Tag Archives: West Africa

COMPANIES in Clare should “step up and provide corporate support” to West Africa, as it fights to contain the outbreak of Ebola, an Inagh man leading one NGO’s response to the disease in the region has said. Damien Queally of Plan Ireland has just returned to his base in Senegal from a visit to the charity’s projects in the three worst-affected countries. “We are looking for medical personnel, good solid project managers who are able to keep multiple activities moving at the same time, logisticians. It would be great if some companies would step up and provide corporate support with some of the supplies that are needed. Personal protective equipment for one person is about €50, a water hygiene kit is about €25,” he said. “After visiting the three countries, while I was a bit apprehensive going in, once I saw the hand-washing checks everywhere, the temperature checks everywhere…there is a lot more in place, my fear went. Having gone …

AS the deadly Ebola virus continues to spread in West Africa, Inagh’s Damien Queally is co-ordinating NGO Plan Ireland’s response to the disease. In his time with the organisation, he has worked in Uganda, Congo, Darfur, Haiti and Niger. For the past year and a half, Damien has lived in Dakar, capital of Senegal and his main work has been in the area of education and health. He expects to be there for another 18 months. Damien is now deputy head of programmes for Plan Ireland in West Africa. Plan, he explains, “focuses on children and youth, looking at what are the rights of children and young people” but as the Ebola virus claims its 1,145th victim, his work has shifted sharply in that direction. “We work with children, their communities, local agencies, government and parents, around seeing how can we help them help their children get access to education, to ensure they are getting vaccinated, to ensure they have …