We recently celebrated two significant events in our calendar with the launch of our forthcoming CHANCE Project and a 10 year birthday to Changemakers, with a special event to mark the occasion.

International Fund for Ireland (IFI) delegates visited Tullyarvan Mill in Buncrana recently as guests of Inishowen Development Partnership, at the official launch of the C.H.A.N.C.E project.

Speaking at the launch of the event, Helen Nolan, Chairperson of IDP said, ‘it’s always a privilege to have the opportunity to welcome international visitors to Inishowen and to showcase the achievements of our great community. We were delighted to host international delegates from the IFI at Tullyarvan Mill and to have the opportunity to speak to them about our development work and the positive impact of the C.H.A.N.C.E project on the lives of young people from Inishowen.’

The Chairmain of the International Fund for Ireland, Paddy Harte, officially launched the C.H.A.N.C.E project and speaking at the event said, ‘Inishowen Development Partnership is an important partner of the IFI and has been for many years. Based on IDP’s achievements as part of the first two phases of the CHANCE project, we are delighted to have committed further funding to the project in 2022, bringing our total commitment to date to €345,968 since 2018. This commitment clearly recognises the work and dedication of IDPs staff and Board members and their ongoing contribution to peace development work in the peninsula and beyond.”

Shauna McClenaghan, Joint CEO of IDP highlighted the achievements of the C.H.A.N.C.E project and the benefits to young people that have already participated on the programme, stating that ‘the project supports young people who, for one reason or another, may not have had an opportunity in life, so far, to achieve their full potential, to develop new skills, to find a full time or part-time job, to progress in education or simply to explore the different options available to them in life.

Latest information on our Chance Project here >

CHANGEMAKERS CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

Also celebrating a significant achievement, more than 80 ChangeMakers gathered together at an Grianan Hotel in Burt to celebrate 10 years of the project making a real difference across Donegal over the last decade.

ChangeMakers – an Inishowen Development Partnership initiative which is partnered with Donegal ETB, Self Help Africa, Trócaire and Concern, aims to tackle the global issues such as sustainability, climate change, Fairtrade, food waste and more, but on a local level within Donegal. Funded by Irish Aid, ChangeMakers has been making an impact with the community and local groups over the last decade and last Thursday the groups turned out in large numbers to celebrate ChangeMakers achievements as well as hearing their plans for the next decade.

A wonderful event of fascinating insights into how ChangeMakers has inspired local people and communities, none more so than key speaker Sikhanyisile Dube from Zimbabawe, and her family who moved to Ireland in September 2021 where they were subsequently placed in Letterkenny where she later became in involved with ChangeMakers.

She urged people to ‘push for change’ to try and reverse the damage already caused by climate change.

“I dream of one day being able to take my children to the Africa I remember with the rivers and greenery, but scientists have warned that if we do not reduce our carbon emissions, we risk our planet warming by 1.5 degrees, causing further devastation to nature.

“What can we do? Start small, start local. We can do so much within our own household, but we can also push for change from our service providers and within our communities,” Sikhanyisile said.

“I look forward to making change with you all.”

For more on ChangeMakers visit www.changemakers.ie