Every year, Year 12 students at St Augustine’s Priory, Catholic independent day school for girls in Ealing, West London, are encouraged to apply for the school’s Travel Scholarship. This special Sixth Form scholarship is designed to give the pupils an opportunity to go out into the wider world where they can make a difference.
One of those awarded the Travel Scholarship this year was Simran who, inspired by her grandmother who has the eye condition, glaucoma, travelled to the village of Chitrakoot in India to launch a Glaucoma Detection Camp for villagers in the surrounding area. Simran, who is 17 years old, volunteered at the local eye hospital and worked with hospital staff who guided and assisted her in launching her project.
As Simran says, ‘Through the Travel Scholarship, I was able to help spread awareness of Glaucoma. I am so thankful for this experience which was extremely enlightening’.
In addition, owing to Simran’s fundraising efforts before her travels, she raised enough money to put towards an annual outreach camp, which will involve a team of doctors and nurses going to surrounding villages and testing potential patients. These villagers will then receive any treatment they may need at the eye hospital and be transported back to their homes, free of charge.
Simran says, ‘The outreach camp is being named after my grandmother and this legacy will continue on through the family. I would like to thank St Augustine’s Priory for all the support they have given me and for granting me this wonderful opportunity to do something so amazing and make a difference to the lives of many.’
Two other recipients of the Travel Scholarship, Celeste and Rania, travelled to Brazil where they worked with a charity in the state of Goiás, training local prisoners the art of embroidery. The prisoners are paid for each item completed and also given three days off their sentence. Celeste and Rania used the money raised before their travels to buy a nutritious meal for all the prisoners.
As Celeste commented, ‘St Augustine’s Priory has taught us the values of redemption and forgiveness, no matter what’.
These students embraced the opportunity given to them and, with courage and determination, have taken steps in ensuring that their actions and commitment have changed people’s lives.
St Augustine’s Priory is a leading Catholic Independent Day School for girls aged 3 – 18 set in 13 acres of grounds.
Communications: Ms E Heekin, Email [email protected], Ms M King, Email [email protected]