Margaret's sister act returns to the Coast

6:00a.m. 14th February 2007

By REBECCA MARSHALL SISTER Margaret Conway is a modern-day pioneer.

Whether it is being the founding principal of Stella Maris Catholic school or doing charity work in remote Papua New Guinea, she blazes a remarkable and humble trail.

Sister Margaret is almost at the end of a two-month holiday on the Coast, an experience that had her living with electricity, television and traffic for the first time in years.

I only come home every three years and its always a real shock, the 66-year-old said.

I always wanted to work in New Guinea and I help the youth that were left behind, orhpaned or homeless after the 1998 tsunami.

Education means a lot to them because it makes them feel good about themselves and helps them get jobs.

Some of them walk four hours a day to go to school.

Sister Margaret has been living in Papua New Guinea for 14 years and has brought two local boys with her on this trip home.

I love the work and the youth are wonderful people, she said.

We dont get paid and we arent funded by anybody. We depend on donations, and the people from Maroochydore are marvellous.