News > Trocaire Time

Trocaire Time

1 March 2010

Trocaire Time

 

Yes it’s that time of year again.

 

We hope that pupils, staff and parents can participate in / contribute to the school’s fundraising endeavours.

 

While some pupils have volunteered for the Trocaire Fast (note this can include fasting form a mobile phone for 24 hours!) we will no doubt see the creative skills of our pupils in designing fund-raising tasks. For the first time pupils participating in the Fast will be entered for the Trocaire School prize draw.  All monies raised go to Trocaire work in Bolivia and help children such as Yolanda: -

Yolanda’s family own a small piece of land, where they have lived for many years and worked hard to make a home. Growing food on this unforgiving terrain is a regular struggle. So much so that, Yolanda’s parents have often gone without food in order to feed their children. Even then, all the children have to eat is a handful of Chuño, tiny dried potatoes, to share between them.

Things became so bad that Yolanda’s parents had to move to a nearby town in order to find work. Yolanda had to leave school, so that she can look after her younger brothers and sister - cooking, cleaning and farming the family’s infertile land. When asked how she felt about having to leave school Yolanda said;

“I miss all my friends and when I see them going to school I feel like crying”.

But there is hope for Yolanda and her family. Thanks to one of Trócaire’s partner organisations, they have been given a greenhouse and can now grow lettuce, parsley and onions. Their diet has improved and Yolanda is taking part in a small-business scheme to sell onions locally. Yolanda’s parents hope to make enough money to send her back to school, to the friends she misses so much and for the education that will be essential if she wants a better life.

In Bolivia, and all over the world, Trócaire helps families like Yolanda’s to overcome their daily struggle with hunger and poverty. By giving it up for the Trócaire Fast, you’re helping us to change lives, and give hope to some of the world’s poorest people.