Religious Education and Social Justice

Project Compassion Week 2

In this second week of Lent, we meet Margret from Solomon Islands. 

Margret, 39, is a teacher at a vocational school for deaf students in the Solomon Islands. She was born deaf, so she knows the challenges it poses to education and employment.

The school faced water shortages for about half the year. Staff and students would walk for up to half an hour to collect water for drinking, cooking, washing and growing vegetables. Then in April 2020, amidst the threat of COVID-19, Tropical Cyclone Harold struck, damaging school buildings and its vegetable garden.

With Caritas Australia’s support, Margret’s school installed eight large water tanks and provided cyclone-proof materials to repair the damage. It also helped the school to implement COVID-19 prevention measures, providing fabric for students to make face masks.

Margret’s school now has enough safe water to supply the school’s population of 150 and has the capacity to cater for more students. It plans to boost food security, by increasing its agricultural production. This will improve nutrition and boost the school’s income, while building resilience to future disasters.

Margret hopes that the school can aspire to ‘Be More’.

“I am proud that our school community works together with Caritas Australia as our partner in ensuring that we live in a healthier environment,” Margret says.

Watch Margret's story below:

Lent Prayer for Strength and Protection

Lord God, heavenly Father,

 you know that we are set in the midst 

of so many and great dangers, 

that by reason of the frailty of our nature 

we cannot always stand upright: 

Grant us such strength and protection, 

to support us in all danger, 

and carry us through all temptations; 

through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

In the words of St Teresa of Calcutta:

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things, with great love."

Jane Wilkinson

Religious Education Leader