Civic send off for Holyrood pupils on Malawi mission

BRAVE humanitarian workers heading for Malawi were given a civic send off by Glasgow Lord Provost Bob Winter.

He welcomed 25 pupils from Holyrood Secondary school to the City Chambers on Monday before they travelled to Malawi.

It is the second trip to the Zingwangwa district by pupils from the school following their highly successful visit last year.

Then they built three new classrooms, one specifically for pupils with special needs at the Catholic Institute Primary - one of Holyrood's partner schools.

The school has matched the £70,000 it raised last year to fund the new projects.

Now the pupils will work with local communities at their partner schools, which include Zinwangwa Primary and the Stella Maris Girls' Secondary School.

They will build a two-classroom block for pupils with special needs and renovate a classroom block.

Pupils will be accompanied by Holyrood head teacher Tom McDonald and Tony Begley, depute head teacher.

Councillor Winter said: "It is tremendous that our young people are prepared to raise such significant sums of money and give up their summer holidays to help children from one of the poorest countries in the world.

"I have been told it is humbling to go out there and experience the extreme poverty and hardship the Malawians endure.

"I have also been told that the pride and joyful demeanour of the Malawian people who receive aid is a privilege to witness and life-changing for everyone who encounters them.

"I am delighted to welcome our young people to the City Chambers and look forward to hearing about their forthcoming trip."

The Lord Provost's International Office has strong links with Malawi, regularly sending out humanitarian teams.

Last year it co-ordinated the building of an orthotics and prosthetics workshop and clinic in Malawi in partnership with former Scotswoman of the Year and meningitis survivor Olivia Giles.