Kilimanjaro Mama – Partnering to make a difference

SalesSense International became aware of the Tír na nÓg story in 2020 having watched the Kilimanjaro Mama documentary. We were all touched by the love, support and vision that Louise Quill and her team bring to the lives of the children in Tanzania. This was further strengthened when many of our own children saw the movie at school and wanted to get involved. Through our CSR programme we reached out to Tír na nÓg and have partnered with them as our chosen charity. SalesSense is committed as a business to supporting the organisation and as individuals through our employee engagement. As a result I am delighted in my capacity as CMO of SalesSense to join the board of Tir na nOg Orphanage CLG.

Kilimanjaro Mama documents the story of Tír na nÓg Orphanage which began in 2007. Upon graduating from UCC, Louise Quill began working for the summer as a volunteer in Tanzania. Her experiences working with children in the Kilimanjaro region convinced her of the need for a facility that would provide a family unit for the orphaned and abandoned children of Tanzania. Together with locals Pastor Cletus and Monica Tukai, Louise decided to create a children’s home. Tír na nÓg Orphanage opened its doors in 2007 and offers a safe and loving environment to the children of Tanzania, one where they feel valued and can reach their full potential.

The Tír na nÓg team is made up entirely of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to establish the organisation beyond its original crucial role to offer a family unit to the children, now numbering over 60 children. Today it also educates according to abilities and the team strongly believes in developing its schools to not only create the leaders of tomorrow, but to deliver sustainable projects that will offer employment within the community. These projects will empower the people who live there. There are two operational farms each of which serves as both an educational tool and a provider of food, and between them they support over 400 people daily. Tír na nÓg Kindergarten and Primary School offers education to over 300 children from the community. The organisation employs all local people in their projects and has over 30 staff members to date. In the 2019 documentary Kilimanjaro Mama , director Malcolm Willis captures the heart of the Tír na nÓg story and illustrates how one individual like Louise Quill really can make a difference, transforming lives and giving children a chance to showcase their individual talents, interests, and dreams.

At SalesSense we strive to build experiences that deliver extraordinary results through our values of Teamwork Inspiring Excellence. Louise’s story of building a truly inspirational team that changes lives has resonated deeply with our people and our values. It is now a key cornerstone of our CSR programme and we support Tír na nÓg Orphanage to dream of bigger and braver goals. For those who have not seen the documentary it is a very inspiring watch.