On Monday the 6th of November AMS Launched our Christmas appeal in Brisbane.
On Monday night, Australian Marist Solidarity hosted a crowd of more than 80 guests at the Marist Centre in Brisbane for the launch of its 2017 Christmas Appeal. This year AMS is focusing on St Marcellin School which is located in the Moulovibazar district of Bangladesh and surrounded by tea plantations. With a shockingly low literacy rate of tea garden children of just 25%, there are very limited opportunities to progress to secondary school. Only 20% of tea garden children complete their secondary education. St Marcellin School aims to provide secondary education to the children of the tea gardens. You can read more about the schools work here: St Marcellin School
Marist Solidarity CEO, Brother Allen Sherry, says “the event was attended by Australian Marist Brothers Province Leader, Brother Peter Carroll, as well as other Marist leaders from Oceania and local Marist Brothers, the Association of St Marcellin, MSA schools and Young Marists.”
The event, which was hosted by Marist Solidarity Chairperson, Mr Peter Sheehan, also attracted some of the organisation’s most influential donors, teaching staff, volunteers, supporters and friends.
The highlight of the event was the broadcast of a new 4-minute mini documentary which focuses on Maway, a former gang leader turned trainer who lives in the Village of Wai-lilli, Timor-Leste. During the event the 2018 theme for the MSA Schools Campaign was launched. The theme for 2018 will be Unlock Solidarity: Freedom to Learn and draws our attention to the plight of the children in the tea gardens of Bangladesh and the Marists new school and hostels there which needs support for phase 2 of their community.