District support helps deliver essential building to school in India

The support of Lasallians in the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta, helped deliver a much-needed facility at Saint James’ Higher Secondary School, Suranam in India, as Br Thomas Walsh, from the De La Salle College Waterford Community, explains.

Saint James’ Higher Secondary School, Suranam in India, a rural Lasallian school of over 500 students, requested the construction of a multi-purpose hall. This facility would serve many functions: State and house examinations, assembly meetings, parent/teacher meetings, school celebrations, cultural/educational activities, spiritual occasion, outside speakers, evening and night study. It may also be available for weddings and other local functions when appropriate so it could become a fund-generating enterprise.

The multi-purpose hall is bigger than five large classrooms, it’s 168 feet in length, 22 feet in width and 20 feet in height. Its unique design is due to the extremely high temperatures experienced in Suranam, hence the lack of external wall and the need for the high roof facilitating whatever breeze to pass through. Ceiling fans have also been installed to supply constant relief from the burning sun.

The entire project commenced on the ground on September 8th with the blessing and laying of the foundations stone and the grand official opening took place on December 21st, 2021 with the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, numerous speeches, and cultural dances. A word of thanks to everyone who made the project possible especially the Irish Lasallians who were unable to travel and assist in the constructions of the building due to covid-19 but instead sent €35,000 to cover the entire cost of the project.

We are extremely proud of this project and we hope hundreds/thousands will benefit from it into the future. A sincere thanks to everyone in our schools and centres who helped in any way towards the funding of this project.

Project 2022 is to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, in Southern India to assist construct 12 classrooms for a new primary school for the area. It’s a huge project and over two to three years we hope to complete it. You can help by being a volunteer or organising some fund-raising events in your school towards this project. We shall have more news and details about it very soon.

Happy New Year to you all.