Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) Appeal

Each year the College community has partnered with AMS to support one of their projects. For the past three years we have been supporting the Chetana Boys’ Hostel in India and have contributed $10,000 each year towards the running costs.

The Chetana Boys’ Hostel has been administered by the Marist Brothers since 2010.  It is mainly for the ethnic minority communities in the Diocese of Asansol, the Santhal and other sub-tribal communities. Most families are farmers and are living in very poor conditions.

There are 65 boys and young men currently in the Hostel.  All of them belong to an ethnic minority community and are aged between 9 and 15 years.

The leader of the Chetana community is Br Jiji Dhasan. You can read a brief reflection from him here.

A highlight of our relationship with Chetana has been the opportunity to speak with a few of the boys via Zoom. This has been arranged through AMS, Br Jiji and Mr Tom Guinane, facilitator of the Marist Justice and Solidarity Group. It was delightful to listen to a couple of our boys conversing in Hindi with the Chetana boys and it was an insight for our students to learn that these young men speak five languages!

Here is a Case Study of the Chetana Hostel provided by AMS.

I would like to thank the College leaders for their initiatives in raising this money and a special shout out to the boys and families of the Junior School who have who have made a very significant contribution. Thank you to all Marist families who have contributed to the support of the Chetana Boys’ Hostel.

To learn more about the project, please click here. 

Peter Hawes
Assistant Head of School - Mission