About the Abbey India Project

History

Contact was made with St Edmund's, Shillong (another Edmund Rice school) in 1999 where Br Steve had organised a small outreach programme as part of the Christian Brother fresh thinking on their Move to the Margins.

The first group of 6 Abbey students travelled out in Oct 2000 and worked there in this challenging initiative. Some of those students have returned to work for a longer period in India.

Again in 2002( a group of 7), 2004 (a group of 9) and in 2006 and 2008 10 each year) went to give of their time and energy in the ever expanding work in what had now become Providence School. ..more

In October 2010 another group of 10 students wiil travel and give their time, their energy and their enthusiasm in this work which is so close to the work of Edmund Rice in the converted stable in New St, Waterford just over 200 years ago.

Rationale

This Abbey India Project is driven by the belief that

ý Our students are socially conscious as evidenced in their and willing to become involved meaningfully at the coalface in Third World work.

ý There is a captivating spiritual dimension to the involvement that recognises the dignity of all people and of all cultures

ý There is a giving and a receiving aspect in this response to needs that are so obvious in a different culture.

ý Personal involvement and input of time, energy and enthusiasm in the education of the children of Providence is the very heartbeat of the Abbey India Project

ý Abbey India Project ( and other projects that have grown from it) have been of great and lasting value both to the children there and to the students and teachers from the Abbey .