💾 Archived View for gem.amigausers.ie › news_ie › cork1651157606.gmi captured on 2022-04-28 at 17:20:02. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
28 Apr
A Cork dad and his teenage son are to walk over 100 kilometres for an Irish charity working with families and children in Africa.
At the end of April, Leesider John Mulcahy will have walked over 50 miles (80 kilometres) around Cork city, fundraising for Le Cheile Africa and their 'Rainbow Haven' project - a refuge centre run by a fellow Cork man for women and families fleeing domestic violence in Kenya.
"It's just to be able to raise money to give back," said John, who's volunteered for the charity in Kenya before and said it's "amazing, if you can call it that, to be on the ground and give back, to see just where the money is going and how it's really helping to change the lives of these people."
An avid hill walker, John works as a linen porter at Cork's Bons Secours Hospital and has been walking the 'JFK 50 mile challenge' for years and is fundraising this year for Le Cheile.
Finishing the April challenge this Saturday with a full 50 mile walk alongside John is his son, fifteen year-old Eoghan who will accompany his dad on their biggest challenge in June.
The pair are to cross continents, and walk another full 50 miles under the blazing sun in The Rift Valley in Africa, marching along Solai in Kenya from June 29th. While June marks the start of the dry season and the first month of winter in Kenya, temperatures still sit in the mid twenties, with over 8 hours of sunshine a day, very little breeze and high humidity levels.
"We will crisscross the equator and then spend ten days volunteering at the centre, we'll be there for two weeks in total," said John,
"Now that travel has opened up again it's brilliant to be able to actually go over too, to volunteer."
Following their walk, the father-son team are to volunteer at Le Cheile's latest project - the Rainbow Haven centre, which will offer respite to those fleeing domestic violence.
Le Cheile Africa is run in Kenya by Cork man Derry Desmond and his partner Mary Kigo, who both know first-hand the ongoing issues in Solai with over 15 years of charity work and volunteering experience between them.
Originally from Watergrasshill, Derry now spends most of his time on the ground in Kenya helping those in need. He and Mary have also teamed up with Dublin charity The Whistle Foundation, providing day care centres in Kenya for children with additional needs.
"The work they do is just so important," said John, who has known Derry for years, "And Derry and Mary are truly, truly salt-of-the earth people,
"Derry wears his heart on his sleeve," he said, "Anyone who meets them know, what you see is what you get, everything they have they give, and every cent raised goes right into their work,
"And the people of Cork and the people of Ireland have been just so incredible when it comes to helping,"
"Domestic violence is just rife in Kenya," added John, "so it's just so important,
"Derry has told stories of women fleeing and coming to the gates after being beaten by hammers, needing safety, it's just awful,
"It's not about what I or Eoghan are doing at all," said John, "We're not heroes in any sense, it's just what we need to do to give back."
John has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the charity "close to my heart" and keep his supporters updated along the way.