Social Services

2007 saw the introduction of a new position at De La Salle College – Social Services Coordinator. This initiative was designed to develop an even stronger social conscience in our College community, to promote among the students the idea and ideal of being “men for others” and to translate Christian idealism into action. A logo showing a pair of boots with the statement “Walk in someone else’s shoes” was created to remind us of the challenges ahead. In 2006 Br Denis established the “Coolies” program whereby Year 12 students were invited to participate during December and January to build houses for needy families in India. 12 students volunteered and the initiative was a great success. This year there are 16 students committed to the program. We still maintain a Cultural Exchange program to the Philippines involving Year 10 students, who visit an orphanage and local communities in need of help. In 2007 the “Guineas” program was established whereby 14 Year 11 students volunteered to build, renovate and paint school buildings at Mainohana in Papua New Guinea. This occurred during September and was also an outstanding success. The program will be offered to Year 11 students next year. In 2008 a “Balgo” program will be offered to Year 10 students whereby students will participate educationally in developing a program with the Aboriginal community in central Western Australia. In time, programs will be developed to assist students from years 4 to 9 to be aware of social service needs in our near and wider communities. Our intention is to provide students with practical opportunities to not only experience another culture but to also put into action our goodwill and ideas.

Papua New Guinea

In September, 14 Year 11 students, two teachers and two tradesmen certainly put themselves in “someone else’s shoes” and traveled to Bereina, approximately 165 kilometers west from Port Moresby. For 20 days they experienced a country, culture, tradition and lifestyle that was very different from our own. Mainohana Catholic High School is a co-educational school with approximately 650 students of whom 550 live at the school. It is situated on several hundred hectares and is remote from village contact. This provided a pleasant, safe and wonderful environment to work in and to relax. Students were involved in building a teacher’s residence and cleaning, repairing and painting the school’s bakery and visitors kitchen. A large ant-infested tree had to be removed from the building site, and the concreting of a driveway and repairs to stairs were also completed. Each working day was between the hours of 7.30am–11.30am and 2pm–5.30pm — the sun certainly had a bite in it during the middle part of the day. In the first week, we were invited as special guests to Veifa Primary school to watch local schools compete in traditional dancing. That weekend, students were billeted to four villages. This was a great experience and generated much interest and discussion in the various habits and customs of local communities. On the second weekend, we enjoyed a BBQ watching the AFL and NRL Grand Finals as well as having a break from work. On the evening prior to our departure from Mainohana, we presented the school with gifts and thanked them for their wonderful hospitality. The school in turn, farewelled us with traditional singing, dancing and gifts. Our College community can be extremely proud of the group’s achievements, and their positive attitude. The experience was spiritually and educationally rewarding. Our footprints will be traced by the group of 2008.

“Coolies Month”

Early in 2006 I challenged the Year 12 students to join me on a “Coolies Month”. 12 students took up this challenge and on completing their final exam, in lieu of the usual round of ‘Schoolies’ parties, agreed to act as ‘coolies’, ie, unskilled labourers, to help in an aid project to build houses for disadvantaged families. The 12 houses were to be built at G Kallupatti, a village of about 9000 people in rural Tamil Nadu, India. Prior to departing, each group member had to raise money to pay for all the materials for a house, about $1000. They would be expected to live in a village, eat the local food, and have no access to many of the luxuries to which they had become accustomed. They were to work with “Reaching The Unreached” (RTU), a project established and run by Br James Kimpton, an 82 year old English Brother, committed to looking after these abandoned children. First day we met the 12 families that had been selected by RTU. They were all young local families with low incomes. They already owned a small piece of land but lived in very primitive shelters and had little prospects of improving their lot by themselves. One was a single mother with two boys; three others had physically disabled parents. At first the work was difficult, adapting to the temperature, the food and the lack of English. We would begin work at 8.30 and finish at 4.30 everyday except Sunday. Our task was to work with the owners and other coolies, under instruction from the supervisors and masons. Digging foundations, carrying hollow blocks, sand, cement, and rocks, were the main tasks at first. As we became better acquainted with the masons, and our skills improved, we were allowed to lay blocks and do more of the plastering. We formed close relationships with many of the children, both in the Children’s Villages, and at the house sites. Without exception they were friendly, happy and welcoming. We also had ample opportunity to get to know the boys and Brothers from Boys Village, one of the places looking after some of the older boys. By Christmas we had completed 12 houses and had another two ready for the roof. Each house had a small opening ceremony to which we were invited as special guests. Houses were named after each of the boys or the various groups that had helped us raise funds for them. After Christmas we travelled to Kerala and Karnataka where we managed to have a glimpse of the cultural, spiritual, and geographical spectrum that India offers. A final stopover at Bangkok, staying at La Salle College gave the boys a further insight into some of the works and the hospitality of the Brothers in Asia. Coolies was an experience to be remembered. This year a further 18 students have taken up the challenge.