Church Details:

• Blue Mountains, NSW
• Founded in 1927
• A community oriented Church known for its market days and connection with long service clubs

Overseas Partner:

• Kangra Girls’ Hostel, operated by the Church of North India (Diocese of Amritsar)

Community Context

In the remote villages of Amritsar young women face limited opportunities. One in 25 children die before their 5th birthday, 60 percent of the population are unable to read or write, and school attendance is just 38 percent.

Often parents cannot afford to provide meals and there is no money for education. Schools in remote areas are generally underresourced to provide adequate levels of education, and teachers are often unable to access adequate training to gain qualifications.

This flows on to affect the futures of young girls in the region. The Church of North India (Diocese of Amritsar) has established the Kangra Girls’ Hostel in Himachal Pradesh, a state in northern India, providing care and accomodation for 50 girls from remote areas so that they can gain access to quality education. The girls who attend the Kangra Girls’ Hostel can access education, and therefore have the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty.

Partner Engagement

In October 2009, two Glenbrook congregational elders, Ian Collins and Peter Berry visited the Kangra Girls’ Hostel with a group from New Lambton Church, Newcastle (NSW).

“We both thought that we could not come back from our experiences in India without doing something to help in the good work that the Church of North India is carrying out to change peoples’ lives, especially amongst some of the poorest of the poor. For us the project that had the most impact on us was the Kangra Girls’ Hostel. We were really impressed with the hope that the Kangra project provides to the girls and their communities,” they said.

Upon returning they established a North India Support Group. In June 2010 the congregation hosted two visitors from the Church of North India, Mohinder Singh and Neem Chand, who are both employees of the Church of North India, based in Amritsar. Mohinder and Neem spent a week with the Glenbrook community, including an evening meal at the church. Nearly 80 people attended to meet Mohinder and Neem, who shared their experiences working with the church in remote communities, and also their family and home life.

n July of this year the congregation and UnitingWorld signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining a partnership over the next three years. The partnership will involve the exchanging news of activities, perspectives, and issues that they face. The partnership also involves facilitating the sale of handcrafts through Blue Mountains church market days, to raise funds that will enable the hostel to become self-sifficient, while learning about the context and issues faced by the girls and their communities. Visits to the hostel will be facilitated by UnitingWorld Experience (international volunteer programs).

Elders Thoughts

“We are hoping for a long term relationship, where through financial assistance and encouragement we can support the work of the hostel. But we are also conscious that we ourselves will learn more of faith and life through the relationship we are building.”

Ian Collins and Peter Berry, St. Andrews Uniting Church, Glenbrook