Re: Looking for Sponsors or part Sponsors for the 6 pupils listed in this and the next blog post.

 A Special Birthday present or an Anniversary gift to the couple who have every thing they need or maybe a  Social fund raising event with your family and friends to help one of these children continue in Education until Grade 12 when they get the opportunity to sit their Leaving Examinations set by the West Bengal State Education Department. Until 2010 the vast majority of Pupils in the Villages in the Kalimpong Hill Region  had no possibility of continuing in Education even to Grade 10, which is necessary if they wish to be accepted in the Schools in the Hill Towns which have Senior Secondary Schools.

 This is Sophia Lepcha she lives in the village of Gitdubling in the Kalimpon Hill Region.  There are 4 children in her family, her 2 older sisters are still studying as is her younger brother. Sophia's family's only income is from their small plot of land  which her parents plant food for their own consumption. Land for planting in the Hill Region is very limited as much of it is owned by the State Government for tree planting and for Tea Estates. The wages earned by those who do get work on them are minimal-(not a living wage)
Sophia is sitting her Grade 10 Board Examinations at present, If she is successful she hopes to get help to continue in Grades 11&12 in one of the Schools in Kalimpong or Darjeeling with the aspiration of going to College or University to study for a career  Her present need is 2 years funding to finish her schooling.
Amt. needed School fees Rs 5,000  books etc Rs.2,500 ;                       Hostel accommodation and food Rs.18,000.
The Indian Rupee varies between 79 & 85 rupees to the £1.

This is Denmit Gloria Lepcha she comes from a village called Lower byoung Gitdubling, , she is in Class 10 at St. Stephen's School, she will sit her Board Examinations in March 2014 and then hopes to continue in a Senior Secondary School for a further 2 years at which stage pupils sit examinations equivalent to our Grade 6 exams. She won the best Student award in 2012;she is a good leader and would really like to be able to continue at school. Denmit has a younger brother at school also. Her parent have no paid employment and a very small parcel of land so they can not pay anything towards their children's education. St Stephen's School is struggling to support pupils who can not contribute to the cost of their education, but are reluctant to deprive any child of the right to receive an education at least to the age of 16.
Amount need for Denmit for this year at St. Stephen's school is:            Fees Rs.8,500, Books Rs.2,500 and Hostel Rs.24,000

If you feel that you can help any of the pupils even partially or if you want any further information, you can contact me at HCETproject@hotmail.com