In a country where 70 per cent of the population is illiterate, one of the greatest wounds that Pakistan faces is the poverty of education. When a country is faced by poverty, often the issue of education is not given priority as the basic needs are tackled with more urgency. However, a lack of education breeds more and more poverty as people seem to find themselves entangled within a vicious circle from which there does not seem to be a way out. As sisters of charity working with the poor, we are often faced with situations of families who literally can’t afford to pay the meagre school fees for their children. We strongly believe that situations can change only when people are educated and so apart from serving the abandoned and the sick, we are also committed in the field of education, especially with the education of children coming from very poor families.

We are involved in a project for the education of the most disadvantaged, which is called “Redemption through Education”. With the help of sponsors, this project supports all education expenses and lodging with the hope of opening a door towards a better future. It is a joy to see the hope in the eyes of parents as they see their children given the possibility of breaking the pattern of misery that they have known all their lives.

I would like to thank the Mission Fund for supporting our project by donating the generous sum of Lm500. I feel that the Mission Fund is a blessing to all Maltese missionaries who have been benefiting from it for a number of years. I take this opportunity to thank the Maltese people who are renowned for their outstanding generosity towards people in need and also towards their fellow Maltese who are serving the poor in all continents. I encourage you to continue to send used stamps and telecards and donations to the Mission Fund because without your help they cannot do much. May the Lord bless you all with whatever graces you need.

Anyone interested in the above-mentioned project who would like to know more about it, can contact me at Sancey House, 2A Masson Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan or by email to: [email protected]

Sr Natalie Abela, Sister of Charity,

Lahore

Pakistan