Sevier County Schools donating desks to Africa
Nearly 700 old school desks were sent to Africa on Monday from Sevier County Schools.
SEVIER CO., Tenn. (WVLT)- Sevier County students spent Monday morning making a difference by loading up nearly 700 old school desks. A couple of schools in the district received new desks, and their old ones are being shipped to schools in Africa.
After a trip to Africa years ago, Seymour High School lacrosse coach Patrick Doyle had wanted to do something like this for quite some time.
“I got to see these kids that were dressed up in their perfect uniforms and they would walk 5 to 10 miles to school, and then they would walk into a classroom that had nothing. Some of them were even dirt floors. So, I thought one day, if I ever had the means to do something about it that I would,” said Doyle.
The donation of desks and chairs will help take a burden off parents in Sierra Leone, the president of a charity called Develop Africa in Johnson City Sylvester Renner said.
”This will be a huge help in terms of making sure that kids are able to sit comfortably at school and have the desk that they need to be able to learn, so it really has us all very excited. We’re expecting at least 10 schools, between 10 to 15 schools, will benefit from these desks and chairs,” said Renner.
Renner said donations of gently used or new school supplies and sponsors for children in Africa are always needed. The charity accepts donations and sponsorships year-round through its website.
Doyle said the desks are expected to arrive in Sierra Leone within 30 days, and seeing the students and the community coming together to make this happens made him happy.
“I don’t think they realize the impact that it’s gonna have for these kids overseas, and I think maybe it will dawn on them later in life. But for me, I was just so proud of these kids and so proud of our community,” explained Doyle.
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