Though at first glance the grass is long and the grounds are quiet, as Sister Chitra leads the way through to the big shaded play area at the back of the Kora Centre, the sounds of little children happily talking and laughing as they eat a hot, nutritious meal can be heard and four smiling faces beam up at us from around the table.

The work undertaken by the voluntary members of the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Project was recognised as a valuable and integral part of the Australian Church at the annual Safeguarding Mass, held on Sunday 8 March at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Children in Australia have been facing poverty for decades, with the Australian Council of Social Services’ (ACOSS) Poverty in Australia 2018 report citing that 739,000 children (or one in six children) were living in poverty, with an estimated figure of 200,000 children experiencing severe poverty.