CORKERY FAMILY HEAD TO CAPE TOWN ON MERCY MISSION
FOUR members of the Corkery family recently headed to South Africa to give a helping hand to families living in the Wallacedene Township in Cape Town.
Nicholas, from Banteer; his daughters, Leah and Hollie; and John, from Kilbrin, made the trip to take part in the Mellon Educate Building Blitz.
While Nicholas and John are seasoned volunteers, it was Leah’s second trip, and Hollie’s first trip.
The Corkerys met up with 300 other volunteers from around the world upon their arrival at Cape Town International Airport.
“We instantly bonded as we were all there for the same reason, to help change the lives of under-privileged children” Nicholas said.
During their stay in South Africa, the 300-strong group constructed fifteen classrooms, two play areas, four covered shelters, two kitchens, a toilet block, two sports fields, a road safety area and an outdoor gym over six days of intense labour.
Leah, a pupil at St Mary’s Secondary School in Mallow, made a huge impression while volunteering last year, so much so that Niall Mellon appointed her as youth liaison officer in charge of all the young people who were part of the team during the trip.
“My work entailed helping all the young volunteers, co-ordinating the work they were doing and making sure they were all okay during the week. Some of them very were shy, so it was great to make them feel part of the team,” said Leah.
As part of the bonding process with local children, the young volunteers went to the their school for a day and gave out 1,000 teddies to the younger kids. Nicholas said that while 180 children attended the school where he was working, only 139 had shoes, so 41 went to school each day barefoot.
“One child I spoke to came to school wearing one runner and one flip-flop, and although they didn’t match, they protected him from catching any diseases. Here, you have a child who wants to go to school and learn and make a better life. He was my inspiration for getting up at 5.30am and working on site till 5.30pm each day,” he said.
Seeing the plight of the children, the volunteers arranged a collection among the team and raised enough money to buy 41 pairs of shoes for the children.
Hollie said that seeing so much poverty was very hard.
“It really opened my eyes to see what I have at home, and we take so much for granted, even something as simple as a pair of shoes,” she said.
Nicholas, who had been joined on numerous previous trips by his own children, said the experience was “a must for young people who want to do something truly amazing and engage in a life-changing experience.”
“The buzz you get from working with the other volunteers, seeing the smiling faces of the children every day and knowing that what you are doing is going to make a huge difference is amazing,” added Leah.
“The entire combination of emotions – crying and laughing and the hugs to help you through the day – would not have happened without Niall Mellon who, while on his honeymoon 17 years ago, saw the poverty and wanted to help,” she added.
Both Hollie and Leah thanked their fellow students and the staff at St Mary’s Secondary School, Mallow, for their help in fundraising ahead of the trip to Cape Town.
Schools or individuals who would like more first-hand information regarding the Niall Mellon projects can contact Nicholas Corkery on (087) 979 6011.