Local pupils’ generosity help rescue Nepalese street kids
Just One founder Declan Murphy was speaking yesterday in Kilmeen National School, near his native Clonakilty, as the school hosted a seaweed cookery fundraiser.
Mr Murphy, who founded the charity in 2004, was accompanied by Sati Balami, a teacher with the charity, and by Bimal Gurung, a young Nepalese man who was saved from a life on the streets of Kathmandu, and who is now working with Mr Murphy to save other at-risk kids.
Gurung was 10 when he became one of the first street children saved by Just One.
As his life changed, he trained as a social worker and is now reaching out with Just One to save other children who are in a similar crisis situation.
Just One needs to raise €50,000 every year to continue its work supporting more than 70 children and their families, and to run its rehabilitation centre, which is home to six kids.
Mr Murphy said the support they get every year from students across West Cork is amazing.
“From crazy hair days to non-uniform events, the generosity and support never fails to astound me,” he said.
“This year, I am delighted to be joined by Sati and Bimal, who have travelled to Ireland for the first time and who bring a new dimension to really explaining the work of Just One — they are the real inspirational ones.
“The entire trip has been one big culture shock for them and this was Sati’s first time even seeing the ocean, never mind cooking with this foreign substance of seaweed.”
Food writer Sally McKenna staged the East Meets West cookery fundraiser to help the charity continue its work.
She spoke about the benefits of seaweed and showed students and parents novel ways to add the superfood to everyday dishes.
The students challenged Sati and Sally to create a fusion of Nepalese/Irish dishes using locally foraged seaweed as well as spices from Nepal.
