Young navan traveller working with disadvantaged kids in mexico
A young Traveller woman from Navan who is studying at Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) is spending her summer in Mexico doing volunteer with children in disadvantaged areas. Annemarie Collins has travelled to Mexico with an organisation called EIL and is working to promote education among disadvantaged youngsters. Each year, EIL give travel awards to students who are actively involved in volunteer work and who cannot afford to travel abroad. Annemarie said she would have had great difficulty continuing her studies here in Ireland without the assistance of a scholarship she received from St Mary’s Navan Credit union.
As a student at Trinity, Annemarie is greatly involved in volunteer work, promoting education to children in disadvantaged areas around Dublin and also with the Travelling community. It was through this voluntary work that she won the opportunity to travel to Mexico.
Annemarie’s story is a remarkable one. She is the first member of her family to go to university, pointing out that pursuit of third-level education is very rare within her community - and particularly among girls. Her work in Mexico this summer involved promoting education to disadvantaged children in Mexico City. She studies occupational therapy at TCD and says she has been greatly assisted in this by having won a scholarship from St Mary’s Credit union. Annemarie is from Woodview, Navan, and completed her Leaving Certificate in 2007 at St Joseph’s Mercy Convent, a school she describes as “amazing”.
When she first arrived in Mexico, the first two weeks were spent in the beautiful city of Oaxaca, where she got to see the traditions and culture of many Mexican people. “The atmosphere of the city was amazing as they prepared for their yearly festival known as the Guelaguetza. This festival happens once a year and runs for two weeks in the city of Oaxaca and surrounding villages,” she said. “The festival focuses on different traditional dances in costumes, with each costume and dance usually having a local indigenous historical and cultural meaning.” EIL gave volunteers the opportunity to learn some Spanish at a school in Oaxaca and they also got to partake in cultural activities - for Annemarie it was salsa!
“I really discovered my inner Latina-ness from the salsa. Oaxaca was such an amazing experience and, from there, I made many friends from around the world,” she said. She then travelled on to Mexico City, the second biggest metropolis in the world with a population of nearly nine million people. She had been warned before she left that Mexico City was crazy, where people get abducted in front of you and everyone is selling drugs. “Yes, Mexico City is crazy - but crazy busy! It is the second biggest city in the world and, just like every other city, bad things can happen. Like Dublin, it has its homeless, its odd characters, lots of buskers, but it also has very friendly people that are so willing to help in any way,” Annemarie said.
She has been involved with two volunteer projects in the city, one with a small group of indigenous children. “The issues with the indigenous people of Mexico is that the young girls are getting pregnant very young, there’s high alcohol or drug intake by parents and the children work from young ages trying to make any money they can from anything they can. “The indigenous people of Mexico have very little or no education and live in poverty. Out of the two projects, this one is without a doubt my favourite.
The volunteers are fantastic! They meet the children twice a week to do various arts and crafts with them. The children are so well-behaved, happy and full of enthusiasm considering they live in poverty. I think if more Irish people could see the standard of living these children are in, they would be more appreciative of Ireland and our luxuries,” she added.
The second project is with a group which works with refugees and immigrants who cross the border into Mexico, mainly from countries like El Salvador and some from Africa. “This organisation offers shelter, healthcare and aims to get these people settled in the Mexican community. Again, this is a great project and I have been able to get to see the different cultures and traditions of people from these countries. “I only have a week left here in Mexico and then it’s back to rainy Ireland. I would recommend more people to look into visiting or holidaying in Mexico. Most people I know have a bad image of Mexico - they think of drugs, poor people and assume all Mexicans wear sombreros. “This could not be further from the truth. While Mexico City has disadvantaged parts, they are no different to the ones I work with in Dublin.
The city is very modern, very safe, full of amazing museums, history, food and people. I love Mexico, the people are so friendly and so hospitable. Their humour, traditions and customs are very similar to the Irish,” she said. Annemarie said she was very grateful to EIL which covered the cost of flights, accommodation and food in Mexico and also expressed her gratitude to St Mary’s Navan Credit union for their scholarship. “The scholarship has meant so much to me and has made a great difference. The cost of third-level education is so high and especially when you are in a health science course. We have to pay for so many vaccinations, uniforms and also I have very high travel costs to St James’s Hospital from Navan,” she added.
The closing date for the Navan Credit union Scholarships 2014 is 30th September and they will be allocated by an open draw. There will be four scholarships of €1,500 per annum each for a maximum of three years. The scholarships are open to all members who have joined St Mary’s Credit union before 31st July. Applicants must intend completing a full-time diploma or degree course at a third-level institution.