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Urgent aid needed for Myanmar earthquake survivors

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Our sisters and brothers in Myanmar desperately need your support after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country on 28 March.

Jesuit Mission Australia is working with local partners and Church network organisations to provide critical food, clean water, shelter, hygiene, sanitation and medical equipment, and psychosocial support to those most impacted by the earthquake.

The earthquake has claimed over 3,000 lives, with thousands more injured or missing. In some cities at least 80% of buildings and houses are totally destroyed.

This disaster adds to the country's already fragile state after more than four years of relentless conflict. Communities face starvation, disease, displacement, and violence as their daily reality, with political violence, economic collapse, and recent floods that have collectively displaced over 3.5 million people.

Access to clean water and electricity is limited in many regions, and infrastructure, including roads and bridges, has been severely damaged, making aid delivery difficult. Three hospitals have been crushed and people are being treated outside on the streets. Healthcare facilities are overwhelmed, and the risk of waterborne diseases is high.

Through your generosity, together, we can help our partners remain by the side of the Burmese people, ready to provide vital aid and support as this situation develops.

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“The situation is dire, and the suffering is unimaginable. The people of Myanmar have faced relentless challenges in recent years, and this disaster has only compounded their hardship," said a Jesuit on the ground.

“Yet, amid the darkness, your love shines through…With your continued solidarity—through prayers, awareness, and aid—we can bring light to these shadows."

Tragically, one of the young teachers from a Jesuit Mission-supported school in Yangon, the Campion Institute, lost her life as she was visiting Mandalay when the earthquake destroyed her accommodation.

“Let us hold the people of Myanmar in our hearts and prayers, that they may find strength, comfort, and hope in this darkest hour," said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

Jesuit Mission Australia is committed to uplifting the people of Myanmar in the wake of this devastating crisis. Please donate today:

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$47 could provide an emergency food and water kit for a family
$126 could provide 5 families with hygiene kits, medical supplies and bedding
$435 could provide 5 families with a shelter kit

*A religious community stands at the altar of their severly damaged Church.*

We must act now.

To provide immediate relief to those displaced by the earthquake, donate to the Myanmar Earthquake Response now

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Clean water reaches almost 150,000 in Vietnam, but more help is needed

In partnership with the Vietnam Province of the Society of Jesus, your generosity is providing safe, affordable drinking water and hope to thousands of vulnerable families in Central Vietnam.

For many communities in Central Vietnam, access to clean water is a daily struggle. Industrial pollution has contaminated the oceans, wiping out livelihoods in fishing communities, while poor agricultural practices have contaminated freshwater sources.

As a result, families are forced to choose between purchasing expensive bottled water or risking their health by drinking unsafe water, leading to serious illnesses such as stomach ulcers, kidney disease, and even cancer.

Since 2020, your support has helped the Vietnamese Province to install Reverse Osmosis Ultraviolet (RO UV) clean water stations in villages throughout Central Vietnam. These high-tech filtration systems provide sustainable, long-term access to safe drinking water, maintained by local communities.

“Thanks to our generous supporters in Australia, the Vietnam Water Project has already provided clean water to over 149,000 people. However, with hundreds of thousands still at risk, the need for support remains urgent," said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

Without reliable access to clean water, entire generations of Central Vietnam families will remain trapped in a cycle of poverty.

In 2025, the Jesuits in Vietnam aim to construct 20 more water stations, reaching an additional 20,000 people across 20 villages.

The impact of these water stations extends beyond just health benefits. In Quang Binh province, 66-year-old Lanh no longer spends half her income on bottled water, allowing her to afford essential food and medicine.

While Lanh and her husband once earned a living as rice farmers, he is now unable to work due to illness. They had relied on whatever income their two adult children could send to support them until now.

For young mother Nga, the water station is more than just a source of clean water—it has become a place of connection and support.

“I love the community spirit and coming together to talk and share experiences with one another."

We invite you to support this life-changing initiative.

Donations to the Vietnam Water Project will provide safe water to those in need, ensuring a future where no family has to choose between drinking water and survival.

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2025 Golf Day

Thank you for supporting the 21st Annual Jesuit Mission Golf Day on 28 February! With a record 120 golfers and 160 dinner guests, we raised over $41,000 for Jesuit Mission’s Clean Water Project in Timor-Leste, helping bring clean water to thousands.

Guided by compassion

Maria’s journey is a testament to the spirit of International Women’s Day with this year's theme, 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.' By breaking barriers, uplifting others, and advocating for emotional well-being, she is striving to create a more compassionate world where young women have the opportunity to thrive.

Maria has always been determined to build a better future—not just for herself, but for others. Growing up in Taibessi, Dili, in a hardworking family, she saw firsthand the struggles people face, particularly when it comes to mental health. With her father working as a seasonal worker in Australia and her mother employed at an NGO in Dili, Maria was encouraged to take her education seriously.

As the eldest child, Maria shoulders many responsibilities at home. She wakes up early to help with house chores, prepares meals, and ensures her younger siblings are ready for the day—all while managing her own demanding schoolwork.

In 2022, she joined Colégio de Santo Inácio de Loiola (CSIL), a decision that opened her eyes to new ways of thinking. It was here that she first began considering psychology as her future path.

“Thanks to what I’ve learned here, the teachings of St Ignatius, I’ve become more compassionate and mindful of how I treat others," said Maria.

At CSIL, she has developed a deeper awareness of how people’s challenges shape their actions, and she wants to be someone who can help.

“I’m a good listener, and I help my friends with their personal problems. I want to help others understand their emotions and overcome mental health challenges."

Her leadership at school has also strengthened her belief in the importance of emotional well-being. As the elected leader of her batch in junior high school, she has learned how to support her classmates through stressful times.

“The teachers here are very good because they use effective teaching methods. They encourage us to grow—not just academically, but as whole people."

Last year CSIL provided quality education to over 800 students, many from rural areas, guided by Ignatian values of service, compassion, and commitment.

Maria knows the road to becoming a psychologist will be long, but she is ready. With the values of St Ignatius and a supportive family guiding her, she is not only building a future for herself—she is preparing to transform the lives of others.

On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate young women like Maria, who are shaping a brighter, more equitable future for all.

Three Years of Conflict: Jesuits Accompany Over 127,000 Refugees

For Natalia and her granddaughter, the future remains uncertain. "I hope the war will end soon so we can return home to Mykolaiv. I eagerly await the birth of my second grandchild and dream of being a united family again.”

Europe’s largest humanitarian crisis since World War II continues, with over 8.8 million people—or nearly one in three Ukrainians— fleeing their homes, leaving behind memories and hopes for the future.

As Ukraine marks three years of conflict, Jesuit Mission Australia alongside the Xavier Network, have been supporting project partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe to help provide life-saving support to over 127,000 refugees.

Since the war began, Jesuit organisations have delivered over 612,000 essential services—ranging from emergency aid and shelter to education and psychosocial support.

“As another grim milestone passes and some decision-makers waver in their support, our commitment to accompanying those forcibly displaced remains as steady as the first day," said Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Regional Director of JRS Europe and project partner of Jesuit Mission Australia.

“Even in a context marked by pain and uncertainty, we see daily examples of solidarity and integration—people extending a helping hand and walking together."

JRS Europe has expanded their response to adapt to the evolving needs of displaced people. Initially focused on emergency aid, the coordinated programmatic response now primarily supports long-term integration—providing education, psychological support, legal assistance, and employment opportunities.

Thanks to JRS, just a few kilometres from their home in Ukraine, 10-year-old Nadja and her grandmother Natalia (62) have found refuge in a shelter on the outskirts of a small village in eastern Moldova.

*A joyful moment in the classroom for Ukrainian children in Romania.*

“Nadja and I were shopping when we heard the first explosions. The child was so frightened that all she wanted was to leave,” said Natalia.

In a moment of urgency, Nadja’s parents made the painful decision to send their daughter and Natalia to safety.

“My daughter told me: ‘Go to Moldova; you'll be safe there. We'll stay here to defend our home, and you'll come back when it's all over.’”

The Jesuit network’s support extends across Ukraine, neighbouring countries, and further afield—reaching as far as Portugal and Spain.

“Even in the darkest times, hope persists. We see it in every refugee who finds a new home, a new job, a new future – made possible by the generosity of those Australian supporters who have stood alongside the Ukrainians during this time,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission Australia

Jesuit Mission Australia stands in solidarity with families like Natalia’s. Donate to the Emergency Action Fund below to support refugees of the Ukraine crisis and beyond.

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First Spiritual Exercise – Every Gift Flows Like Water

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We invite you to join Ignatian Spiritual Director, Frances Tilly, to guide you through a Spiritual Reflection Exercise.

Over the past five years, the Vietnam Water Project has successfully provided safe, clean water to over 149,000 people throughout Central Vietnam. But with hundreds of thousands of lives still at risk, we need your help to reach more people in the central provinces.

To learn more or donate to our February Appeal - Vietnam Water Project, you can click the links below.

[call_action_button color="#6d6e71" link="https://jesuitmission.org.au/vietnam-water-w/" background="#ffd04c" target="_blank"]DONATE NOW[/call_action_button] [call_action_button color="#6d6e71" link="https://jesuitmission.org.au/vietnam-water" background="#ffd04c" target="_blank"]Read More[/call_action_button]

US foreign aid crisis puts thousands of refugee lives at risk

*A program of Jesuit Refugee Service in South Sudan, which offers a safe space for Sudanese refugee children*.

On 24 January, the U.S. government froze nearly all foreign assistance, abruptly halting critical humanitarian, development, and education programs. The decision has left millions of vulnerable people worldwide facing an uncertain future, with essential services suspended due to funding gaps.

Jesuit Mission Australia is responding urgently to support its partner, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which has been forced to suspend nine vital programs across nine countries, directly impacting over 100,000 refugees. The 90-day funding freeze affects JRS initiatives in Thailand, India, Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, Iraq, South Africa, South Sudan, and Uganda—placing over half a million of the world’s most at-risk people in limbo.

Tragically, on Friday 28 February, the U.S. Department of State Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) announced the termination of funding agreements for JRS programs in Thailand, Chad, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Uganda. This devastating decision means that five lifesaving projects serving more than 77,000 people—providing psychosocial support, education, emergency aid, and healthcare—have lost all U.S. government funding.

One of the hardest-hit programs is a large education initiative in a volatile region of eastern Chad, where JRS has been providing schooling to over 10,000 students and employing 450 teachers. Without immediate funding, many of these vulnerable children will drop out, facing an increased risk of persecution, exploitation, and trafficking.

Closer to home, in Thailand, more than 12,000 refugees—many fleeing brutal conflict in Myanmar—are suffering severe trauma. The programs offered by JRS Thailand, which provide counselling, education, and basic support, are now critically underfunded.

"More than 100,000 refugees in nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar border are at risk as NGOs, including those delivering healthcare, have been forced to scale back or shut down," said Fr Joe Hampson SJ, Regional Director of JRS Asia Pacific Region and project partner of Jesuit Mission.

The global Society of Jesus, including Jesuit Mission Australia, is urgently seeking to fill the immediate funding gap to prevent irreparable harm.

"Now, more than ever, we are called to walk alongside our refugee brothers and sisters, embodying Christ’s love and ensuring they are not abandoned in their time of greatest need," said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.

*Children in one of the Border Camp classrooms in Thailand, supported by project partner JRS Thailand.*

Jesuit Mission, as part of the Xavier Network—a global coalition of Jesuit organisations working in faith to promote justice—is working alongside its partners to raise urgent funds to support JRS programs affected by the aid freeze.

“These cuts aren’t just numbers—they represent lives in limbo and lifelines on hold: children missing school, desperate parents losing income, traumatised mothers without psychosocial and medical support, and communities without access to vital care,” said Ms Forde.

Refugees cannot wait. Every day without action means more suffering. Donate now to ensure they receive the support they urgently need.

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Recoding the future of camp-bound refugees

"My life before was very tough. I had no activity that could help me generate any income. My family and I were really suffering," says Joseph, a participant in the Pathfinder Digital Inclusion Program, Malawi.

"Now my life has changed completely. With the money that I earn online, I can cover our daily needs."

Joseph, 24, is one of 56,000 people living in the Dzaleka camp in Malawi. Life in Dzaleka is extremely challenging for our sisters and brothers. Resettlement takes an average of 21-26 years, and during those long years, movement is restricted with very limited opportunity to leave the camp to earn a livelihood. As a result, many people live in poverty, forced to rely on food rations to survive.

To help create income streams for camp-bound refugees, our local partner Jesuit Refugee Service Malawi runs the Pathfinder Digital Inclusion Program.

With the kind support of people like you, this innovative program trains over 400 participants each year in marketable digital skills.

*At the Pathfinder program, refugees like Joseph can work beyond their geographic limitations.*

Comprehensive courses empower students to compete in the global online job market and earn valuable income from freelancing and remote work.

Joseph first became involved in the program in 2021, and has become a top-earning freelancer, consistently making enough money to support himself and his family.

Over the last three years, Joseph has worked hard to hone his skills and expand his online services, frequently engaging other community members to work on projects.

"I receive contracts in Data Management with Artificial Intelligence companies that require native people who can speak local languages. I hire people to work with me, and the money I pay them helps my community to live a better life," he explains.

As graduates like Joseph harness their skills and uplift their community, there is a new feeling of hope for the future within the confines of the Dzaleka camp.

"With Digital Inclusion, all our dreams become true," he says.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.

A family of faith
The end of water scarcity in Timor-Leste
Inspiring compassionate leaders in Myanmar
Nurturing the land in Cambodia
Recoding the future of camp-bound refugees in Malawi
Faith moves mountains in South East Asia - Typhoon Yagi Emergency
Sheltering hope in Lebanon

Inclusion through early intervention

*Kabir (right) with his mother and brother.*

Until recently, 9-year-old Kabir lived in a silent world. He was unable to hear, speak or socialise, and couldn’t look after himself like other children his age.

Kabir, who is autistic, lives in a small village in Karnataka Province in southwest India. He belongs to an Indigenous tribal group, Vaddar, which suffers ongoing discrimination. Living with autism, Kabir was pushed even further into the margins.

Without intervention, he was facing a future with very limited opportunities.

But, with the compassionate support of people like you, our local partners North Karnataka Jesuits and Loyola Vikasa Kendra (LVK), have launched a Sustainable Development project that’s helping marginalised Indigenous people – like Kabir – realise their full potential.

This three-year project is fostering social inclusion in a range of ways, including Jesuit run tuition centres that offer early intervention training and workshops on disability and inclusion for health and pre-school workers.

For Kabir, the support he's received has been life-changing.

Kabir is now learning to speak and, thanks to a scholarship, he’s attending school for the first time.

At the special-needs school he attends in Mundgod, Kabir and his peers receive the guided support they need to thrive.

*Once unable to speak or socialise, Kabir is now becoming an independent and active member of his family and community.*

For Kabir, who’ll continue at the school until Year 10, tutors are helping him to socialise, develop his basic literacy and improve his communication and living skills. Although still a little shy, he is an eager learner and, during his time at the school, will build the skills he needs to become independent and self-reliant in future.

This inspiring project also empowers village leaders to become effective advocates for their communities, working towards more sustainable development and bringing hope and opportunity to Indigenous people living with discrimination.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.

A family of faith
The end of water scarcity in Timor-Leste
Inspiring compassionate leaders in Myanmar
Nurturing the land in Cambodia
Recoding the future of camp-bound refugees in Malawi
Faith moves mountains in South East Asia - Typhoon Yagi Emergency
Sheltering hope in Lebanon

Empowering through sanitation

*Bikaun (centre), Fr Julio Sousa SJ, Director of JSS (second right) and the JSS team.*

Bikaun is a widow who lives with her children and grandchildren in a village in the Dili Municipality of Timor-Leste. Until recently, the family's living conditions made it challenging to maintain good hygiene and sanitation.

"Previously we relied on my eldest sister's toilet nearby, before that, we used open spaces in the woods or grass, which was very unhygenic,” Bikaun said.

Supported by people like you, our local partner Jesuit Social Service Timor-Leste (JSS), is helping to improve basic sanitation and access to water for families like Bikaun’s.

The project constructed a new toilet for Bikaun’s family and they are accessing the new community water station.

For Bikaun the change has been transformative, enabling her and her family to live healthier lives with greater dignity.

"I am very happy and thankful to JSS,” she says.

As a result children are now using proper sanitation facilities, which has led to a decrease in diseases related to poor waste management.

Reflections Summer #634

This month's eNews stories are part of our Reflections Summer publication #634.

Click here to read the latest edition of Reflections to see how your compassion is empowering lives around the world.

A family of faith
The end of water scarcity in Timor-Leste
Inspiring compassionate leaders in Myanmar
Nurturing the land in Cambodia
Recoding the future of camp-bound refugees in Malawi
Faith moves mountains in South East Asia - Typhoon Yagi Emergency
Sheltering hope in Lebanon