|
ACADEMIC YEAR UPDATE 2012 / 2013
|
|
|
|
ACADEMIC YEAR UPDATE 2012 / 2013
|
|
|
Donation Information
Frequently asked questions
Activities with the Children
Ending your Sponsorship
|
September 2012
Dear Friends, Isn’t it high time we got in touch again to let you know what is happening at Regina Pacis?In the first place, some clarification is called for. “Regina Pacis” is the name of the house here at Byculla Mumbai. It means “Queen of Peace” and was so named in honour of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who is the patron of our Religious Congregation. At Regina Pacis, then, we have a Children’s Home called “the Vicenta Maria Children’s Home” named after Saint Vicenta Maria, the founder of the Religious Congregation called The Religious of Mary Immaculate. Our Congregation is spread throughout the world, in all the countries of Latin America, North America (Washington, New York), Mexico, Europe (Spain, England, France and Italy), West Africa, India and the Philippines. In this complex there is the “Regina Pacis Convent High School” consisting of the Day school that runs from 7.30 a.m. to 1.30p.m. It has classes from the Kindergarten to Standard X. This school is for the children who start their education at the right scholastic age, for example at about 5 years of age. About half the number of the children from the Home attend this school.On the same premises we have the Night High School from 4.00p.m. to 8.15p.m. and this school is meant for children who, because of various circumstances such as poverty, lack of opportunity, or the prior necessity to drop out of traditional schooling, have not been able to begin their education at the right age or have had their education truncated. So we have children of 11 years and more beginning at the primary level. Finally we have the Open School for those who have completed 14 years of age and are capable of going directly to the Xth standard through the National Open School. Among these are many who both work and study and most of them are employed as domestic help. In the National Open School section we also have many young boys registered but they do not attend the classes here - they study on their own.So all the children in the Home attend school (there are 100 of them now). Opportunity is also given to children from economically backward families of the area. Many of the children are from Muslim families where there is not a great emphasis on the education of women, so school for these children is eagerly sought.Summing up this narrative, the Main Objective in this area is “OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION TO ALL THOSE YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY”It will please you to know that the general passing results (in test scores) in all the schools at Regina Pacis are very good. At the Xth Standard level we have had 100 per cent results for the last three years. This year twenty girls from the Home have successfully completed their secondary education (Standard X), ten of them through the Day school and ten of them through the National Open School. We consider this a truly great achievement on the part of the girls themselves and of course on the part of the Sisters and teachers who have struggled to make this a reality. Above all we have to thank the benefactors who, through their financial help, support the Home and make it possible to give these children the opportunity to study under optimum conditions.Another important activity conducted here at Regina Pacis is the Social Center for domestic workers. These girls are mainly from the tribal areas of Jharkand, Chattisgarh and Odissa and from the North East of India. The vast majority are illiterate or have only a primary school education. However, there are a large number now who have completed the secondary education and are unable to continue with a university education or with education for careers such as teaching and nursing, so they come to work here in the big city to be able to collect enough funds to go back and to continue studying. A large number are now completing their secondary education through the National Open School and, having successfully completed Standard Xth and Standard XII, they can go on to a University education by Distance University while they continue to work. The Society offers these girls a home when they first arrive in the city, a brief period of orientation and training and then placement as domestic help in safe and secure homes under just and favourable conditions of service. Once a week the girls gather at the center here for on-going education , literacy and skills with a long period of recreation and other activities to develop their potential.Finally, at this same complex there is a Residence (hostel) for young working girls and for young university students whom. for reasons of work or study, are forced to live away from their homes. Regina Pacis offers them a Home away from Home. These young adults pay for their Board and Lodging. For the rest of our students, however, our Society depends on voluntary donations and we thank God that he comes to our aid through many kind and generous people.
Extra curricular activities conducted at the Children’s Home
By the way, they love to receive a card or a photograph in the post from their sponsors!!! The children write at least twice a year and at the end of the school year we send a copy of their school report to the Sponsor.Gardening is another therapeutic activity that gives them an outlet of expression. We have a counselor attending the Home twice a week and for some time we also had a special educator for children with learning disabilities. We need to reorganize this initiative as the last teacher had to leave for health reasons. We have two computers at the disposal of the older children for school assignments and other work. We have plenty of games and puzzles for holidays and a group of volunteers who give them support classes to help them through their weak subjects. Of course the Boarding picnic is a must and during the summer vacations there are many good people who offer to entertain the few children who are not able to rejoin their families.The children in general have value education classes, career guidance courses, days of prayer and recollection, and many other valuable opportunities that enrich the education and experiences of the students. In brief, we try to make this a real home and give the children an all round education. We can never, of course, substitute a family life but we see that the children are loved, happy, enjoy their life in the boarding, and grow up into lovely happy citizens of the world.We greatly appreciate all of our many, many supporters around the world, and hope our work inspires new readers to visit us or assist in the education and outreach of our lovely, hard working and deserving children! Enjoy a peek at some of our latest photos,Sr. Margaret Fernandes
|