One of the greatest experiences the Irish team got to enjoy in India was seeing the work of Irish aid agencies. These people give up large periods of their lives to work for the betterment of their fellow human beings, and the players showed their appreciation by visiting and helping to bring the message home to Ireland.
St Patrick’s Day in Kolkata was one such occasion, when Niall O’Brien took time out – on the eve of a World Cup game – to visit the Irish charity Suas and the children it works with. Alex Cusack and John Mooney also visited the Suas projects.
Suas is a leading mid-sized charity that works in Ireland, India and Kenya to provide quality education in under-resourced areas.
Now Suas wants more young Irish club players to follow in the footsteps of Niall, Alex and John Boy and come out to work with it in a land where cricket is the revered national sport.
The Suas Volunteer Programme recruits 80 young people each year who work as teaching assistants in India and Kenya to bolster the learning of the children in its partner schools. In addition to assisting with the time-tabled curriculum of the school day, these volunteers undertake a range of extra-curricular activities including art, drama, music and, of course, sport.
Statistically, India has the highest number of children out of school in the entire work with numbers reaching upwards of 21 million absentees and Suas works with partner schools in India to promote access to education, and to mobilise more and more children into the education system. This is achieved through ongoing financial and technical assistance, and through the provision of short term volunteers.
For those children who are in some form of education – be it in a formal or informal capacity - sport provides a major outlet, and acts as a huge incentive for them to remain in school. Considering the country’s relationship with the sport, cricket is a cornerstone in India’s sporting agenda.
In Kenya, volunteers have also taken tentative steps towards promoting cricket in schools and it is hoped that the sport will soon become as popular with the children there as it is in schools in India.
A number of Suas’ past volunteers have come from cricket clubs throughout Ireland and the contribution that they have made to the lives of the children that it works with is immense.
Suas is currently recruiting for the 2012 Volunteer Programme and is particular interested in receiving applications from those involved in or with an interest in cricket. All information and an application form are available on the website at www.suas.ie.
Don’t miss this opportunity to do something really worthwhile next summer!
Applications close on December 5th 2011.