India Immersion Project

The India Immersion Project has been a defining and deeply meaningful initiative in Coláiste Choilm since its establishment in 2000 by the Christian Brothers, originally under the name The Edmund Rice Project. It offers students a unique opportunity to experience life beyond their own community, building connections with other young people attending Christian Brothers schools around the world. Coláiste Choilm is proudly twinned with Our Lady of Salvation High School in Dadar, Mumbai, fostering a strong and lasting partnership.

In recent years, the project has continued to grow from strength to strength, with successful immersions taking place in both 2023 and again in 2025. Each project brings a group of students and teachers to Mumbai for a transformative two-week experience that is both challenging and rewarding.

During the programme, students are fully immersed in daily life, staying within local school communities such as Our Lady of Salvation and Don Bosco High School. A core element of the experience is engagement with outreach initiatives, where students work closely with charitable organisations and vulnerable communities. This includes supporting children in Don Bosco shelters, visiting the Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Lonavla, and spending time in centres such as Mother Teresa’s Ashadan. These encounters offer students a powerful insight into global inequality, compassion and service.

Fundraising plays a vital role in preparing for the trip, with the school community coming together to raise significant funds—over €30,000 in advance of recent projects—to support the initiatives visited during the immersion.

Students consistently describe the India Immersion Project as a life-changing experience. It challenges them emotionally, physically and mentally, while also strengthening teamwork, resilience and empathy. The bonds formed within the group and with the people they meet often last a lifetime, leaving a profound and lasting impact.

Through the India Immersion Project, Coláiste Choilm continues to live out its values of respect, solidarity and global awareness, empowering students to become compassionate and informed citizens of the world.