Offaly campaigner and businessman travel to support Self Help Africa cause

Offaly charity hero Ronan Scully recently travelled to Africa with Tullamore businessman Paul Galvin and IFA Joe Healy where all three men experienced the plight of the people Gorta Self Help Africa aims to help.

The three men travelled to Kenya and Ethiopia along with Self Help Africa CEO Ray Jordan, where Ronan says, "We had the chance to trace the roots of the strong links that Irish farmers have with Self Help Africa – the IFA’s chosen charity."

"We visited communities that benefited from some of the very first activities that Self Help Africa undertook in Africa, with the backing of Irish farmers, more than 30 years ago."

"Agriculture was and remains vitally important to the lives of people and to the economy of Ethiopia and indeed to all of Africa. Nearly everyone you would meet depends on agriculture for their very survival," Ronan explained.

"One highlight from the recent trip was when we met with representatives of the Meki Batu Cooperative Union, a horticultural cooperative that traces its origins back to the '80s, when the Irish public, through the IFA, supported communities affected by the famine that claimed nearly one million lives in Ethiopia in 1984. Irish farmers responded by organising a shipment of 2,000 tonnes of seed potatoes to farmers in Ethiopia, and through the work of Self Help Africa subsequently backed horticultural and irrigation projects in the same region of the country."

"Thanks to vital support from Self Help Africa throughout the years, the Meki Batu Co-operative is now working with 14,000 local farmers, giving them access to markets and better prices for their produce. Today, Meki Batu has its own processing, packing and transportation systems, sells fruit and vegetables in regional and international markets, and is one of the main suppliers of vegetables on the long-haul flights of the country’s national airline," Ronan explained.

Ronan says, however, that the people of countries like Kenya and Ethiopia face serious challenges, and, "as we enter 2019, the picture is difficult to watch, as rural poor communities, in the likes of Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and many parts of Africa, endure some of the toughest times they have experienced in many years particularly because of climate change and some political and internal unrest."

"The reasons for this are complex, but put simply, a combination of devastating floods and unseasonal droughts and unrest in East Africa which has left close to 25 million people in need of food assistance. Both local commentators and international observers blame the current crisis on global warming, and an inability of rural poor and vulnerable households to adapt to the impact of changing climate on their ability to produce the crops that they need to put food on the table," Ronan said.

"This is where the organisation I work for comes in. This year, with the support of the Irish public and Irish Aid, And some of the Irish Farming community with the help of rural Ireland through our nationwide church gate collections, Self Help Africa has worked with close to 2 million farmers across sub-Saharan Africa, helping them to adapt their farming techniques to cope with challenges such as climate change, and to make their farms more profitable in the long run."

Indeed, Ronan returned to Offaly over Christmas where church gate collections in Tullamore and Durrow raised over €2,000 for the charity.

"I am proud that the organisation I work for has been a contributor, and has played its part in helping the smallholder farmers of Ethiopia and Kenya, amongst many others, to move towards a time where hunger and poverty will no longer be a part of their future," he commented. 

To make a donation, buy Lifetime gifts and find out more about the work of Self Help Africa with its work and to “Act locally but impact globally”, you can make a credit or laser card donation by phoning 01-6778880 or simply send whatever you can afford to Gorta Self Help Africa, Westside Resource Centre, Seamus Quirke Road, Westside, Galway or to Gorta Self Help Africa, Kingsbridge House, 17-22 Parkgate Street, Dublin 8. 

See details on www.selfhelpafrica.org to take part in many fundraising events for Self Help Africa organised throughout the year or come up with your own Self Help Africa event or buy some of Self Help Africa’s Gift’s at www.selfhelpafrica.org or email ronan.scully@selfhelpafrica.org.