Newtownstewart woman helps to build classrooms in Kenya

A NEWTOWNSTEWART woman was one of a number of people from Ireland who took part in a program to help build a school in Kenya after parishioners in Plumbridge and Newtownstewart raised money to help pay for the project.

Angela Gormley’s journey from Tyrone to Naro Moru in central Kenya was a successful one. She and a group of others travelled to the city to help with the practical building of the school building. The organisation in charge of the journey was Granaghan Outreach Charitable Trust.

Before her journey, Anne raised a substantial sum of money, with all the proceeds going directly to the Granaghan Outreach Charitable Trust. Subsequently, an appeal by charity member Paul Ward from Aughabrack and the example shown by Angela Gormley from Gallon Upper generated multiple donations. Newtownstewart raised £2,010 and Plumbridge raised £1,400.

Angela spoke to the Chronicle after returning home from her charitable experience and said she experienced “incredible warmth” from the people of Kenya.

“The children I worked with in Kenya have no material wealth,” said Angela.

“They had holes in their socks, and their school uniforms are all tattered and torn, but the love and warmth I received from them spoke louder than all the deprivation that surrounded me.”

The Newtown woman added, “The local workers toiled with us to build two classrooms. The enrichment of the lives of the children and teachers in that Kenyan village was all thanks to the generosity of the people of Ardstraw East, Newtownstewart, and Badoney Upper, Plumbridge.

“Without their donations, none of this would have happened.

“A massive thank you is due to Fr Roland Colhoun and to Fr Brian Donnelly and their parishioners!”

Fr Roland Colhoun paid tribute to the local lady stating, “Angela has shown exceptional benevolence by using her holidays to undertake the physical work of building a school in Kenya. She paid her own fare and all the associated expenses and took inoculations against malaria and yellow fever in advance.

“Folk who attend Mass every Sunday learn about projects like this and put their shoulder to the wheel. Mass-going people are exceptionally generous individuals. I salute the big-hearted parishioners of Newtownstewart and Plumbridge.”