For the new children in the Philippines July is a particularly special month as the new grade 7 youngsters settle into their wonderful new life at our schools.
For the 2336 children accepted into the Philippines schools in late June, this July was spent in orientation, learning their way around, getting to know the teachers, having their first lessons and making new friends.
It is a joyful experience for all, especially the Sisters, to see these vulnerable youngsters finding their feet at school and beginning their learning journey.
The boys and girls are finally enjoying regular nutritious food and starting to recover from their early lives and grow strong.
For the senior students at all our schools around the world, July is an important month for assessments and getting ready for employment and this last July was no different.
The grades 9 and 11 girls at the Tegucigalpa school in Honduras had assessments and evaluation ready for their graduation. The oldest Zona 13 girls in Guatemala visited a number of different companies for interview and on the job training preparation.
In Brazil the nursing, dentistry and secretarial students in Brasilia Girlstown enjoyed a variety of internships to broaden their skills and improve their employability.
In Zona 6 Boystown the boys received a visit from Toyota Confino Sati HR and a careers talk and advice on future employment from the Toyota Foundation.
All these activities at school and in industry and the support from local companies helps the Sisters to ensure that when our children finish school they are ready for local employment and quick to secure it.
As well as working hard and focusing on final employment so they can help their families, the education provided to the children emphasises fun and the chance to play, explore and develop new talents, whatever these may be.
In July, the boys and girls in our care around the world had a wonderful time competing in hobbies, sports and activities outside the classroom.
During the month, the Boys and Girls in Honduras competed in their first Tae Kwon Do competition, in the Korean Ambassador Cup, coming away with a total of 11 gold, 12 silver and 9 bronze medals.
The Guatemala girls’ Handball team achieved second place in the national competition and the boys achieved second place in the regional competition.
At all the schools the boys and girls were enthusiastic gardeners, excelling with their crops and excited to help the Sisters with produce from their gardens and, in Tanzania, the girls found new art talents and used their creative skills to help the sisters with artwork at the schools.
The summer months always mark the resumption of the Sisters’ community outreach work to the poorest communities and this work continued during July.
The Sisters in Guatemala, Brazil and Tanzania continued their dedicated mission to meet new children during the month.
Travelling extensively in these countries, the Sisters met thousands of children without access to schooling and with your support they will be able to offer help and a place at school to some of these youngsters. They will join the schools next January.
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