Growing Up in Northern Ireland

For many years, childhood in Northern Ireland did not come easily. Boys and Girls grew up in neighborhoods that served as battlegrounds for a deadly conflict, pitting the Protestant family on one block against the Catholic family around the corner. Violence and death were everyday facts of life.

By bringing Protestant and Catholic youngsters to the U.S. for six weeks of summertime fun with American host families, Project Children is helping to break down the blinding prejudice that fueled the Irish struggle. By exposing its visitors to people from the opposite religious tradition -- an eye-opening experience for almost everyone -- Project Children is laying the foundation on which a permanent peace can be built.

History

Project Children began in 1975, when six boys and girls flew from Belfast to New York for a summer holiday away from the Irish "troubles". Since then the program has grown so large that two chartered jets are required to bring its young charges across the Atlantic each summer. As at the beginning of 1996, over 11,000 youngsters from Belfast, Armagh, Strabane, Enniskillen and Derry could be counted as "alumni".

Project Children works closely with teachers, clergy and social workers in Northern Ireland to identify youngsters who benefit most from a summer in America. The children range in age from 10 to 14 and come from neighborhoods in which the Protestant-Catholic conflict has taken an especially heavy toll.

In the States, over 4,000 American families have opened their homes to Project Children's Irish visitors, and it is they who constitute the heart of this program. From its original base in upstate New York, the group of host families has expanded to over 60 communities in 20 states, including the District of Columbia.

Participation

There are no special requirements for participation -- just a willingness to provide room, board, adult supervision and lots of love to a six-week summertime guest. To learn more about how you can participate, contact one of our Chairpersons, call the Washington, DC chapter at (202) 298-7784, or visit their Website.