A message from our CEO
It’s truly remarkable to witness the success that kind supporters like you make possible.
I’ve seen it with my own eyes — through the joy in children’s faces when they’re learning in a fun and creative environment, or when women become community role models through their newfound skills to run businesses and provide for their families. I see teachers and parents better equipped and working together with confidence to nurture children’s learning.
It’s a whole community effort. And the wonderful part is knowing that the benefits of the work you support not only change lives now, but they extend to the next generation too, creating positive change for all. How incredible!
That’s why I’m delighted to share just a few examples of your impact in our latest newsletter.
Read about the work of the Josephite Sisters in the Kimberley to help communities prepare their next generation of young leaders.
Be inspired by Sereki’s story and the legacy of his incredible community impact in Fiji.
You can also hear from our dedicated team member Tina — she has been working in our Timor-Leste office for the last 10 years!
Education has always been at the heart of what we do at Mary MacKillop Today. It all began when Saint Mary MacKillop set up schools in some of the most remote and overlooked communities in Australia, so children could have access to education. Mary knew the power of education to change the trajectory of a child’s life. And thanks to you, her life-changing legacy is alive today through our vital work here in Australia and around the world.
This edition of Mary’s News Today highlights an essential part of our approach to development — supporting communities to become independent and self-sustaining.
When children receive a quality education, they have a better start to life and can be equipped with the tools to grow into self-reliant individuals. This drastically improves their prospects for employment, future learning, and personal growth later in life.
And the benefits don’t stop at the individual. Their families are empowered to build better futures. Whole communities are uplifted to escape poverty.
This is why, at Mary MacKillop Today, we walk with people all the way — right up until communities have everything they need to flourish on their terms.
To do this, we operate on two to three-year cycles for our community development programs. This allows us to listen and lay the groundwork in the first year, learn and fine-tune the program in the second year, then assess the outcomes in the third year. Through reflection and evaluation after each program cycle, we can continue to work alongside communities as they achieve their goals.
What makes the impact of our work successful and long-lasting is the fact that our partners drive change within their own communities. They understand the nuances of their region and culture. They can identify the most effective solutions. We offer our resources, financial support, professional expertise and mentoring to support their efforts to achieve sustainable change.
Through your generosity, we continue to accompany people just like Mary did, so individuals, families and whole communities can flourish towards a better tomorrow! Thank you so much.
With gratitude,
Jane Woolford
Chief Executive Officer
