Canadian Donors Bring Smiles to Hundreds of Government School Students

A worker digs a trench at Chinnasolipet school for a water pipe that will lead to the toilet block being refurbished by Academy students and teachers.

Canadian Development Exchange representatives Ms. Wendy Elliott and Ms. Lisa Gervais have organized private fundraisers involving family and friends back in Canada to donate approximately two lakh worth of goods to poor government schools. Each has championed a school. Ms. Wendy is raising money for Chinnasolipet and Ms. Lisa is the patron of Gandhi Nagar.

In early March, Ms. Lisa and Programme Manager Mr. Rajan Thampi visited the school along with school counsellor, Ms. Petra Breiner, who is one of the donors.

The students were shocked and delighted as 49 new pairs of school shoes and socks were delivered, along with a library of English and Telugu books, music and art supplies, sporting equipment and toys. The school was also provided with a water filter and fans.

Ms. Wendy, along with her sister, Cathy Foster, who is visiting from Canada, visited Chinnasolipet on Monday, 21 March to donate a tremendous amount of material to the school’s kitchen and classrooms, including instructional wall paintings and sporting equipment and books. In addition, Ms. Wendy donated 170 pairs of school shoes to the Primary School Rallaguda.

Further, Ms. Lisa and Ms. Wendy, as well as Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad students, have partnered in a project to refurbish the exiting toilet block at Chinnasolipet, and work is now underway on that project. As Dean of Students Mr. Aaron Jacob explains, the students of the Academy, headed by Amaan Merchant from the Diploma Programme, started a business club with the aim of funding the construction of toilets at Chinnasolipet. The students managed the club and the fundraising team was successful in raising INR 17,000/- for the school. This was done through various fundraising activities in and outside school by the team. The initial investment for the start of the club was from the faculty who were also partners in the entire project for the construction of the toilets.

Ms. Lisa’s and Ms. Wendy’s participation as outreach workers over the past two years has made a deep and lasting impression. By working together with the government school teachers and school community they have helped to raise the level of English among teachers. This has trickled down to students. Instead of them being forced into child labor, many more are now attending school and making better futures for themselves.