News from our schools - October-November 2023

Our training centre in Kiluvya, Tanzania saw another 100 graduates this October. These women will go out into the workforce with strong vocational skills that they will use to find good, fairly paid work so that they can support themselves and their families. In November we welcomed another 110 women who will follow in their footsteps ready to learn the skills that will transform their lives. The young women are some of the poorest in the country and they are so very grateful for their chance. They study hard, keen to absorb everything they possibly can from their time at the training centre.

In Guatemala, the senior students were at the end of their time at school and October saw 173 boys and 160 girls graduate from our schools there. With introductions to new employers made through the Sisters and the skills they have learnt during their time at school, these boys and girls have a better chance than many to find jobs locally in their cities which will ensure they are fairly paid and able to support themselves and their families out of poverty.

Also graduating in October were 25 children from the Guatemala day care. These five year olds have had 3 years of vital foundational learning and now they are ready to progress onto primary education within Guatemala.

Competing against their peers outside of school is really important for confidence building in our children – October and November were very busy months for all the children at the schools as they competed in academic, vocational and sporting challenges alongside their studies. The Amarateca basketball team won first place in the U-17 Boys’ Basketball Local Tournament. Their Volleyball team also won first place in the National Volleyball Tournament.

In Adlas, at a local athletics meet, the boys won silver in the shotput and bronze in the 400m and Discus.

Tegucigalpa’s girls came in first place at a local football tournament and some of the girls even joined the  Honduran youth football team in the Central American games where Honduras came first!

In Talisay, the girls came in first for volleyball, sepak takraw (foot volleyball) and basketball at a local competition.

Students in Chalco won the first place in Oratory, Mathematics and Spelling in St. Hipolita Olympiad. Athletics, volleyball and Chess Teams won first place in Regional Sports Olympiad.

October and November were fruitful months for the new boys at the brand new school for boys in Dodoma as they settled into their new school life and grew strong with the regular meals and the comfort of their own bed at night.

Now that the 110 boys have been at the school since mid August they are finding their feet, studying hard and learning English to help in their lessons.

They study Maths and English in the mornings and help around the school or play sport in the afternoon. Their confidence is growing and now that the rains have arrived in the area they are helping the Sisters with growing some produce for the school. They love the freedom they have to enjoy their time outside, their new hobbies and their agricultural activities!