Numea, left, and Takuai, right, students with a promising future at St Louis High School, Kiribati.
Building Futures on Solid Foundations:
Support Marist students at St Louis High School, Kiribati
Students at St Louis High School, a Marist School in Kiribati, have big dreams for their future. Helping them realise those dreams mean supporting not only in their education, but also the school community and facilities needed for their learning and growth.
Any room Lumea walks into seems to brighten, thanks to her infectious smile and the joy on her friends’ faces whenever they see her. At 17, the Form 7 commerce student at St Louis High School, is confident, friendly and full of enthusiasm, with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a clear sense of what she hopes to achieve in life.
When asked what she wants to do when she grows up, she answers without missing a beat, “I want to start my own business.” The finer details of her business plans are still taking shape, but her determination to build a future for herself is already evident, as is her desire to create opportunities for others and contribute to the development of her own country.
This deep sense of community is also reflected in the way Lumea speaks about her school. When asked what she loves most about St Louis, her answer comes just as readily - her friends, whom she considers her support system, and her teachers, whose dedication and encouragement continually motivate students to do better. Having previously lived in Brisbane and studied in Fiji on a tennis scholarship, Lumea has experienced different school environments and cultures, broadening her perspective while deepening her appreciation of the close-knit community she has back home.
She is fond of many things about St Louis, particularly the friendships she has formed and the people who make the school such a welcoming place. Yet, despite her affection for the school, there is one thing she hopes will change, and it is a wish that says as much about her concern for others as it does about her own experience.
“I want future students to have an even better experience than we do.”
For Lumea, this means improving the school’s ageing infrastructure, where years of wear and exposure to the elements have left parts of the campus in need of attention. The condition of some classrooms, with broken or missing windowpanes, inadequate ventilation and worn-out furnishings, can make the learning environment challenging, particularly in Kiribati’s tropical climate. When heavy rain enters classrooms, lessons can be disrupted and students sometimes have to find alternative spaces to continue their work.
Lumea understands the difference a good education can make and the opportunities it can create, not only for her own future but for the generations of young people who will enrol in the school. She wants St Louis to continue being a place where students are encouraged to discover their potential, but she also hopes they will have access to the facilities and support they need to make the most of their education.
And she is certainly not alone in wanting to see the school improve.
Takuai: Big energy, bigger ambitions – a doctor in the making
You can often hear Takuai before you see her. Full of energy and laughter, she has a happy personality that quickly draws people in. A Form 7 science student, she is a favourite among the younger students, who adore her, while her classmates know that there is rarely a dull moment when Takuai is around.
Beneath that cheerful personality, however, is a young woman who knows exactly what she wants from life. Takuai dreams of becoming a doctor and is determined to pursue further studies beyond Kiribati before returning home to care for her people.
Having spent four years at St Louis, she has built strong friendships and developed great respect for her teachers, whom she describes as hardworking, supportive and always willing to encourage their students. Their dedication, she says, is a big part of what makes the school special.
Her ambitions are also closely connected to her love for Kiribati and her desire to contribute to its future. As she explains,
“The population of Kiribati is increasing, but there are fewer doctors. I want to come back and help my people.”
However, as a science student, she is particularly aware of some of the limitations within the school, including the lack of a properly equipped science laboratory and access to the materials needed to support practical learning.
Despite these difficulties, Takuai remains determined to pursue her studies, just as Lumea continues to look ahead with plans of starting her own business.
Administration Building: Building a stronger future for students
The hopes expressed by Lumea and Takuai speak to the aspirations of a generation of young people at St Louis High School who are eager to learn, develop their talents and eventually contribute to their communities. Providing the right environment for these young people involves more than improving individual classrooms; it also means ensuring that the wider school has the facilities and support systems it needs to care for its students and staff.
The new St Louis High School administration building, in progress.
Therefore, one of the most urgent priorities for St Louis High School is the completion of its administration building, an important project that will strengthen the foundations on which the school operates.
Once completed, the administration building will provide dedicated spaces for wellbeing and support services for both students and staff, while strengthening the school’s day-to-day administration and operations. It will provide the school with an appropriate environment in which to coordinate its work, support the people within its community and manage the many responsibilities involved in running a large educational institution.
For a school that plays such an important role in the lives of young people in Kiribati, having these facilities in place is essential. The building is not simply an additional structure on the school grounds, but a vital part of the infrastructure that will help the school function more effectively and provide a supportive environment for everyone who learns and works there.
Bringing the project to completion, however, presents considerable challenges. Kiribati’s remote island location means that almost all building materials must be imported from overseas, significantly increasing construction costs and creating logistical difficulties. This makes the support of donors and the wider Marist family particularly important in helping the school complete a project that will benefit its entire community.
This Christmas, stand with the young people of St Louis High School, Kiribati
At St Louis High School, there is no shortage of ambition or determination. From a young woman hoping to establish her own business to another aspiring to become a doctor and return home to serve her people, students like Lumea and Takuai represent the potential of a generation eager to shape a better future for Kiribati. Their dreams deserve an environment that supports them, encourages them and gives them every opportunity to succeed.
Through its 2026 Christmas Appeal, Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) is partnering with the Marist community in Kiribati and the wider Marist family to help complete the school’s administration building, providing essential spaces for student and staff wellbeing and strengthening the school’s everyday operations.
This Christmas, you can create lasting change. By contributing to the 2026 AMS Christmas Appeal, Building Futures on Solid Foundations: Support students at St Louis High School, Kiribati, you will help complete an important facility and invest in the school community and the generations of young people who will follow.
Together, we can strengthen St Louis High School, support its students and staff, and help build a brighter future for young people in Kiribati.
Together, we bring hope.
Gayatri Nair
Communications Officer
