Dear parents and carers,

This week one of our school values has been at the front of my mind and that value is gratitude. The past fortnight has given us so much to be grateful for or as our foundation students say, “So many things that have filled our bucket!”.

Last week saw the return of our bi-annual art show and I want to firstly thank our talented art teachers, Rosy and Clare, not only for scaffolding our students to create the amazing art works but also for the hours of work behind the scenes in setting up the exhibition. Not even the rain could dampen the spirits of our students and parents and the happiness and feeling of having everyone back together to celebrate the creativity of our students was evident.

The art show also celebrates the long-standing community connections Clifton Hill Primary School upholds with the Friends of Hudad project. This project came to notice of our art teacher Rosy more than 12 years ago, through our visionary ex-Principal Geoff Warren. Geoff heard about the plan for a family at our school who had personal connections with Hudad area, to build a school for the children of the Hudad who had no access to education. Aided by the support of art show, the CHPS have generously donated money to the Friends of Hudad organisation (along with many other community members and organisations). Whilst the school is now built, the organisation continues to support the school as the area faces on going hardships including civil unrest and looting. I have included more information for you to read about the Friends of Hudad at the end of this message.

Our school also continues to strengthen community connections through support of local organisation Djirra. During October CHPS set a target of donating 200 pairs of NEW women's socks to Djirra’s October- SOCK-tober appeal. We asked our families to donate new pairs of women's socks. Djirra is a place where culture is shared and celebrated, and where practical support is available to all Aboriginal women and particularly to Aboriginal people who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past. Our Community SMASHED our target, and we will be donating close to 300 pairs of socks to Djirra later this week - an amazing effort. I would like to personally thank each family that donated to this worthy initiative.

Have a wonderful week and remember to look for the good happening around us,

Kind Regards,

Susan Williamson-Petrie

Assistant Principal

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DJIRRA AND THE FRIENDS OF HUDAD:

To learn more about the work of Djirra, please follow this link: https://djirra.org.au/who-we-are/

The Friends of the Hudad is a grassroots organisation based in Melbourne, founded by a small group of people who have personal ties to Ethiopia. Others have joined along the way. Together with volunteers and the local Hudad community we physically built a school. We are a registered NGO with charity status in Australia and Ethiopia.

The Hudad Community consists of around 100 farming families living in the mountains above Lalibela. They live in mud huts, without access to electricity or running water. Since a population boom last century, the landscape can no longer support their farming techniques. They go hungry for several months each year. The children had no access to education, as the nearest town, Lalibela, is a three hour walk on a small track which is inaccessible by vehicles.

The project aims to improve livelihoods through education, capacity building and sustainable landscapes. All money raised will go towards completing the construction of the school & water project as well as assisting the community with land management training, re-forestation and farming initiatives.

https://chuffed.org/project/the-friends-of-the-hudad

Friends of the Hudad (FOTH), would like to extend huge thanks to the CHPS staff and community for supporting our efforts in Ethiopia through the recent Art Show BBQ, cake stall and raffle. FOTH spent 5 years funding and constructing a school for the remote Hudad community near Lalibela, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, which was completed in 2019.

Since then, Covid, protracted civil unrest, fallout from the war in Ukraine and yet again drought and famine on the Horn of Africa, has made communication with and life for our community extremely dire and particularly difficult for FOTH to monitor and maintain the school. FOTH has for the last 3 years been providing basic emergency aid to the Hudad community through funding the purchase and distribution of grain and other essentials via trusted local partners - we have literally been putting food on their tables.

Your support at the Art show will enable real emergency aid within days, with no administration or intermediary costs, thank you.

Thanks also to Sam and staff at Bakers Delight on Queens Parade for supporting FOTH again with the supply of bread.

Thanks,

Conrad

Clifton Hill Primary School acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we come together to learn, and we pay our respects to Elders of the Kulin Nation past and present.

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