Ireland – Generation Change https://blogs.dw.com/generationchange Whether they are campaigning for free press in Zimbabwe, helping provide clean water in India, or offering free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the UK, young people all over the world are making a difference. Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:49:27 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 When your mom drinks too much https://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/2014/03/when-your-mom-drinks-too-much/ Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:53:47 +0000 http://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/?p=4855 Imagine coming home from school and finding your mom passed out, surrounded by empty bottles. For Louise Farragher, now 24, that was the everyday reality of her childhood in County Mayo, Ireland. She grew up detoxing her mother and looking after her younger siblings.

Today, Louise’s mother is sober and the two have founded an organization that helps other families cope with addiction. Because of the challenges experiences she’s been through, Louise is able to reach out to the children of alcoholic parents and help them through the huge responsibility that’s dropped on their shoulders.

Listen to the report by Alan Meeney in County Mayo, Ireland:

Louise is one of an estimated 100,000 children in Ireland that are affected by their parents' alcohol addition (Photo: Louise Farragher)

Louise is one of an estimated 100,000 children in Ireland that are affected by their parents’ alcohol addition (Photo: Louise Farragher)

Since shame is often associated with alcoholism, many people don't seek help in the first place (Photo: Fotolia/lassedesignen)

Since shame is often associated with alcoholism, many people don’t seek help in the first place (Photo: Fotolia/lassedesignen)

 

 

 

]]> Opening hearts for epileptics in Ireland https://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/2013/05/opening-hearts-for-epileptics-in-ireland/ Tue, 07 May 2013 13:47:26 +0000 http://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/?p=3585 In Dublin, Rachel Ashe was shocked when she was diagnosed with epilepsy. First by the fact that she would have to take medication for the rest of her life, but also by all the prejudice and ignorance about the disease that she encountered. So, she decided to set up her own support network – Epilepsy Ireland – and now she spends much of her time helping others with epilepsy and raising awareness about the illness that affects some 30 to 40 thousand people in Ireland. One of them is reporter Eoin Kernen, who brings us this week’s Generation Change report from Dublin.

Listen to Eoin Kernen’s report from Dublin:

Opening hearts for epileptics in Ireland

 

Rachel Ashe has exceded her own expectations (Copyright: R. Ashe)

More about Epilepsy Ireland on their website and their Facebook page.

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