The Cape York Girl Academy is Australia’s first boarding school designed for young Indigenous mothers and their babies, and for girls who have been chronically disengaged from their education.

Located just north of Cairns at Wangetti Beach, it may be small in size, but it is profound in effect.

Mums and babies live and learn together, and non-mothering students also live and learn at the girl Academy. The holistic program supports Indigenous girls to re-engage with, and complete their education, by attaining either a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) or a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA).

Teenage pregnancy is one of the most common reasons for Cape York girls dropping out of school. Through yarning circles and community consultations, Cape York women asked for a place for girls to finish their schooling, to gain work skills and qualifications and to grow themselves and their children as future family role models.

Here, they are supported to complete their education, gain essential work and life skills, improve, and maintain their physical, social, and emotional well-being and learn essential parenting skills to care for their own children. Currently there are 15 young Indigenous women students and two young children in this program, who attend an on-site Early Learning Centre, enabling young mothers to complete their education.

First Nations culture is embedded in every aspect of the learning program, with activities such as storytelling and culture circles scheduled during daily well-being sessions. The introduction of school captains in 2021 helped promote cultural learning and leadership, along with strong, Indigenous Heads of School women.

“Despite the challenges of 2021, the graduating Year 12 class are exiting with clear pathways to post-school destinations, including work, further education and traineeships. Industry areas include Business Administration, Sport and Recreation, and Parks and Wildlife,” says school Principal, Marnie Parker. Of the 2021 students finishing, one wants to become a lawyer, another wants to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and one student undertook a traineeship in Business Administration.

It is a mandate of the Academy to walk alongside students and create pathways to their dream job. Students are encouraged to think about the kind of future they want for themselves once school has finished.

Mercy Works hopes to enhance social emotional wellbeing through the implementation of an online school dashboard which allows student data management, collation of data, including pastoral notes between day school and boarding, and secondly to support, track and review student goals through implementation of Individualised Learning Plans and individualised learning enrichment.

The iPads were purchased in Semester 2 of 2021 and are currently used across a number of subjects at Girl Academy and has resulted in far broader outcomes than initially expected! Being a highly portable device, students were able to access and track learning outside the classroom in areas such as the commercial kitchen, the local gym and their natural environment and surrounds. Owing to these success, Cape York Girl Academy are expanding the iPad program into a joint project with boarding staff that develops and enhances student knowledge of: Food and nutrition for toddlers, teenagers and young adults; Food and safety hygiene; Budgeting; Cooking for special occasions and Literacy and Numeracy skills required at home and in the workplace.

This project will be delivered under ‘Independent Living Skills’ – a QLD Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) recognised Studies course that contributes 2 credits towards the QCE.

The school is a healing community that nurtures and supports effective and confident mothers, safe and happy children and offers opportunities for growth, a sense of belonging and a space to find their voices. The relationship between a child and their mum has a significant effect on a child’s development, and that is why at Cape York Girl Academy students and their babies learn together and grow together.

WHY IT MATTERS

   If you educate a girl, in mind, body and spirit, she can change her world – Our Sisters, Cape York Partnership

“The Girl Academy is a really good school for me and my daughter because they really help me a lot and really supported me. They’ve been there for me during my ups and downs, helping me out with Alessia while I go to class. The teachers here and staff members have been supporting me and helping me out with my schoolwork and my daughter.[This school] has really made me who I am. Me being here is like I can be whoever or whatever I want to be. And this school gave me the tools to be that person. Being a strong mother, a role model…..

 

“It is a second chance for me to follow my career and achieve every goal. I don’t really feel like I was educated that much. But I learned from my mistakes. And life is about learning. As long as you make some changes in life. This school is my big chance. I want her to be healthy and fit. I want her to have a better life. Going to school, education comes first – and keeping [our] culture strong and having a better education you can can connect to anything” – Rahenna, mum to Alessia (*courtesy of Our Sisters, Cape York Partnership)

World Speech Day is the celebration of speech and the power of words. A speech can heal a broken heart, bring a community together and mend unforeseen bridges.

On World Speech day 2022 – the personal theme is “A New Harmony; finding reconciliation after personal trauma or loss”. Here at Mercy Works we wanted to especially thank Parra Leagues Club Grants for their support of our Mercy Connect Program which operates in schools in Parramatta and other Sydney local government areas providing reconciliation and healing after such trauma for our refugees and asylum seeker students.

Our specially trained volunteers assist vulnerable refugee and asylum seeker students with regular in-class mentoring support to build their emotional and academic confidence.

One such Mercy Connect Sydney student, who touched our hearts with the power of his words, is Fadi Esho, a 22-year-old from Iraq who completed his HSC at at Bankstown Senior College last year.

Fadi was invited to share his speech with us in December of last year at our Mercy Connect gathering, but had to cancel when his work as security guard at Canterbury-Bankstown City Council called him in at the last minute. Fortunately, the power of his words were still heard when he wrote his speech for us to read out loud. It touched us all.

Here is his story: 

“My name is Fadi Esho, I am a 22 year old from Iraq and currently a Year 12 student at Bankstown Senior College. I arrived in Australia on the 19th of March in 2019 after many difficulties in Iraq and Turkey.

My journey started in 2015 when I left Iraq and went to Turkey as a refugee. My family and I left Iraq because of the war: There was no future, most of the time there was no electricity and very poor living
conditions.

Despite all this struggling, in Iraq I was doing well at school and I was already in Year 12; but my family decided to flee to Turkey because the situation in our beloved country was very dire. We moved to Turkey (Istanbul) hoping for an Australian visa. The life in Turkey was very hard, harder than what we expected: I worked as a cleaner, salesperson and even as an English tutor for a 10-year-old boy.

I couldn’t complete my studies in Turkey because I had to work and help my family to pay for the rent and other basic living expenses. We stayed in Turkey for three and half years until we received our visa to come to Australia. When I arrived in Australia, I was already over 18 [and] really disappointed and sad because I thought no school would accept me due to my age. But lucky for me at Bankstown Senior College they do accept older students. I completed 3 terms at the IC and then I went directly in Year 11.

My living conditions in Australia are surely better than in Turkey, but our overall income is barely enough for the rent, bills and food. To study I have very limited internet access at home, and I share a laptop with my two siblings.

At the beginning of this school year, I had decided to go to TAFE and do the Certificate IV in Real Estate, but the career advisor made me realise that my marks were good enough to apply to go to Western Sydney University, where I can do a Diploma in Business and then, if possible, continue with the Bachelor in Business.

My biggest supporter is my mum who thinks now is really my chance to study. At the moment, I am working as security guard at Canterbury-Bankstown City Council where I use my Arabic language skills a lot. Accomplishment is very important for me because I want my family to be proud of me, so they know that each sacrifice they did for me wasn’t for nothing.

My long-term goal in Australia is to get a job that I like and help my family financially. I want to become a productive citizen of Australia, a person helping other people in this country that offers so much to me and I want to be a person who will leave a positive mark in this world.”

And the good news? Fadi did well enough in the HSC to study a Diploma in Business at The University of Western Sydney. Congratulations Fadi! And thank you Parramatta Leagues Club for your continued support of our Mercy Connect program.

Here at Mercy Works we stand in solidarity with our First Nations sisters and brothers. We are taking some time today to reflect and celebrate our culture diversity, but also to recognise the truth of our past.

Mercy Works has seven First Nations projects, where we partner with the most vulnerable toward opportunity, dignity and self reliance in the spirit of Catherine McAuley.

This little girl is from one of our past projects where we supported a pre-school on Bathurst Island, home to the Tiwi people, approximately 80km north of Darwin. It was taken by our outgoing Program Manager for Overseas and Indigenous Projects, Sr Anne Foale RSM, on one of her visits there. 

Helping children to have access to early education is so important to closing the gap. Here the Mercy Works community funded three teacher’s assistants to complete their Cert 3 in Early Education as well as extending the capacity of the building, the length of day, the pre-school program and medical attention to create a strong chance for 4-5 year olds to enter Kindergarten.

Our other projects around Australia include:

The Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation in Mt Druitt NSW – a childcare project with 25 Indigenous young mums and 20 babies and toddlers who gather each week to enjoy culturally sensitive programs;

Prospering After Prison – Port Augusta in SA where Aboriginal women are supported by dedicated caseworkers to help them build personal & financial resilience after prison;

The Miewi (Spirit) and Cultural Matters, Adelaide, SA where we support healing from trauma by rebuilding ties between community and country and celebrating culture and traditions;

Salt n’ Pepper, Adelaide, SA where we support for Aboriginal women released from prison returning to family;

Our Adelaide First Nations Advocacy, Adelaide, SA is where we advocate with the Department of Child Protection for family and community placement for children and awareness-raising with the Aboriginal community of child protection issues.

The Cape York Girl Academy in Cairns is Australia’s first boarding school for young mums and their babies where the focus is on holistic, healing mentoring of young women to reconnect with their education for hope-filled futures

Special Measures, Brisbane, QLD addresses two aspects of human rights: the right to empowerment and self-determination, and special measures to overcome racism through establishing an effective training centre through building a website.

Our new Board Director, Steven Collins, is Indigenous.

Steven has written his thoughts on the range of emotions January 26 can stir up for many. He says:

“This day seems to stir up a range of complex emotions and strong feelings for many, if not all, of us. For me, it reminds me of the importance of truth telling, and its critical role to the ongoing process of healing and reconciliation in Australia.

“The reality for Aboriginal Australians is that day forever changed our way of life. The history, tradition and culture of Aboriginal peoples and their experiences of injustices following colonisation has been largely unknown. However, there is a growing momentum among Australians to develop a fuller understanding and awareness of our history.

“Truth telling is not just about acknowledging the atrocities of the past, but is also an opportunity for Aboriginal peoples to share their culture and language with their communities. Our Aboriginal cultures are amongst the world’s oldest – something to be proud of, practised and celebrated every day.”

The Mercy Works ethos: “Leave Mercy Works ethos: “Leave No One Behind” became a reality for our nearest neighbours in PNG when an Emergency Relief Appeal was made for urgent donations due to the growing COVID-19 health crisis. From the initial stage of the Emergency Response, through to its preparation, planning, execution, and distribution the call for help was answered. 

The call out was swift and the response immediate: A heart-felt letter from Sr Maryanne Kolkia RSM, the In-country Coordinator of Mercy Works in Papua New Guinea, to Executive Director Sr Sally Bradley RSM came in April with the simple plea: We need your help. 

In her letter, Sr Maryanne expressed the escalating need for Mercy Works Simbu, where she had begun work with Janet Andrew RSM, to address the food shortage in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The purpose is to feed oneself and the neighbour,” she wrote. “Marginalised people are the vulnerable senior citizens, those living with HIV/AIDS, those living with disability, and families with many children are the neediest at this time. All I am thinking is to feed the locals within clans, districts and towns, connecting people in the rural villages as well as families living in the settlements around the townships of Kundiawa.”

Maryanne requested an extra 30,000 kina (approx. $12,200) to support the process.

It was all that Australians needed to make a response. Within weeks Sr. Sally, together with Kathleen Donnellon (Board Chair) and the other directors, agreed to send an Emergency Relief Appeal Letter to all donors and supporters 

Overwhelmingly, the Mercy Works network responded instantly. Donors, supporters, and friends of Mercy Works dug deeply and sent donations in response to the catastrophe besieging our nearest neighbours. 

To our delight, we received $116, 847 which was distributed across the Highlands (Goroka, Mt Hagen and Simbu), The Western Province (Kiunga and surrounding remote areas along the Fly River), and to the East Sepik Province (Wewak and outlying remote areas including Walis and Tarwai islands). 

By July, $48,158 was sent as Emergency Relief to the Highlands, where efforts were made to transport produce to communities who would normally attend daily markets. Due to the virus, people were reluctant to attend markets in townships where it is more likely to contract COVID-19. 

The ferocity of the outbreak exposed government corruption, economic mismanagement, and a fragile health care system. When the Government declared a nationwide lockdown in April, people were prevented from trading their agricultural products and for the unemployed, the vulnerable, the sick, people living with a disability, children and older people in squatter settlements and rural communities, accessibility to food was scarce. 

The Mercy Works team on the ground set about mobilising food distribution through church and already established networks. Wholesalers and farmers from community organisations negotiated the selling price of vegetables, root crops and fruits.

The method was effective. Families, individuals, and groups who Mercy Works was already in partnership with, took ownership of supplying garden produce to increase food production and supply. Word of mouth invitations to partner for food distribution were sent to village leaders which was “both exciting, encouraging, and inspirational,” said Sr Maryanne. “The public expressed a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation. Receiving food from Mercy Works was indeed a surprise, leaving them speechless.”

In Simbu, a verbal agreement was made between MW and the owners of truck drivers to mobilise people in their communities to transport garden food. 30 farmers from 15 villages, drivers of 10 trucks and three business houses and churches worked tirelessly towards meeting the demand. 90 ‘heaps’ of food for each clan, or organisation was distributed evenly to “shouts of joy and dance”  when their names were called. 

In the Western Highlands Province, the Sisters distributed the food to the vulnerable and needy. Embracing the idea that ‘no one goes without’ the key was to “collaborate toward promoting no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being for all”. The successful mission saw every group fed, easing the burden, stress and anxieties of many who were unable to help themselves. 

“Community mobilisation, collaboration and participation created an environment for people from all walks of life to work together in meeting each other’s needs in time of emergency,” said Sr Maryanne. “Sharing is a sign of caring for each other”.

Meanwhile, along the International border and remote Iowara areas, the Emergency Relief support in Kiunga was also implemented. Here, Mercy Works Coordinator Steven Dude with the parish priest, community leaders and the village health volunteer developed an action plan to roll out the approved relief of $42,107 which encompassed supplies for water tanks to access clean and safe water. Tinned fish and staples were purchased for distribution.

Over in the East Sepik Province, eleven communities were identified by the Sisters to receive rations and materials for the emergency response of $26,582. Afraid to come near Wewak for marketing, in fear of the virus, access to clean water was hampered. Many women usually walk daily, quite a distance, to access water. 

Here, Sr Rachael organised bulk buying to secure discounts for nine, 3,000 Litre water tanks. Boats were hired to transport the tanks to the two Island communities as well as road travel and boat hire to get to the Chambig Village on the Sepik River. The Sisters worked in pairs to take the tanks to their destination. Over a couple of weeks, bulk supplies of noodles, milk powder, tinned fish, rice and other groceries were loaded onto mini-buses and taken to places accessible by road. People worked together to distribute the supplies and set up and connect the water tanks to the roof of the building to collect rainwater.

The COVID-19 Emergency relief helped meet the urgent needs of 247,370 people. “Mercy Works lived up to its name,” smiles Sr Maryanne. “Communities were overwhelmed by the offer of support and expressed much gratitude.”

“A mutual respect among all people was established,” agrees Sr Rachael. “Emergency Relief makes people feel they are loved and taken care of in their needs.”

It was an exciting day at Mercy Works on Tuesday, as we hosted our first morning tea in the building again for the first time in a long time!

We had the chance to host some of our wonderful (and patient) volunteers and donors from our Mercy Connect Sydney Program which places students who are asylum seekers and refugees adjusting to a whole new life in Australia, which as you can imagine presents many challenges, with volunteers who assist and mentor with this transition.

Being placed in a school after lengthy periods in a refugee camp or a place of refuge can be a very stressful time for these young people who can often feel isolated and anxious as they try to settle into a new culture and school system. Many of them arrive in Australia after having experienced lengthy periods of dislocation, grief and trauma. Add to that a lockdown with very little English and often little access to laptops and wifi, well it is important to stay connected.

This morning Fatima, a student from Iran with Afghani background, who was studying law in her home country, spoke to the volunteers of how important the help has been while getting her HSC (which she will complete next year) at Bankstown Senior College. Fatima hopes to continue to study law in Australia, and spoke of the challenges and how important a program like Mercy Connect is and the difference it can make.

“The nice teachers and volunteers at Bankstown Senior College helped me to find my way and start my steps again… When you are new in a country of course it is language [which is difficult], but it is like you are born again.”

Special thanks to our donors for coming including Emma Roach, Community Relations and Grants Co-Ordinator  from Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club – from Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club, who give so much generous support for our Mercy Connect Sydney program. Also special thanks to our incredible volunteers who can’t wait to get back into schools when they open up next year and do what they do best; nurture, support and explain difficult maths equations!!

Mercy Connect is now operating in five cities across Australia, – Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Perth, – with more than 300 volunteers supporting over 1400 students in 116 primary and secondary schools.

If you would like to know more about our programs, or volunteer to work with students like Fatima, please click here

Healing the Harm from Human Trafficking

As an 8-year-old, Mely was abused by her stepfather in the Philippines. He threatened her at knife point after she watched him rape her sister. When she confronted her mother and neighbours about it, she was placed into a Jesuit-run orphanage for seven years.

As a teen, she accepted an offer of laundry work and a free education from an “elegant woman visitor” who arranged transportation to Cebu, a city distant from her hometown.

Within hours of arriving in Cebu, she was forced to dress up and prostituted. “I cried, when she explained our real work,” says Mely through tears. “I asked her to take me back, I had no idea how this had happened.” She was forced to use drugs to stay awake all night and “improve the glum demeanour” she was told discouraged customers.

Mely begged for release but was told she had to pay for the transportation and other expenses incurred by her traffickers. She resigned herself to a life of prostitution.

“I felt hopeless and worthless. I felt already ruined,” Mely says.

One day she woke up still high on drugs in her room and made herself a promise; she would have a future. She had met a compassionate man, who helped her escape. He had introduced her to the Good Shepherd Welcome House in Cebu and she knew she was finally ready to trust in others. With their help and five years of effort, she overcame her drug habit, finished high school, and trained to be a nurse’s aide. “I had to learn how to forgive myself and the people who caused me pain,” she says.

Mely is now an activist and survivor of sex trafficking in Cebu. She graduated from her bachelor in Science in Social Work and now serves as the Project Coordinator of Good Shepherd Welcome House for trafficked women. She has also spoken to the UN of her experiences alongside Sr Angela Reed RSM.

“I want to give them hope. I want to be an inspiration and give voice to all the abused women out there. I want to show them that if I could change my life, they can too,” she says.

“Four nights a week, I visit different areas to walk with girls, greet them, build relationships and tell them about our programs and services.

“I want to raise awareness and tell the world that my story isn’t just a story, it’s a reality.”

 

 

Our Mercy Works Christmas Appeal this year is to support our new project in Cebu city in the Philippines.

I had the privilege of visiting the Good Shepherd Welcome House in Cebu (pre-pandemic). Hearing the young women who had survived human trafficking share their stories of recovery was both shocking and yet hope-filled.

The memory will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Of 10,000 women working as prostitutes in Cebu, half are aged between 11- 17 years old. Mely (pictured right) is one such survivor whose story has stayed with me. Hers is a distressing journey of abuse, exploitation, survival but ultimately hope. But it’s not just a story – as she says: “It’s a reality.”

How you can help this Christmas?

Mercy Works is hoping to raise $46,000 to support this project.

We have partnered with the Villa Maria Good Shepherd Sisters to deliver the “Creating Change for Women through Advocacy project” which offers ongoing healing, safety, education and ways to give a confident voice to women who have exited from prostitution and are survivors of human trafficking.

Survivors like Mely are forming a strong support network in policy, research and advocacy training to change unjust structures in society and to help end human trafficking.

Together, with members of inter-faith-based organisations, these survivors are finding their voice as they prepare to make recommendations for new legislation to government entities. They hope to improve mental health supports for vulnerable, trafficked women.

In taking hold of their lives, we believe joy and new opportunities are opening up to them.

You can help break the crippling cycle of human trafficking this Christmas.

With your generosity Mercy Works can continue to support the women in Cebu city as they work together to rebuild their lives and replace fear and sorrow with newfound joy and hope.

Donate and make a difference!

– Sally Bradley RSM
Executive Director, Mercy Works