Sewing gifts make children smile
THE lives of 1,000 school children at a West African community centre have been transformed thanks to an appeal by the Waterloo Partnership.
The charity brings together the people of Waterloo, Merseyside, with the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone, after civil war plunged much of the country into poverty.
Many people there do not have access to clean water, electricity or free health care and the life expectancy is just 40 years.
In May 2005, charity members journeyed to the country and visited the Rural Education Community (REC) Home Economics Centre in Waterloo.
While there they saw first hand how, due to the inadequate resources, progress was severely hindered at the centre, which had two bundles of yellow and blue wool, two dozen needles and six spools of cotton for 1,000 pupils for the whole year.
On returning to Merseyside, the charity launched the Thousand Hearts Appeal, asking for donations of £1 a month, to go directly towards education and health projects in the town.
And now, thanks to the generosity of people responding to the appeal, the partnership has been able to send over a range of resources, including fabric, weighing scales, sewing machines, ironing boards, an electric cooker, a refrigerator and kitchen utensils, and the centre has been transformed.
In an open letter to the partnership, Fannyaun Doherty, who works at the REC, said: “We extend our sincere thanks to whoever or whatever group or institutions have made this wonderful gesture to us.
“We hope that the partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength.”
David Moorhead, vice chairman of the charity, visited the centre in February, and he said: “It was a joy to see the children busy sewing and weaving.
“The teachers were very grateful and sent a thank you letter back with me.
“The whole atmosphere was really positive – indeed, it reminded me of a classroom in England.
“We also sent over some mattresses and this allowed sick children to be looked after during the school day.
“The contribution has truly made a big difference to the loves of the people of Waterloo, Sierra Leone.”
Source Nick Moreton, Crosby Herald
