Marist Community unite for 10k Charity ‘Walk for Nekemte’
On Sunday 20th October, over a hundred parents, staff, alumnae and students united for our ‘Walk for Nekemte’.
Participants braved the rain and embarked on a 10 km cross-country trek that began through our woodlands and led to Ascot Racecourse before returning to The Marist for a medal and refreshments, generously provided by our sponsors, Harrison Catering Services. It was a wonderful morning brimming with camaraderie whilst raising money to support an important long-term charity project to raise funds for the building on a new school in Nekemte, Ethiopia.
For the past two years, The Marist School has partnered with Sacred Heart Church, Sunningdale, to support a new school building project in Nekemte, Ethiopia. The money raised from the walk has taken our school’s fundraising total towards this initiative to over £5,000.
The project is inspired by Father Melaku, who has visited our school several times and shared with our students the pressing need for high-quality education in this region of Ethiopia. He regularly updates us on the project’s progress. We recently learned that the school opened in September with 90 children enrolled, and recruitment for students and staff continues to progress well.
Additionally, work is advancing on the second phase of construction, which commenced in January. This phase will include eighteen classrooms and toilets for boys and girls. Currently, the project has raised over $100,000.
Pictures received from Father Melaku following his recent visit to Ethiopia show that the new school is filled with joyful smiles, and we are incredibly proud of the role we have played in providing education to these children across the globe. Thank you to the Marist Community for their support with this ongoing fundraising effort.