Nun seeks help for the children of Angola

Young people from the village of Benguela in Angola sat on the dusty floor eyeing the chicken and fresh bread - just a short while later the entire chicken had disappeared, bones and all.

"They never buy chicken because it's way too expensive," said Sr Annie Catania, a Dorothean nun who has just returned from six weeks in Angola where she stayed at one of the 12 homes that St Dorothy's community has across the country.

Meat is a very rare treat for these people, whose main staple is flour with oil and cabbage water with cabbage leaves. Going hungry for two days is also a common occurrence.

After collecting money from bazaars and fund-raising events, Sr Annie flew to Angola to fulfil her long dream to help the poor there.

"I had been travelling to Brazil for the last eight years. In Brazil there is poverty, but in Angola there is misery," she says as she re-lives the images of destitution.

Her first scary experience came when she boarded a plane in Angola to get to her final destination.

"All the seats were torn, everything was broken and the oxygen masks dangled over our heads. I sat down and prayed because I never thought we would arrive in one piece."

Sr Annie's prayers must have been answered because after one hour of sitting in the rickety plane the passengers were informed that it was not able to take off.

Sr Annie was expecting the worst when she eventually got to the home, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that she had a bed and a shower. The pleasure was short-lived: there was no running water.

Angola was embroiled in civil war for 27 years and it was only this year that the death of a veteran rebel leader and the resulting ceasefire reawakened hopes for lasting peace.

The people of Angola have been left with absolutely nothing and Sr Annie visited families whose 'home' was just a makeshift bed with a sack as a blanket.

"Their daily food ration can only be obtained if they manage to sell something. If they don't sell anything, they will not have the money to buy food," Sr Annie said.

Children are taught catechism classes standing outside the church, because there are no chairs on which to sit.

Meanwhile, those lucky enough to have a chair, have to drag it around with them wherever they go: between the church, catechism and school.

"In spite of this, everyone is always care-free and happy - it is incredible to see these people smiling so cheerfully when they have absolutely nothing in the world," she said.

"Instead of toilet paper, these people use stones to clean themselves and they have to walk miles to get water.

"The water is used sparingly and in a small basin. We even saw this young mother washing the laundry, pots and pans, and the children in the same water - and in that order."

During her stay Sr Annie taught the people from Benguela how to sew and knit.

"One day we made crochet handbags. As soon as they finished them, the children raced off to sell them to buy food," she said with a smile.

Apart from the poverty these people face, their fate is further complicated by the rampant spread of the HIV virus, TB and malaria.

In an attempt to make a difference to their lives, Sr Annie is organising a scheme where Maltese people can adopt one child for Lm20 a year.

'The money will go towards feeding these children one meal of fish or meat at least once a week - something they can only dream of at the moment," Sr Annie said.

Those who wish to take part in this scheme may send Lm20 to Sr Annie Catania, Sponsor a Child, St Dorothy's Convent, Mdina Road, Zebbug.

Meanwhile, Sr Annie is also hoping to return to Angola next summer with enough money to help the Dorothean nuns rebuild one of their schools and chapel.

"The building was taken over by soldiers and used as barracks during the war. It has now been returned to the nuns, but it is in a dilapidated and dangerous state," she said.

Though labour is cheap, the material needed to rebuild the school is extremely expensive, meaning that around Lm14,000 is required.

"It's a hefty sum, but I never give up. Maybe one day we can make it happen," she said.

Those who wish to help Sr Annie in her quest may send a donation to the nun's convent in Zebbug or to the Bank of Valletta account: 18208305010.

"All the money we receive will go towards food and restoration," Sr Annie said.