We are ex-students and friends of St Joseph’s Secondary School, Waimanu Rd, Suva Fiji, living in Sydney.

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Our group, xsjss-Sydney, started in 2005 when we came together to prepare for the 2006 (50th jubilee of SJSS) Jubilee celebrations. We held small fundraising events to raise funds to donate to our high school that accommodated, nurtured and taught us through our teenage years. We thoroughly enjoyed the festivities and planned activities our Fiji counterparts organised during this event where we renewed old friendships and formed new ones and returned to Sydney with fond memories.

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Since then, we have worked on small projects, guided by great advice from our Sisters of St Josephs.

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We’ve raised funds and helped the Sisters start the kindergarten class in Vanuakula Mission School in Naitasiri, in 2007 and purchased stationery and teacher’s aids. We continued to support the school with purchasing exercise books, uniforms and sending funds that were required. We were able to purchase a washing machine for the Sisters and provide warm clothing and bedding for them due to the harsh winter nights in the highlands. And with the recent fire that gutted the boys’ dormitory in Vanuakula, we were able to purchase bedding, pillows, school bags etc. that was required by the boys to continue with their education as they awaited the rebuilding of the dorm.

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Apart from the Vanuakula project, we have consistently sent donations to the Sisters fund to assist them financially, over the years.

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We’ve donated clothing, footwear, library books and sporting gear to several schools throughout Fiji and more recently sent boxes of clothing to the Home Of Compassion, Tamavua and the HART settlement in Valelevu, and library books to St Agnes primary school in Nabua, Suva.

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We have enjoyed and are humbled by the support of a network of friends and fellow ex-students of St Joseph’s who continuously attend the fundraising activities we host. They enable our group to provide the support to our Fiji community by their generous donations and we are forever grateful.

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And amidst all of this, we are a social group that enjoys the sharing of stories, love and a lot of Fiji-style ‘Kailas’ while breaking bread together.