Canteen of hope
Students of NOSSEF come to school with hopes and dreams despite all the challenges that they face. Many come from families with difficult financial situations.
NOSSEF strives to offer hope to the students through quality Jesuit education that shapes the minds and hearts of the students.
Students are given great opportunity at the school, to become men and women for others, the future leaders of Timor-Leste.
A canteen subsidy assists 350 students to have a daily nutritious lunch and support students' nutrition. For vulnerable families, a subsidised daily nutritious lunch for the students is removing great financial pressure.
The NOSSEF canteen is providing quality food with low prices that families can afford. In fact, for just $0.75 AUD a day students receive this meal. This is a huge relief for many students who work hard every day before and after school to support their parents.
Josefa's Story
Josefa is one of the cooks of the Good Samaritan Canteen at NOSSEF high school.
She was born and raised in Railaco, her husband, Mario, is also a handyman and a builder who helps NOSSEF and the Railaco parish community from time to time. Josefa and Mario are blessed with five children, three girls and two boys, and the eldest, Agnesia, is now a Year 12 NOSSEF student.
"In the past, we really went through difficult times. We have five kids and sometimes we did not have work, so we could not meet our basic needs. But now I can support my family with my own salary. I can pay my children's school fees."
In June 2022, Josefa was recruited to be one of three cooks to help NOSSEF in providing lunch every school day for more than three hundred students. She is very happy to be part of the NOSSEF community.
"My work is really an enormous gift which makes me work tirelessly, to provide good meals for the students at a reasonable price."
Josefa knows very well how important the canteen is for the students, especially those who live far away from the school. She is happy to see that the students are offered good food at a subsided cost.
Josefa (right) with Mika (middle) and Veronica (left) in the canteen.
"It is important that the students eat well and have access to healthy food. As a mother of five, I'm glad when I see them eat well and study well, that gives me great hope."
