Appeals
Here you can find a summary of all our current appeals. You can support any of them at any time. If you would like to be involved in supporting any of them, please contact the office for further details or click on the link to download a form and send off your details to the St Veronica Welfare Committee office. Every bit helps!
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APPEAL FOR FUNDS FOR A BAG-MAKING UNIT TO PROVIDE SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR POOR WOMEN, THROUGH BETHANY ASHRAM, NEDUMANGAD, KERALA, INDIA
BACKGROUND: The Parish Priest at Bethany Ashram, Fr Philip Tharakan, has asked for help to start a bag-making unit, which is a very good cottage industry. Initially, 15 poor women from the area will be selected and trained. This will enable them to earn a regular income to support their families, and, especially, meet the educational needs of their children.
COSTING TOTAL: 265,000 Rs, approx $6,620 AUD
Some money may be able to be raised from the participants to meet initial expenses. We recommend this appeal to our sponsors.
Download more information and the Support Form
APPEAL TO PROVIDE DESKS, CHAIRS AND PLAY EQUIPMENT, PLUS BUILDING AND INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE, FOR 180 YOUNG STUDENTS – MARIA NIVAS CONVENT, DERGAON, ASSAM
BACKGROUND: This appeal is to help the Mishing tribal children of the Majuli Island area, who lack even the minimum necessities of life. Though the Salesian Sisters who work in this remote region cannot provide everything, they want to concentrate on the children’s education and the well-being of their mothers. The area where these children are has no school, so the Sisters want to start a play school, nursery and Kindergarten classes for the children this year. Sister Teresa Alluppillil has asked us for help to assist in making furniture, desks and chairs for 180 students, some play items, and some construction and maintenance of the class rooms.
COSTING TOTAL: 250,000 Rs, approx $6,250 AUD
Download more information and the Support Form
APPEAL FOR SPEECH THERAPY UNIT AT MADONNA SPECIAL SCHOOL & RESIDENTIAL HOME FOR THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED, CHALAKUDY, THRISSUR, KERALA, INDIA
BACKGROUND: St Veronica's has been helping Madonna Centre financially for many years, with donations towards the needs of the 130 children who are on the roll. Sister Rubina, who is charge of the home and school, has asked us for more help as she wants to build, staff, and fit-out a speech therapy unit.
The Sisters have been offering free education since 1986 as the government does not help them. They survive on the charity of groups like St Veronicas so we wish to raise extra funds for them. As well as having special educational needs, the children often have terrible speech problems. If these are worked on they will often contribute to an improvement in the children's development at the educational level. Madonna Centre's philosophy is to get the children to a stage of maximum independence coupled with minimum dependence on others.
We recommend this appeal to the generosity of our donors and hope to raise several thousand dollars towards the Speech Therapy Centre
APPEAL FOR WIDOWS’ EMPLOYMENT PROJECT – CHURCH OF ST JAMES, VADASERY, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
BACKGROUND: A woman who is both poor and widowed, especially in many under-developed societies, is often very vulnerable in terms of her ability to earn enough to support her family. She mostly lacks training in skills with which she can earn a living.
ONE WIDOW'S STORY: "It has been with a lot of difficulty, we have managed to find a job as a house maid for her. She washes dishes and utensils, scrubs floors and washes soiled clothes. She is paid 2000 rupees a month ($50AUD), which is too meagre especially considering her workloads. She goes at 7 am and returns at 7 pm. I believe she is given left-over food from the employer’s house for her children. She gets no other benefits." Fr. Kildos, parish priest of Vadasery.
Fr. Kildos has identified 42 widows in this area, who are eager to be given the chance to start their own petty (one person) business. He has appealed to us for funds. The project envisages that each widow will be given a sum of working capital. She will be instructed in how to use this primary investment in an efficient way to earn a livelihood.
Read a progress report on the widows' self-help and empowerment programme
APPEAL FOR PURCHASE OF GOATS FOR WOMEN’S SELF-HELP GROUPS IN DHARMASTHALA, KARNATAKA, INDIA
DIOCESE OF BELTHANGADY
BACKGROUND: Fr Michael Kumminiyil is the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Church, Dharmasthala, which is about 300 km from Bangalore. Many parishes have several village communities, called substations, as part of the wider parish. One of the Dharmasthala substations is Bolminar.
This village lacks critical infrastructure, so the socio-economic conditions are very backward. With Fr Michael’s help, the groups wish to set up a goat-rearing project which is very practical for poor people. They require only a small land area and even children can easily manage them.
The goats will: provide milk for the children to reduce malnutrition; enable women to earn immediate income from the sale of any kids and; help women to be self-reliant and able to educate their children.
BUDGET: Cost of goat 4,000 rupees, approx $110 AUD
Goats provided will be fully grown, for immediate benefit to recipients.
Each beneficiary is expected to provide 500 rupees as a self-help contribution.
