiopia. More information on dates and location of the quiz will be posted in the coming weeks.


 

December 2009

March 2009