Mooncoin man's 20 years of charity work in South Africa townships

It’s a long way from South Kilkenny to South Africa, but one town on the Cape is close to the heart of locals.

Mooncoin man John Crowley is best known as a farmer and supplier of potatoes to local shops. However, not as well known is that he is also the driving force behind sustaining charity contributions to a small home for children in South Africa.

The Elkana Childcare Centre is located in the town of Malmesbury on the Western Cape, an area known for its wine growing, about 60km north of Capetown.
The centre describes it’s purpose as ‘to transform the lives of children who live in severely adverse situations which negatively impacts on their positive development and future.’

At one of the organisation’s premises they offer ‘immediate safety and protection’ to 24 girls between four and 17.
The girls are vulnerable and escaping from situations from extreme poverty to violence, crime and abuse. This short-term care allows social workers find long-term, safe homes for the girls.

Elkana also provides afterschool programmes to 200 students between six and 18 at two local schools, where some are also provided with meals.

John has farmed on the banks of the Suir, in a location made famous by the lyrics of ‘The Rose of Mooncoin,’ all his life. He has been growing potatoes there for 44 years and now is also part of a family partnership, running a dairy farm with his brother and nephew.
You’d imagine that would be enough to keep one many busy, but not John. His many years of dedicated support for the work of Elkana Childcare came about completely by chance.

About 30 years ago a letter came in his door, in Mooncoin, from the Catholic Welfare and Development organisation in South Africa. “I don’t know where they got my address,” he said, but the appeal was for €10 to start a small vegetable garden for the charity.
John would send a donation at Christmastime and receive a thankyou.

This donation would leave most people with a sense they had done their charitable duty, but John always had a dream to actually visit Africa to help, kick football with the kids or buy them an icecream. Just do something to make life happier for the children.
He didn’t think he would ever actually get there though. And then Kilkenny won the All Ireland in 2002 and the team holiday was to Capetown.
“I said two plus two equals four,” John said, and he decided he would go on the trip with the team and other supporters.

In preparation for the trip he contacted the Catholic Welfare and Development organisation and asked could they take him to four or five of their 32 projects, while he was there.
On the flights to South Africa John sat beside Kilkenny City councillor Joe Malone and hurler Tommy Walsh. By the time his tour of the charities took place he had been joined by them, Peter Barry and Richie Mullaly.

They visited a township called Khayelitshia, 50km from Capetown, and a training centre for women. For the Irish group “it was an eye-opener,” John said. They decided they would start fundraising when they got back to Ireland.
They started with a target of €10,000 that year and ended up with €64,000. They were granted an additional €22,000 in government funding. The result was a building in the township that was named ‘Kilkenny Hall.’

The group supported that project for the next 15 years.
A registered charity, the Irish group is known as ‘Friends of Zelda’s House.’ “We have sent almost €500,000 to Capetown since we started,” John said.
The charity takes no expenses, “not a stamp is given,” John insists. He is repaid in the enjoyment of giving his time and seeing the children happy. Click NEXT to continue reading.