Orla helping orphans in Moldova
NAAS, 8 March 2002: by Trish Whelan. St Mary’s College teacher Orla O’Connell is fundraising to help young orphans in Moldova.
She is involved through the ‘Hold her Hand’ project which is raising funds to help 200 young girls whose ages range from 4 to 25 years and who have either been orphaned or abandoned from an early age. Many suffer from severe physical or neurological difficulties.
“These girls need to be given back their lives,” says Orla who spent three weeks in the school last year. She plans to return in July.
Prior to the arrival of the Irish project, there was a 25% per annum death rate at the school.
“But they are now enjoying some quality of life, due to the generosity of the Irish people,” Orla says.
Staff and pupils of St Mary’s College have already raised 3,000 euros through projects like bag packing in Tesco supermarket, a school Rag Day and through individual donations of 100 euros (£127) to the Hold Her Hand campaign.
The group is seeking more Irish families to join and sponsor one or more of these abandoned girls.
Forms are available from Orla tel 045 866263.
©2002knn