Community shop’s boost for India-bound students

Community shop’s boost for India-bound students

27 May 2015

A CHARITY shop in Killyleagh has provided a fundraising boost for two students heading to India this summer with the Saphara organisation.

Brad Kirk and Ross Connolly, who are lower sixth form students at St Patrick’s Grammar and Down High School respectively, have each been presented with £400 to assist with their fundraising efforts ahead of their journey to the sub-continent.

Brad and Ross are among a number of students from the two Downpatrick grammar schools and Ballynahinch’s Assumption Grammar heading to India this summer to teach in a number of schools.

Saphara is a Northern Ireland-based charity which works in India, helping children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds attend school. 

The charity was set up by Belfast teacher, Dr Christine Burnett, who first visited India in 1998, experiencing the poverty as she visited huge slums where many struggled to survive.

Inspired by the life–changing encounters between Indian and young people from schools across the Province, Christine resigned from her teaching post to set up Saphara as a UK–registered charity. 

She recruited Catholic and Protestant schools who shared her vision of inspiring students to become local and global citizens by coming on Saphara’s ‘Journey with Purpose’ to India.

Brad and Ross say they are “overwhelmed” by the generosity of the Killyleagh Community Shop and its staff members Myrtle McIlveen and Frances Clarke and want to thank them for the total donation of £800.

As the teenagers prepare to head to India in July, they are combining their school studies with their fundraising efforts and can’t wait to join up with the other 16 students and teachers who are heading to India.

Brad has no doubt the journey to the sub continent will be a “life-changing experience” but admits it is one he is looking forward to. He can’t wait to engross himself in Indian culture and experience what he described as a “completely different way of life.”

He continued: “We will be teaching students at a number of schools and 

I am really looking forward to this. All of the students who are making the trip have been doing a lot of preparation work and we all can’t wait to go.”

Brad admitted that after taking part in a rigorous selection process he felt he “hadn’t a chance” of being selected but was thrilled when confirmation came through that he would be making the trip.

Ross described the forthcoming journey to India as “highly exciting” and is looking forward to experiencing the sub-continent culture.

He added: “All the students who are part of the Saphara team have put in a lot of hard work and we are all looking forward to working with children in the Indian schools. We have all been fundraising and the money which the Killyleagh Community Shop has provided Brad and I with will be out to extremely good use helping others much less fortunate than ourselves.

“We are both grateful for the generosity many people have shown not only us, but all the students and schools taking part in this latest Saphara trip. Every single penny all the students have raised will be put to extremely good use.”

Myrtle McIlveen said the Killyleagh shop is delighted to have been able to support Ross and Brad’s fundraising efforts with all the money collected by those going on the Saphara trip being put towards a very worthy cause.