Good Shepherd Primary School in Amaroo have partnered with St Pius Preparatory School in Kenya, through the Global School Partners Program.

Global School Partners is an organisation that facilitates partnerships between schools in Australia and schools in developing nations to enable students from across the globe to connect, share and learn from one another. They work to alleviate poverty through education and supporting children. The program also raises awareness and understanding of different cultures.

Simon Carroll, CEO of Global School Partners, visited Good Shepherd and spoke with students about their new partner school. Each class wrote a letter to St Pius students and learnt about water shortages in Africa.

Good Shepherd has been involved in the Global School Partners Program since 2015, originally partnering with the School of Hope in Kenya. The fundraising efforts from the school community contributed to building a new classroom for students at the School of Hope. Due to the effects of COVID-19 in Kenya, the School of Hope recently closed. The organisation was then able to then connect Good Shepherd with St Pius Preparatory School.

“At Good Shepherd, we are the hands, eyes, voice and feet of Jesus,” said Principal David Austin. “Through our work with St Pius Preparatory School and Global School Partners, we hope to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and live out his mission in our daily actions,” he said.

“In Term 3, Good Shepherd will raise money to pay for bricks to build extra classrooms at St Pius,” said Anthony O’Connell, Religious Education Coordinator. “There are several classes who learn outside because there is not enough space in the present classrooms. There is also a need for a toilet block and classroom learning resources. We will work towards providing St Pius with these over the coming years,” he said.