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In above photo the school committee is being shown where Louth is
together with the account in the Dundalk Democrat about the
presentation of the cheque.

Cheque for Euro 6,000

Louth County Council Chairman Cllr Jim Lennon and former Chairman Cllr Peter Savage
together with Pauline Watters, Brian Lynch, Ann Ward and Gail Commins in August 2006
presented a cheque for Euro 6,000 to Fr J. A. Ryan who has been working in Malawi for the
past 28 years. This Euro 6,000 will be divided equally between the following two very needy
projects.

1) Mzuzu Diocese Education Office:

Mzuzu Diocese opened its first primary school in 1948. To-date it has opened 288 such
primary schools throughout its 15 parishes covering an area close to 36,000 square
kilometres. It has also opened 6 secondary schools and 5 technical schools. In recent
years energies were put into famine relief and Education was partly neglected. Now many
of the above 288 schools are in a sorry state, both in terms of infrastructure, morale of
teachers and the availability of basic teaching materials. Mzuzu Diocese wishes to change
this situation. However the Central Education Office of Mzuzu Diocese does not have the
required facilities to deliver to all 299 schools in the 15 parishes in the diocese. Euro 3,000
from Louth Co. Co. will help equip the Central Education Office of Mzuzu Diocese with IT
equipment in order to enable it to fulfil its function of administering to all of its 299 schools.

2) St Augustine’s Primary School:

St Augustine’s Primary School is situated in the very fast growing area of Luwinga in Mzuzu
City. Across the road from this primary school is the newly established Mzuzu University
(established 1998) where third level students enjoy state of the art conditions both in terms
of accommodation and learning facilities. But the smaller children in the lower classes of
St Augustine’s Primary School still learn sitting on the ground under a tree. St Augustine’s
Primary School already has eleven classrooms but because of the fast growing population
of Luwinga these present school structures are not able to cater for the present pupil
population. Euro 3,000 from Louth Co Co will help build three additional classrooms and
equip them with school furniture. This will be done before the next rainy season to allow the
smaller children learn whether it is raining or not.

It will be possible to do all this work with only Euro 3,000 as the school committee is
committed to get both skilled and unskilled labour needed in the construction on a voluntary
basis. It will also lobby local businessmen to supply transport free of charge. The Euro
3,000 will mainly be used for materials like cement, iron sheets for roofing, timber planks,
nails, wire etc