How Concern opened my eyes to a whole new world

AOIFE Garvey, from Rossmore Lawns in Templeogue, works with Concern Worldwide, where she manages fundraising campaigns.
She admits it’s a busy job.
Before coming to work full-time with Concern in 2011, Aoife spent seven months with the agency as an intern.

In July she got the opportunity to see first-hand what Ireland’s largest aid agency does in the developing world.

“I was in Tanzania with students from Tarbert Comprehensive College in Kerry,

? she explained.

“The Tarbert school topped the schools that raised funds for Concern last year so two students from the school and one teacher were brought out to Tanzania to see the work that Concern is doing there.

“We teamed up with students from New York and Chicago, who also are engaged in supporting Concern programmes.

“It certainly opened my eyes to the work that Concern is doing. We visited remote villages in Mtwara, which is in the southern tip of Tanzania. It’s a day’s drive from the capital Dar es Salaam.

“Concern is helping farmers in crop production and is also engaged in advising both women and men in their rights.

“In one of the villages we visited we sat in on discussions on gender dialogue. As a result of these discussions women are finding a freedom to speak their minds and husbands are playing a more active role in family affairs. And it really is working.

“While we were there the Independent Flame of Tanzania was in a neighbouring village and a young woman told us that her husband allowed her to go to see the flame.

“While we may take that for granted, it is a new development in this small rural remote village.

“The work that Concern is doing is empowering people. They are learning new skills and then they are teaching others these skills.

“We visited a secondary school, which had 84 students and naturally it gave our students a great chance to talk to people their own age and learn from them about what school life is like in Tanzania. The school we visited is supported by a Concern partner group in Tanzania.

?
Tanzania is now running a Young Scientist Exhibition, which is being supported by Irish Aid and Concern.

Last year’s winners of the Tanzanian exhibition were guests at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS in January.
Aoife added:

“It was my first time in Africa. In Dar es Salaam we saw extremes of wealth and poverty. In the last five years the country has made great strides. It’s now a honeymoon destination and many ex-pats are living in the capital.

“Concern plans leaving Tanzania in 2016. The agency always works with partners and its Tanzanian partners will continue to develop the work that Concern has been doing in the country

?.

Aoife is a past pupil of St MacDara’s in Templeogue.
She completed a degree in marketing at DIT in Aungier Street, where she also did her Masters in Strategic Management.

“After Tanzania I certainly have a much better insight into the work Concern is doing and naturally it’s given me a whole new impulse in doing my job here,

? she reflected.

“It really was an inspirational experience.

?