Highlands students to work on community project in Nepal

Sunday 11 February 2018

This March, seven second year Highlands College Sport students - in conjunction with the Gurkha Welfare Trust Jersey - will be embarking upon a community project in a small village in Nepal that was devastated by the 2015 earthquake.

Mikayla Byrne, Jazmyn Mauger, James Withers, Ross Limbrick, Sarah Pointon, Ty Petrovic, Joni Gorman and Kyle Corbin will spend two weeks implementing a sport and English project at the Gyan Jyoti Higher Secondary School in the remote village of Lapsibot.

The students will be accompanied by three Highlands College staff members. They will arrive in Nepal on 12 March, to begin work on developing the school and community project which was funded by the Gurkha Welfare Trust Jersey and Jersey Overseas Aid.

Commenting on the project, Jazmin Mauger said she is excited about travelling away from and putting herself out of her comfort zone. But she is also looking forward to "...giving something back to the community with the support from my community. I am especially looking forward to setting up and teaching sport and showing how fun and challenging it may be when faced with something like a language barrier."

Joni Gorman added: “This trip will help us widen our views and understanding of a country that has so many challenges that are driven by poverty. This is a chance to help children in a third world country and the trip will help us to appreciate the opportunities that life has given to us, while giving back to charities and helping the less fortunate. Personally I'm looking forward to challenging myself by overcoming barriers and going out of my comfort zone. This is a chance to open my mind to new concepts and see how students develop and learn in a different environment”. 

Steve Lewis, Principal at Highlands College, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our seven students to put their theoretical learning into practice and provide a Sport and English programme for Nepalese students. All the students selected for the trip are very impressive young people who have a lot to give and many strengths which will help them meet the undoubted challenges they will face.”

Highlands College Sport tutor, Andrew Dewhurst, said: “Since the devastating earthquake of April 2015, the need for help to rebuild the infrastructure in Nepal has never been greater. Gurkha Welfare Trust Jersey and GWT UK, together with Jersey Overseas Aid, have made great strides in funding and (re)building new schools and community centres, but much more could be done by Jersey to enhance the student educational experience in these communities. The programme our students will be implementing will provide vital support to young people in Nepal and help communities less fortunate than ours in Jersey.”

Ahead of their trip to Nepal to implement a Sport and English Programme, 8 of our Sport students are bag packing today at @CI_Coop Grand Marché. If you're shopping please dig deep and give anything you can! You can also donate online: https://t.co/8UQr9UE54K Thank you Co-Op! pic.twitter.com/mZ6Sr4Kmxr

— Highlands College (@Highlands_JSY) February 7, 2018

While students are expected to raise their own funds, Highlands College is also trying to raise £5,000 via their JustGiving page.  Fundraising and awareness events will also be organised to subsidise the cost of the trip. The estimated cost for each student is £2,200, which includes flights to and from Jersey, London, Kathmandu and Pokhara, plus travel in Nepal, food and accommodation. Bag packing initiatives to raise money for the trip have already taken place throughout January at Marks and Spencer and Co-Op, with more to follow in February. The students were at the Co-Op on Wednesday to raise funds.  
 

Pictured: Sport tutor Jordan Neill and students Jazmyn Mauger and James Withers.