Community & Business
24 March, 2023
Kids learn the gift of giving
STUDENTS in Grade 5 at St Joseph’s School, Atherton are supporting peers from Lahir Island, Papua New Guinea by creating Care Bags full of schooling essentials.
The special project, which took off during Lent, is a part of the school’s efforts to “Pray, Fast, Give”, whilst teaching their students com-passion towards others and giving them aware-ness that others are less fortunate.
Currently the students are bringing in items such as school bags (or bags suitable to be used at school), water bottles, lunch boxes, stationery items (eg. pencils, easers, scissors, rulers), books for completing schoolwork, and fun items such as hair ties, handballs, tennis balls and small toys to fill the care bags.
The students are also writing letters to the students that will be placed inside the bags. Kate Daniels, an expatriate currently living in Lihir, was the inspiration behind the idea after she bought the conditions students learn in to light.
“The kids need pens, paper, lunchboxes, old school bags. Anything really that they may need for school. They basically have nothing,” she said.
“There is no running water or electricity. The teachers are trying their best but have very little to work with. They are grateful for anything that they may receive.”
The project will continue until the Easter break, whereupon donations will be boxed up ready to send to Lihir Island.
They will be distributed to the many island schools for the benefit of the students.
Through participating in this special project, the Year 5 students are hoping to deepen their understanding of the needs of others and the importance of giving
