Timor Leste Plus
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www.mwia.org.au DECEMBER 2016 TIMOR LESTE Educating the PLUS children of Gari-uai Ways to support MWIA ZAMBIA: For I was hungry P10 and you fed me /MaryWardInternationalAustralia | /MWIAustralia 2 Contents Welcome to Sustain 3 Message from Kim Working in partnership with the Loreto Sisters CONTENTS across seven countries 2016 has been a year of hope and and poor education opportunities. The 4 Message from the Executive Officer 3 dreams as MWIA continued to community identified there was a need to strengthen our partnership with the bridge the gap in early childhood learning Project update: Timor-Leste 4 Loreto Sisters working to support 15 amongst their children. Responding to sustainable projects across 7 countries. requests by the community, the Loreto Building the first Loreto Pre-Primary School Sisters in collaboration with generous This year we have been witness to and loyal MWIA supporters are not only Volunteer update 7 moving examples of courage and breaking the cycle of poverty by building tenacity by not only our Sisters, but Reflections from a MWIA volunteer the first Loreto Pre-Primary School in the communities in which they work. our neighbouring country, our Sisters are Loreto Rumbek Secondary School Project update: South Sudan 8 also mentoring young teachers in the (LRSS) is one of our newer projects government school. Loreto Rumbek Secondary School that faces huge challenges. Situated in the world’s youngest nation of South These are only two of the stories in this 7 Project update: Zambia 10 Sudan, progress is almost non-existent, edition of Sustain that tell of the courage Baby Milk Project with continuing conflict and the ongoing of our Loreto Sisters who are enabling devaluation of the Sudanese Pound, life-changing and life-giving opportunities. 8 Annual report snapshot 12 Have you visited our poverty and starvation are sadly a way Whether you are a past Loreto student, website yet? of life. LRSS provides a sanctuary and an parent, friend, staff or committee member opportunity to rise above oppression by or loyal supporter, we believe as a Ways to help 14 successfully educating young women in collective group we have an obligation to their boarding school. give back to those less fortunate. Donate today 15 The result of poverty often sees Every country’s future is in the hands Join us in promoting justice and development education become the victim. In of its children. Living the vision of Mary South Sudan, a 15-year-old girl is more Ward, we work together to empower 10 likely to die in childbirth than she is to communities and educate those children finish secondary school. Of the female most in need. secondary school graduates, only 2% will continue with their formal education. As the Christmas festivities approach However, at LGSS Loreto students have we take this opportunity to extend our a 94% rate of obtaining employment or heartfelt appreciation and Seasons continuing their education. Supporting Greetings to all who have supported this school enables these young women MWIA throughout the year. to have a bright future. With Christmas blessing and good wishes for 2017. www.mwia.org.au Timor-Leste is yet another young nation stepping out from the darkness of Warmly, conflict and recognises that education is vital. With half the population under eighteen and one third of them under eight. A quarter of all teachers are Kim Nass volunteers. Schools are being built in Executive Officer ABOUT US many regions but resourcing them with Mary Ward International Australia (MWIA) is a skilled teachers is another issue. registered charity and is the Australian and international COVER development organisation of the Loreto Sisters. Loreto Pre-Primary School The Loreto Sisters as always recognise Our Mission is to support the development works students in Gari-uai, and courageously answer the call. The associated with the Loreto Sisters and their colleagues remote area of Gari-uai in Timor-Leste, as they empower women to transform structures and Timor-Leste, love to pose systems that keep them oppressed and marginalised. for the camera. faces similar challenges of poverty Partnership for justice and development SUSTAIN Mary Ward International Australia www.mwia.org.au 4 Project update: Timor-Leste 5 Every country’s future is in the hands of its children. In the case of Timor-Leste, 2. a young nation stepping out from under the darkness of conflict, education is vital. Half the population are under eighteen and one third of them under Walking with eight. A quarter of the teachers are volunteers. The Loreto Sisters, with the support of generous donors, are TIMOR-LESTE planning to break the cycle of poverty on the road to one student at a time. The Loreto Sisters recognise the particular gift which Mary Ward, their founder, gave to the world. Mary and PROSPERITY her followers believed in equality for Many ordinary things, in many women and education for all. Despite persecution and opposition, they ordinary places done by ordinary persevered so that these ideals and people, can change the world values could prevail. Responding to a request by the Bishop and the local people of Gari-uai, a small, remote village located approximately 150 kilometres from the capital Dili, the Loreto Sisters began a project to educate children and provide a place for the community to learn new skills and receive support. Now is the time to support the children of In 2016 the Loreto Sisters began the Timor-Leste receive the education needed to construction of a Pre-School and Community Centre, but it has been a transform their lives mix of highs and lows with building disputes delaying the construction for some months. These challenges have recently been resolved and the building will be completed early next year. ABOUT TIMOR-LESTE Population 1.178 million Only 17% of children attend a 3. public pre-school Images 1: Loreto Australia & South East Asia Province Human Dev. Leader, Margaret Mary Flynn ibvm, walking with students from the local Primary School in Gari-uai. Index ranked 134 The Loreto Pre-Primary School is being built to the right of the Church in the background. 2: Loreto Pre-Primary School students enjoying class Average income time with their teacher, Jovita. 1. earned $5,446 3: Local Primary School students playing at Partnership for $ recess time. justice and development SUSTAIN Mary Ward International Australia www.mwia.org.au 6 Project update: Timor-Leste Volunteer update: Katrina Slingo 7 4. Helping others is the gift that KEEPS ON GIVING MWIA volunteer, Katrina Slingo has Time spent at the Gari-uai local Primary recently returned from Timor-Leste School was a roller-coaster indeed! In the meantime, the interim Loreto where she spent one month volunteering The Grade 1 Students were all so keen Pre-Primary School is progressing with the Loreto Sisters who are building to learn and take everything in, which well with the two local teachers, Sonia the first Loreto Pre-Primary School in meant they loved to touch everything, 2. and Jovita, continuing to develop new the remote area of Gari-uai. answer questions very loudly and skills under the leadership of Sister colour-in vigorously! I became aware Each afternoon the Ponte Leste English Diaan Stuart ibvm. As a 20-year-old student still unsure that developing a strong relationship Club was often filled with excited of my vocation, the decision to take with the students and their teachers students who loved learning phrases In early September Loreto Kirribilli a Gap year was an easy one. was vital for progress. Very quickly I such as ‘my favourite sport is…’ or Junior School Principal, Alison Brent, was inspired by their love of learning ‘Professora, can I please go to the accompanied by another teacher, I wanted to incorporate work, and their persistence, especially when toilet?’. I was extremely privileged to Gabby Smith, visited Gari-uai to work volunteering and travelling into my year it came to creating their beautiful art experience their generosity of spirit, with Sr. Diaan to determine how best off study, and Mary Ward International work. Similarly, in the Loreto Pre- especially if I was lucky enough to run they can provide in-service training to Australia, very kindly, facilitated a Primary School, it was amazing to see into them in the market outside of class. the teachers and their two assistants. five-week volunteer experience with the hard work and dedication of the the Loreto Sisters in Timor-Leste. Loreto Sisters reflected in the way the Throughout the year Sisters Natalie children conducted themselves – eager Houlihan and Francine Roberts have I arrived in Dili and was greeted by Sisters to help, kind, constantly laughing (even supported the Grade 1 teachers in Natalie Houlihan and Margie Bourke after a rare episode of tears), and the local government Primary School. ibvm. After driving up the mountain creating wonderful work. A strong relationship has been passing the beautiful setting sun of Timor, established with staff at the school and we reached the Loreto house in Baucau, I was grateful to develop good the hope is this support will continue where we met with Sister Diaan Stuart friendships with the young women with the Grade 2 teachers next year. ibvm and the friendly Belo family who live at Canossa and was lucky enough to 5. next door. The following few days were attend one of their birthday parties Living in Gari-uai is challenging. “Orientation” as Sr. Natalie introduced which involved lots of dancing, cake Despite the village being just 15 me to the community. The welcome and games that ended in many of the kilometres south of Baucau, the roads in each place was filled with kindness, girls on the floor in stitches! are such that it is a 30-minute drive.