Concern digs in as rainy season approaches

CONCERN Worldwide’s head of digital, Niall Ã? Murchú is back from South Sudan, where he visited the aid agency’s programmes.

The 38-year-old Dubliner, who lives in Booterstown, has been working with the charity for eight years but this was his first time to see for himself how Concern is spending the money of its generous donors.

“It really is inspiring to see what Concern is doing under such difficult circumstances,

? he revealed.

“Civil war has been raging in South Sudan for the last year and before it became independent, there had been a decades-long civil war in the country.

“Right now peace talks are taking place but the people are still extremely nervous and frightened. As a result there are 30,000 people living in a United Nations-run compound in the capital Juba and another 60,000 at a compound in Bentiu.

?

Niall visited both compounds where Concern is currently working on the ground.

“We had to fly from the capital to Bentiu as it would be dangerous to drive and there are few tarmac roads in the country,

? Niall revealed.

“The compound in Bentiu is built on a swamp and it was never intended for so many people. The people are going to be in these camps until the fighting stops.

“Our track record is great and all the people I spoke to love Concern because they say that they listen and then follow through.

?

The rainy season will be coming in June and Irish engineer Tom Dobbins, who works for Concern, has designed special shelters, which will cope with the rains.

“They have already built prototypes and now plan to build shelters for 8,000 families,

? Niall added.

“They are using elephant grass in the walls and roofs. It means they are using local material and women who are living in the compound are harvesting the elephant grass.

“The women feel empowered because now they are earning their own money and the shelters will benefit thousands of people.

“Concern has also built special latrines for children, which are brighter and where the parents can keep an eye on them. Again, this initiative came about as a result of Concern listening to the needs of the people.

?

Niall is a keen sportsman and represented Ireland in two disciplines. He played basketball and was on the Irish Kung Fu team at the World Wushu Championships in Beijing, China, in 2007.

But these days he is kept busy between work and family life as he and his wife, Josie, have four children under six, including two-year-old twins.

Before coming to Concern Niall worked with a number of web companies.

“I was there just as the web exploded,

? he remarked.

Niall studied English and the History of Art at UCD before doing a Masters in Journalism at the University of Westminster.