A group of Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) Theology students have successfully raised enough money to supply over 100 school uniforms to pupils in India with special needs.
Carried out in aid of the SDETLAND Project (www.lincswithindia.org.uk), who work with several Lincolnshire rotary clubs to support some the most deprived and disadvantaged children in the world, the students have been working hard over the past year to raise enough money to fund both the uniforms as well as their travel to visit the centre.
Georgina Foxcroft, one of the students involved, was delighted to have the opportunity to support the project so effectively:
“We asked the SDETLAND Project what they wanted and they said a uniform for the children would be amazing. They receive no government funding, everything they get is from donations and it was the one thing that the school really needed so we were more than happy to provide them.
"Being able to take the uniforms out ourselves and meet some of the children was fantastic. It made that connection more personal and proved to us that our efforts were worthwhile.”
Returning from the trip, BGU Theology lecturer Mark Plater highlighted why the hard work carried out by the SDETLAND Project was so important:
“SDET do a wonderful job of caring for those who generally get left out of Indian society. Tribal people and the disabled are not well provided for by government agencies, so SDET (Social Democratic Education Trust) was developed as a charity to fill in the gaps.
"They provide hostels and special schools for children of such communities, and occupational training to help them move on to skilled jobs. I am really impressed with the dedication and commitment of their staff.”
Along with the SDETLAND Project, the team of BGU students visited primary, secondary, international and specialist SEN schools along with a selection of sites of religious significance across India to get a wide aspect of education and culture in the country.
The students would also like to thank Lincoln business Eliza D Memory, whose daughter is one of their fellow students at BGU, for printing the uniforms.
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