On April 30, more than 1,000 HWCDSB students participated in the board’s annual “Walk with Christ: Justice for the Poor” Pilgrimage. Participating students collected pledges in excess of $18,000 to support development projects in communities in Haiti, Uganda and the Dominican Republic as well as partner Catholic development organizations.

Below is a breakdown of how the funds from the 2022-2023 Pilgrimage were distributed.

ADESJO
Over $3,700 was donated to support housing, women and children’s programming, water and agriculture programs operated by ADESJO in the Dominican Republic. Founded by Scarboro Foreign Missionaries in 1962, the Asociacíon para el Desarrollo de San José de Ocoa (ADESJO) promotes the integral and sustainable development of the province of San Jose de Ocoa and surrounding areas through self-managed social, economic, educational, cultural, environmental and health programs. Some HWCDSB schools had an opportunity to visit ADESJO projects through the DREAMS program this year.

San Cristobal Technical School for Youth
A further $2,700 will support education programs operated by the San Cristobal Technical School for Youth, a school previously visited by HWCDSB staff and students through the DRFE program and built with donations from the St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School Community in 2014. The school offers trades certification (electrical, carpentry, culinary, hairdressing, plumbing, agriculture, and sewing) to young people from the surrounding batays, barrios and coffee-growing communities.

St. Genevieve Parish
Walk with Christ also continues to support the pastoral leadership team of St. Genevieve Parish in Haiti as they identify development projects in the region (a large, rural region including 7 mission parishes and schools). Past projects supported by HWCDSB communities have included reforestation and erosion rehabilitation, school nutrition and kitchen facilities, shower facilities, school development and housing projects.

As Haiti is facing an unprecedented crisis and civil unrest at this time, development projects are on hold and over $3,800 will be used for emergency food, security, and medical relief.

Kankobe Children’s Home
Kankobe Children’s Home in Uganda provides medical and practical support to vulnerable children and has been previously visited by HWCDSB students and staff. The most recent donations to Kankobe Children’s Home in Uganda supported the construction of a sick bay and isolation unit and staffing by nursing staff. This allowed the program to expand medical services including nursing care, medical testing, emergency services and rehabilitation for injuries. This year’s donation of over $3,800 will support the purchase of a van to provide emergency and ongoing transportation to the sick bay.

Development and Peace
Development and Peace, the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada also received a donation over $1,300. Development and Peace is also supported by school participation in ThinkFAST and staff payroll deductions.

Holy Childhood Association
A donation of $2,000 was made to support the ongoing programs of the Holy Childhood Association Canadian chapter of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood whose purpose is “children evangelizing children, children praying for children, children helping children worldwide.”

Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph
A donation of $1,000 was made to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph to support their ministry with refugees in Canada.