Power of Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Victims and Survivors group an example of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation- Minister Joe Costello 

The Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello TD today hosted  an event in Dublin for the ‘Victims and Survivors- Make a Difference Worldwide, Northern Ireland and Malawi’ group.

The Victims and Survivors Team was set up with the support of the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund,   established in 2004 to promote cross community and reconciliation initiatives.

Victims and Survivors has been partnering with ‘Make a Difference Worldwide’, a  Northern Irish based charity, for a number of years implementing projects to support impoverished communities in Malawi. Irish Aid has supported this work since 2009.

In 2014 Irish Aid is supporting the Victims and Survivors team and ‘Make a Difference Worldwide’ to implement a pig farming project.  A cross-community team from Northern Ireland will travel to Malawi for a 2 week period to work with the local community to construct the pig farm. In advance of the visit, members will undertake fundraising activities in their local communities.

Minister Costello said:

“The work of the Victims and Survivors Team is an example to all of us of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.   The work that has been undertaken is concrete proof of how people can move forward together while working to assist people living in some of the most difficult and deprived circumstances in the world.”

Press Office

29 May 2014

 Notes to Editor:

• Irish Aid is the Government of Ireland’s programme of assistance to developing countries. It is a division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• The Victims & Survivors (V&S) group was set up with the support of the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund (NIMF), established in 2004 to promote cross community and reconciliation initiatives.
• Make a Difference Worldwide (MADW) is a registered charity in Northern Ireland. The organisation has supported a range of projects in Malawi including education, health, housing, food aid, community development and agriculture.
• V&S has been working with Make a Difference Worldwide in Malawi since 2009, with support from Irish Aid.
• The total cost of the project will be €37,000. The Victims and Survivors group will fund-raise €11,000 with the balance of funding (€26,000) provided by Irish Aid.