Moved by the hardships faced by vulnerable communities worldwide, hundreds of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) students and staff pledged to raise funds and awareness after attending Caritas Australia’s 2025 Project Compassion launch.
Over 200 hundred students, along with 60 teachers and staff, from more than 20 schools attended the launch at St Andrews Primary School Marayong. During the event they heard about the individuals and communities supported by Caritas Australia and brainstormed fundraising initiatives they can implement at their schools during Lent.
“To have that many schools and children involved in launching Project Compassion is so inspiring,” said Nicole Chehine, Caritas Australia Acting Advancement Director. “We are always incredibly motivated by children all over the country engaging with the need overseas, and how they instinctively identify and empathise with global inequality. That was on full display at the Parramatta launch, the ideas, enthusiasm and commitment from the children, and the teachers, was so heartening.”
Project Compassion runs for the six weeks of Lent and calls on us to “Unite Against Poverty” through education and fundraising. This year sees the introduction of new events, the Long Walk for Water, a 40-day walking challenge for individuals, and The Big Walk for Water, designed specifically for school communities to come together and walk 6 kilometres (or any goal) around an oval, local park or circuit at school.
These events will see participants walking in solidarity with people in Africa, Asia and the Pacific who walk long distances to collect clean water every day. Every dollar raised will create lasting change and help empower people to lift themselves out of poverty.
“One third of the world’s population has no access to clean, safe water so I think it’s something we need to be conscious of,” said Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta. “And in the spirit of solidarity, we seek through our Catholic agencies, like Caritas Australia, to do all we can to bridge the gap and enable people without access to clean and safe water to have a better life.”
Students were moved by the personal stories of three vulnerable people Caritas Australia supports. Samoan teenager, Toefuata’iga whose school now has access to fresh water thanks to Caritas. Lam, a young disabled man from rural Vietnam, was supported by Caritas to train in graphic arts, leading to him finding employment. Lastly, Irene, a single mother in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who received a sewing machine and training and is now a skilled seamstress.
“It was inspiring to hear their stories and how Project Compassion helped,” said St Angela’s School Captain Jessica Guirreri. “They explained the importance of little things that we take for granted like access to clean water.”
“Seeing these stories reminded me of my own experience as a refugee,” said Bishop Vincent. “I lived in a refugee camp with no fresh water. The only drinkable water that we could use was the water ferried across from the mainland. I knew what it was like walking to the point of water distribution, waiting in line and carrying containers of water back to our tent.”
“My dad was a prisoner of war during World War II and he taught me to value water more than food or anything else,” added Mark Smith, CSPD Executive General Manager Mission. “He only had a small ration of water each day and it was everything. He was amazed that some prisoners used some of the water to wash their hands for their prayers. They wanted to show how important God was to them.”
Students from St Angela’s Primary Castle Hill and St Andrews College Marayong spoke at the launch, giving examples of successful fundraising initiatives they had undertaken in previous years.
“We put on a students vs teachers lunchtime basketball game and raised money by selling popcorn and asking students to pay entry to watch,” explained Olivia Tan, Faith in Action Teacher St Andrews College Marayong. “We also have events such as karaoke, a photobooth, bake sales, Mariokart, Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt, even a stall where you can buy trinkets and charms for your Crocs.”
To unite against poverty this Lent, schools are invited to join CSPD’s ‘The Big Water Walk Week’ from 7 April to 11 April.
Stuart Matters is the Communications and Media Specialist at Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese.
