Following on from the successful visit of thirty-two students from sixteen Loreto Secondary Schools in Ireland to Kenya last June, fifteen students accompanied by two teachers and two Loreto Sisters representing the seven Loreto Schools in Kenya arrived in Ireland last Saturday, the 10th of April completing the circle of the Ireland/Kenyan Link Project.

The Kenyan group started their visit on Sunday 11th April with a Justice and Peace seminar in the Emmaus Centre, Swords, Co Dublin, coordinated by Mr Colm Regan of the Development Education organisation, 80:20.  Mass was celebrated in the afternoon followed by a Reception in the Emmaus Centre to welcome the group officially to Ireland.  Two officials from the Kenyan Embassy attended and formally welcomed the girls and the staff on behalf of the ambassador Mrs. Catherine Mwangi.  The Kenyan delegation made presentations to the various hosting schools.

As well as going to class, the Kenyan students and teachers are exploring human rights issues with each Irish school’s Justice and Peace Group.

The study visits are about ‘sowing seeds’, ‘investing’ in both the present and the future, developing wider world perspective and about building a culture and practice of justice and peace within the Loreto Schools in Ireland and Kenya.

The costs associated with the return visit have been subsidised, to a large extent, by the Irish side of the partnership, with some grant aid received from Irish Aid and WorldWise.