Help Orphans In India (GSAM General Fund)

We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. We want to express our deepest gratitude for your continued support and generosity. Your contribution has made a significant impact on the lives of the children and families here at The Good Shepherd Agricultural Mission. 

In these challenging times, your support has been a beacon of hope for us. Please don’t read this sentence lightly; we truly mean it. Despite the difficulties faced globally post-pandemic, we are thrilled to report that all our children are healthy, thriving, and actively engaged in their education. Our kids study in Maxton Strong School, our school, up to Grade 10, and beyond that, we enroll them in external schools and universities. We truly believe this good education is the key to unlocking futures with meaningful careers and not just “jobs”.

Here on our property, we are actively working towards the completion of our expansive kindergarten building, a project that holds immense promise for our mission. Our aim is to fully complete it in 2024, with a soft opening of three to six classrooms in the upcoming session starting in April. This building represents not just physical infrastructure but a space where young minds will grow and flourish.

The kindergarten will serve as a conduit for new students into our school, with an ambitious target of exceeding 1000 enrolments in the next five years. Currently, we have around 650 students, with approximately 250 receiving education for free and the rest contributing through subsidized school fees. Unfortunately, about 20% of our fee-paying students are facing financial difficulties, creating a significant challenge. While we strive to show compassion to these families, we also need to cover essential costs such as power, salaries, maintenance, and infrastructure—a complex puzzle that keeps our administrative team on their toes.

In the agricultural realm, we've successfully completed our sugar cane harvest. While the sale of this product provides some financial relief, it's not enough to meet all our needs. We’re also watching our wheat crop growing strong, in a few short months we’ll be harvesting it; most of which is for our own consumption.

While we try to be as self-sufficient as possible, your ongoing support plays a vital role in bridging the gap and ensuring the continuity of our mission. Your donations enable us to provide quality education, healthcare, and a nurturing environment for our kids. As we face the hurdles of the present financial strain and work towards a more sustainable future, your support remains the cornerstone of our efforts.

Outside of financial burdens, in general, the last quarter has been relatively stress-free. We enjoyed a delightful Christmas, albeit a bit quieter than usual. Our focus has been on tackling maintenance tasks, tidying up gardens, and conducting a thorough stocktake of supplies. Strangely enough, our biggest challenge in recent times has been the mischievous monkeys invading our campus! These troublesome creatures have been causing havoc, scaring our staff and kids, plundering our fruit trees, and rummaging through trash bins. It's not uncommon to find them attempting to sneak into our homes in their endless quest for food!

Once again, we express our deepest gratitude for your commitment to our cause. Your compassion is shaping the lives of these young people, and we are immensely thankful for the positive impact you continue to make.

Kind regards,

Clifton Shipway
Director