Acting Deputy Principal

Mary Rice Day

Each year, St Virgil’s College raises funds for this very important educational facility in Kenya. We have a long association with the Mary Rice Centre, and our donations are very much needed. We have a range of activities being undertaken across the next two weeks – Week 3 and Week 4 – culminating in our Mass and walkathon on Friday 16 August.

On Friday 9 August, both the Junior and Senior Colleges will be having a Free Dress Day to start the fundraising. Students can wear their free dress to and from the College and are asked to donate a gold coin. This can be brought to the College on the day, or donations can be made through Qkr!

On Friday 16 August, our Year 12 students will be walking from the Junior College on Patrick Street to the Senior College at Austins Ferry, a distance of approximately 15 km. They will be seeking sponsorship for this walk on a per-kilometre basis.

At 11.00 am, the whole College will congregate for Mass at the Senior Campus. Our traditional Mary Rice Day soccer game will follow the Mass, and after a shared lunch, the Senior students will commence the annual Walkathon while Junior students will complete their Walkathon in the morning before Mass. We are again asking the community to help us raise much-needed funds for the Mary Rice Centre by donating via Qkr! app.

We thank you all for your anticipated support of our fundraising for the Mary Rice Centre in Kenya.

The Mary Rice Day Care Centre supports children with physical and intellectual disabilities from the Kibera slum, which is located approximately 5km from central Nairobi.

Kibera has been described as one of the most crowded places on earth, and estimates of its population vary widely from around 250,000 to as high as 1 million.

The Mary Rice Centre was started in February 2007 on a purpose-built plot in Kibera. The centre is named after Edmund Rice’s daughter, Mary, who from birth lived with a  disability. Kibera was chosen quite deliberately as it is an area of great need, where children with disabilities would have no access to medical or therapeutic facilities and are often shunned by their community.

The Mary Rice Centre supports children with special needs. It focuses on intellectual disabilities, supporting children through basic learning skills, vocational training, therapy services, and nutritional support. It also supports the parents of the children through skill training and income-generating activities in beadwork, tailoring, and dressmaking. The Mary Rice Centre also works with the local community to improve understanding of disability and break down stigmas. Workshops help parents with the care of their disabled family member, and parent networks foster mutual support.