Three students from the University of Warwick are foregoing their usual holiday destinations this summer to teach English in a remote Indian town as part of the University’s expanding charitable activities.

Daniel Brown from Newcastle Upon Tyne who is studying History, Griselda Denizi, a second year European Law student from London and Shuprova Tasneem an Economics, Politics and International Studies student currently living in Coventry, will all be flying out to Delhi next month to begin a month’s work with the Laksh Foundation.

The Foundation is a small, charitable organisation and working organic farm based in the hills in Laksh which is a small town some 25 miles outside Delhi. The farm provides alternative employment to illegal stone mining for the local villagers and children from the surrounding area come to school there. But with limited resources and few teachers the Foundation is very grateful for the extra teaching help.

The Laksh Foundation School has around 60 local children and provides vocational training such as stitching and embroidery to older girls and women, giving them the chance to acquire skills to help them earn money for their families.

The Laksh Foundation is supported entirely through voluntary donations or money raised by selling its produce but the cost of sending the students out there will be met by University fund raising.

Whilst out there, the students will be teaching English and bringing with them some enthusiastic and engaging teaching methods to enliven lessons in crafts, art, drama and sport.

“Much of the current teaching is done ‘by rote’ or repetition,” explained Daniel, “but we hope to introduce some lively and fun teaching methods to bring their lessons alive.”

Griselda and Shuprova added that they would also be looking to support and design course material and a curriculum structure which could be carried on, long after their visit has finished.

“We will be more than extra pairs of hands – we are looking to leave the Foundation with new material for lessons and suggestions for improving their teaching methods that will inspire and improve the children’s learning.

“In this country, we take our education system and our well-equipped schools for granted, but in Laksh, even desks and stationery are classed as luxuries. So we are delighted to represent the University of Warwick and help out in such a practical way to make a real difference to the development of better education for the children of Laksh.”

This is one of the many University of Warwick projects which can happen thanks to generous donations and fund raising activities. For more information on the University’s giving programme please go to: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/giving/

For further information or to arrange interviews with any of the students, contact Kate Cox, Communications Manager on +44 (0)2476 574255/150483, m: +44(0)7920 531221 or kate.cox@warwick.ac.uk.