New classrooms in Tanzania are a ‘wonderful legacy to Lauren’

CHILDREN in Africa will be given a better chance in life through education thanks to a fundraising initiative in memory of Donaghmore teenager
Lauren Bullock.

Lauren who was just 17 years-old died in a crush at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick’s night 2019 which also claimed the lives of Morgan Barnard (17) and Connor Currie (16).

Ahead of today’s third anniversary of the tragedy, the Derry-based international development charity Children in Crossfire shared images of the classrooms they have been able to build at Mapinduzi Primary School in Tanzania’s Dodoma region which were funded by money raised in her
memory.

The cause was close to Lauren’s heart. She was a passionate advocate for children’s rights and had told her family about attending a talk in her
school, St Patrick’s College in Dungannon, given by Children in Crossfire’s Executive Director, Richard Moore.

Lauren’s family and friends were inspired by the teenager to fundraise for the charity, who work in Ethiopia and Tanzania.

“Lauren cared very deeply about children,” said her mum Mary. “She had told us about hearing Richard Moore speak at school and being very impressed with the work Children in Crossfire does. Sadly, she will never be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a social worker and making life better for vulnerable children here.

“However, these new classrooms built in her memory will do exactly that for children growing up in disadvantage in Tanzania. As we mark her third anniversary, we take inspiration from her beautiful life and wonderful legacy.”

Richard Moore praised the family for their efforts in fundraising in Lauren’s memory. “It has been a wonderful honour for me to get to know the Bullock
family. I feel privileged that they chose to support Children in Crossfire in Lauren’s precious memory,” he said.

“While I am delighted that two new classrooms have now been built in Tanzania because of funds they raised for us, it goes without saying that I deeply wish this project might have come about in very different circumstances.

“One of the great challenges Children in Crossfire face as we implement our pre-primary education programme is the lack of quality classrooms
in schools. Overcrowding is a near universal problem, which limits the impact we can make. To overcome that obstacle, we work with local communities to build and equip new classrooms.”

Mr Moore said that in a remarkable tribute to Lauren “the Mapinduzi community reacted to her story by mobilising enough additional resources
to complete a second classroom at their school in her memory”.

He added, “Thanks to Lauren’s family and friends, thousands of children will get a better education over many years to come. Something positive
has emerged out of Lauren’s tragic loss; and I hope Mary, Martin, Ryan and Shane will take comfort in knowing that this will always be a part of her legacy.”