Two Liberal Arts students at St Mary’s are undertaking their Work Related Learning placements in Africa.
Oisín Ó Murchú, a second year Liberal Arts student has secured a placement with Project Zambia as part of the College’s Work Related Learning Programme. Oisín is an experienced volunteer having assisted with a range of projects based at Lusaka in Zambia. During this term of placement, under the guidance of Brother John McCourt, he will face the challenge of conducting research into the development of a more recently adopted village, Mapepe which is located 15 km from Lusaka and has a population of approximately 1000 people.
Project Zambia is led by Dr Aidan Donaldson, Chaplain and Assistant Head of Religious Education at St Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Belfast. His recently published book, Encountering God in the Margins: Reflections of a Justice Volunteer (Veritas), takes the reader into the world of the marginalised – the slums, villages and other abandoned spaces in the Developing World.
Appearing in the photo are: Dr Aidan Donaldson, Joan Campbell, Coordinator for Placement Learning and Liberal Arts student, Oisín Ó Murchú.
James McLaughlin, a second year Liberal Arts student has secured a placement with the Kitetikka Rock Foundation, Uganda as part of the College’s Work Related Learning Programme. James is an experienced volunteer with the Rock Foundation which was founded in 1985 by Pastor Kasozi Peter Cephas. The Foundation manages three schools and a farm. James, under guidance from Peter, will support general administration and contribute to the management of a project which will extend the existing farm by a further 4 acres to support growing crops like maize, sweet potato and beans. This development will contribute to the quest by the schools to become self sufficient in feeding all of the children two meals per day.