We are pleased to announce that the new partnership between Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) and the Marist Fathers’ international aid and development agency, Marist Mission Centre, is now fully operational.
Initially, the partnership involves AMS administering 15 development projects in collaboration with all branches of the Marist family, including the Marist Sisters, Marist Missionary Sisters, Marist Fathers and the Marist Brothers.
It will also support the implementation of locally-run initiatives with the first three of these benefiting communities in The Philippines, Fiji, and Thailand.
In The Philippines, the Marist Sisters operate a project to support the Indigenous Badjao people in Davao City, especially children and mothers. It involves working with this tribal group, who typically live in waterfront slums, to encourage children to attend school rather than beg or work on the streets.
In Fiji, the Media Watch project is educating rural communities about the impact mass media and technology has on their daily lives. It also encourages active participation in using these technologies, especially by women and children, to help build communities.
And in Thailand, the Marist Asia Foundation—a project of the Marist Fathers in Ranong—is providing educational opportunities to Burmese migrants. Every day, more than 200 children and young people attend the centre and receive free pre-school and secondary education.
Last year, 12 students undertook an online diploma thanks to a partnership with Australian Catholic University. Many of these students are now employed as teachers, health workers, translators, and various other positions. And some graduates from previous years now work at the Marist Asia Foundation to help implement programs in their own communities.
Please visit the AMS projects page for more information about other AMS projects.