This year’s Project Compassion theme ‘for all future generations’ asks us to support vulnerable communities, such as Leaia’s who we highlight below, and to walk in solidarity with our global neighbours as they face the challenges of today and seek to build a better tomorrow.

Meet Leaia, who lives with her five children, husband, brother and sister-in-law on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Samoa, like Australia, is surrounded by water, and yet people like Leaia face daily challenges in accessing a clean and reliable source of water. Leaia’s home was not connected to a piped water system, so they had to rely solely on rainwater collected in old fridges. When this ran out, Leaia had to walk with her children to collect water in buckets from a neighbour down the street.

Leaia’s is only one such story of hardship. Caritas’ Project Compassion, which runs over the period of Lent raises awareness and funds for thousands of children, women and men around the world who are facing extreme poverty and who have to go to extraordinary lengths to meet basic needs such as food, water, education or healthcare.

Over the past few weeks, Year 10 students have been learning about Caritas’s work in their RE elective class, ‘Prayer through supporting Social Justice’ and getting ready for the cookie bake sale. It came together on Monday 26 February, when they ran a fundraising activity ‘Cookies for Caritas’ raising funds for Project Compassion, Caritas Australia’s annual fundraising campaign. United in the hope of creating ‘a better tomorrow for all future generations’, students helped plan, organise, promote, bake and sell cookies during lunchtime. The cookies were freshly baked, delicious and sold like ‘hotcakes’!

It was truly touching that so many students and staff came out to support the cause. Students raised $238.70, which can help put a toilet or a washing sink in someone’s home who is in need.

It was heartwarming to observe the Year 10s working together for a common cause and living the mercy value of Justice through this act of service. Such an event would not have been possible without their efforts, enthusiasm and commitment and of course, that of several staff members.