Celtic FC Foundation promotes educational programmes in Zambia
On the 12th of June, the Celtic FC Foundation embarked on an adventure in Zambia to promote educational programmes for children. Atfer a gruelling 36-hour journey, the Celtic FC Foundation’s volunteers finally arrived safely in Zambia.
On the first day, they head to the Zambia headquarters of Celtic FC Foundation’s partner, Mary’s Meals, where they were provided with information on the organisation’s work within the country, as well as further details on their placements. The volunteers were split into two working groups and made their way, accompanied by Mary’s Meals staff, to begin working on two different Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres.
For the first day of work, the volunteers were split in two groups. Group one: Aaron Coyle, Martin Cummings, Pauline Findlay, Taylor Jobson, John Mullen, Declan Rooney, Eddie Rooney, Phil Rowan and Ken Simpson headed off to Kambwatike Primary School, where they quickly got to work. The group were greeted by a teacher and pupils of the school, who expressed their joy at the arrival of their new friends. Group two: Mark Cameron (a Trustee of Celtic FC Foundation), Robert Corr, Christopher Deith, Ross Hart, Michael Kinsella, Joanne McGirr, Anne Marie McKinless, Michael Taggart and Amanda Wilson also received the warmest of welcomes, as they arrived at Nyongo Primary School to hundreds of smiling faces.
Through funds raised from Celtic FC Foundation’s #LionsLegacy campaign, the 67 Kitchens project has seen the building of 47 kitchens throughout Malawi, with the final 20 kitchens constructed in Zambia. Each of the schools which the group will visit during their trip has been equipped with one of these kitchens and the two groups had the opportunity to assist with the Mary’s Meals feeding programme at Kambwatike and Nyongo. The remainder of their day was spent continuing to renovate the ECD centres at each school, as well as playing games and singing songs with the children.
With the majority of the preliminary work for each project complete, the volunteers focus on painting ‘talking walls’, educational aids which will be invaluable in assisting the children’s classroom learning experiences. These include the alphabet, numbers, shapes, animals and days of the week. Each group will also mark their presence at their respective centres by painting a Celtic FC Foundation crest on the classroom walls. During their Zambia journey, the volunteers look forward to engage with more communities.
Celtic FC – School of Football
