We at St Caniceβs have been βwalkingβ with our neighbours in Railaco for 18 years now. Despite damaging floods and Covid lockdowns over the past two years, pre-school age children continue to receive healthy meals; families in remote areas can consult a doctor; and 342 students receive an excellent Jesuit secondary education at the Escola Secundaria CatΓ³lica Nossa Senhora de FΓ‘tima (NOSSEF) secondary school. All 127 students in the graduating class of 2022 passed the National Exams.
The Jesuits in Timor-Leste are pleased to share an update for St Canice’s that provides information on programs and targets achieved at Railaco Jesuit Mission during the period January to December 2022.
So many in our community have been very generous over the years. Amazingly, in 2022, St Caniceβs Parish passed the $1 million mark in donations in support of our good neighbours of the Railaco community. Thank you.
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Our Railaco Project represents a combination of worthy lives β Australians and Timorese. East Timorese are worthy people, predisposed in their generosity and commitment to Australia during wartime; worthy in their struggles with Indonesia for their Independence; worthy in the vision to create a just, free, and open democratic society; worthy in their spirit of gratitude to us. Our worthiness exists not just by our donations, but in our doing, what is right; compelled by gospel value to serve others.
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Weβre backing a winner with Railaco. The whole St Canice Railaco project is a combined success story. The Feeding Program, Medical Clinic and Secondary School have ultimately been about social empowerment. Starting from pure handouts when they really needed it after the departure of Indonesian occupiers, the Railaco project has been evolving towards empowerment.
Itβs a winner and itβs going somewhere. The Railaco parish needs us more than ever to maintain the momentum. From a financial point of view, this wonderful educational institution does not take a lot of funds. The parish secondary school Nossef has an enrolment of 338 students in 2023 and operates on such a low budget compared to Australia. Inflationary pressures like everywhere else must be met.
With the other programs, we are doing so much for people who have relatively nothing, and any extra funds that we send up to Railaco go such a long way. We recognise that there are many new appeals both here at home and around the world. But Railaco is a proven program with demonstrable outcomes and ninety percent of the donations go direct to the cause.
Michael Musgrave
Railaco Ambassador
Donations for Railaco are always welcome. Thank you. Please use QR Code below, or CLICK HERE.
