Author name: Roxanne Garner

Jane Scott with project
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Janes-story

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Volunteer Stories – Jane Scott “Explore a New Sky” Welcome to Masanga, Tanzania. Set near the Serengeti, Lake Victoria, and the border with Kenya. Here the people of rural Tanzania await you with their unconditional warmth. It was my privilege to volunteer here from October to December 2022. The support of VLM and the Daughters of Charity based in Masanga ensured a most precious experience. Here in this rural Tanzanian village these resourceful, multi-tasking Sisters bring education (St Catherine Laboure School), healthcare and array of community supports to a people who otherwise would certainly struggle to avail of these services. During my time in Masanga I worked with the team who raise awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The practice of FGM still pertains in this part of rural Tanzania. The project provides a refuge and daily support for young girls fleeing FGM. During my stay over 400 girls were taking refuge here.   I also worked with the women’s development project in Masanga. Here a network of local women combines to support and empower each other and strive to build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their community. Currently a purpose-built resource centre is under construction in Masanga thanks to VLM donors. The significance of this building is immense to the overall empowerment of this dynamic group of local women. They continue to ‘break the glass ceiling’ in rural Tanzania. Experience a new journey in life…Masanga, Tanzania awaits you. Share this article

2025, Ethiopia, Fundraising

€200,000 raised to date for the Ambo Kindergarten and Social Housing Project

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€200,000 raised to date for the Ambo Kindergarten and Social Housing Project Approximately €200,000 has been sent to build, run and maintain the Ambo kindergarten and social housing project over the past 20 years. Through the Irish Travelling Community two classrooms were built, the toilets, the groundwork and lately they have fundraised for a clinic which is being built. To find out more about this and our other projects visit  ‘Where we work’. Share this article

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Partnership with St Raphaels

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Partnership with St Raphael’s Garda Credit Union St Raphael’s Garda Credit Union made a donation of €200 to the Female Genital Mutilation Project in Masanga. The prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Mara region of Tanzania is very high at 32% of the female population aged 15-49 years old.  The Daughters of Charity in the Masanga run an FGM project that provides a refuge to between five and six hundred girls between November and December, engages families and communities to raise awareness of the harm it causes, and aims to transform the social norms that uphold the practice. A lack of education and poor employment prospects keep women in poverty so the project also has a vocational training centre to help girls learn skills such as sewing that can provide them with a sustainable livelihood.

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Partnership with Castleknock Hotel

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Partnership with Castleknock Hotel Castleknock Hotel employee Brian Delaney volunteered with VLM in Thigio, Kenya during the summer of 2024 and they very kindly donated €500 to the De Paul School there. This was used to buy a schoolbook for every child in the school, giving them a greater chance to succeed in their education.

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Partnership with ESB

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Partnership with ESB ESB employee Maja Hamerlinska volunteered with VLM in Thigio, Kenya in April 2024. They donated €250 to the IT project there and Maja delivered computer training courses, giving young people a chance to learn a life skill that gives them a real chance at earning them a sustainable livelihood.

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Partnership with Navillus

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Partnership with Navillus VLM is delighted to have partnered with Navillus, a construction company in New York, who sponsored the salary of a teacher at the St Catherine Laboure School, run by our partners the Daughters of Charity in Tanzania. This is part of Navillus’ extensive social responsibility programme, and their very generous donation really helped the school continue to provide quality education to local children living in this area of extreme poverty.

2025, Kenya

Safeguarding Training in Kenya

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Safeguarding Training in Kenya In 2022, VLM, through the Vincentian Fathers, was successful in obtaining funding from Misean Cara to run Safeguarding Training across the Vice-Province of Kenya. As part of this, a ‘Train the Trainer’ course was run to enable the Vice-Province to continue to roll this out with staff across their projects, thus embedding safeguarding as a key foundation in every parish. In January 2025, one of the trained members of staff ran safeguarding training at the De Paul School in Matisi. It is fantastic to see the long-term impact of this funding and the importance being placed on keeping children and vulnerable adults safe. Share this article

2025, Ethiopia

New building for the Ambo Lazarist Deaf School

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New building for the Ambo Lazarist Deaf School Exciting news to share!!! Pictured is Fr Tomaz Mavric CM, Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission, laying the foundation stone for a new building at the Ambo Lazarist Deaf School in Ethiopia. The new building will give the school four additional classrooms including a room that will be a vocational training centre. Sewing will be taught, giving graduates of the deaf school a way to earn a sustainable livelihood. With sincere thanks to Misean Cara, the Vincentian Solidarity Office (VSO), Castleknock College and the Ethiopia Deaf Project committee of VLM for funding towards this project. Updates to follow!!! Share this article

2025, Fundraising

VLM Christmas Raffle Winners!

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VLM Christmas Raffle Winners! Huge thank you to everyone who bought tickets for the recent VLM Christmas raffle. We had an amazing response and raised a phenomenal €7197, which will go towards supporting our work with the Vincentian Fathers and Daughters of Charity across Africa. Last year we sent 48 volunteers and over €175,000 to projects in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. We really appreciate your support and thank you sincerely for helping to make this happen. Best wishes for 2025 from all at the Vincentian Lay Missionaries (VLM). Share this article

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December 2024

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December 2024 The costs of running this centre are funded annually thanks to the generosity of VLM donors. This centre benefits over 5000 youth per year through the provision of meals, school materials, tutorial support, clubs and activities, sports events, skills training and income generating activities. The funding also benefits the staff who can earn a secure income to support themselves and their families.

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