XVP volunteers set off around the world

Seven young adults on the Xavier Volunteer Programme (XVP) left Heathrow Airport this week to begin six months voluntary mission service in Africa and India.

Four are heading for Jesuit-run projects in Karnataka State, India, where they will be supporting the ministries that the Indian Jesuits carry out for some of the world's poorest and most despised people, the Dalits ('Untouchables').

Three are going to Africa; two to Ghana to teach English, ICT and sports at a Catholic school in the remote northwest and one to Mwanza in Tanzania, to pioneer a new placement working in a Jesuit-run parish and primary school.

All but one of the volunteers is a former student of a Jesuit school in Britain; the exception is Simon Darvill, who attended The Campion School in Hornchurch, Essex, which was originally a Jesuit college.  He has gone to Loyola Vikas Kendra social centre in Mundgod, India with Charles Graffius, who is an alumnus of Stonyhurst College, the Jesuit school in Lancashire.  Also from Stonyhurst College are Nick Crouch and Tom Leonard who have gone to St Francis Xavier's secondary in Ghana.  Dan Crowley, an Old Ignatian from Enfield, is travelling with Phil Simmons, formerly of Wimbledon College, to Loyola School in Manvi, India, a school with which Wimbledon has worked for several years (see www.wcsip.co.uk).  The group is completed by Martin Pickup, who studied at Donhead, going to another St Francis Xavier's, this time in Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria, Tanzania.

All the volunteers worked hard to raise the funding for their fares and expenses.  They attended a summer training and orientation programme, run in conjunction with other Catholic agencies working together as the Lay Missionary and Volunteer Network.  For more information and reports - visit www.xvp.org.uk


 Wimbledon College South India Project

 XVP