Religious Education & Faith Life
St Helena’s is taking part in Socktober, an initiative of global mission aid agency Catholic Mission that raises awareness and funds for critical projects supporting vulnerable children in developing countries. The money raised from Socktober will go towards better health, nutritional and educational outcomes for vulnerable children in Timor-Leste.
One of the first goals for students is to make a “sockball” – a makeshift soccer ball made of recycled materials like old socks. The activity helps students understand the reality of children who cannot afford high-quality balls found in schools across Australia. In fact, decades ago, a young boy named Jorge Mario Bergoglio played with a similar ball on the streets of Buenos Aires. Jorge Bergoglio later became Pope Francis.
"I have a memory ... of the ball of rags, the 'pelota de trapo': leather was expensive and we were poor, rubber was not yet so common, but it was enough for us a ball of rags to have fun and almost perform miracles playing in the square near home."
- Pope Francis, 2021 (La Gazetta dello Sport)
It’s important for our students to understand why children in places like Timor-Leste need our support, and to expose some of the root causes of poverty. In doing this, we are preparing our students to be responsible leaders of change in the future. The sockball activity, helps the students to understand that while in some ways we might be more privileged than children in Timor-Leste, we are very similar in our love of games and sports.