TOUCH Ireland is setting up an education group to enable children to continue with third level education or skills training courses in our project areas. A committee is being set up to raise funds to financially support children within these sponsorships. It will operate as a grant system and an application will have to be made to the committee through the projects. This will be set up by Barbara Murray from the Dublin TOUCH Ireland group and Pauline McHugh Assistant Director, TOUCH Ireland. The committee will consist of Teachers and others with an interest in education.

This committee will be tasked with the responsibility of raising the funds required to operate this project and the project will have its own account.

There will be some children ready for college in approx. 3 years time in Kaoma, Zambia so if the group is set up now, there will be money in the account when the time comes.

There are four child sponsorship schemes in operation by TOUCH Ireland at the moment in Zambia. One has been set up in Sri Lanka and one in Nepal. In addition to this we would look at the possibility of funding a request from any of our TOUCH projects in India and Cameroon.

It is hoped to support children to go on to third level education and skills training courses which ever is appropriate.

The committee will be responsible for:

• Fundraising events
• Setting up application criteria
• Setting up of documentation
• Assessing applications
• Applying to relevant education facilities for any grants or bursaries available
• On going review and contact with applicant
• Reporting to Central Group

Teachers:
Enoch is doing his Diploma in teaching skills and Norah is doing her certificate in teaching skills. Both courses are over two years and they will then teach in St. Michaels School, Lusaka, Zambia which was funded by TOUCH Ireland and built by local builders in 2007. The school caters for over 700 children and the School Management Committee recommended these teachers to TOUCH Ireland for sponsorship.

Pauline McHugh Asst.
Director TOUCH Ireland
April 2007