Mayo LGFA stars launch fundraising drive for ‘Plant The Planet’ trip to Kenya

THREE of Mayo’s top female footballers have joined a fundraising drive that seeks to transform the lives of people living in the poorest parts of Africa.

Fiona McHale, Lisa Cafferky and Danielle Caldwell are among 50 intercounty footballers, hurlers and camogie players travelling to Kenya on November 17 for Self Help Africa’s ‘Plant The Planet’ trip.

Players from across the country will engage in tree planning, exhibition games and various other activities in deprived areas of Kenya which have borne the brunt of drought and poverty.

As part of their trip, each player must fundraise €10,000 towards the cause, which will fund the planting of one million trees.

Speaking at the launch of their fundraising campaign at the TF Royal Hotel, Mayo All-Star Danielle Caldwell told The Mayo News that the trip would allow her and her teammates to give back to a less well-off country.

A healthcare worker by profession, Danielle said she is looking forward to visiting the local hospital when she travels to Kenya in November.

“I work in MUH, and they are also in partnership with the hospital that we’re going out to out in Africa. I’m just excited to see what the hospitals are like and just make comparisons to here at home,” said Caldwell.

Kilmovee Shamrocks club woman Lisa Cafferky described the chance to go on the trip as ‘a fantastic opportunity’.

“I suppose just even simple things like playing with the kids and getting to show them the skills that maybe Gaelic football, getting them playing it is something that I’m looking forward,” Cafferky told The Mayo News.

Elverys Intersport, who sponsor the Mayo men’s and women’s Gaelic football teams, have also come on board as sponsors for the trip.

Alan Kerins, founder of Plant the Planet Games/Warriors for Humanity, told The Mayo News that his first trip to Africa gave him ‘a totally different outlook on life and on sport’.

A former All-Ireland winner with the Galway footballers, Alan said that the Plant The Planet Games will create sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of families.

“It’s not just about planting trees. It’s about creating sustainable communities, so it’s a win-win for everybody,” he told The Mayo News.

Last year’s Plant The Planet saw the first intercounty level Gaelic football game ever to be played in Africa.

Three-time Mayo All-Star Aidan O’Shea, who embarked on last year’s, described it as a ‘humbling’ and ‘life-changing’ experience.

“We were able to help in one small way to small communities and families by planting trees that would serve as cash crops and provide for families to live off into the future but also enhancing the soil to avoid further decay of good land,” explained O’Shea.

“It helped ground me and appreciate the very small things that we take for granted every day but also to understand our worries are really not worries at all.”

You can support Fiona McHale, Danielle Caldwell and Lisa Cafferky’s fundraising efforts for the ‘Planet The Planet’ trip via their iDonate page at: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/FionaMcHale