Future Projects

Some of the latest projects that have been made possible thanks to donations and support from generous individuals, schools, friends and families include: empowering young mothers, improving literacy, providing dignity, making education possible, building sustainable communities, providing opportunities for at risk youth, equipping under-resourced science laboratories and so much more. These projects have made invaluable differences to the lives of so many communities, families, women and children. However there are always more voices to be heard, more networks to be made and more possibilities to explore.

New Project: Educating Children of the Brickfields, India

The Loreto Sisters in India are undertaking significant work to educate children within the brickfields of Kolkata. Each brickfield employs 200 to 300 families with about 175 children. Families are very poor and income is deplorable. Each worker receives Rs 65 ($3 AU) for every 1000 bricks they make. It takes two workers plus helpers to make 1500 bricks in one day.

The Loreto Sisters in partnership with local NGOs have opened 20 schools in the brickfields that cater for 1200 children. The project started in November 2008 and now includes 36 trained teachers teaching children three hours per day.

Workers are seasonal, travelling to different brickfields for six months every year. Their families accompany them. To ensure children have access to education they have been provided with a student card to help them enroll at different brickfield schools.

New schools are established depending on where families take up work; based on the permission of the brickfield owner and on the condition that productivity is not affected. The scheme is running well and the sisters hope to open more schools so that wherever workers go, education is accessible.

We need your help to keep establishing more brickfield schools to bring education to these children who would otherwise face a bleak future.

More information on the Brickfield Schools project.

New Project: Connecting remote community to medical, communications and market opportunities, Lolay, India

Located at the foothills of the Himalayas, Lolay is a remote area consisting of a group of scattered villages about eighteen kilometres from the nearest town of Kalimpong.

Until about five years ago, there was no road to connect Lolay to Kalimpong and one had to take a long trek downhill to the Relli riverbed. All necessary supplies bought from town had to be carried up to the village on the backs of the people. There is now a road but the accessibility remains limited because there are only a few local jeeps as a means of transport.

Having a vehicle will enable the Loreto Sisters to connect with other ministries and have easier access to the local market to buy provisions for the school and village programs. This will also build the capacity of the village’s Income Generation Project to sell products at the local market.

In times of emergency, the vehicle could assist with transporting sick people to the hospital which takes about one and a half hours to reach because of the mountainous terrain.

When you support MWIA you join a global network of like minded individuals, families, groups and businesses, who value social justice, health access and education for all.  Join us and make a difference.

For further information about making a donation or bequest, organising fundraising events or volunteering, please visit our How you can help page or fill in our online form.