Service to the wider community

Year 10 Social Service: The Zoe Foundation

Earlier this year as part of the Year Ten Geography curriculum, St Margaret’s students had the opportunity to listen to Zoe Foundation guest speaker, David Cross. Through his presentation the students gained insight into the heart breaking global phenomenon of child trafficking. The United Nations estimates that about 1.2 million children are trafficked every year. The Zoe Foundation’s focus is in South East Asia where it deploys anti-trafficking prevention measures; rescues and restores children; provides comprehensive care for orphans; trains leaders and empowers survivors and communities to break the cycle of vulnerability. Mr Cross’ talk inspired the Year 10 Social Service representatives to raise funds to donate to the Foundation. They elected to hold a series of lunchtime sales, selling sweet and savoury foods and stationery. Together these sales made a combined profit of over $500. Thank you to the wonderful Year 10 Social Service Representatives Sarah Johnson, Thisuni De Silva and Binithi Gunasekera who coordinated the House group sales and to the Year 10 cohort for baking and assisting on the day.

Sewing sanitary kits for girls in Cambodia

At Assembly on Tuesday 14 November St Margaret’s Senior students presented guest Mrs Nola Kemp, a volunteer from Growing Cambodia, with fifty sanitary kits that they had made. These kits were made over the past two terms, by a group of students who have volunteered their spare time to cut fabric, sew, iron and assemble the sanitary kits for girls in Cambodia. The kits consist of eight reusable pads, two pad holders, two pairs of underwear, one face washer, hotel soap and instructions.

Why Cambodia? For up to 5 days each month, many girls in Cambodia don’t attend school because their families can’t afford disposable sanitary pads. During the sewing sessions the students had many discussions about inequality in educational opportunities for girls in disadvantaged communities around the world. They came up with their own motto, Education is a right, not a privilege. The girls could not have completed this task without the generous help of Ms Roberts who made the pad holders and bags. The students became very proficient at sewing, threading ribbon and mastering the overlocker. I personally would like to thank Year 7 and 8 students Ashlee Duhau, Tahli Chandler, Matisse Menard, Tarushi Rajapaksa, Lucy Kent, Siyan Ai and Deanna Kuruwitage who demonstrated compassion and selflessness in volunteering and also to the many other caring students who came and helped out when they had the time.

Packing birthing kits for Vision sisters

The Year 10, 11 and 12 Social Service Representatives have worked together to support Vision Sisters – a collaboration between World Vison and Birthing Kit Foundation Australia. Last term, the Year 12’s raised the funds to purchase the materials used to make the birthing kits by holding a Ladies Afternoon Tea. This term, the  Willow Restaurant was the venue for the Year 10 and 11 working bee to put together the 400 kits for women in Uganda.  After much preparation the boxes were filling with the completed kits. Thank you to all the Year 10 and 11 students who volunteered to help complete this activity.

Ms Natalie Petruccelli
 Social Service Convenor