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Centralian Advocate (Australia)

October 12, 2004 Tuesday

Students raise money for poor Timor schools

'Pave the Mall in Gold: Show the World We Care'

OUR Lady of the Sacred Heart College will attempt one of the most innovative and exciting fundraising challenges ever held in Alice Springs on Friday and Saturday.

Seven Year 11 OLSH students will be working with the public to place a line of gold coins from the southern end of the mall through to the northern end, finishing inside the Alice Plaza. The event is titled "Pave the Mall in Gold: Show the World our Heart of Gold" and the students need your support!

In late November 2004 seven OLSH students, accompanied by two teachers will travel to East Timor as an "Immersion Experience". OLSH College is keen to involve its students in the active promotion of a just world, and the purpose of an Immersion Program is to let students experience first hand what it is like to live in a Third World country which has been devastated by a tragic past.

East Timor is Australia's nearest neighbour and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over the past 25 years, East Timorese people were subjected to massacres and human rights atrocities while under the rule of Indonesia. In that time, 200 000 people, or one-third of the population, were killed. When Indonesia gave East Timor independence in 2002, Indonesian militias invaded and instigated a "scorched earth" policy, destroying existing infrastructure and killing 3000 people. Now, two years later, the country has made some significant progress towards rebuilding, but is still far from acceptable international health, education and living standards.

Schools in East Timor are often little more than building shells but are fully attended by students desperate to receive an education. This is where the Immersion Program is an excellent opportunity to help those in need, as all the money raised from "Pave the Mall In Gold" will be put directly into the hands of four educational facilities in East Timor when the students visit in November.

Please do your best to come down and support the event this Friday or Saturday.

It begins at 8am on Friday. So why not come down to the mall and see this innovative fundraiser kick off? Or come and lay a coin from 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday.

Local politicians and celebrities are throwing their support behind the students, why not you? You'll be helping re-build some of East Timor's poorest schools, creating a better learning environment for hundreds of kids.

Anyone interested in making a significant donation to the line should contact Kate Fogarty on 8950 7399 or email kate.fogarty@olshalice.nt.catholic.edu.au

Come on Alice, let's show the world our heart of gold.