Six local students are gearing up for the adventure of a lifetime as they take part in a major project, supported by Stansted Airport, to renovate a derelict school in a remote area of India.
The students, who are from Bishop’s Stortford and Saffron Walden, are spending two weeks taking part in the Fulcrum Challenge, a self development programme for teenagers who have shown leadership and team working skills in both their schools and in the community.
The group are travelling to the Nilgri Hills (Blue Mountain) region of Southern India – an area that includes the game reserves of Mudumalai and Bandipur, which are home to a variety wildlife including tigers, leopards and elephants. To reach the school they will have to trek and cycle through the jungle for two days and then face a 130km drive.
During their visit the group will work throughout each day renovating the school, carrying out a range of tasks from plastering to painting. By night they will be sleeping under canvas in tents.
Each student has been busy raising £1,500 in sponsorship for the trip, which is being match-funded by the BAA Communities Trust, an airport charity that supports development programmes for young people.
Stansted Airport’s community executive, Valda Edmunds, is attending the trip as a group leader: "We are always looking to forge close links between the airport and the community and the BAA Communities Trust is committed to working with charities like the Fulcrum Challenge that support overseas projects, whilst also creating exciting opportunities for young people living near to Stansted.
"This trip will allow the teenagers to develop a variety of life skills that will help them build on their personal development, and we are proud to be involved in such a worthwhile programme."
Asha Padhiar, from Bishop’s Stortford, is one of the teenagers taking part: "I’m really excited about the trip and looking forward to making a positive difference to the children who live in this remote part of India. There’s plenty of work for us to get stuck in to when we get there – there are holes in the walls, the roof is leaking and the entire building needs to be painted."
Abby Richardson, from Saffron Walden, is also going on the trip: "It’s going to a real culture shock for all of us when we arrive in India. I’m told there’s very little electricity where we are staying and having a shower involves nothing more than standing under a bucket with holes in!"
