In the early hours of Thursday morning, a group of TY and 5th year students from Portlaoise College are setting out on a life-changing experience to Gambia.
This is the eight year the Gambia trip project has been running in the school with the journey to Africa taking place once every two years, this is the fourth time a group of students have travelled to Gambia from Portlaoise college.
The trip is run in conjunction with another school in England and Portlaoise College has ensured there has always been progress year on year.
On previous trips they have helped the development of the local school, including the provision of a well and providing supplies to the local hospital and medical centre.
For this year’s trip, the 14 students and their five teachers have raised a significant amount of money for the local hospital and the medical centre.
They have also secured provisions for the Primary and Secondary schools, with teachers and students both planning on engaging in lessons and having a sports day for the students in the schools along with carrying out crucial repairs on the school.
Both teachers and students are extremely grateful for all the support and assistance they have received in their fundraising and sponsorship for the trip.
Laois Shopping Centre, Tesco Portlaoise, Whitewater Shopping Centre Newbridge, Hughes Pharmacy, the parents, the school community and Mochua Print were all extremely helpful and generous in their assistance.
This trip will prove to be a rewarding and enriching experience for both students and teachers who will be able to empathize with the Gambians and to see what it is to make a difference in peoples lives and their communities.
The group will keep us all up to date on the Portlaoise College Facebook and we look forward to hearing how they got on when they return.
The list of students going on the trip are as follows:
Kevin Dillon, Kasia Polak, Byron McGuirk, Lee Carroll-Talbot, Farrah Scully, Imran Shitta, Daniel Gorman, Dylan Scott Lawler, Flavius Hiliuta, Kelli McEvoy, Cian Roche, Nikitta Cullen, Ella Fitzpatrick, Jelena Rashkovska
Teachers:
Mr O’Neill, Mr Travers, Ms Cripps, Ms Kennedy and Mr Travers
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