Helen Clarke writes: 

The Ilula Orphan Program, (IOP) is in the Iringa Region in Tanzania and was started in 1998 with one woman teacher, Berit Skaare, and five  students.  Today IOP has a Preschool, a High school, an orphanage  and there are now approximately 1600  children whose education is sponsored (170 in Luxembourg).

IOP supports the local community in Ilula, with sustainability projects, HIV/AIDS testing, Foster family program, and many more projects. Sunflower Montessori Crèche here in Luxembourg support IOP and are helping to fundraising for the much needed Primary School. Berit Skaare believes that the only way to eradicate poverty is through education.

It costs 120 Euros A YEAR to sponsor a Pre school child. If you would like to find out more about IOP please visit, www.ilulaorphanprogram.org and see the exhibition at the back of church this weekend. I have travelled to Ilula and volunteered for the past 3 years.  Every year I meet the children that I, my friends, family, some of our parish community sponsor. I have time to spend with them, to deliver letters, photos, gifts, to hug them and make the contact with their sponsor real. I am truly blessed to have been able to do this. I thank the European Parish, who for the past two years have allowed me to have a collection at the outdoor Mass. The donations have gone directly to the Primary School Fund.