Michael Nugent - End Poverty in Zambia
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This is the fundraising page for my projects to help alleviate poverty in Zambia.
Together with my Zambian friends and partners, we have worked out a few strategies to help to lift people in Zambia out of poverty. Some of the projects, such as micro-finance small loans for widows to start a small business, have an immediate effect. Some other projects, like building a library and supporting education, are much longer-term plans, but the goal is the same. Let's eradicate poverty and make life better for some of the world's poorest people.
Our existing projects include:
- Micro-finance loans to assist widows establish a small business, so as to escape poverty, permanently.
- Training and support in financial skills, and mentorship and support for those seeking to establish small businesses.
- Supply and distribution of books and teaching materials gathered in Ireland, to schools in Zambia, for which we have already sent three shipping containers with over 20 tons of books in each one.
- We have established and are running two libraries in shipping containers which have been fitted with doors and windows, and we have employed four Zambian teachers as librarians for those libraries.
- We run seminars in Zambia every summer, to provide better training for teachers in Zambia in literacy and the teaching of reading and writing, and in computers.
- Our big project for 2023 and 2024 is that we are constructing a purpose-built and architect-designed public library for Chipulukusu, Zambia. This construction was estimated to cost about €140,000.00. Having sent over three 40-foot shipping containers of books in the last five years (and a fourth one now being loaded in Dublin) this is the logical next step to spreading literacy in this most beautiful part of the world. As of January 2024, the construction of that library is nearing an end and we are at the very edge of our budget. Due to rapid inflation of building materials, the construction has gone slightly over budget, but we are still on target to finish the library by the second quarter of 2024.
Many schools in Chipulukusu have no books, and many schools do not even have secure walls and a roof, so that we cannot safely provide them with books. This library will be a resource for all local schools, as well as those who are not attending a school at all, and will have profound and permanent benefits for the people of Chipulukusu.
We still need more money to fully furnish and equip this library. Please donate whatever you can to help us furnish and equip this library, so that we can make the very best of it. All donations will be receipted and very gratefully accepted.
We also need funds to maintain and to develop the other projects which are outlined at the top of this message. Our goal is to raise another €60,000.00 in 2024.
In August 2024, another small team of volunteers is travelling to Zambia to continue the training of Zambian teachers in the Ndola area in literacy, teaching skills and computer skills, so as to make the best use of the books and materials already out there, and also to help get the new library up and running. Last year we trained 72 teachers in literacy and in computers. No money raised on this page or for these projects is ever used for the expense of the volunteer trips, as all volunteers must cover their own costs and also contribute to to the projects.
Also, if you have metal racking shelving which we can use in our library, or children's books or school books or laptop computers to offer, please contact us too, as we are now packing another shipping container of these materials to equip this library.
For more information on what I do, visit my webpage at www.mnugentzambia.com or email me at [email redacted]
Michael Nugent
6 Sandford Road
Ranelagh
Dublin 6.
Tel. 00353 1 4974888
Organizer
Michael Nugent
Organizer
County Dublin
