Welcome to Week 8.

As we journey through Lent, the stories from Project Compassion challenge us to raise awareness and fundraise for some of the most vulnerable people in our world.  The videos and information available through Caritas have been pivotal in helping our children understand the plight of those less fortunate.This week, we focus on Peter from the Solomon Islands. This is his story:

Sixteen-year-old Peter goes to a boarding school in the Solomon Islands which has experienced water shortages for 60 years. Previously students would have to walk kilometres each day in search of clean water. This was particularly challenging for Peter who is living with a disability.

Peter’s mother left the family when he was little and has since passed away. His father decided to move from northern Malaita to Honiara, to better provide for his family. He arranged for Peter to stay with his aunt, then attend Aligegeo Secondary School.

Groundwater sources at the school have dried up and rainfall is unpredictable. Water in surrounding wells often made students sick or gave them rashes.

Caritas Australia, and partners Caritas Solomon Islands (CASI) and the Solomon Islands Government Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene division (RWASH), have teamed up with the school to tackle the problem.

CASI provided a 90 kilo-litre water tank, electric pump and technical advice, while the Malaita Provincial Government contributed labour. Staff and students took part in training, dug trenches and are helping with a water management plan. 

The school now has a safe, reliable water system, servicing around 1,000 people.

“Now we can stay at school to wash and not interrupt our official class time,” 

Peter hopes to focus on his education and to help others in future by working for an aid and development agency himself.

However much more needs to be done to improve access to reliable water and sanitation in the Solomon Islands.

Have a blessed week.

‘In Strength and Kindness St Pius X community embraces diversity…’

This Thursday, 21^st March, will be the 20^th anniversary of Harmony Day, a national day to celebrate the diversity of cultures in Australia. Over the last 70 years more than 7.5 million migrants have made Australia their home, and in 2019 nearly half of all Australians were either born overseas or have a parent who was. We certainly have become an outstanding cultural mosaic!

These numbers are reflected at St Pius X School where there are students from many cultural backgrounds. This unity of families from different cultures is something beautiful, where learning about and sharing cultural practices, languages, food and arts is encouraged. This sense of shared culture and diversity helps to make the St Pius X community what it is.

The message of Harmony Day is ‘Everyone Belongs’ so I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate the diversity at St Pius X School. I will be facilitating a lunchtime activity where students can create paper doll chains to be placed in the school and orange bracelets to be worn as orange is the colour of Harmony Day.

As a side note, I would like to acknowledge all those who I didn’t get a chance to talk with while I was frantically serving coffee on Grandparents Day – if you see me about the place, please feel welcome to come up and say hello!

Last November at Gala Day there was a spin on the Chocolate Wheel for a chance to win a Port Power Season ticket and the winner received a voucher to redeem for the tickets.  The tickets and some extra merchandise are now ready for collection. Would the winner please come to my office and exchange the voucher for the tickets before the Home and Away Season starts.