13/11/2024
Ten years and over ten thousand dresses
Marian Catholic College’s ‘Sew a Smile’ initiative
“Sew a Smile’ is an ongoing initiative that is a reflection of the Christian values and generous hearts displayed here at Marian Catholic College. Marian began sewing these little ‘Sew a Smile’ garments in 2014, and over the ten years we have sent more than 10,000 garments overseas, to young children right across the Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean. Garments have been distributed to:
the We Yone Child Foundation in Freetown, Sierra Leone
the Gifts of Love Orphanage, the Little Angels Orphanage and the Missionaries of Charity in the Philippines (the latter organised by the Bichara family)
the St Francis of Assisi Friary and the Dominican Orphanage in Timor Leste
to children in the village of Kotida in Karamoja, Uganda
the Supem Uyana (the Garden of Love) and Samata Sarana in Sri Lanka
the Light of Hope Children’s Village in Cambodia
highland villages in Papua New Guinea
the Pacific Islands as part of the CWA Mother & Baby Packs initiative
orphanages in Fiji and Haiti and South Africa
Pilgrims from the Parramatta Diocese attending the World Youth Day also took over 1,000 garments with them to distribute.
Vanuatu (750 garments distributed by Samaritan’s Purse)
Fr Jacob Zulu’s parish in Zambia
Strelley Community School in the Pilbara
Students from all grades are involved in both lunchtime workshops and sewing from home, and we have the support of teachers, teacher’s families, parents, grandparents and our local community, including in St Madeleine Sophie Barat parishioners. Vale parishioner Fran Sanders who was such an integral part of our program for so many years, both sewing from home and supporting our Marian students in various workshops. We also have students at Loreto Convent in Normanhurst who sew beautiful garments for us in their TAS classes, and other students who sew garments as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. St Agnes Catholic High School at Rooty Hill and Tara Anglican School have also contributed garments.
Students are supplied with ready made packs containing the little cut out dress or boy’s shorts, plus the bias binding, elastic and instructions. We mostly use donated fabric or brightly coloured cottons, and all donations are greatly appreciated.
In the words of one of our Year 7 students; “These dresses are so cute and adorable. It’s such a simple idea to make a change in the lives of young children who are not as fortunate as us.”
Please contact Meg Thomas at Marian Catholic College on 96546700 if you would like to make a donation of fabric or volunteer to sew garments.
