John helps build a brighter future – a brick at a time

Mullingar photographer John McCauley is looking for donations to help fund the building of a school for Tanzanian orphans, at the princely sum of €1 a brick.

 John’s plan is to build a school for the boys and girls of the Amani orphanage in Tanzania next August. He began his association with the orphanage in 2009 following a trip to the west African country to photograph its wildlife. During an unplanned visit to the orphanage, John was so shocked by the children’s poor living conditions that he decided to do something to help them on his return to Mullingar.

 Since then he has raised more than €40,000 to make improvements to the orphanage, which he has overseen on two return visits – on the second visit he brought five volunteers from the Mullingar area.

 The money has certainly been put to good use, funding among other things the construction of an internet cafe, a vegetable garden, improvements to the dormitories, the purchase of cattle and chickens, toilets and showers and a milling facility.

 John’s fundraising efforts have also provided the finance to send one of the orphanage’s local volunteers to teacher training college.

 “I want to try and get them self-sufficient. Locals come and pay to use the milling machine and internet cafe, so now we are starting to make a little bit of money. The internet cafe is also important for the children as the older ones are learning computer skills and they often write to me. I am also going to link them with children in Mullingar of their own age.”

 John’s returning to Tanzania next August to build a school so that the children in the orphanage can learn English, which will greatly improve their employment opportunities as adults. He is also hoping to bring a number of volunteers from Mullingar.

 “I am going out in August but I am launching it now in the run-up to Christmas in the hope that if people are making a charitable donation they might think of us.

 “I also want to give people time to think about if they would like to come. People might say that they don’t know how to lay bricks but I guarantee there is something there for them. You can sit with a child in your arms and have a chat or read a book – there’s something for everyone. I will hold a meeting in Mullingar after Christmas.”

 John might “drive the bus”, but he says that he wouldn’t have been able to help the children if it wasn’t for the generosity of the people of Westmeath.

 “There aren’t enough words to describe my appreciation. What I keep saying to people is that the euro they give me comes with me. There is no administration cost. I had five people travel with me earlier this year – they all funded their own trips and raised funds as well – they all came back floating and had a great time.

 “For me it’s a personal journey in my life. I get an awful lot from it. I only provide them with material things but they in return they give me something that words can’t explain.”

 If you would like to help John, contact him on 087 615 7349; more information on johnsamaniorphanage.ie.