Hope Tree Group
The Hope Tree Group is the charity/mission group of the Singleton and Branxton Parishes which operates in conjunction with our Parish Schools. Direct funding projects are assisted from anywhere to those who need immediate help. These have a set monetary limit and timeframe and are agreed on by the group for the Parish to contribute. So far 13 projects have been supported by the group. For more detail on each project please read the report (link given below).
Latest Project
Project 13 – Playground for Anugraha School
Anugraha special school for the mentally challenged was started in 2000. Managed by Sangli mission society of MST Missionaries. The name Anugraha means Blessing. The school is situated in a remote village named Khed, in the state of Maharashtra. After a survey in the area in 2000, it was found that there are many mentally challenged children who have no access to education or other services. It was after the findings of this survey that the Sangli mission society decided to open the school to serve these children. At present there are 55 students at the school. Students are given training in ADL (activities of daily living), physiotherapy, speech therapy etc. Students are from poor families, so they are only able to contribute very little towards the fees. The school relies on donations from benefactors to continue teaching the students and stay open. They do not receive any government grants towards running of the school.
The first principal of the school was Sr Rosebel. In 2001 she put up a playground for the students. After serving the school for about 15 years she was transferred to another school in Kerala state. Now she has come back to the school and found all the play equipment for the children in a dilapidated condition. She wanted to repair and make a better playground for the students and asked the Hope Tree Group to support them.
St Catherine’s Catholic College, Singleton rose to the challenge hosting a series of fundraisers at school and they raised enough to donate $2600AUD – which is INR143,443.00 of the required INR216,000.00.
The amount of $2600 AUD (plus transfer fees) was donated to put towards the purchase of the playground equipment. The playground was opened and blessed in July 2023 with lots of excited children ready to play!