LIBERATING LIVES The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) is a community development organisation which works Edmund Rice Education Australia and partner schools with the impoverished and disenfranchised to working with the Edmund Rice Foundation to liberate liberate lives. The Foundation supports sustainable the lives of Australia’s and health and education projects in developing the developing world’s most impoverished and countries as well as projects for disadvantaged disenfranchised people. people within Australia. PRESENCE. COMPASSION. LIBERATION. www.erf.org.au VISION FOUNDATION MISSION The Foundation’s vision is Aware of the unacceptable levels of poverty and injustice in the developing world, for a just and peaceful world particularly for the young, the Edmund Rice Foundation works collaboratively with where the dignity and rights of local communities in development projects involving education, health, vocational all are respected and in which training and community development. all have control over their lives The Edmund Rice Foundation is active in planning, monitoring and evaluating the with access to resources and projects it supports. These projects: the opportunity to achieve their potential. • are grounded in the expressed needs of local communities • promote continuous improvement and wellbeing of those communities • deliver a fair distribution of the benefits that result from the projects GUIDING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES PRINCIPLES The Foundation supports education, health, vocational training and community In its development work the Foundation development projects in developing countries including within Africa, East Timor, is committed to: Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. • A partnership approach to AUSTRALIA development characterised by integrity and transparency Within Australia, the Foundation supports programs for socially and financially • Seeking to understand and respect disadvantaged children, youth and families. These include programs for indigenous the perspectives of those it is in Australians, refugees and asylum seekers. partnership with • Giving priority to projects which FUNDING engage with the most marginalised In providing effective aid, the Foundation partners with schools, donor groups and and exploited individuals. Funds are also raised through functions including luncheons, dinners, • Developing resilient, sustainable sporting events and other activities. communities that over time will result in local management and autonomy If you would like to know more about how you can support the work of the • Being inclusive and offering support Foundation through sponsorships, donations, partnerships or volunteering time or in a spirit of human solidarity resources, please visit our website at www.erf.org.au or contact us on 03 8359 0115 regardless of race, gender, religious or email [email protected] or political beliefs • Promoting and advocating children’s and women’s rights • Promoting and advocating sustainable living and prudent use of earth’s resources. WHY IT WORKS What makes the Edmund Rice Foundation different, transformative and sustainable is that it is present with the people and communities it works with and remains sensitive to, and informed by, their experiences and hopes. The Foundation’s programs and solutions are not designed in far off countries framed by different realities. They are co-created, empowering and real. In working this way, the Foundation best harnesses the goodwill of those who desire to help and support it. The Edmund Rice Foundation reduces the separation between peoples and the reality of their circumstances and it shows how even the smallest engagement can transform lives. INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS The Foundation supports global initiatives to promote solidarity, community engagement and transformational education. EDMUND RICE EDUCATION EDMUND RICE TRANSITION GONE FISHING IMMERSION BEYOND BORDERS (EREBB) SUPPORT TEAM (TST) PROGRAM The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) supports EREBB which was established supports the Edmund Rice Transition Gone Fishing program was established in May 2014. EREBB is an International Support Team based in Nairobi, Kenya. in 2013 to enable a connection between network of Catholic Schools in the The Team is responsible for the Our Australian business people and the Edmund Rice Tradition educating young Way into The Future program that people supported by the work of the people from many faith and cultures. will transform the Christian Brothers’ Foundation in East Africa. In over 20 countries, EREBB endeavors congregational culture and structure The program takes approximately to promote global solidarity and offer a through a community engagement 10 Australians overseas to visit aid transformational education for justice approach. The goal for the team by programs supported by the Foundation. and liberation. 2020, is to create five (5) “hubs” with It is an educational experience designed four (4) communities each in Africa, to open the participants’ eyes and Latin America, India and the Asia-Pacific hearts to the plight of people living to work in collaboration and empower in extreme poverty. The hope of the people where there is great need. program is one of a connection. It is not a fund raising initiative. PARTNERSHIPS The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) works with a number of partners to provide guidance, support and to direct funds for the delivery of aid where it is most needed. EREA AND PARTNER SCHOOLS PROJECT KENYA TERRACE TIMOR NETWORK (TTN) Edmund Rice Education Australia ‘Project Kenya’ is the action of a group (EREA) and Foundation partner schools of people who support the work of the The Terrace Timor Network (TTN), provide vital support for the communities Christian Brothers at Br. Beausang facilitates a partnership between the Foundation works with. Through Catholic Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Comunidade Edmund Rice (CER), the the dedication of partner schools, their The Project raises funds for education community of St Joseph’s College, families and students, around one third support of students, to cover school Gregory Terrace in Brisbane, and a of overall funding is provided through operating costs and to provide much network of Edmund Rice communities donations and fund-raising activities. needed resources. across Australia. The Network supports This support provides education, health the marketing and sale of: and community services that bring ZIMELE about lasting change to the lives of • Timorese family-grown and Since its inception in 2008, Zimele some of the world’s most impoverished harvested organic coffee has raised funds to assist projects in and disenfranchised people. • unique locally made Timorese East Africa. These include the Brother products. 500 SUPPORTERS’ GROUP Beausang school and the Education for Life project in Kenya; the Star All proceeds are returned to the The 500 Supporters’ Group was Support Project in South Sudan; and the communities in Timor Leste. founded in 1999 to financially support Edmund Rice Sinon Secondary School Edmund Rice overseas aid. The Group in Tanzania. Zimele also supports a organises events and luncheons with number of micro-projects in both Nairobi high calibre speakers to raise funds. and Tanzania. At the heart of Zimele is an It has around 200 “members” East Africa immersion program. (supporters who donate $500 per annum or more) and many other donors. PROJECTS IN AFRICA PROJECTS IN KENYA PROJECTS IN SOUTH SUDAN Br Beausang Catholic Education Centre – Embulbul Comboni Sisters’ Hospital – Nzara This school welcomes students of all tribes, cultures and religions from neighboring This hospital works in partnership communities. The school is full with 765 students across primary and secondary with the Star Support Group in classes. There is a unit for children with special needs. Yambio and is the main hospital for the Nzara and Yambio communities Education for Life – Eldoret consisting of approximately 50,000 In Kenya, HIV/AIDS is estimated to affect about 6.3% of the population. The EFL people. It specialises in maternal project supports sufferers and affected families living in the slum areas. The project health and in TB, HIV/AIDS and provides small interest free loans through a microfinance scheme for sustainable Leprosy treatment. income generating activities such as tailoring, production of cultural artefacts, poultry farming and market gardening. STAR Support Group – Yambio Provides services for more than 1,200 Mary Rice Day Care Centre – Nairobi adults living with HIV/AIDS and 200 In an area of extreme poverty this centre supports children from the Kibera slum orphaned children. The centre plays with physical and intellectual disabilities. The centre also supports a micro-finance a vital role in assisting families and scheme which is available for the parents and guardians of the children participating educating the wider community. in MRC’s programs. The scheme makes available small, interest-free loans to enable people to generate their own income. PROJECTS IN TANZANIA Ruben Centre – Nairobi Edmund Rice Sinon Secondary The Ruben Centre operates programs providing health, education and social School (ERSSS) – Arusha development services for the people of the Mukuru slum which houses about A Catholic school for around 1350 900,000 people in inhuman conditions. The centre consists of a: young men and women situated at • primary school with over 2,000 students Sinon near a