During their busy trip to India last month, Simon and Alexandra also spent some time at SKSN School in Jodhpur that we support through charitable donations throughout the year and active trade. Lots has been happening since our last visit in October last year.
The children at the school were always very keen to talk to Simon and Alexandra at the school and would always ask the same three questions in the same order-
-Where are you from?
-What is your name?
-Do you know the Queen!?
With India having recently both hosted and won the cricket world cup cricket fever had swept the country with children everywhere hoping to become the next Sachin Thendulka! Everywhere you looked saw children practising their technique.
Another sporting superstar in the making is Janik Singh who was over in London taking part in some training for wheelchair racing. He hopes to compete for India in the 2012 London Paraolympics and take part in the London Marathon next year. He has nearly finished his two months of training in London and will then go on to Bangalore to spend more time training.
Whilst visiting last year a new Temple was being constructed, this visit saw the Temple completed and in full use by the children at the School. During the visit it was Hindu New Year which meant that some of the pupils would spend 3 hours a day at the temple and all the children would go at least once a day. New Year also meant that some of the older children were fasting for 9 days and would only have one small meal a day. Even with some of the children taking part in a fast, the school cooks were still making around 25kg of Chapati a day!
The Vocational Training Centre project which trains school leavers in making textiles has come on leaps and bounds with five young women now trained able to go back to their home villages and work from home making our Silk Cushions. This gives the young women both the skills and the freedom they need to make sure they are able to make a living for both themselves and their families.
To find out more about SKSN school click here.
