Malealea Development Trust - AIE 2025

My name is Patrick Jones and I am a 5th year student in Clongowes Wood College. I am delighted that I have been chosen to take part in this year’s African Immersion Experience this Easter to Lesotho.

Myself and a group of 16 other students will travel to Lesotho, a small landlocked independent country in South Africa. Lesotho is in the bottom 15% of the poorest countries in the world, with over 50% living in poverty and male life-expectancy at around 50 years.

Our group will be staying in Malealea village as pilgrim servants and students. As servants, we make our contribution in Lesotho by doing whatever the local community asks us to do. In past trips, groups have completed important tasks ranging from building and fixing roads, preventing landslides, and even organising a library for the village. As students, we hope to be open to learn from the Basotho people and return home enriched by their welcome.

Our families will bear the cost of our travel/accommodation – and we are the workforce once we get to our base at Malealea. However, while our services will be of large help to the community of Malealea, there are also urgent year-long needs for which the people rely on us for financial support – e.g. education/housing/health.

So, I am writing to ask for your generous help to enable us to bring with us – in addition to our presence – this essential financial aid to a people who struggle every day to make ends meet. No amount is ever too small, and every cent will go to the Malealea Development Trust, a small local organisation who work tirelessly in Malealea to build a better future for their community and home. They will know best how to distribute this money in order to solve issues and further development for the people.

Thank you for reading this far, and any contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Patrick