We received the following email in relation to the PA School Uniform Recycling Initiative last June. Many thanks to all who contributed.

Good morning, my name is Catherine Nolan from Carlow and I'm sending this mail in order to say a big thank you to Deirdre Stafford on behalf of your Parents Association for the very generous donation of uniforms, running tops, schoolbags and runners which were delivered to my house a few weeks ago by Deirdre's husband.

Deirdre saw a photograph from Gaelscoil Ceatharlach where last year I was donated hundreds of their uniforms as they were changing them. Deirdre kindly got in touch and asked if your school could get involved and I graciously accepted.

These uniforms etc. will be given a second life out in Mukuru Slums in Nairobi where a group of seven ladies are involved with an Irish Sister of Mercy, Sr Mary Killeen. Sr. Mary is known as the Mother Teresa of Nairobi, who is originally from Phibsboro. She has been working in Mukuru for almost 50 years now and runs several projects. We work with her Mary Immaculate Rehabilitation Centre for Street Boys, where she currently has almost 70 boys ranging in age from 4 years old to 17years old, the boys live at the Centre after being brought in from the Streets and we provide them with safe lodgings, food, clothing and most importantly an education.

You can read more about Sr. Mary and her work here.

Two of our ladies are currently out there and I unfortunately had to pull out of this trip but we do travel twice a year, again in March. We work on the ground with the boys and any donations we receive are brought over directly by ourselves and we make all the decisions. We are in operation now for 10 years.

I also wish to acknowledge receipt of €250 which was sent to sponsor cost of suitcase (suitcases) by the Parents Association and this money will be used next March. I understand too that there are books and copies on the way too. Please bring this email to the attention of the Parents Council and when we print our next Newsletter I will forward a copy to the school.

Kind Regards, Catherine Nolan.

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