Mark Dombkins is a former Maths teacher of TIGS. Mark left TIGS with his family in 2010 to live and work in Tanzania. Their aim was to be open as a family to provide a home for children who didn’t have one. Whilst in Tanzania the Dombkins became convinced that the best way to serve vulnerable children was to strengthen and sustain existing families. This led to the establishment of a charity called Forever Projects.

Forever Projects believes that when a family has the means to be self-sustaining, they can control their future. The goal of Forever Projects is to remove obstacles which prevent women as primary caregivers from flourishing and thriving.  Forever Projects partners with local teams who provide the support women require to provide for their families. This includes education about health and hygiene, the provision of a steady income, business training, and bucket loads of hope.

The motto of Forever Projects is: ‘What’s in your hands?’ The belief behind this motto is that we all have something to contribute to the betterment of others. It is different for each of us. For some it will be money; for others a particular talent; for others it will be time. Each of us in our own way has something to give. The challenge is for us to consider what is in our hands.

A recent initiative of Forever Projects is the What’s your Kilimanjaro? project. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is 5895 meters in elevation. The challenge of the project is for people to commit to walking, running, swimming or paddling the equivalent of its height. We had Mark speak to our students earlier this year about the project. I was delighted to learn this week that two members of the TIGS community took up the challenge.

Mia is a student in Year 8. Mia has committed to swimming 62 kilometres(!) of local pools with an aim of raising $500 for Forever Projects. Mia has already completed 17 kilometres and raised $350. Mia’s reason for being involved is because she wants to contribute to a good cause and challenge herself physically and mentally.

Mr Brenden Parsons is a Science teacher at TIGS. Brenden committed to swimming 6km of Unanderra pool with the aim of raising $200 for Forever Projects. Brendan has completed this goal. His reason for being involved is because he wanted to help support great people doing great things.

I am deeply encouraged by the willingness of Mia and Mr Parsons to take up the Kilimanjaro challenge. Their response taps into the very mission of TIGS which seeks the achievement of academic excellence in a caring environment that is founded on Christian belief and behaviour, so that students [and staff!] are equipped to act with wisdom, compassion and justice as faithful stewards of our world.

I want to congratulate Mia and Mr Parsons. You can support Mia here.
You can learn more about the Dombkins’ story and the latest Forever Projects initiative here.