Stockbridge businesswoman Sheila Dhariwal of Galerie Mirages, Trishna Singh OBE and Jenny Lewis from Dance for All, are holding a Ceilidh for South Sudan at Stockbridge House on Saturday the 29th September to raise funds to help young Sudanese refugees affected by Africa’s longest-running civil war, access education.
The fundraiser supports MADEF Kenya, a self-help group founded by South Sudanese refugees, including current Director, Mike Riek Buom.
MADEF Kenya runs a number of educational programmes in Kakuma Refugee Camp and all funds raised from the Ceilidh for South Sudan will go towards MADEF Kenya’s tuition programmes,solar lighting initiatives, a library project, as well as a women’s projects; sponsors will also be sought for individual school children, costing £140 per year for full sponsorship, or £70 per year for shared sponsorship.
© MADEF Kenya
“10 years ago”, says Sheila Dhariwal “I had the chance to sponsor and meet Mike, an unaccompanied minor who’d been alone in a refugee camp from the age of 12. His courage and determination to get an education, was totally inspiring. His dream was to be a doctor. He sat and passed his finals this year, qualifying in medicine and surgery – an incredible achievement. But Mike has not forgotten what it was like to be a child alone in a refugee camp – he’s spearheaded MADEF, helping hundreds of other refugee children, just like him and helping to keep hope alive.”
MADEF was born when the founders originally came together and went without lunch to help a fellow refugee who had no money to go to school. The first Ceilidh for South Sudan was held in 2010 to raise funds to help one student, Ben, attend college. “He went on to complete a business management degree and has now bravely returned to his war-torn country to support his whole extended family and helping his people, who are facing the ravages of war, by working for an international aid agency.”
Students with new solar panels learning about creating sustainable energy.
“The women’s group provides basic education classes for mothers and, for the first time, five women reached the educational level to be admitted into school in the refugee camp – this is a truly amazing and life-changing achievement. The team have also started sewing classes and in partnership with Galerie Mirages have started a very successful income generating project. The project produces bags for life in beautiful fabric with African style prints . These bags are for sale in Edinburgh in Galerie Mirages, The One World Shop and the Edinburgh Centre for Nutrition and Therapy, with all profits going back to the project in Kakuma .
The event has grown year-on-year, with 20 primary and 13 secondary pupils sponsored or supported in 2016. The solar lighting initiative is helping over 3,500 children who are now able to read and study at night. Most homes in the refugee camp have no light.
The children receiving sponsorship are able to greatly improve their grades and have a higher chance of scholarship to a Kenyan secondary school. This is the most ambitious ceilidh fundraiser to date, with sponsorships sought for both primary and secondary school students.
Ceilidh for South Sudan
This years Ceilidh will have live music and direction from Carrie on Dancing. There will be curries for dinner cooked by a guest chef from Leith’s Punjabi Junction along with donated cakes and desserts. There will also be a Tombola and Raffle (tickets £1) with prizes including designer jewellery from Galerie Mirages and donations from local people and business owners.
Ceilidh for South Sudan
Saturday 29th September 7pm – 11pm
Stockbridge House, 2 Cheyne Street,EH4 1JB
Tickets £15 adults / £5 children / Under 5s free (Dinner Included)
Tickets available from Galerie Mirages and The One World Shop and on the door on the night.
