Clonakilty's Just One Nepal charity to shut down after 12 years in operation

THE charity ‘Just One’ which provided supports for children in Nepal, is being discontinued.

Declan Murphy’s decision to step down later this year, coupled with changes within the charitable organisation’s operating environment in Nepal, has led to the decision to wind down. Donations are no longer required, it says. 

Since its foundation in 2004, it has provided educational opportunities and social support to over 100 of the most disadvantaged and impoverished children and families in Kathmandu, Nepal – one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world.

Having first travelled to Nepal in 2003, prior to his final year of teacher training, Declan, a native of Clonakilty, was so moved by the scenes of child poverty, homelessness and child labour, that he resolved to return to Nepal to help as soon as he completed his studies. Recognising that education was key to helping these children escape poverty, Declan established the charity in 2004 with an underlying ethos of ‘children helping children’.

Every September Declan has returned to Ireland and talked to hundreds of students about his work in Nepal, and how the money raised through their schools and communities (predominantly in West Cork), was being used. 

Over the years this has included a range of carefully tailored services from social outreach and residential rehabilitation, to on-going education and family support, referrals to income generation and vocational training opportunities and, more recently, setting up temporary shelters to house families left homeless in the aftermath of last year’s earthquakes.

Speaking on behalf of the Clonakilty-based committee, Marian O’Leary said she completely supported Declan’s decision. ‘We are proud of what has been achieved, to have been a support to him and to be associated with all the good work that the charity has done,’ she said.

The support committee  also emphasised a commitment to ‘do its best’ to ensure that any financial resources remaining in Ireland are used to support the children currently helped by the charity, with the assistance of organisations sharing a similar ethos and the agreement of the children’s families. However, the committee now requests that no further donations be made and expressed their gratitude to the people of West Cork for all their support.