STONEYHURST - 27 February 2007 - 180 words
Stonyhurst pupils pledge to raise £1/4m for Zimbabwe school
Two Stonyhurst College pupils who visited Zimbabwe, and experienced the country's escalating economic crisis, have returned determined to help fellow pupils there.
They aim to help raise £250,000 to provide a new library and science laboratory at a school in the capital city Harare.
Tim Lewis, of Hurst Green, near Clitheroe, and Isabella Gee, of Chiswick Lane, London, were accompanied by Stonyhurst College's Head of Religious Studies, Paul Warrilow, on their 10-day visit during which they met pupils and helped teach classes at St Peter's Kubatana/
Their visit was on behalf of a twinning
project called Chirwirangwe, which means 'we will struggle together'.
It twins Stonyhurst College
with St Peter's Kubatana and aims to improve the education of
the whole person in both schools, in accordance with the ethos
of the Jesuit Missions, which is co-ordinating the programme.
Tim and Isabella, both aged 17, are among 10 sixth form pupils at the College who are actively promoting the venture as part of the world-wide Companions Programme, and have already raised £10,000 in less than a year.
Tim, who was born in Zimbabwe, said conditions there were much worse than when he left in 2002.
He added: "Raising £250,000 will be a tall order but providing a library and science laboratory at St Peter's will really help to provide a good education for the pupils, some of whom are orphans whose parents have died from HIV and AIDs-related illnesses.
"Inflation in Zimbabwe is running at 1700%, bread, milk and fuel are all in short supply but, despite their hardships, everyone we met was so friendly and cheerful.
"Chirwirangwe is a way of giving them some hope for a better life and also to raise awareness in Britain and encourage people to lend their support."
Pupils at Stonyhurst are benefiting by learning about what is happening politically and culturally in Zimbabwe, which will further improve the quality of their education.
"Chirwirangwe is a two-way learning
process which is mutually beneficial to pupils at both schools,"
said Mr Warrilow. "The goals for this programme are to bridge
the technological gap between the two institutions and to share
and appreciate cultural differences whilst
living true to the ideals of Education for Justice."
© Independent Catholic
News 2007
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