Youth from UK privilege and Nepal poverty inspired each other

As a Director of a charity that focuses on children in poverty, I find myself questioning lots of things in our society. Here in the UK, in general terms we have everything we need. We have free quality schooling, free health care, support when we are out of work and local supermarkets with everything and more than we could wish to eat, wear and play with.

In February 2020, Jo Pawley (co-founder of IYH) lead a trip of close friends and supporters of IYH. This included Torr Lovell and Gala Hodgson. They are both 17 years of age and come from a very privileged world of great schools and dedicated and broad minded parents. How would this pan out? Would the children in Nepal shy away from them? The school they stayed at, Sundara Devi is a long way from anywhere. They do not see westerners. They definitely don’t see young westerners. Would they be scared of them? Jealous of them? Begrudge them visiting for a few days and then going? No! They loved them! They ran into school early to play games with them and laughed for 3 days with them.

Did the teachers  feel the school was being exploited by young privilege from the UK with cameras?  No! Why should they? They know that these are the people that have helped build their new school, pay for teacher training which means they have a better time at school and have been the reason behind the women’s support projects with Days for Girls. Spending time with the children and teachers helped both cultures respect each other.

Tor and Gala were so inspired by the children that they decided to do something  to show it.