Teach an Léinn fundraiser for Ukraine on Friday
Adult students at Teach an Léinn in Nenagh will this Friday hold a fundraising event in support of people in war-torn Ukraine.
Three Ukrainian refugees make up a multinational Second Year class at the Tipperary ETB further education and training centre on Kenyon St. They are all purusing a level 4 QQI award in communications, personal effectiveness, health & fitness, English, maths and IT.
Viktoria Shobotenka and Sherhii Rudevych are among a group of around 100 Ukrainian refugees presently living in the town and Nenagh. They came here from Kiev about eight months ago and are part of a group of 20 or so staying at the Ormond Hotel.
"We are happy here in Nenagh because people are very friendly and they help us," said Viktoria, who struggled to speak English when she first arrived here. She and Serhii were both architects in their former life, before it got turned upside down by the Russian invasion.
Serhii has secured employment in The Lunch Bag factory at Lisbunny Industrial Estate. He sends money back to his friends and family in Ukraine. He spoke of being "very surprised" at the friendly reception he and his countrymen have received in Nenagh, though he yearns for the war to be over so he can return to his homeland.
"After war, we want to go home," he said. "Now we try to help [people back in Ukraine] while we stay here. Every week we send money there."
COFFEE MORNING
He and Viktoria both spoke of how this Christmas will be very difficult for them. But it will be nothing like the hardship facing those they have left behind in Ukraine, now enduring a harsh winter without electricity, heat, running water and many of the other comforts we take for granted.
That is why they and their fellow students have organised a coffee morning at Teach an Léinn this Friday, proceeds of which will go towards the purchase of a generator for people in Ukraine with no power They also want to provide heating devices, candles and power banks.
There will be a raffle with some great prizes including hampers to be won. The Teach an Léinn learners will also be selling clothes and souvenirs sent to them by people in Ukraine, along with Ukrainian food and Christmas cards.
Encouraging people to support this event, teacher Breege Corrigan said the Teach an Léinn programme has proven very beneficial for the Ukrainian participants, who are settling well into the community despite the difficulties they encountered on arrival.
"It was very difficult because their level of English was poor enough, but because they are interacting with all of the students here who have English, and the teachers, their level of English is getting better," she said. "They chose to do that and be part of this full-time course, rather than doing classes. When they're in here, it's a full exposure to English, whereas with classes it's only two hours or three hours. They're making friends with Irish people and Polish people, and integrating really well."
All of the other members of the group spoke similarly of the educational experience at Teach an Léinn. Paulina Staniszewska, for example, came here from Poland about 10 years ago. She came to Teach an Léinn to improve her English and complete the Leaving Cert maths course.
All of the group's energies are now focussed on getting ready for the coffee morning this Friday, December 16, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, to which all are welcome. Anyone who cannot attend but would like to make a donation can scan the accompanying QR code with their mobile phone. Donations will go to the Ukrainians in Ireland charity (www.ukrainians.ie).