Marist Solidarity, through its ‘Operation Shield’ program, is supporting the education needs of more than 60 boys at the St. John Vianney High School, which is located in the city of Peshawar in Pakistan.
The program is enabling students—aged between 11 to 15, who are enrolled in grades six through to ten—to continue their education in the 2015-2016 school year.
Male students, in particular, need support because their families have no other choice than to send them to work, where they are generally required to do unskilled labour for very low wages.
Financially supporting these predominantly male students provides incentive for their low-paid parents to not withdraw them from school at an early age to support their families.
The need to support the education of male children has intensified in recent times, due to a number of violent attacks by sectarian terror groups in the school’s vicinity.
The bombing of the Anglican church, All Saints, in September 2013, and the more recent attack on Army Public School on December 16, 2014, have killed hundreds of people, including the wage earners of so many families.
At the start of each school year in April, parents are faced with the overwhelming costs of providing books and stationery, uniforms, and school fees.
This is the third year that Marist Solidarity has supported the Marist Brothers in Pakistan to alleviate some of the financial burdens faced by families bearing enormous hardships.
We would especially like to thank the school community of Newman College in Western Australia, who have generously supported Operation Shield in past years.