This article is from page 34 of the 2007-06-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 34 JPG
AFTER three long years away, Sr Mary Neylon has graced Inagh with a short visit home. Having worked for the past 18 years in some of the poor- est parts of Peru, Sr Mary is hoping that this year’s Clare Mayoral Ball will raise much needed funds for two very worthy charities.
The ball hopes to benefit Caher- calla Hospice by providing an exten- sion from seven rooms to 10 rooms, all ensuite. This will help ensure that the hospice can continue to provide invaluable comfort for the terminally UU TeLe mM elobmB KS ELBA oKe
The other deserving charity to ben- efit from the funds raised is the cen- tre for young mothers currently being developed by Sr Mary in Peru.
“It’s a centre for the personal de-
velopment of women, where we have workshops in personal development, which includes self-esteem, aware- ness and communication and also workshops in arts and crafts,’ ex- plained Sr. Mary.
‘Psychological attention is given to the victims of violence, something which a lot of the women have suf- fered.”
She hopes that the money raised will benefit the work she has dedi- cated her life to.
‘‘T have been renting a place. I would hope that if we get enough money we could build a centre that the women would have for themselves,” contin- ued Sr Mary.
‘‘A new centre would allow for more possibilities for the women; more workshops, more therapy sessions, more therapy of healing, vocational
therapy, more space for skills train- ing and leadership trainings towards the future, empowering us women.”
The exceptional work of Sr Mary has greatly affected the lives of young mothers in Peru, providing them with precious training that helps them to earn their own money and improve their living standards.
‘A number of the women who take part in the workshops have expressed self-confidence, are able to commu- nicate better, are able to stand up for their rights and have also learned certain skills that they didn’t previ- ously have which gives them possi- bilities for income,” she said.
aVidaCelUtcd emmy EDM Yas et- Ree )Il eM LeLUI Kare! So much to this area of Peru, she still feels that it has been a group effort more than anything else.
“It’s not me doing everything. It’s
other people’s help and getting locals and trained professional people such as psychologists and teachers to get involved in the problems.”
The inaugural Clare Mayoral Ball will take place in the West County Hotel, Ennis on Friday, June 15. Cor- porate tables to seat 10 people are available at a cost of €100 per person or £1,000 per table and can be booked by contacting Mairin Hill, Corporate Services, Clare County Council at 065-6821616/ mhill@clarecoco.ie or Mary Moroney, Cahercalla Hospice at 065-6824388.