ILKLEY Wharfedale Rotary Club has presented a cheque for £4,500 which will be used to support children’s education in Nepal.

The money has been given to the Juniper Trust who have been rebuilding schools devastated by the earthquakes of 2015.

The Rotary club raised the money over the past year from sales of its Rotary Calendar, from the Concert for the Street Children, and from other events and collections. The cheque was handed over by Andrew Broughton, who with other club members has visited Nepal many times.

“It is one of the poorest countries in the world with wonderful people who deserve a chance in life," said Andrew. "We believe in the approach taken by the Juniper Trust, and of course it operates with zero overheads – as we do ourselves - so that every penny we collect and give them goes to Nepal.”

Accepting the cheque on behalf of the Trust, Glen Rowley spoke about the Trust’s work and updated Rotarians on the progress of the projects they have been supporting.

The Trust has a long association with trekking in Nepal and actually had people in Nepal when earthquakes struck - observing at first hand the devastation to rural communities. It decided to focus its efforts on rebuilding schools in the remote foothills where villagers were receiving little aid, and where the life of whole communities was in the balance. The Trust raised money directly by its own efforts, and were also partnered by other charities supplying funds – one of which was the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club.

In the first phase of rebuilding the Trust rebuilt ten schools with 1,200 pupils, most of them miles from a road, so that materials in many cases had to be carried in by the villagers. The Trust pay villagers to do the building work, which provides much needed income locally, using an earthquake-resistant design. When each school opened the Trust brought uniforms made by local tailors, and schoolbags with pencils and paper, also sourced locally to provide income to the Nepalese themselves as far as possible. These were brought in by trekkers who would assist in finishing the schools as part of their trekking experience.

“It is very rewarding," said Glenn. “The schoolchildren will turn out to escort you for the last couple of miles to get up to the village, in their uniforms, with wreaths of marigolds to welcome you, very proud and pleased to see you. They are a very happy people who have next to nothing, living in places of staggering beauty.”

Glenn explained that in these villages the schools are a vital part to the local communities. “To the Nepalese education is a highly valued route out of poverty, and their children will travel long distances each day on foot to get to school in all weathers,” he said. “Villages without schools wither away as families migrate to larger towns where their children will have an opportunity to get an education and have a better chance in life. The Nepalese state is one of the poorest in the world, and they expect village communities to provide a school, and fund a teacher themselves before the state will contribute funds for a second teacher.”

Since the initial ten schools, the Trust has finished a further school, and a hostel for blind children in Khatmandu, where the children are given skills which will enable them to make a living.

The Trust is still raising funds, and is targeting a further three schools to be completed this autumn.

“We are very grateful for the money raised by the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club,” said Glenn. “This further donation of £4,500 will enable us to equip 450 children in these new schools.”

This cheque brings the club’s donations for this particular purpose to £13,000, and to Nepal as a whole (including other projects) to £23,000 since the devastating earthquakes of 2015.

More details about support for Nepal are to be found on the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club Website.